Where is Samoa?
Independent Samoa (hereafter called Samoa) lies immediately west of the 171st meridian2 at 13° south of the Equator. It is made up of two large volcanic islands, Upolu and Savai’i, and two smaller inhabited islands, Manono and Apolima. The remaining five islands are uninhabited. Apia is the only town and is the nation’s capital, located on the north coast of Upolu. Air New Zealand and Pacific Airlines both fly into the international airport at Faleolo several times a week. Arrivals and departures tend to be during the night and the runway lights are switched on when an incoming flight is imminent. It is a 35-minute drive from Faleola into Apia, where most of the accommodation is located and it is a good place to start a visit to Samoa. The tourist information bureau is here, as are the shops, the ANZ bank and the post office. Transport and Accommodation The second language of the Samoans is English and everybody speaks it, which makes getting around relatively straightforward. It is po
The Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa, is a group of islands in the Polynesian region of the South Pacific. It is roughly halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. To be more precise, it lies between longitudes 171 and 172 west, latitudes 13 and 14 south of the equator, and is just east of the International Date Line. Samoan Climate Being a tropical island, there are basically two seasons in Samoa – wet and dry. For visitors from cooler climates, the most comfortable time to visit Samoa is between May and October, during the country’s dry season. This is when the southeast trade winds bring a reduction in temperature and humidity. During these cooler months is when most of the Samoan festivals are held, which is a plus for tourists coming to these shores during this time. The heaviest and most frequent rainfalls occur during the monsoon season, between November and April. Although it is a wetter time of year, the December-January holiday period is when Samoa is
Join us for Yoga in Samoa! Samoa Geography The islands are located in the southern hemisphere, about 14 degrees south longitude and 172 degrees west latitude. Samoa is comprised of 10 islands, two relatively large islands, Upolu and Savai’i (which account for approximately 96% of the total land area) and eight smaller islands. The capital, Apia, and Faleolo International Airport are located on the island of Upolu. Total land area is 2,934 sq. km. The islands are volcanic and dominated by rugged mountain ranges with a surrounding fringe of coral reefs and lagoons. Respect Samoan Culture Being Mindful: As you enter Samoa please have in mind that you are in the Samoan’ people’s land and villages now, and they are happy to be sharing it with you, but they also want to be respected and have there customs followed.
Located in the South Pacific and midway between Hawaii and New Zealand, Samoa consists of two entities; Western Samoa – an independent nation since 1961, and American Samoa – a U.S. Territory since 1900. Samoa is generally referred to as the " Cradle of Polynesia " South Pacific Most Archaeologists believe the first Polynesians settled in what is now American Samoa around 600 B.C. By that time, Polynesians had established themselves on the eastern tip of Tutuila island in the village of Tula. These first inhabitants probably arrived in Tonga and the Samoas from the west, perhaps by way of Indonesia, Vanuatu and Fiji. Samoa’s long isolation from the western world ended in 1722 when the Dutch explorer, Jacob Roggeveen, came upon the islands.
