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Samoa Holiday Facts
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Samoa Holiday Quick Facts:
Number of Islands: 10 (Upolu = main island)
Population: 161,000 (American Samoa = 58,000)
Time: 11 hours behind GMT
Currency: Samoan Tala
Languages: Samoan and English
Independent Samoa is the official name of the islands but many people still know it by its old name of Western Samoa. American Samoa is a separate nation being a territory of the USA, although traditionally the islands are one and the same. Samoa (which generally implies Independent Samoa) lies south of the equator in the heart of the south pacific ocean, north of Tonga, east of Fiji and west of the Cook Islands and Tahiti.
Samoa Health and Dangers
Mosquitoes are present in most parts of Samoa, especially in the tropical rain forest where repellent is a must have. On the coast and in Apia Town they are really only an annoyance during the wet season between December and April, and in this period only after heavy rains. Occasional outbreaks of Dengue Fever can occur.
The country is free from malaria, yellow fever and most other diseases endemic in tropical countries. The exception is the occasional outbreak of dengue fever which is spread by mosquitoes and Filariasis, another mosquito borne disease which causes swelling of the lymph glands and rashes amongst other symptoms.
Tap water is generally safe to drink and few tourists suffer from stomach upsets, although bottled water is cheap and much healthier. In the tropics it is advisable to drink plenty of water throughout the day to avoid dehydration. The only real threat is the Sun - sunstroke, prickly heat and other skin irritations are quite common, the latter especially so in the more humid season between December and April. Take light, airy clothes. Local private doctors and pharmacies are good although hospitals can provide only basic accident and emergency operations.
Travel Insurance
Samoa Electricity
Electricity is 240 volts AC50 cycles (same as UK, Australia and New Zealand) but if you come from the US you will probably need a convertor. Sockets are three pronged, the upper two prongs being angled and flat, the lower prong being circular. American Samoa electricity is the same as the USA.
Samoa Communication
The country code for Samoa is (685) and for American Samoa (684). Telephone lines are reliable with direct international calls and international calling cards which can be used a public phones around Apia. Most resorts on Upolu and Savaii have e-mail connections. A few resorts have public Internet access and there are several Internet Cafes around Apia, but none on Savaii. Postcards are limited. Sending cards and letters abroad is exceptionally cheap and handling is efficient.
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