This is the time of the year when a small shift is taking place in the samoan climate.

Between November and April the humidity is higher and  constant sweating belongs to the daily life. It can be very uncomfortable when coming directly from a cooler country not being used to having a semi wet T-shirt all day long.

It is understandable that most visitors like to spend most of their time with their feet in the water on the beach or by the hotel pool.

Cooler times ahead.

During the months between May and October we usually have a nice strong breeze blowing all day long which makes it cooler and more comfortable. This is also the time when most tourists are coming to the island, filling up our hotel rooms.

As usual, when more tourists are arriving the prices will also go up. This year has been different from others because of the previous tsunami which scared off lots of booked guests. Today the situation is slowly getting back to what is was before although the number of accommodation available have decreased.

Many of the smaller operators are not bothering any more to continue serving the tourists.

The opportunity season.

It is good to know that lots of great accommodation deals are available between November and April and if this is the time for your holiday, don’t hesitate to come to Samoa. Everyone will have extra time for just you and you will probably have a very profound experience.

Although it is great to stay at the beach, you should give Apia a few days and explore the many small but very good restaurants, the market and the police band marching every morning to raise the flag in front of the government building.

If you haven’t been to Samoa yet, you should know that we are only 4 hours away from New Zealand and 5 hours from Australia. Both destinations have direct flights. If you are coming from Europe and going to New Zealand you can make a stop in Samoa without extra costs. Air New Zealand has a direct flight from Los Angeles.

Mats Loefkvist

Book hotels Samoa and accommodation directly on our site www.samoa-experience.com

Blog http://www.samoa-experience.net

Goals worth nothing

First I like to wish you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR with the hope that you have spent some valuable time with your family and loved ones. As usual you are supposed to set goals for the new year, which most of the time only are nice wishes. Goals and wishes are worth nothing without action, so let’s have some action during 2010. I believe that this is the time to start new and be totally open for different ideas rather then going in the footpath of the comfortable past years. We need to start thinking outside the box.

The numbers below shows clearly that we are on the right way. The traps are many and only with careful planning, a common vision and quality we will be able to succeed.

Minister of tourism

What the Tourism Minister Plan

Samoa broke the ST300 million barrier in tourism earnings in the year to the end of June.  The first time we earned ST310 million, which is about 30% of our GDP—the largest single contributor after remittances.

Up until now, tourism has been booming in Samoa with Australian holiday makers tripling in number over the last six years. Over 15,000 Australians made a holiday in Samoa in 2008.

Internationally, Samoa received over 120,000 tourists during the same year of 2008.
Taking into account Samoa’s natural beauty, the friendly locals, and the growing accommodation industry, it is no surprise that the vast majority of travelers visit for leisure purposes.

The Tourism Ministry’s goal is to get 135,000 tourists, which is an increase on the last year of about 16 percent.

Tourism is a key industry for the Samoan economy. It’s the biggest revenue earner, worth $300 million a year. It also brings in the most foreign exchange, providing and creating employment opportunities for our people.

Project planner

New Projects?

In light of the tsunami disaster, questions are now being asked about whether the massive tourism development project that was planned for Sasina and other villages in Savaii will still go ahead.
What about the proposed Warwick hotel at Vavau? How will the tsunami affect the progress of that project?

According to an official report Samoa still have about 85% of the accommodation businesses in operation and the only thing stopping the earnings for the tourism sector is the hesitation of the visitors to come back. The report tells the following:
1.    We still have five out of seven deluxe hotels available – 326 rooms and 854 beds.
2.    We still have five out of seven superior resorts available – 135 rooms and 314 beds
3.    We still have 22 out of 24 standard hotels available – 315 rooms and 759 beds
4.    We still have 27 out of 29 budget hotels available – 406 rooms and 864 beds
5.    We still have nine out of 14 beach fales available (overnight stays) or 144 rooms and 348 beds.
6.    We still have eight out of 17 beach fales available (day stays) or 51 rooms.”

Fly Easy to Samoa

Air Pacific has just launched a new flight given Samoa a direct service to Honolulu which has proven very lucrative.
We’ve now got 14 flights a week from New Zealand, 3 flights a week nonstop from Sydney and one from Brisbane. Still Air New Zealand is flying the popular route Los Angeles –  New Zealand with a stop in Apia.

A Must for the Future

Tourism is growing greener and more and more travelers demand a green and responsible development for the future. People are not only prepared to pay more for an environmentally aware hotel, they are also not prepared to contribute to any irresponsible activity unfavorable to the nature what so ever.

Although the tsunami was a terrible disaster, it gives us the possibility to rethink and review the future plans of our tourism activities.

Looking Back on 2009

Full of sadness, there is no doubt the events of September, especially the tsunami which killed 143 people, tops the list.
September was an action-packed month. There was the controversial road switch, the $20million boat stuck on the reef in Apia and the Hotel Kitano fire.

Many people were and are still struggling to make ends meet.
The swine flu was scary. At least 138 Samoans were diagnosed with three people killed.

Happenings in April

Guinness World Record Travelers visit
Traveling Swiss couple, Emil and Liliana Schmid are Guinnes Book record holders, and they visited Samoa to extend their record to 163 countries visited.
But that is only part of an amazing story that started 24 and a half years ago for the couple and still continues.
What sets the couple apart and what has won them special recognition by the Guinness Book of record is where they always take their trusty Toyota land cruiser car where ever they go.
The Schmids and their 1982 FJ60 Toyota Land Cruiser have traveled 642 thousand kilometers – the most by any other couple. They have traveled around in Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia and now the Oceania.

Happenings in May

Swine flu
May was the swine flu month. All visitors to Samoa were tested at the airport as Samoa braced itself for the swine flu virus. There were men and women walking around Samoa with masks, an usual sight.
In the end, the disease killed three people. Over hundred Samoans were tested swine flu positive.

Happenings in June

Fagali’i airport returns
Four years after it was closed, Fagali’i Airport was back in business with international flights from Pago Pago served only by Polynesian Airlines. The airport was closed for safety reasons.

Happenings in September

Road switch
Samoa changed over to drive on the left side of the road after a long and criticized process.

Boat stranded worth $20m
The container ship, Forum Samoa II, stuck on the reef in Apia

Kitano fire

Apia landmark up in smoke
An electrical fault is one possible cause of the fire which destroyed iconic fale of the former Kitano Tusitala Hotel, now known as Tanoa Tusitala.
Bought by Tanoa Hotels Group July this year, the three fale were reduced to ashes within an hour by raging flames. All had just been renovated by the new owners.

Tsunami hits
Government officials and emergency agencies worked endless days and nights to deliver tents and water to stricken Aleipata, Siumu and Falealili residents hit hardest by the tsunami on September 29.

Happenings in December

Savaii – top of the list

Savaii is doing well and many hotels have a better occupancy than previous year despite of the many cancellations because of the tsunami.

Help us keeping the VISION of a great new Samoa…

Mats Loefkvist     www.samoa-experience.com

We recently picked up 2 huge bags with cloths that came the whole way from Sweden. The swedish travel and tour agent “Tour Pacific” sent the bags with two of their clients. We were sure that they were happy to carry the big and heavy bags half around the world. The people in Samoa were at least very happy to receive the cloths. Among the cloths there were about 30 Swedish T-shirts in bright yellow and blue. We walked around town yesterday and we saw 2 kids with a swedish T-shirt.

Money from Australia and Europe,

More people have been donating money for Samoa. We got all together 3,200 Tala paid into our account from staff at “Intrepid Travel” in Australia plus from private people in Europe.

We decided to get the shopping done and filled the car with rice and canned fish (sorry, this is what the Samoans like most) and had it delivered to 16 different families.

As we are moving around in the affected areas, we realize that the progress of rebuilding is slow and we would like to see more organized efforts from the government to have villages cleaned up, businesses up and running and families getting one of the new buildings that was promised.

We will continue to add more reports about the progress inn a near future.

Mats    www.samoa-experience.com

It has kept us really busy to deliver everything that was coming in. Yesterday we had a big shopping day to buy everything that we thought were most important to the affected families.

So far we received 3000 Tala that we decided to use for kerosene stoves, plates, pots and pans.

All this went to the village of Saanapu which was affected by the tsunami. The main focus of the tsunami help has been on the South East coast as it was the area that was affected most allthough many other places like Saanapu on the South West coast were badly damaged as well.

All the families send their sincere thanks to you people for making a difference in their lives.

With great help from outside, the government has put together a help plan for the ones that lost everything. These people will get a new small house built for their family. The total cost for each house will be about 7000 US Dollar.

I am looking forward to keep informing you about the progress of the rebuilding of the lives of the Samoan people.

Mats      www.samoa-experience.com

We have been overwhelmed by all the private help provided by families and friends, former guests and supporters. Looking at all the help from all these fantastic people, you know that the would is not a bad place at all. Unfortunately the news and the media is mostly interested in negative news which affects all humanity in a very negative way. If we focus on good, good things will happen. Thanks a million to all of you that have helped or are still helping Samoa.

Below is a friend of mine that took an initiative in Canada. The Samoa Observer Newspaper got to know about it and wrote the following story…

Mats      www.samoa-experience.com

By Alana Lojek, South Shore Clipper

After learning about the devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck Samoa on September 29, a St. Margaret’s Bay man has taken aid relief into his own hands.

James (Jamie) Little, who runs a travel company in Hubley, has a personal connection to the tiny island-nation in the South Pacific Ocean. He visited the “extraordinary island” — which is approximately the same size and population as Cape Breton — two years ago and developed a strong liking for the “absolutely phenomenal place.”

When he heard about the effects of the 8.3 magnitude earthquake, which killed over 180 people and displaced thousands, he decided to spring into action. After talking to a Swedish friend of his who runs the Virgin Cove resort on Samoa, Mr. Little posted an ad on Kijiji seeking emergency supplies, like tarps, cookware, sandals, and first aid kits.

He received a number of calls from people wanting to donate items. He also shopped thrift stores in search of clothing and supplies, and bought tarps himself. Then, along with his two little boys, Mr. Little loaded up a large box with all the aid items he had collected.

The kids “had so much fun filling up the box,” he says, which he then mailed by air (for $450!) to Apia. He says he has been driven to do whatever he could for the residents who have “lost everything,” and also wanted “to send a good message to my kids.”

Mr. Little says he initially wanted to make a cash donation to the Canadian Red Cross, but decided against it when he learned the funds would go into the general program, and not specifically to the Samoan disaster. With the similarly-timed tragic disasters in the Philippines

and Indonesia, he was worried Samoa would be overlooked. Although neighboring American Samoa, which was also hard-hit, falls under the protection of the United States, Samoa itself does not.

In addition to corresponding with the UN Ambassador for Samoa in New York, Mr. Little contacted Federal MP Geoff Regan to inquire about Canadian government assistance. He learned, however, that the government is unable to provide support unless Samoa officially requests it, as it could be seen as a sign of disrespect.

At this point, he is waiting to see what will happen as far as relief is concerned, but says over the next month he might hold a bottle drive or a clothing drive for the people there. “Now it’s at the point where they have to rebuild, like rebuilding a house after a fire,” he observes.

The main message he would like to convey is for tourists, primarily from Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the UK, “to keep on going” to Samoa, a tiny place which has “personally affected” him in such a positive way.
Anyone interested in learning how they can help can email James Little at:  jral@eastlink.ca .

Pre-history

Archaeological and linguistic evidence suggest Polynesians descended from Southeast Asia, in particular Taiwan. Other theories suggest Polynesians may have been descendants of the Lapita people, who originated from northern Papua New Guinea and spread though New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa around 1500BC.

The oldest known site of human occupation in Samoa is a village partly submerged in the lagoon at Mulifanua on Upolu dating back to about 1000BC. This site is associated with the Lapita people who left pieces of Lapita pottery. There are also thought to be hundreds of ancient fortifications around the country that were built to defend the villages against attack by rival districts. One of the largest of these can be found in Luatuanu’u on the road to Solosolo. Other ancient archaeological sites, called star mounds, are found around the islands. These are large stone mounds that may have been used by chiefs for snaring pigeons.

Pre-colonial

Prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 18th century, Samoans, along with Tongans and Fijians were the superpowers of the Pacific. The Samoans were renowned for their seafaring skills, so much so that a French Explorer by the name of Louis-Antoine de Bougainville named the islands the Navigator Islands in 1768.

It was the missionaries arrival in the 1830’s that were to prove the greatest upheaval in Samoan history. So successful were they that the islands of Samoa remain staunchly Christian to this very day.

Colonial

In the late 1800’s Germany, Great Britain and the USA each had vested interests in the islands. During this time a civil war had broken out in Samoa, and the three powers supplied arms, training and even soldiers to the w

arring parties. The war ended in 1899, after the three powers had each sent warships to Apia harbour. When a full scale war between the three seemed imminent, a huge storm sunk or destroyed most of the warships. This proved to be the catalyst to end the fighting.

The Tripartite Convention then saw the Samoan Archipelago partitioned into two parts: the Germans taking the islands to the west and the Americans taking the islands to the east, known today as American Samoa.

After the outbreak of World War I, New Zealand troops landed on ‘Upolu unopposed on 29 August 1914 and seized control from the German authorities, following a request by Great Britain. The New Zealand administration grew to be unpopular and the Mau independence movement grew, culminating in a demonstration in 1929 when police opened fire on demonstrators and killing the Mau resistance leader Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV. New Zealand’s administrative role continued until independence on the 1st January 1962.

Independence

The road to full independence was not without struggle and sacrifice, however several important steps were taken to ensure independence was achieved.

In 1947 Samoa became a United Nations Trust Territory under the administration of New Zealand, with a Council of State comprising the New Zealand High Commissioner and two Samoan chiefs also called the Fautuas. On the 1st of June 1948 the New Zealand and Samoan flags were hoisted together for the first time. In 1957 the entire government was reorganised in preparation for independence and a Legislative assembly or Fono was set up. In 1959 Faumuina Mataafa II was appointed prime minister, and a year later the formal Constitution adopted. In 1961 a United Nations referendum was organised, resulting in overwhelming support for independence.

This independence occurred in 1962, Western Samoa becoming the first nation in the Pacific to gain its independence.

Information Source, Samoa Observer, www.samoaobserver.ws

The worst kept secret in reality television is official – the 19th edition of CBS’ Survivor series is heading to Samoa. 
Other than the fact that it has wrecked wedding plans for dozens of New Zealanders, the real question is this: How hard can surviving on Samoa be?

I did it for years, tackling endless multicourse umu or feasts, complete with freshly plucked fruit and delicately roasted pork.

Then there was surviving Vailima beer, the sunburn on the stunning beaches and the odd falling coconut or children stealing mangoes.
And yes, all those Samoans. Large, warm, friendly, romantic and so darn hospitable. Surviving Samoa’s jungles? No snakes, wild animals or anything threatening, other than getting mud on your Nikes.

Sure it rains, but it never gets cold.
Back in February Stuff.co.nz reported that Samoa was the next venue for the series. The Samoan media were not allowed to report it because Deputy Prime Minister Misa Telefoni heavied reporters to keep it secret.

Survivor host Jeff Probst last week got around to telling the world what every Samoan already knew.
“Deep in the exotic waters of the South Pacific, 18 strangers will be abandoned on the rugged islands of Samoa, a tropical paradise straight from Robert Louis Stevenson’s legendary tale, Treasure Island,” said Probst.
“This majestic land of towering waterfalls, mysterious rainforests, and a fierce warrior culture will be the castaways’ home for 39 days.  Forced to work together, they must learn to adapt or they will be voted out.”

Survivor have taken over a couple of beaches, notably a place called Return to Paradise Beach on Upolu’s south coast. It was last famous in 1953 when Gary Cooper starred in a movie there.

I’ve survived its warm waters and white sands. We had to pay the matai to be there. Then we tried to light a barbeque but could not as the wood was damp. A 10-year-old village girl came by and did it for us.

Last time I was there I was covering a conference; Helen Clark and John Howard were staying and some local Samoan wrestler called Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was, well, surviving. Shared a resort toilet briefly with him – and two security guards.
The locations suggest the “jungle” to be used by Survivor is the area south west of the capital Apia. It is where we went one day to hunt the fierce wild Lake Lanoto’o goldfish.

It’s not far from where Taito Philip Field got some Thais to do some tiling.
Survivor: Samoa will need to learn survival techniques when facing the classic ‘ava ceremony – Samoans let them run, fiercely, for hours.
Of course these sensitive Americans will have to be warned about the fierce wit and freely offered wisdom of the fa’afafine.

There is, however, one big serious survival event looming ahead.
In Samoa they drive American style, on the right hand side of the road. In two months, in a day destined to be utter madness, they are going to switch over to driving on the left hand side.
Surviving in the jungle may be the safest place to be.

Written by Michael Field, Fairfax Media

For years we have been struggling with the slow dial up connection, preventing us from watching videos online or communicate with family and friends and be able to see their face at the same time. We just hope that nobody made a knot on the line or that the shark did not take a bite of it. I am sure that we no longer need the WWW anymore which, I believe stands for WORLD WIDE WAITING.

Although the cable has arrived to Samoa, it doesn’t really mean that we will have fast internet tomorrow. You might have heard about the “Samoan Time”. I guess that we are suffering from SWW (SAMOA WIDE WAITING).

Anyway, lets hope for the best.  Read More about the Cable project

The Season from December – March has often been called the rainy season or wet season and many visitors have decided not to go to Samoa because of the weather. The truth is that we have fantastic weather during this time and most rain comes during the night. The wind is less strong which makes it slightly warmer if you go inland. Most of our visiting guests like to sit right on the beach were it is nice and cool always.

I have heard people say, lets go to Fiji or Cook island because there is no rainy season. The fact is, they have exactly the same climate and weather, there is only one difference – they newer call it “The Rainy Season”.

From Now on lets call it “The Opportunity Season” which it truly is. We have lower rates on all flights, hotels and car rentals, it is less crowded if you like to go golfing on one of our 3 Golf Courses, rent a car and go exploring the living culture on the island or just spend the time on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

You should take a look at the low air fares from Polynesian Blue or Air New Zealand during this time. Check out our accommodation deals for all our hotels on our www.samoa-experience.com website.

See you soon in Samoa, the island of Opportunity….

Sunny Greetings

Mats

Travel to Samoa!

I like to start to introduce Samoa to you in a more official way with all the facts and details about our country and culture to make you have a greater understanding where we are coming from.

This cover all aspects like culture, politics, geography, economics, demographics and sports. I need to have a closer look myself as I am not sure I know all this although I live here.

Please go to the following page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoa   (link will open in a new window)