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Things to Do in Samoa

From swimming in the To Sua Ocean Trench to sleeping in a traditional beach fale - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.

Travel guide - last updated September 2026

Samoa keeps a genuinely traditional Polynesian way of life - fa'a Samoa - more intact than many of its Pacific neighbors, visible in village land ownership structures and open-sided beach fale accommodation still common across the islands. The To Sua Ocean Trench, a giant swimming hole reached by a ladder down a garden-lined pit, has become its best-known image. Here are 5 places worth building a trip around.

Top attractions

The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.

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To Sua Ocean Trench

A giant swimming hole in a garden setting, reached by climbing down a tall wooden ladder into the pit itself - connected to the ocean by an underground channel, and one of the most photographed spots in the South Pacific.

📍 Lotofaga, Upolu

🚉 The trench is on Upolu's south-east coast, an hour from Apia - buses run to Lotofaga village on the cross-island road, though most visitors hire a car or take a tour, as the return bus is unreliable.

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Lalomanu Beach

Regularly ranked among Samoa's best beaches, with traditional open-sided fale huts available right on the sand for an overnight stay closer to the water than most resort rooms.

📍 Upolu

🚉 Buses from Apia's Fugalei market take about 90 minutes to Lalomanu at the eastern tip of Upolu, where the beach fales line the sand - services stop by mid-afternoon.

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Robert Louis Stevenson Museum

The former home of the author of Treasure Island, who spent his final years in Samoa and is buried on the hill overlooking the property, now preserved as a museum near Apia.

📍 Near Apia, Upolu

🚉 The Vailima house is 5km above Apia on the Cross Island Road: buses towards Siumu pass the gate, and the walk up to Stevenson's tomb on Mount Vaea takes about an hour.

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Alofaaga Blowholes

Lava tube blowholes on Savai'i island that shoot seawater dramatically into the air with incoming waves - locals sometimes toss coconuts in to be launched skyward for visitors.

📍 Savai'i

🚉 The blowholes are on Savai'i, reached by the ferry from Mulifanua to Salelologa, then a bus or hired car around the south coast to Taga village.

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Fale Beach Accommodation

Simple, open-sided traditional huts directly on the beach, found across several of Samoa's coastal villages - a genuinely different overnight experience from a standard hotel room, with the ocean breeze as the only air conditioning.

📍 Coastal villages, Upolu & Savai'i

🚉 The open-sided beach fales cluster at Lalomanu, Manase and Falealupo - buses reach the villages, but with limited schedules most guests arrange a transfer with the fale owners.

Mark Samoa, get the stamp

🇼🇸SAMOAVISITED

🇼🇸SAMOALIVED

🇼🇸SAMOAWISHLIST

In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.

Open MyPassportStory

Planning questions

How many days do you need in Samoa?

A week lets you cover Upolu island's main sights (To Sua, Lalomanu) and add a couple of days on the quieter island of Savai'i.

What's the best time to visit Samoa?

May-October is the dry season and the most popular time to visit. Cyclone season runs roughly November-April.

Is Samoa good for a first-time visit?

Yes - it's welcoming and easy to navigate for a Pacific island nation, though it's worth respecting local fa'a Samoa customs, particularly around village land and Sunday observance.

Do I need a visa to visit Samoa?

Many nationalities, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and most of the EU, can visit visa-free for short tourist stays. Check the official visa information for your nationality: mprd.gov.ws.

What are some things to do in Samoa on a tight budget?

Staying in a traditional beach fale is generally cheaper than a resort room, many of Samoa's beaches and waterfalls charge only a small village entry fee, and local food markets are inexpensive compared to resort dining.

Can I rent a car in Samoa, and what licence do I need?

Yes, and it is the practical way around, as buses stop running by mid-afternoon and do not run at all on Sundays. Visitors need a temporary Samoan driving licence, issued by the Ministry of Police or through the rental company against your home licence. Minimum age is generally 21 to 25. Samoa switched to driving on the left in 2009, so many older cars are still left-hand drive on left-hand roads. Village speed limits are low and strictly observed, and the roads close to through traffic during evening prayers in some villages. Official information is published by the Samoa Tourism Authority at samoa.travel.