Practical information Samoa

1137  sq.mi

There are no direct flights from London to the Samoa Islands. It is necessary to travel via Los Angeles, Atlanta or Chicago and then take another connection via Hawaii. Anticipate a flight of approximately 30 hours (not including stops).

176908 hab.

You can fly to Samoa from Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa, Hawaii, Fiji, French Polynesia and Tonga. Apia International Airport is located 25 miles away from the capital city (a 40 minute drive). It has a foreign exchange office and a car rental office. A bus service as well as some taxis will take you into the city centre. From the airport, a shuttle drives to both large hotels of the capital city for WS$10. By taxi, allow US$30. Airport tax: WS$20.

All islands are quite safe, and their hospitable traditions hardly ever let you down. Thefts do happen, particularly on less busy beaches, as well as small crime in the towns, sometimes. Attacks very seldom happen, especially towards tourists. It is nonetheless recommended to follow common sense safety rules. Valuables, ID cards and spare money should be left at your hotel. People drown every year. You should avoid, then, swimming on isolated beaches, where the currents created by the reefs can be very strong.

Samoan is the official language but English is spoken by most of the population.

Valid passport. A visa is not required for stays of less than three months, but you will need a return or onward travel ticket.

Christians (99.7%).

The currency in Samoa is the tala. One pound Sterling equals approximately 3.91 talas.

Driving: the roads on the two main islands of Upolu and Savai'i are tarmacked and perfectly well-kept, but driving still is slightly dangerous. It is a right hand drive country. Buses go from village to village, but they don't follow a very precise timetable. Taxis are available in the capital city. They are not equipped with a meter, you must negotiate the fare before leaving. They are however very cheap. It is possible to rent a car, a motorbike or a motorscooter from the agencies in town. An international driver's licence and fully comprehensive insurance will be required without fail. It is recommended to fill up with petrol before leaving any city.
By boat: car and foot passenger ferries offer a 90 minute daily link between the islands of Upolu and Savai'i.
Flights: the Polynesian Airlines airline company offers domestic daily air links between the two main islands of the archipelago.

No particular vaccines are required, but it is highly recommended to be up-to-date with the following: tetanus, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, typhoid and hepatitis A and B. As far as malaria is concerned, a combined preventive course of chloroquine and proguanil treatment is recommended, along with an effective mosquito repellent (cream or lotion, and long clothes at night). Try to avoid drinking tap water, and buy bottled drinks or filtered water instead when possible. Diarrhoea is a common problem, so bring a good first-aid kit if you can, and medical insurance covering repatriation expenses in case of an accident is an absolute must.

110 V. Bring a US mains adaptor and a voltage transformer.

Samoa are mostly visited by Australian, New-Zealander, American and Japanese tourists, and by a lesser number of British people. The tourist season is concentrated in July-August. 68,000 tourists visited the country in 1999.

A 2% tax is added to marked prices. It is not customary to leave a gratuity.

To call Samoa from the UK: 00 + 685 + n#.
From Samoa to the UK: 00 + 44 + regional code (without the initial 0) + n#.