Apia

Travel Guide

Apia featuring signage, street scenes and a city
Apia featuring signage, street scenes and a city
Apia featuring signage and tropical scenes
Apia which includes street scenes, flowers and a city
Apia featuring a marina, general coastal views and a bay or harbor
The capital of Samoa is a small city known for its colorful marketplace, souvenir shopping and relaxed and hospitable locals.

Apia is a laidback island city where the locals are friendly, the food is fresh and the shopping is the best in Samoa. The capital is relatively small and most locals get around on foot. Many hotels and restaurants are located in downtown, with the markets, museums and central business district all within a short distance.

Apia is often the first stop on a trip to Samoa, as the airport is here and it’s easy to move on to other destinations on the island of Upolu. It’s worth spending a few days in Apia to get a feel for the culture – and shop. The food market in Apia sees families sell locally grown produce such as bananas, taro and coconut. Sample traditional dishes such as Lu’au, made from taro leaves and coconut cream. A flea market in the old market building on Beach Road has traditional hand-made Samoan products. Pick up sarongs, carvings, bowls and woven mats made in nearby villages. 

The dining scene is a mix of traditional and international cuisine. Try fresh seafood and tropical fruit in small restaurants run by locals, or book a table at one of the many restaurants run by expats. There’s a strong presence of German, French, Japanese, Chinese and Italian influences from international visitors who came and never left.

Stroll around the Mulinu’u district, which is the old ceremonial capital. Many of the buildings here are old wooden colonial-style buildings, including the Old Courthouse, which now houses the Museum of Samoa.

At night, attend one of the Fia Fia shows. There are a number of venues around town, so take your pick. The Fia Fia’s are a showcase of traditional dancing, singing and drumming. There’s also the chance to enjoy a traditional banquet, often included in the price of a ticket.

Many come to Samoa for the beautiful beaches and warm waters, and the capital is no exception. Rent a snorkel and head out in the Palolo Deep Marine Reserve, which has coral and fish.

When it’s time to move on, book a tour from one of the many operators in town, then catch a boat, plane or bus to another patch of Samoan paradise.

Taumeasina Island Resort

Taumeasina Island Resort

4.5 out of 5
Beach Road Apia
Book a stay at this luxury hotel in Apia. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and 2 outdoor pools. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (689 reviews)
Everyday the staff clean our room spotless good hospitality and friendly staff 100/10 services

Reviewed on Feb 2, 2026

Taumeasina Island Resort
Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey's Hotel & Bungalows

Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey's Hotel & Bungalows

5 out of 5
Main Beach Road Apia
The price is ¥20,432 per night from Mar 4 to Mar 5
¥20,432
¥23,497 total
Mar 4 - Mar 5
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this luxury hotel in Apia. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Popular attractions Falemataaga – The Museum of Samoa and Fish Market ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (526 reviews)
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Reviewed on Jan 30, 2026

Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey's Hotel & Bungalows
Tanoa Tusitala Hotel

Tanoa Tusitala Hotel

4 out of 5
Beach Road Sogi Apia
The price is ¥16,386 per night from Mar 7 to Mar 8
¥16,386
¥18,946 total
Mar 7 - Mar 8
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this family-friendly hotel in Apia. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and 2 outdoor pools. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (739 reviews)
The service was excellent everyone was helpful. The rooms was clean and spacious.Especially Shirly Lama Tagaloga thank you for making everything possible and easy for us, especially with kids. Keep up the good work.We are definitely staying with Tanoa Tusitala next year on our next trip.🙏

Reviewed on Feb 3, 2026

Tanoa Tusitala Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
KUKi's Retreat

KUKi's Retreat

Apia Samoa
Stay at this vacation home in Apia. Enjoy laundry facilities and air conditioning. Popular attractions Apia Park and Robert Louis Stevenson Museum are located ...
10/10 Exceptional! (4 reviews)
Our stay at Kuki’s Retreat was absolutely amazing. From start to finish, everything exceeded our expectations. The rooms were comfortable and well-equipped, with air conditioning in all rooms as well as the living room🥰both inside and outside of the property was in excellent condition, which made ...

Reviewed on Jan 2, 2026

KUKi's Retreat
Cheerful Bungalow with pool!

Cheerful Bungalow with pool!

Apia Upolu
Stay at this vacation home in Apia. Enjoy free WiFi, private pools, and a garden. Popular attractions Apia Park and Robert Louis Stevenson Museum are located ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (15 reviews)
This was a simple, but comfortable place. It was a little further out from town, but fairly easily accessible with a car. We really appreciated the AC, and the host was friendly.

Reviewed on Jul 23, 2025

Cheerful Bungalow with pool!
Highland Hideaway above Apia nestled in your own private little valley

Highland Hideaway above Apia nestled in your own private little valley

Apia Upolu
Stay at this vacation home in Apia. Enjoy laundry facilities and patios. Popular attractions Faleata Golf Course and Papaseea Sliding Rocks are located ...
Beyond Expectations
We had a beautiful stay and Tim and Maria’s home. They were so welcoming and accommodating throughout our stay. The grounds were immaculately kept by gardener Ioane. Great big space for families. Clean and tidy and kept nice and cool with fans in every room. Well equipped kitchen, great washing machine ...

Reviewed on Jan 8, 2025

Highland Hideaway above Apia nestled in your own private little valley
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Things to do

Reviews of Apia

4.4
Top Destination
5 - Excellent
22
5 - Excellent 43%
4 - Good
27
4 - Good 53%
3 - Okay
2
3 - Okay 4%
2 - Disappointing
0
2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
0
1 - Terrible 0%

4/5 - Good

JAPG

The Polynesian show at the Sails restaurant up the road was really worth it.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

I love it.

4/5 - Good

Jackie

Everything was great except for booking experience. Expedia should have notify us about the different dates between the U.S. and Apia. Unfortunately, we booked according to U.S. dates. This resulted to the hotel kicking us out a day early.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveler

Bannana fritter ice cream at the Tip Top ice cream shop was really good!

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

its beautiful

4/5 - Good

Verified traveler

Apia is