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  • 5/5 Andy F. 8 months ago on Google
    Absolutely stunning. I took my partner there for her first ever snorkeling experience. The local fisheries person took out 20 tala and told us where to look. The huge clams are AMAZING! (I visited 8 years ago and they're way bigger now). We stayed in the water for 45 minutes and saw 100s of fish 🐠 of all types and even spotted a big turtle 🐢 who let us swim around with him for a few minutes. Finally the locals cracked a coconut 🥥 for us to drink. 100% go (and ignore the 1 star reviews, I don't know how you couldn't find a bunch of metre wide clams 🤣)
    10 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Anna W. 6 months ago on Google
    Lovely place, we took our own snorkel gear, got changed in the bathrooms there & spent about 2 hours. The clams are great but more exciting was swimming with turtles & just following them around . Definitely best at high tide.
    8 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Julie H. 7 months ago on Google
    Absolute must do on Upolu, Samoa. $20 tala each. Go at high tide. I got to swim with a couple of turtles and thought the giant clams were amazing!! You need to be a competent swimmer as the clams are about 100m from the entrance, there can be strong currents.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Chloe O. 1 year ago on Google
    We had an awesome time at the Giant Clam Sanctuary! It’s a great half day activity and very good value at $10 tala per person. A lovely woman suggested we park by the fale in the picture as parking there would be included in the admission fee but if we parked further down (directly across from the toilets) then we would likely be charged more from another family to park the car there because the land there is owned by another family. The clams are within the roped area, which is very handy for holding onto or sitting on when you need a break from swimming. There’s a coke bottle tied to a stake part way into the clam area and directly underneath it are heaps of clams the size of footballs plus a big cage with smaller clams, I assume it’s a nursery type set up. Then there’s a giant clam on the other side of the clam nursery. There’s a big stick near the middle-ish of the clam area and apparently that’s where a lot of the giant clams are. Places online say it’s best to go at high tide, that’s what we did but I think you would be totally fine going at low tide, the water is deep enough that you won’t damage the coral or clams. Note that at high tide it is a bit of a swim than what it looks like from shore, and it’s deeper than average person head height, so you need to be a reasonably confident swimmer or bring a flotation device. I recommend bringing your own mask, snorkel, and fins. There didn’t seem to be anywhere that hired them. There were some kayaks and pool noodles but they were being used by a tour group at the time so I don’t know if they are usually available for hire. There is a toilet you can use and an area to get changed, they’re in the blue fale on the other side of the road. Walk through the fale to the room at the back right. Note that there’s no sink with running water but there are two toilets.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sean C. 10 months ago on Google
    An absolutely stunning place to go for a snorkel. The giant clams really are gigantic and are stunningly beautiful. There is lots of beautiful corals and fishes. We went at high tide as we heard there isn't much room to snorkel in some places at low tide. At high tide we had no issues. The beach view is absolutely picturesque and looks like something from a post card. A definite trip highlight
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ian C. 5 years ago on Google
    Fantastic little-known place. No sign posts to it, so can be hard to find. A charming informative young local woman will appear from the village to take the fee of $WST10 each plus $WST10 for car parking. They money goes towards maintaining the sanctuary. New access steps have been built down the sea wall so everyone can go in. Listen to her instructions very carefully for the location of the truly remarkable Giant Clams, or you might miss them in the reserve ringed off with rope and buoys, which is a fair swim out. Go at high tide only for the best experience. Take you own snorkeling gear as there are none for hire. Highly recommended.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ngaio M. 5 years ago on Google
    Awesome. So totally awesome. Hard to find but so worth it.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Grant G. 4 years ago on Google
    Worth the trip well and truly. Just note all the clams are in one spot.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Gabriel S. 5 years ago on Google
    Water is shallow and very clear. 10 Tala per person
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Michael W. 9 months ago on Google
    Amazing opportunity to observe Clams from seeding to giant clams. Protected area, suitable for all skill levels. Well worth the $20Tala..
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kate M. 4 years ago on Google
    Highly recommend! Giant clams were cool but the turtle was even better. Recommend to take your own snorkel and flippers. Hard to find as no signage but just google maps it and you’re away!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Richard M. 5 years ago on Google
    The Giant Clam Sanctuary is a must see. The best thing is to stay at the nearbay Le Valasi's Beach Fales which is an absolutely wonderful real Samoan place to stay. The clams are breath taking. The Tongan ones are bath tub size, and the Samoan ones are football and alien colors. Giant clams (faisua) are large, colorful and, surprisingly, they are part animal and part “plant”. That's because giant clams, like corals, have plant-like cells (zooxanthellae) in their tissues that produce free food for the clams. When a clam opens its shell and spreads out its pretty mantle, it exposes these solar panels of zooxanthellae to the sun to make food, like a plant unfolding its leaves. Samoa has two native species of giant clams in the local waters, Tridacna maxima and T. squamosa, which look fairly similar. They grow to about 12-15 inches in shell length, although most found today are smaller because the larger ones have been over-harvested. The largest and most famous species of giant clam (T. gigas), which grows as big as a large suitcase, is not native here but has been recently imported. Over the past 15 years, mariculture efforts by DMWR have introduced T. gigas and T. derasa, and re-introduced Hippopus hippopus, a shallow-water species that was formerly present. Because giant clams need sunlight, they inhabit shallow, clear waters down to about 60 feet deep. They grow very slowly; one local clam was 18 years old. They spawn repeatedly over their life span and release millions of eggs each time they spawn, but most young clams do not survive, so the adults have to live a long time and spawn many times to insure that the population survives. Larval clams swim in the water for about a week, then settle permanently onto the reef to grow. The clams are a favorite food item throughout the South Pacific and their accessibility in shallow waters and slow growth make them susceptible to overfishing. That is very much the case in American Samoa, where few remain on many of our reefs near populated areas. There is a growing concern that our population of giant clams may be getting too few and far between to spawn successfully. Partly for that reason, there has been an interest in growing these clams in hatcheries to supply markets for food and the aquarium trade. DMWR has operated a hatchery here for many years and tried to encourage local production by supplying small clams for local 'farmers' to grow them on their reefs. That effort has met with limited success for several reasons. Considerable dedication is needed because it may take several years to grow the clams to a commercial size, and the clams have to be protected from poachers and predators. And there are always fa'alavelave events that call for contributions of giant clams if anyone has some. In general, giant clam mariculture here has usually supplemented family needs rather than create a commercial business. Periodically, the idea of raising the clams to a small size for the aquarium trade is talked about as a possible market. Harvest regulations in American Samoa (in 2005) are: giant clams taken for personal consumption must be at least 6 inches in shell length, or if sold, a license is required and giant clams must be at least 7 inches in shell length and sold with the clam still in its shell.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Devin P. 5 months ago on Google
    Amazing place to visit, a must do on a trip to Samoa. In addition to the Giant Clams you a likely to see Green Sea Turtles and many tropical fish in the reef. Also very friendly and helpful operators.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Tavares H. 5 years ago on Google
    It was a great experience
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Duncan T. 6 years ago on Google
    Google maps will get you there, the local families manage the clams and will greet you pretty quickly, the beach was beautiful and calm and not deep at all. There are changing rooms and some fales for shade or rain shelter. It was a 10 wst entry per person and very much worth it. The clams are giant and there are lots of them as well as baby ones too. Float over them carefully they are powerful and you are reaponsible for your own safety. I really enjoyed it. The coral is also beautiful. A fantastic experience, bring your snorkelling gear although its not too deep so you could just swim/float but be mindful of the coral and clams if you put your foot down
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Robert F. 5 years ago on Google
    Two turtles loitering about. Very good to see the locals working to preserve and enhance the area. Giant clams were awesome to see. Fantastic colours and patterns.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Rick C. 5 years ago on Google
    One of the most amazing places to visit!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Nathan C. 5 years ago on Google
    A nice place to go for a snorkel, hire snorkel available at the beach, we couldn't find the giant clams but others have told me they are there, just a bit hard to find.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Celeste R. 5 years ago on Google
    An amazing spot on earth. Friendly people and culture. Can't wait to go back
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 mattia lance m. 5 years ago on Google
    Great experience
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sarah K. 5 years ago on Google
    The day we visited the water was mirror calm and so warm - there's a bit of a swim to the clams but most people should be able to make it easily. The clams all appeared to be in one area and are fantastic! The rest of the area was worthwhile for the fishlife so take your time to explore. This would be second only to Palolo Marine Reserve.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Thomas T. 5 years ago on Google
    Amazing place to snorkel !
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Nas J. 6 years ago on Google
    Very spectacular sight to see, make sure to bring your own snorkelling gear. We even managed to see a turtle too
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 kirkmeisterfeaux 6 years ago on Google
    a definite must-see on samoa! the clams are truly spectacular I suggest to go during high tide. also: do NOT touch or get too close to the clams!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ruby C. 5 years ago on Google
    Very nice place. The water is so clean! Amazing local people around.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 C F. 10 months ago on Google
    A must do Samoa experience! We had a fabulous time snorkeling to see the giant clams. Keep in mind the current can be strong so to reach them you must be a relatively strong swimmer, however, resorts (such as Return to Paradise) run tours that allow you to hold onto floats for less strong swimmers. You must visit at high tide, make sure you check the tide report before visiting! They are closed on Sunday’s so keep that in mind when planning your visit. It cost $20Tala per person which we paid in cash upon arrival to a man that came up to the car - he did not have change for large notes so make sure you have the correct amount. They have a tall stick to mark where the largest clams are and we found them easily just next to this landmark - they were incredible. There are also hundreds of smaller clams with a diverse range of colour from tortoise shell to green to electric blue - would be great to have a GoPro! We were also lucky enough to swim with a hawksbill turtle.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Amra S. 9 months ago on Google
    Beautiful clams😍 the locals in charge were so lovely. A bit of a hefty 20 tala charge fee, and there isn't much to see other than the clams but still a lovely spot to swim
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Maria A. 11 months ago on Google
    Definitely worth the visit! The entrance fee (includes parking) was WST20 per person, The entry is located right across the blue building (which has bathrooms and a shower). I recommend bringing your own snorkel masks, even tho I believe they might have some for hire. The clams are stunning, an unique experience to see them so close. The area for snorkeling is quite big as there are A LOT of clams and we were even lucky to see a turtle! (photos were taken from a phone in a water proof case so not the best quality)
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mike F. 4 years ago on Google
    Well worth the drive It is easy snorkeling but take some river shoes for the shoreline
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Claire J. 5 years ago on Google
    Amazing view of so many Giant Clams!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Stephen H. 4 years ago on Google
    It's an hour-long drive from Apia to get to Savaia and week worth the trip - through lush and varied landscapes - and the 10 talk fee. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the snorkelling and saw a turtle I didn't find a single open clam, hence only 4 stars.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Gary W. 4 years ago on Google
    Just up the rd from Return to Paradise.$50 Tala for 3 of us and parking and an easy 100m swim/walk out to the clams,we only saw the one grouping of them but there were some massive 1m across ones.Then we circled the road enclosure and managed to spot 4 Turtles sitting in the weed beds as we went.Well worth the couple of hours we spent there and lots of fun even if its raining.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Salman J. A. 4 years ago on Google
    Unbelievable, I have never seen the beautiful place like this.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Craig T. 4 years ago on Google
    Excellent place to visit! Amazing.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Gemma B. 4 years ago on Google
    One of the highlights of our trip! 10tala pp to head out to the marine reserve and swim with the largest clams I've ever seen. Many of them were opening and closing as you snorkel over them. The area is marked by plastic sticks (swim inside the cordoned area) and there are turtles around too! There are showers and toilets across the road and the womens centre so we stayed all morning.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Adrian M. 4 years ago on Google
    Trully giant!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Lindsay E. 4 years ago on Google
    The clams were stunning. A shame about the coral damage due to the storms. Well worth the visit if on the island.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Claire F. 4 years ago on Google
    Amazing spot definitely reccomend
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Hanspeter F. 4 years ago on Google
    Beautiful place for a snorkel amongst huge giant clams, absolutly amazing. Closed Sundays
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Teddy N. 5 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) A beautiful place where to see beautiful clams (Original) Un endroit magnifique où voir de beaux bénitiers
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Charmaine D. 5 years ago on Google
    The best. But make sure you stay off the coral. I loved the fact that this beach is a sanctuary and is protected. Charmaine New Zealand.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Elizabeth M. 5 years ago on Google
    Absolutely awesome, we’re told by locals that it was the best place to swim with wild turtles. And we did! The clams are stunningly beautiful. We rented a fala for $20 which had its own ocean pool. And a lovely lady comes and meets you to collect the charge.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 jasper w. 4 years ago on Google
    Amazing. Bring snorkel gear and enjoy. Remember not to give the locals too much if they help you around. Average wage is 60 tala a day.

  • 5/5 Adéla B. 4 years ago on Google
    Quite a good tourist attraction just for 10 tala per person. You can spend there as long time as you want to. Don't forget to bring your snorkeling gear or you won't see anything. Giant clams vere amazing we saw heaps of them and the guide on kayak showed us the best spot where to find them. It's recommended to wear some shoes to protect your feet as the coral reef is very sharp.

  • 4/5 Sarah A. 4 months ago on Google
    High tide is easier to watch them. Changing rooms with showers ond toilets available at no additional charges. Just go in and swim to the flag 2

  • 5/5 Lirunks A. 5 months ago on Google
    Wow, just wow. Best attraction in Samoa! More than worth the 20tala entry. The staff are more than friends, they are family and make you feel like one! I'll like to command Mitsi for being so amazing!

  • 5/5 Taluz 1. 4 months ago on Google
    This was such a cool experience. So cheap for what you get! $20 per person. Clams are so massive and beautiful with colours. If you are not a strong swimmer I'd recommend going when low tide. During high tide which is when we went kinda scared us a little, we dealt with the strong current and it was a little deep in some areas. It would of been different for us if it was calm waters. It's wasn't all deep but because there's so many clams you don't know where to put your feet. So be careful. Snorkel gear is $5 Tala more and there were some reef shoes and flippers we could use for free too. We were lucky one of the locals came out so we paid him for his kindness as he didn't have to come out and guide us where to stand and swim.

  • 3/5 Anne C. 4 years ago on Google
    We didn't see any big calms. The viability was not that great. Was just ok really.

  • 5/5 Anish N. 9 months ago on Google
    Stunning. Snorkel hire is good quality too. Go in the morning during low tide. Watch out for the coral it is extremely sharp, while it may be shallow you cannot stand or touch anything, maybe use some coral shoes. I got a little cut up, still 200% worth it

  • 5/5 M N. 3 years ago on Google
    Giant clams are lovely and mysterious. It seems locals randamly come and collect the fee, so it's recommendable to ask the person's name who you pay to, just in case you are asked to pay again by other villagers. They kindly let us use the bathroom facility at a open fale nearby.

  • 5/5 Marco R. 3 years ago on Google
    Very nice, protected place to snorkel. We saw several turtles. The giant clams are easy to find, just swim to the blue buoy inside the white buoys circle. There are dozens of big giant clams, plus over thousand small/medium sized ones. Tip: Don‘t lose your car key while snorkeling ;) Entrance fee was 10 Tala for adults and 5 Tala for children; a local will come to see you.

  • 4/5 Paul G. 4 years ago on Google
    Great place to visit when the Tides are right & the Sea is calm. Access road & Signage need a lot of work. Hard to find if you don't know where to look.

  • 5/5 Jen M. 4 years ago on Google
    A great place to snorkel with Giant Clams in Samoa. Great to see platters of smaller clams being grown out. There are steps down to the water for easy access and its a quick snorkel out to the roped off area to see the clams. 10 Thala per person and if you can't find anyone at the main Fale there is another one just up the road where local villagers may be. High tide is the best time to go otherwise you will get VERY close to the coral on the way out.

  • 5/5 Matty C. 4 years ago on Google
    Well worth the visit! Beautiful snorkeling. Clams of various sizes, some must be more than a meter wide! We were even fortunate enough to see a turtle. Flippers recommended as the bigger clams are about 100m offshore. Midway between high tide and low tide is best.

  • 5/5 David S. 8 months ago on Google
    A fantastic place to visit. But you really need to be fairly competent in the water. There can be reasonably strong currents running either side of the tides. And the Clams are about 100 metres off shore. There are changing rooms available. The coast along from the sanctuary is stunning.

  • 5/5 Sharon E. 4 years ago on Google
    Totally worth the visit. I was lucky enough to get to swim with a turtle as well.


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