The Ultimate Samoa Travel Guide

A holiday in Samoa is always a good idea, especially when you know how to make the most of it.

Samoa envelops you with a warm embrace and shimmering ocean views the second you step off the plane. You can’t help but join the locals on island time and relax in the ocean breeze. There’s no wrong way to go about it, but this Samoa travel guide will set you up for the ultimate getaway.

Sopo’aga Waterfall, things to do in Samoa — Pay a small fee to view Sopo’aga Waterfall. (Image: Kassia Byrnes)

Getting around Samoa

While catching a ride in one of the brightly coloured, privately-owned, wooden aiga buses is definitely an experience worth having while in Samoa (and how most of the locals get around), to explore on your own time and outside of main areas, you’ll want to hire a car in Apia. Roads here can sometimes get windy, but (like the rest of the Samoan experience) they’re never too busy and are very easy to navigate.

Samoa Bus — Catch an Aiga bus for the colours and atmosphere. (Image: Andrew Moore)

When to visit Samoa

Like many tropical locations, Samoa has a wet and dry season. You’ll want to visit during the latter, from May to October. If you’re looking for a better deal and smaller crowds without compromising on the idyllic weather, try booking your holiday in June, August or October.

Samoa accommodation

Whether it’s falling asleep listening to the waves washing against Samoa’s sandy beaches in a quintessentially Samoan beach fale (an open wooden hut) or booking into a five-star luxury resort, there’s an accommodation option for everyone.

Travellers tend to stay on the two main populated islands, Upolu and Savai’i, which is where you’ll find most of the accommodation options. We’ve rounded up our top picks on both right here in our best Samoa accommodation guide.

Coconuts Beach Club Resort & Spa over water fale — Stay in Samoa’s only over-water fale accommodation. (Image: Samoa Tourism Authority)

Things to do in Samoa

From museums for famous authors to gaining a deeper cultural understanding, to walking lava fields; we’ve rounded up our top 11 things to do while you’re in Samoa here. The best part is, they’re all suitable for the kids as well.

Wild swimming

An island holiday conjures up visions of lazing by pristine beaches and snorkelling through crystal clear waters, and Samoa doesn’t disappoint. Made up of 10 islands (half of which are inhabited), there is no shortage of calm, white (and sometimes black) sand beaches, protected by a coral shelf a short way out to sea. On that note, you won’t even need a snorkel to see below the surface to small fish, sea cucumbers and coral spotted around the sea bottom.

It would be a shame to only hang around the coastline, however, as taking the short trip inland will reveal unique natural pools and incredible waterfalls just begging you to take a dip. Discover our guide to the best 13 places to take a dip in the wild around Samoa.

Fuipisia Waterfall, Samoa — Swim above or below at Fuipisia Waterfall. (Image: Samoa Tourism Authority)

Cultural experiences

Samoans are very proud that theirs is still a lived culture. The first stop to discover what this entails is the Samoa Cultural Village in Apia where you’ll be talked through a welcoming ceremony, traditional cooking practices (and you’ll get to eat the tasty results), traditional tattoo methods and meanings and more.

It will help you appreciate the fiafia nights held by many hotels around the country, usually open to walk-ins as well as guests. Watch traditional dancing, singing and music, all while munching on hearty Samoan cruise served up buffet-style.

For culture of a different kind, head to the last home and final resting place of Robert Louis Stevenson in the mountains above Apia. The famous author of Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde lived out the final years of his life here and today that home has been reconstructed to look just as it did originally, and turned into a museum.

Siva Afi (traditional fire dancing) at a fiafia night in Samoa — See Siva Afi (traditional fire dancing) at a fiafia night. (Image: Kassia Byrnes)

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Shopping

You won’t find luxury labels and high-end shopping centres here – nor would you want to. Instead, check out the local markets where you’ll find fresh fruit and other tasty treats, handmade clothing and all the pretty woven bags and hats you can fit in your suitcase. Fugalei, Savalolo and the Organic Night Market are good places to start.

market in samoa — Go shopping at local markets. (Image: Geoffrey Marquie)

Restaurants in Samoa

Unsurprisingly, the cuisines Samoans do best is their own – a rich and hearty treat of home-raised meats (nearly every home seems to own pigs and chickens), root vegetables like talo (taro) and ulu (breadfruit) and plenty of fresh fruits for dessert. You don’t have to search to find these options around, and they’re all good (although Bistro Tatau is worth a booking).

taro treats, samoa cuisine — Try some tasty taro treats.

If you’re looking for a different type of restaurant experience, however, Apia is the place to be. Try Nourish for delicious cafe dishes and fresh sushi, Cornwall Rooftop Cafe is the best stop for breakfast and Scalinis not only looks inviting with its cute decor, busy bookshelves and tasty pantry staples to take home, it also makes delicious Italian food. The eclectic menu at Paddles Restaurant is so delicious it’s been voted in TripAdvisor’s top restaurants for 2023. Try Sunrise Chinese Restaurant if you’re looking for a hearty, after-hours feed spot.

Note before you go that, generally speaking, service here is not the same as in a big city: it’s inevitably slower, but also a whole lot friendlier. Just relax and go with the flow, it’s worth it.

Scalinis restaurant Apia samoa — Pop into Scalinis for pantry items and tasty Italian. (Image: Kassia Byrnes)

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.