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Surfing in Samoa

By Michael Cohen

Going nuts Surfing in Samoa.

When was he last time you left your mobile phone for a week or went to a hotel with no television, phone or internet service? When was the last time you read for 4 hours a day? If you're a 5 star, cable TV junkie, Samoa is not the place for you.

Our resort was Coconuts - located on the main island Upolu around 45 minutes drive from the airport. My partner had been before so was referred to as a "Returning Nut". Coconuts was conceived around 20 years ago by two bored, hot shot, LA lawyers who wanted out of the city scene and decided to build a perfect hotel for a sea change. It's rated 4 stars and the rooms are absolutely beautiful. The resort is located on the water's edge and all the rooms have water views and balconies. I recommend the meal deal package including breakfast, lunch and dinner with all the wine and beer you can handle for only $75 Aussie a day.

Samoa is a beautiful tropical paradise with fresh seafood, friendly people and the most laid back lifestyle you could imagine. However, my main reason for going there was for the surf! Samoa is steadily gaining a reputation as a alternative to Indonesia and Hawaii for the Aussie surfer. There are a number of surf camps catering for all budgets and provide a full guided surfing experience. But I didn't want to surf with 15 other aussies, I do that every day in Sydney so I hired a private guide.

Neil, my guide, was an American who had lived in California and Hawaii before settling in Samoa 3 years ago. He know the surf spots as well as anyone on the island and has a small boat to take you over the lagoons to access the reefs located around 800 meters off shore. Surf holidays are more fickle than snow holidays as all the elements have to be perfect; wind strength, swell direction and size, crowds, marine creature etc etc.

The first day was a classic surfers dream; crystal clear water, no wind, solid swell an no one out - even a non-surfer could have appreciated the perfection of the scene. We surfed until dark in easily the best surf I had ever experienced. One perfect surf in a week would be considered a good surf trip, I was satisfied but it was not over. Every day for the next week the swell and wind did what they should and Neil and I (and the occasional shark) had the perfect waves to ourselves.

Not forgetting I was travelling with a non-surfer I did all the other great attractions on the Island; snorkelling, the markets In Apia, Robert Louis Stevenson's House and even Church on Sunday morning!

I will definitely be a returning Nut.