SAMOA : The Surf

SAMOANA RESORT DETAILED SURFING INFORMATION

PAY AS YOU GO SURFING TOUR (Approx A$45 per person per trip)

Surf trips are purchased directly on a pay as you go basis at SAT120 approx A$45 pp per trips up to 4 hours.  This offers great flexibility for example if you are travelling with a family or with your non surfing partner you may opt not to take a trip on a particular day or if surf conditions are poor and the 'expert' surf-guides call a 'NO SURF DAY'. Wavehunters clients have a 'Guaranteed space on the trips if you pre-advise us in advance you will be surfing.  Surf trips are  weather, swell and tide dependent and operate with a min. of 2 people and max. of 6 people.

14 waves: 8 lefts/6 Rights  including Special K, Mal’s, Kiddieland, Piggies, Pebbles, Barras, Suck outs, Wakas, Coco’s, Inner Siumu Lefts, Outer Siumu Lefts, Siumu Rights, Tautua’s, and Boulders.

Sa'Moana Resort offers its surfing guests, maximum 6 surfers, access to the World Class reef breaks on Upolu's rugged South coast via a 23' ft power boats operated by experience Aussie, Brent Ross who has been surfing Samoa since the early 90's. The boat is moored in a lagoon only 20 minutes drive from the resort, which provides better logistics and even more convenient access to the breaks than ever before. Please note the boat can only be launched 3 hours each side of high tide as it is too shallow at low tide. An average surf trip duration is 4 hours duration taking into account travelling time.

Approx. Times to breaks by boat from the lagoon (in good sea conditions). Obviously these times will be increased during bad weather.

* Add 20 minutes vehicle travel from resort to lagoon.

• Spot X, Y-Tops- 35 mins
• Pebbles – 10 min
• Barras – 15 min
• Wackas – 15 min
• Coconuts/Siumu - 20 mins
• Boulders - 25 mins
• The Island - 35 mins

The North shore breaks can only be accessed by vehicle (2 x current model Toyota Hi-Ace vans) -minimum 1 hours travel time. These vehicles are ideal for exploring the North and East coasts of Upolu during summertime north swells or during periods of unfavourable winds for the south shore breaks.

Sa'Moana Resort employ full time surf guides who have intimate knowledge of all Samoan surf breaks and are very capable all round 'water-persons '. The guide’s main focus is to ensure Sa'Moana guests safety and maximum surf-time.

Surfing in Samoa is a relatively new tourism market. Independent surf adventurers have sampled Samoa’s offerings of world class reef breaks over the years, however unlike several of it's higher profile Polynesian neighbours, Samoa is still pretty much a new frontier as far as surf travel destinations go. At this stage Samoa has less than a handful of local surfers.

Also available are the free surf spots out front, or within walking distance from the resort: 

Resorts (left and right peaks), Robbo’s Right, and Village Lefts.

Guests of Sa’Moana Resort will receive professional guiding service with access to an abundance of surfing options surrounded by the raw natural beauty of the island. We can offer every surfer the thrill of surfing some of Samoa’s premier waves and the adventure of a trip to mystic offshore reefs to surf amazing waves, a holiday to remember and see amazing scenery. We do this by mixing surfing and touring, offering the surfer guest with a family practical options to ensure that they experience both the surfing and family holiday times that are so special in Samoa.

Upolu Island on Samoa has the potential to offer surf all year round, subject to swell and wind conditions. There is a vast variety of surf within proximity of Sa'Moana Resort.

Ability Level: Surfers must be of intermediate level or higher to safely enjoy the array of reef-breaks

Samoa has several surf seasons outlined as follows:

 May to September: The most consistent swells come from way down in the southern ocean and intensify before exploding on Upolu Island's south shore during the May to September season. During this period the SE trade-winds that are the prevalent in the Sth Pacific can have an impact on some of breaks that are more exposed to the wind, whilst other breaks are un-affected eg.

Boulders is protected by the headland and Devils Is. is off-shore in SE winds. At times the SE trades can be VERY strong and there MAY be times when conditions are not ideal (un-safe) for boat travel to the surf breaks. On these occasions the surf-guides will do all possible to track you down some surf by vehicle access (even travelling to the North Coast where the breaks will be smaller in size but not wind-affected). During the peak Sth swell months (May-Sep) there will be days when there is very little wind and conditions will be perfect.

Upolu Island's south shore breaks include:

Village Lefts: A down the line left-hander within walking distance from Sa'Moana resort, can get very good.

Resorts: Right and left peaks set up out front of the resort, breaks similar to a beach break, except on reef 

Wackas: Hence the name, a very fun playful left, great for surfers of all ability and craft.

Barras: A perfect right hand set up breaking on shallow reef. Starts off small, growing into the barrel of your life.

Pebbles: Super round left that horse shoes almost to 90 degrees off a wedge, offshore in SE trades. Out the back is a much longer mellow left, big walls, big turns

Coconuts: An incredibly hollow and sometime intimidating right-hander. Has been compared to HT's in the Mentawais.

Inside Siumu: A short fun left with wackable walls.

Outside Siumu: Longer and bowlier than inside, in the right swell direction, can be all time

Boulders: A classic left-hand point break. , Very powerful and protected in the SE trades. Can hold up to 15ft

Devils Island: A freight train left on an outer reef can produce long, insane barrels.

There are a couple of other SECRET spots not mentioned above that Sa’Moana guest can surf ALONE when conditions are appropriate. 2 breaks in particular (known as Y Tops & Spot X) offer mindless perfection at times and are regularly sampled by lucky Sa’Moana guests.

It is common to encounter other surfers when surfing at the better known breaks (easily accessible) of Boulders, Coconuts, Devils Is. & Siumu/s, however conditions could rarely be described as crowded, however at the lesser known spots (difficult to access) you will usually just surf with other Sa’Moana guests.

February to April & October

During the months of Feb/Mar/April & October, the Sth Shore breaks can get VERY good with glassy, clean conditions due to lack of wind factor at this time. South West swells (generally not as large as May-Sep months) are common over this period, being the favoured swell direction of some of the right-handers on the Sth Coast eg. the world-class set-up of Coconuts. During this same period the North Shore of Upolu can often have good waves also due to Nth Swells pushing down from Hawaii.

November to January

The Summer is when the north shore of Upolu is at its best. North swells originating in Alaska travel via Hawaii and hit Samoa's north shore approximately 3 to 5 days after hitting Oahu (Hawaii).

Upolu’s north shore breaks include:

Fagaloa Bay: A series of points, not dissimilar to Noosa - needs exact swell direction. (very difficult to access without boat and rarely surfed for this reason).

Solo Solo: Three separate, medium length hollow right-handers breaking on shallow coral reef stretching over 400m, all varying in difficulty. Swell magnet and offshore in most winds Laulii: Right hand point break also offshore in most winds. Playful, medium length wave, which will barrel when it gets bigger. Needs a big swell.

Dragons Breath: This wave is world class, possibly the best set up on Upolu Island. 10 min out from Apia, approx 15 min paddle out, can hold huge swell. The right hander has big open barrels you can drive a car through, breaks very similar to Pipeline, The left off the other side is longer 150m-200m, fast really hollow tubes, has three separate sections, with this perfection always comes a price, experienced surfers only.

Pudding Rock: Short playful right-hander (featured on front cover of Surf Adventures).

Waterfalls: Another short, fun right hander, 1 min from pudding rock, Unlike other breaks best at low tide Once again many more unnamed breaks exist on Upolu's north shore. During ‘Summer’, SW swells can also occur giving Sa’Moana guests the opportunity to sample some Sth Coast breaks also (usually very glassy conditions on the Sth Coast over Summer).