Where to stay in Apia — pick the right hotel, book in 3 clicks

Local dishes to try in Apia

1. 1🐟

   Oka i'a

   Samoa's signature dish: raw fish (often tuna) cured in lemon or lime, then dressed with coconut cream, onion and chilli. Fresh, tangy and rich — a must-try.

   📍 Coconut ceviche
2. 2🥬

   Palusami

   Young taro leaves bundled around coconut cream and baked in the umu until the leaves are tender and the cream sets thick and savoury. A beloved staple of any local spread.

   📍 Taro leaf & cream
3. 3🔥

   Umu feast

   The traditional cooking method: food laid over hot stones and covered to cook. Pork, chicken, fish, taro and breadfruit come out smoky and soft — classic for Sunday and fiafia nights.

   📍 Earth oven
4. 4🥥

   Pani Popo

   Soft bread rolls baked in a sweet coconut-cream sauce until soaked through and fragrant. A popular sweet snack you'll find at bakeries and the morning markets.

   📍 Coconut buns
5. 5🍠

   Talo & Ulu

   Taro (talo) and breadfruit (ulu) are the starchy backbone of Samoan meals — steamed or baked in the umu, and served alongside palusami or fish at almost every table.

   📍 Taro & breadfruit
6. 6☕

   Koko Samoa

   Samoan roasted-and-ground cocoa, brewed strong and intensely chocolatey — a far cry from instant cocoa. Locals drink it daily, so grab a cup with breakfast.

   📍 Local cocoa

1. 1📖

   Robert Louis Stevenson Museum

   The white colonial villa at the foot of Mt Vaea where the Treasure Island author spent his final years, preserved with his original furniture. Guided tours bring the colonial era and his bond with Samoa to life.

   📍 Vailima
2. 2⛰️

   Mt Vaea & Stevenson's Tomb

   A trail behind the museum climbs through the Vailima reserve to Stevenson's hilltop grave. The reward is a panorama over Apia, the surrounding mountains and valleys, and the Pacific beyond.

   📍 Hike
3. 3🛝

   Papase'ea Sliding Rocks

   Three natural lava water-slides feeding cool pools, hugely popular with locals. A short ride from the centre and open until evening — the perfect way to cool off after a day of sightseeing.

   📍 Just outside town
4. 4⛪

   Immaculate Conception Cathedral

   Apia's grand, beautifully restored Catholic cathedral and a key city landmark, with stained glass and intricate woodwork that reflect how deeply faith is woven into Samoan life.

   📍 Central
5. 5🐠

   Palolo Deep Marine Reserve

   A protected marine reserve a short walk or drive from the centre, where a deep blue hole sits within the reef — easy, accessible snorkelling over coral and reef fish right in town.

   📍 Snorkelling
6. 6🛒

   Maketi Fou (Fugalei Market)

   Apia's largest market, between Fugalei and Saleufi streets, open from dawn. Tropical fruit and vegetables, local snacks, crafts, lava-lavas and jewellery in one colourful, lively sprawl.

   📍 Produce market
7. 7🐟

   Apia Fish Market

   An open-air harbourside market where fishermen land the daily catch each morning — yellowfin tuna, crab, crayfish, octopus and mahi-mahi. Come early for the freshest pick and best buzz.

   📍 Early morning
8. 8🌺

   Samoa Cultural Village

   A cultural village in the centre demonstrating Fa'a Samoa — carving, weaving and the earth-oven umu — and one of the best places in town to taste authentic Samoan food.

   📍 Culture