Kiwisurfer71
Google
The location is stunning, sadly the facilities and services severely lacking.||||Stunning snorkelling, gorgeous safe beach, surf was incredible but for advanced surfers only as reef is a very shallow fast takeoff barrelling short wave.||||We paid premium 5 star prices and got a 2 star experience, the only saving grace was we had the beach and surf to ourselves for 5 days. ||||From their website...||"Essentially a “surf camp”, Aganoa Lodge Samoa also features great snorkeling, fishing, yoga, and eco-tour options. This is a world of open-air and open spaces, of falling asleep to the soft patter of rain on a tin roof or waking to a light trade wind breeze sliding off of the ocean."||||Not all of these options were offered, boat didn't look like it had been run for several years. Kayaks were all unusable. No yoga. We brought our own snorkelling gear as I would not trust theirs. Add in rain leaking from roofs onto our luggage and the "light trade winds" rattling the canvas window curtains which you can't shut or stop from keeping you awake all night.||||From their website...||"Aganoa is a rustic Surf Lodge, featuring fully guided surfing experiences for surfers looking to enjoy nature, while also catering to non-surfers and their families who enjoy an active travel experience."||||Rustic beyond belief, would not take kids here, ever. Wife fell down through a hole between the deck and the fale going to the bathroom at night.||||From their website...||"Our beautiful Aganoa Beach is flanked by manicured grounds including a common sundeck featuring umbrellas and sun lounges with a view of the break directly in front of the lodge."||||No umbrellas, no outdoor chairs, we were given a kiddies plastic chair and had to grab the single sun lounger we saw at the lodge.||||From their website...||"Waves for all skill levels, from thundering tubes to beginner's foamies"||||No, we weren't taken anywhere unless pay a fortune. We only had the thundering sketchy reef out front to surf.||||From their website...||"Meals are all-inclusive* with an emphasis on fresh, Samoan-inspired cuisine"||||Breakfast and dinner included, lunches expect to pay minimum $25NZD. The breakfast was strictly below average for the prices paid... cereal/toast/cooked eggs...that's it. Dinners were delicious rice and tuna/chicken every night, and couple of scoops of ice cream. Not big portions either, so bring extra snacks if you're active all day. They have images on their website and here of amazing buffets and meals, sadly not the case at all. They don't even grow their own vegetables any more.||||From their website...||"Fish, SUP, snorkel and explore ’til the sun goes down"||||Fish and SUP weren't offered, nor kayaking. We brought our own snorkel gear as I wouldn't trust them to have it, or for it to be serviceable.||||We went to a local waterfall which was stunning, being charged $80WST was not so stunning for a 5 minute drive though, also to have $150WST stolen from our belongings while away, not cool. (and to the owner if she wishes to respond, we did not tell you at the time because we did not want to make false accusations because we were not certain of the value of the theft until we were able to check bank statements when we got to internet serviceable areas)||||That being said, it was an amazing experience, our surf guide/host Lee was a legend. Always being helpful and gets very little pay. He also charges hard in some serious waves too! He would prep breakfasts, work around the camp all day and always surf with you!
