Why go?

The gateway to the beautiful Pacific islands of Samoa, Apia has a population of just 38,000 and is the most relaxed of capitals. Even the tallest buildings are just six-storeys high and somehow immerse themselves among the lush, green beauty that encases all of the islands. A glistening harbour and marine park line this market city, which you’ll find is full of people whose character is as colourful as the vibrant clothes they wear and sell.

What to do

This is a place designed for exploring, turn one corner and you find yourself confronted with a hot-pink house complete with thickly forested mountain backdrop, take another and you’ve found a market with row-after-row of decadent, tropical-sweet fruit, root veg and bright flowers. Even the individually owned buses are decked out in bespoke custom paint jobs that make them a spectacle in their own right, given names like Rapture, Jungle Boyz, Queen Poto and Lady Hulita. See them at the main bus terminal, then head next door for Savalalo market, a maze of authentic local handicrafts, food and clothes (think broaches, trinkets, sarongs and ‘Manu Up’ t-shirts for rugby fans). Before you leave Savalalo however, nip over to the fish market, which adjoins Samoa’s modest fishing port. Here you’ll see myriad fish and crustaceans so dazzlingly beautiful it’d be like eating a work of art. Take a short bus ride up the mountain for the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum (rlsmuseum.com), a colonial-style house built by the famous Scottish author. It’s also where he passed away, after four years spent penning numerous novels. His grave is found a 40-minute hike up Mount Vaea, but his abode will more than satisfy your curiosity. The rooms are made up as they were in the late 1800s, giving a unique insight into the life of the man who gave us Treasure Island. Museum of Samoa (museumofsamoa.ws), based in a former German school, should be on every visitor’s list, along with the Samoan Cultural Village (samoa.travel), which runs demonstrations on local traditions throughout the week.

Where to stay

Within a short drive of Apia, you’ll find plenty of beach fales (huts) in which to stay, but for convenience Aggie Grey’s Lagoon Resort (00 685 45 611, aggiegreys.com) is handily located near the airport and has an 18-hole golf course to delve into. Heading right into the centre, Tanoa Tusitala Hotel (00 685 21122, tanoatusitala.com) is not only a perfect location, but also runs a brilliant Fiafia Night (‘fiafia’ means happy), which is a cultural show with dancing, drumming and fire. For something a little more intimate, head to The Samoan Outrigger Hotel (00 685 20042, samoanoutrigger.com), an Aussie-run hotel that not only has simple, straight-forward rooms, but also offers garden fales.

Where to eat and drink

One thing that you’ll never do in Samoa is go hungry. Even if you find yourself getting a bit peckish on the golf course, don’t be surprised if your caddy shimmies up a coconut tree to grab you a snack. For local food, fiafia nights run by various hotels are a good bet, but for street food head to the food court at Savalalo and try the hefty steamed pork buns called keke pua’a, which are similar to their Chinese cousins but filled with pork, soy, onion, potatoes and noodles. For something more refined, head for another Aussie-run venture, Bistro Tatau. Set up with ex-Riverford chef Jane Baxter as an advisor, it not only has the best wine list in town but also makes good use of incredible local produce to offer Samoa’s one true fine dining option. The menu is inventive and modern, displaying no shortage of zingy salads, fish dishes and tropical flavours, including coconut prawns with pineapple chilli jam. For a change of pace, The Fijian-Indian Curry House (00 685 777 4301) on the city’s Cross Island Road brings you some of the best dishes from neighbouring Pacific islands. Shrimp and chickpea fritters are firm favourites.

Time running out?

Head to the marina where you’ll find Apia’s only real ‘strip’ of bars. Visit during the daytime to capture some cracking pictures of the city while enjoying one of the local brews. Samoans like it strong though, so you have been warned!

Travel Information

Travel Information

Samoa’s currency is the tala. Time is 12 hours ahead of the UK, and journey time from London is 28 hours, travelling via Sydney. Cost to carbon-offset is £57 (climatecare.org).

Getting There

Virgin Atlantic (virginatlantic.com) flies from London Heathrow to Sydney daily. Virgin Australia (virginaustralia.com) operates flights daily between Sydney and Apia.

Resources

Samoa Tourism Authority (samoa.travel) is a valuable source of regularly updated information on Apia and Samoa.