Shelley’s Story

I had 2 weeks in Samoa in 2008 and after a brief stay in Apia I went to the Sunset View Fales and enjoyed it so much that I decided to stay there for the whole of my time. I loved the people so much that I offered to help set up this website for them. The food was delicious. Leota shared so much with me about Samoan culture. Leota is the matai (chief) of his village and he is involved in many aspects of Samoan life and culture. He was friendly, open, trustworthy and fun. His wife Sau, extended family and friends were all wonderful.

I chose Samoa over other Pacific Islands because it still has some very traditional living compared to many other more mainly modern and tourist orientated destinations. It has a rich and vibrant cultural life and Samoans are renowned for their friendliness. It is very safe and easy to visit – it is stable politically, and there are very few health risks. Most people speak English well. It has no nasty creatures that can kill you. On the main islands dogs are a nuisance and can be harmful on occasion, but Manono Island has a no dog policy.

December and January are usually the wettest months in Samoa and I went at this time in the low tourist season in late January. With more rain it tends to be slighter hotter and more humid. However I found it wasn’t at all unpleasant, and it didn’t rain all that much where I was in late January. Manono Island is quite low so there are no hills to catch the clouds and rain. It was certainly hot but nothing a few afternoon swims and lazing in the shade couldn’t fix. The average annual temperature is 26.5 degrees Celsius. The dry season is between May and October.

© 2009 Sunset View Fales