Samoa Travel Guide

Entry requirements

Citizens of all countries may visit Samoa without a visa for up to 60 days provided they have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months on their date of entry, an onward or return ticket out of Samoa and a bank statement with proof of sufficient funds to cover their stay. They must also never have been deported from any country, and must not have any serious health issues.

The currency is the Samoan tālā, denoted as "WS$, "T", "ST" or "SAT" (ISO currency code: WST). 1 tālā consists of 100 sene. Coins come in denominations of 10-, 20 and 50 sene, 1 and 2 tālā. Banknotes come in denominations of 5-, 10-, 20-, 50 and 100 tālā. There is also a 60 tālā banknote, but it is worth more as a collector's piece than as circulating currency.

By taxi

Generally your best bet. They are cheap and plentiful. The Samoa Tourism Authority, to be found in front of the Government office complex on Beach Road, Apia, has a price list for Apia. Do agree on a price in advance; if they think you look rich they may try to overcharge you. You can get one for a whole day for about the same price as a rental car.

The official languages are Samoan and English. Samoan is the native language of most of the population. English is widely understood and spoken in the capital Apia as well as many tourist resorts. However, it is less commonly understood in the villages, so learning a few words of Samoan will help you get by and allow you to build a rapport with the locals.

Samoa is a generally safe destination. Crime rates are low and people are very helpful and friendly. Items do, sometimes, get stolen. With sensible precautions, however, the threat of this happening should be minimal.

Samoa is a malaria-free zone. However, there are occasional outbreaks of dengue fever and (since 2014) chikungunya, so precautions should be taken such as using mosquito nets and insect repellent. Note that the mosquito that transmits dengue normally bites during the day.

Samoa has an adequate telephone system with international calling. Some villages have public phones that require a pre-paid phone card. Samoa.ws, ipasifika.net and Lesamoa are the Internet service providers. There are several public Internet access points in Apia, where fast, reliable access can be had for around WS$12 (US$4) per hour. There are a couple of internet cafes on Savaii. If planning to stay in remote parts of Upolu or Savaii and you cannot survive without your daily internet fix then…

Samoa is very religious, with most of the population following the Anglican denomination. This means that Sunday is generally respected as a holy day and most shops and businesses are closed. You should not walk through villages on Sundays.