Giant clams and turtles

Today we hired a rental car from the resort and drove to Apia. The roads are in terrible condition and require you to travel at around 50km, which means it takes a long time to drive short distances! However, the roads did improve substantially as we got closer to Apia and in Apia itself. After a quick tiki tour around the town centre (they have a McDonalds!) we went to the Fugalei Market - lots of fruit and vege stalls, clothes and crafts, and fresh coconuts 🥥

We then headed to the Giant Clam Sanctuary and while I was very skeptical about how cool clams could be, it’s a well-known spot for turtle spotting. The best viewing time is at high tide so that’s when we were there. The entry fee is WST20 per person and payable in cash. We were fortunate to see two turtles 🐢 and watching them in their natural habitat was incredible. Also the clams - very cool! We were snorkeling for hours and I really didn't want to leave.

Tip: a lot of the snorkeling areas are marine reserves, so swimmers aren’t allowed to wear regular sunscreen, pack a rash vest or reef-safe sunscreen to avoid getting sunburnt.

Tip: if you’re using snorkels and masks provided by your resort jump in the pool to test them before you head out on your adventure, otherwise you might end up on the other side of the island quite disappointed if they turn out to be damaged!