The Best Snorkelling in Savai'i: Top 8 Places to Snorkel

Last Updated: 17 April, 2025

Where to Snorkel in Savai’i

The Best Snorkelling Spots Tried and Tested By Us!

You can’t visit Savai’i without seeing its display of colourful tropical fish, friendly turtles and arms of coral reaching to the surface. From the sandy shores of the mainland to around the edges of the reef, there are many exciting places to snorkel in Savai’i.

In this list, we’ve compiled the best snorkelling in Savai’i that you can access from its beaches.

Note, however, that there are entry fees for accessing Savai’i’s beaches unless you’re staying at said beach’s accommodation – check out the 10 Best Beaches on Savai’i to see how entry fees work.

Plus, if anything is missing from your trip planning, you’re likely to find it in The Complete Travel Guide to Savai’i.

Side note: Our snorkelling recommendations come from on-the-ground research in Samoa – no AI-generated fluff here! Scroll to the bottom of the page to learn more about us.

1. Manase

It’s not hard to see why the majority of Savai’i’s accommodations line this gorgeous 2 km (1.2 mi) stretch of sandy beaches. There’s exciting snorkelling all over the lagoon, especially as Manase is one of the best places to spot turtles on Savai’i, but be aware of the tide conditions if you are swimming (or avoid swimming) near the reef entrances or outside of the reef. From what we’ve personally seen, it’s a snorkeller’s paradise!

Dive Savai’i (open mid-March to October), based in Fagamalo village, offers half-day snorkelling tours by boat to the most interesting snorkelling spots around Manase. Learn more about their tour in the 10 Best Snorkelling Tours in Samoa.

Location: Manase village, along the main road on the northeast coast.

The Best Snorkelling in Savai'i: Top 8 Places to Snorkel

2. Satuiatua

One of the rare safe snorkelling spots on the southwest coast of Savai’i, Satuiatua is also home to the only beach fales on this coast, Satuiatua Beach Resort.

The lagoon here provides excellent snorkelling at mid to high tide – ensure the tide is coming in and there is at least half the tide left, or else it gets too shallow.

The best snorkelling begins 3 m (3.2 yards) from shore at the northwest corner of the beach, starting by the freshwater pool. Swim out to the channel for about 30-50m (33-55 yards) before swimming along the channel over spectacular coral teeming with fish.

For more about the beach resort here, check out the 10 Best Resorts on Savai’i.

Location: Satuiatua village along the main road on the southwest coast.

3. Falealupo

Along one of Samoa’s most stunning beaches is another sheltered bay well worth a snorkelling session.

Snorkelling gear can be hired from the beach fales, Falealupo Beach Fales and Se’eti Beach Fales, which is ideal for snorkelling just off the beach.

The best snorkelling, however, is a little further out where guides from Falealupo Beach Fales can show you the safest and best route to get there.

There are plenty of interesting sights around the Falealupo area, so be sure to check out the Sightseeing in Savai’i: Top 10 Sights on Savai’i and 10 Best Historical Sites on Savai’i to see them all.

Location: Falealupo village off Falealupo Road on the northwest coast. Turn off the main road onto Falealupo Road at Falealupo-utu village.

4. Asau

Discover a decent little snorkelling spot from the beach and pier of Va-i-Moana Seaside Lodge in Asau Bay. When we were there last, we found that the beach might not look like much, but it’s worth donning your snorkel and mask to explore.

The lodge has snorkelling gear for hire for a small fee. Otherwise, they can organise a very affordable boat tour to the small island toward the edge of the reef, providing more interesting snorkelling.

The trade winds usually kick in late morning, so it’s best to snorkel early in the day.

Location: Between Asau and Auala villages, along the main road on the northwest coast.

5. Vaisala

The beach in front of the rustic Vaisala Hotel offers more excellent snorkelling, best done early in the day to avoid the worst of the late morning trade winds.

Although the reef outside of the Vaisala Hotel has been damaged by coral bleaching, it still has some interesting wildlife to explore.

The hotel has paopao (outrigger canoes) should you fancy a paddle. Discover more fun places to paddle in the Kakaying in Samoa: Top 10 Places to Kayak.

Location: Vaisala village, signposted down an access lane along the main road on the northwest coast.

6. Lano

A great snorkelling option if you’re not a strong swimmer or you’re travelling with kids, Lano offers very safe swimming and snorkelling over a primarily sandy bottom with patches of coral to explore. What’s more, the lagoon just off the white-sand beach occasionally gets turtles.

The beach fales at Lano Beach include Lauiula Beach Fales, which provide free snorkelling gear for guests.

Learn more about these beach fales in the 10 Best Beach Fale Accommodations on Savai’i.

Location: Lano village, along the main road on the east coast.

7. Fagamalo

Don your snorkelling gear (or hire some from Dive Savai’i, Savaii Lagoon Resort or Le Lagoto Resort) and swim off Le Lagoto and Savaii Lagoon Resorts‘ sandy beach for some interesting pockets of staghorn coral attracting all sorts of small fish species.

There’s interesting snorkelling that’s easily accessible from shore that’s deep enough to be enjoyed at all tides. From what we’ve experienced, the underwater world here is teeming with vibrant marine life.

Savaii Lagoon Resort offers glass-bottom boat tours here, just to tell you how exciting the snorkelling is!

Location: Fagamalo village, along the main road on the northeast coast.

8. Luua Faga and Faga

Whether you’re staying at the Amoa Resort in Faga village or just visiting one of the day fales at Luua Faga (north), you’ll find some interesting snorkelling along this long stretch of coast.

Guests at Amoa can hire kayaks from their Lagoon Deck and paddle to various snorkelling spots across the lagoon (just look out for fish and coral through the clear water).

Otherwise, there’s safe snorkelling with a sandy bottom and pockets of coral off the beach at Luua Faga where there are fales to hire for the day.

Location: Faga and Luua Faga villages, along the main road on the east coast.

More About Snorkelling in Savai’i

Now that you know about the best places for snorkelling in Savai’i, how about finding the perfect snorkelling tour or more snorkelling spots across Samoa?

Finally, plan more of your itinerary using the 101 Best Things to Do in Samoa: The Ultimate List.

Sources:

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across Samoa and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

Samoa Tourism Authority (General travel advice - Updated [2025])
Samoa Tourism Authority Corporate (Tourism news - Updated [2025])
SPTO (Pacific tourism advice - Updated [2025])
Samoa Hotels Association (Tourism trade association - Updated [2025])
Samoa Meteorological Division (Weather forecast and warnings - Updated [2025])
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2025])
Ministry of Customs & Revenue (Border restrictions advice - Updated [2025])
Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries (Biosecurity advice - Updated [2025])
Samoa Bureau of Statistics (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2025])
Land Transport Authority (Tourist driver’s license info - Updated [2025])
Safe Travel (New Zealand travel advisory for Samoa - Updated [2025])
Smart Traveller (Australia travel advisory for Samoa - Updated [2025])
Travel.State.Gov (U.S. travel advisory for Samoa - Updated [2025])

Our editorial standards: At Samoa Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

About The Author

Laura (Lora) S.

This article was reviewed and published by Laura, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Samoa Pocket Guide. Since arriving solo in the South Pacific over 10 years ago with nothing but a backpack and a background in journalism, her mission has been to show the world how easy (and awesome) it is to explore a paradise such as Samoa. She knows the islands inside out and loves sharing tips on how best to experience Upolu and Savai’i’s must-dos and hidden gems. Laura is also the editor of several other South Pacific travel guides.

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