According to thesciencetutor, Samoa (formerly Western Samoa) (Samoan: Sāmoais) is a country in Oceania comprising the western part of the Samoan Islands. Samoa consists of 2 large islands (Upolu and Savai’i) and 8 smaller islands. The capital of Samoa is Apia. A number of major cities in Samoa are: Vaitele, Faleuela, Siusega and Malie.
Samoa was discovered in 1722 by the Dutchman Jacob Roggeveen. It consists of several tropical islands near Australia and New Zealand. There are several waterfalls, caves and many pieces of untouched nature. The islands have wide white sandy beaches and clear blue waters which are ideal for diving and snorkeling for colorful fish and coral reefs. The waters are also known as a good place for surfing due to the high waves. A main attraction on Samoa are the Alofa’aga Blowholes. For example, by throwing a coconut in here, a mega fountain is created. This is due to solidified lava in the surf. See sportsqna for Samoa as a tourist country.
Where is Samoa located?
Travel information of Samoa
Official name: Independent State of Samoa
Continent: Oceania
Area: 2,831 km²
Capital: Apia
Country code: WS, WSM
Population: 203,774 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Parliamentary democracy
Highest point: 1,857 m (Silisili)
Distance (Amsterdam – Apia): 15,721 km
Flight time: approx. 27 hours
Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in Samoa that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Samoa, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
At the moment there are no travel organizations that offer travel to Samoa. If you want to put together your own trip or are looking for separate travel components such as hotels, airline tickets and a rental car, please visit our travel offer page.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Samoa?
Weather and climate
Samoa has a tropical climate. Temperatures are around 20 to 30 degrees all year round.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Samoa can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Samoa can be found at Climate info.
Best time
May, June, July, August, September and October are the best months to travel to Samoa. This avoids the rainy season.
Language
English and Samoan are both an official language in Samoa.
Would you like to translate from or into English and/or Samoan for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Samoa.
A visa is not necessary if you stay in Samoa for less than 60 days.
You must pay a departure tax of approximately 30 Samoa tala per person on departure from Samoa.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in New Zealand (also for Samoa):
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Samoa in Belgium (also for the Netherlands): rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Samoa it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Money and Currency
In Samoa, payment is made with the Samoa tala (WST).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Samoa can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
The prices in Samoa are a lot lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -45% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (52% cheaper), food (40% cheaper), imported beer in catering (50% cheaper), cigarettes (50% cheaper) and public transport (39% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Samoa it is not customary to tip.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 11 hours later in Samoa.
During our winter time it is 12 hours later in Samoa.
Samoa has no difference between winter time and summer time.
The local time, date, time zone and exceptions for Samoa can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Samoa you must drive on the left.
You must apply for a temporary driver’s license in Samoa to drive a motor vehicle. This is possible at the traffic police.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Samoa.
Electricity
In Samoa you need a travel plug.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Samoa can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 995
– Fire: 994
– Ambulance: 996
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Samoa can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Samoa can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Samoa end in.ws.
Samoa official websites: govt.ws and samoa.travel.
Telephony
The country code (international prefix) to call someone in Samoa is 00685 or +685.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Samoa? Then use the Dutch country code 031.
(If you use a country code, you must omit the first 0 of the number to be called.)
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Samoa.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Samoa.
Public holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Samoa can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Samoa, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Samoa?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Samoa. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Samoa can be found on Protected Planet.
Samoa is not on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Samoa? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. In addition, on this website you will find the laws and regulations regarding the importation of pets and a list of everything that may not be imported and/or exported to Samoa.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Samoa.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.8.
– Tobacco: Unknown
– Smoking ban: No
– Homosexuality: Not allowed.
Did you know that…
…Samoa was discovered in 1722 by the Dutchman Jacob Roggeveen?
…Samoa changed its country name from Western Samoa to Samoa in 1997?
…Samoa switched from the eastern to the western side of the date line in 2011?
…Samoa has played in every Rugby World Cup since 1991?
…People in Samoa have been driving on the left side of the road since 2009?
