Oceania
Below is a summary of how I entered, whether through a visa or another permitted route.
No visa required for Nepali passport holders.
Last updated 2 weeks ago
| S.No | Date | Details (Notes) | Category | Unit | Cost / Unit | Amount | Currency | Amount (NPR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 12, 2023 | SIM card in Fiji | SIM Card | 1.00 | 15.00 | 15.00 | FJD | 893.55 |
| 2 | Mar 12, 2023 | Taxi fare airport to hotel | Transport | 1.00 | 15.00 | 15.00 | FJD | 893.55 |
| 3 | Mar 12, 2023 | Water bottle 1.5 ltr | Food | 1.50 | 0.80 | 1.20 | FJD | 71.48 |
| 4 | Mar 12, 2023 | Dinner cost | Food | 1.00 | 27.00 | 27.00 | FJD | 1,608.39 |
| 5 | Mar 13, 2023 | Burger King meal | Food | 1.00 | 8.50 | 8.50 | FJD | 506.35 |
| 6 | Mar 13, 2023 | Taxi to airport | Transport | 1.00 | 15.00 | 15.00 | FJD | 893.55 |
| 7 | Mar 13, 2023 | Flight to Samoa | Flight | 1.00 | 303.00 | 303.00 | NZD | 24,767.22 |
| 8 | Mar 13, 2023 | Taxi Faleolo airport to Apia Inn | Transport | 1.00 | 50.00 | 50.00 | WST | 2,400.00 |
| 9 | Mar 13, 2023 | Hotel cost | Accommodation | 1.00 | 85.00 | 85.00 | WST | 4,080.00 |
| 10 | Mar 13, 2023 | Water bottle | Food | 1.00 | 4.00 | 4.00 | WST | 192.00 |
| 11 | Mar 14, 2023 | Half day trip | Activities | 1.00 | 75.00 | 75.00 | WST | 3,600.00 |
| 12 | Mar 14, 2023 | Water, sandwich and doughnut | Food | 1.00 | 12.00 | 12.00 | WST | 576.00 |
| 13 | Mar 14, 2023 | Entry cost to Ta Sua trench | Activities | 1.00 | 20.00 | 20.00 | WST | 960.00 |
| 14 | Mar 14, 2023 | Entry cost to Piula Cave | Activities | 1.00 | 5.00 | 5.00 | WST | 240.00 |
| 15 | Mar 14, 2023 | Entry cost to beach | Activities | 1.00 | 30.00 | 30.00 | WST | 1,440.00 |
| 16 | Mar 14, 2023 | Burger cost | Food | 1.00 | 5.00 | 5.00 | WST | 240.00 |
| 17 | Mar 14, 2023 | Hotel to airport transport | Transport | 1.00 | 70.00 | 70.00 | WST | 3,360.00 |
| 18 | Mar 14, 2023 | Samoa to Fiji flight | Flight | 1.00 | 360.00 | 360.00 | AUD | 31,395.60 |
| Total | 78,117.69 |
Last updated 3 hours ago
The dry season from May to October is the best time to visit Samoa. The wet/cyclone season runs from November to April with heavy rains and the risk of tropical cyclones. Temperatures remain warm year-round, averaging 26-30 degrees Celsius.
The Samoan Tala (WST) is the local currency. ATMs are available in Apia but limited elsewhere. Carry cash when visiting rural areas, villages, and smaller islands. Credit cards are accepted at larger hotels and restaurants in Apia.
Samoa is deeply Christian and Sundays are strictly observed. Most shops, restaurants, and businesses are closed on Sundays. Plan your activities and meals accordingly, or eat at your hotel. Respect the quiet atmosphere in villages.
Samoan culture (Fa'a Samoa) is central to daily life. When entering a village, dress modestly by covering your shoulders and knees. Always ask permission before swimming or taking photos on village land. Many beaches and natural attractions charge a small entry fee (5-20 Tala) set by the village.
Samoa drives on the left side of the road. Avoid driving at night as roads are poorly lit and animals often wander onto the road. Speed limits are low (40-56 km/h). Inter-island ferries connect Upolu and Savai'i and should be booked in advance during peak times.
Beaches in Samoa are not patrolled by lifeguards. Strong tides and powerful lagoon currents can be dangerous. Always take local advice before swimming, especially at unfamiliar beaches. Swim at high tide for deeper water at spots like To Sua Ocean Trench.
Last updated 5 days ago
📍 Apia, To Sua Ocean Trench, Lalomanu Beach
Start your morning exploring Apia, Samoa's capital. Visit the Maketi Fou (main market) for fresh tropical fruits, handicrafts, and local produce. Head to the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum at Villa Vailima, the restored mansion where the Scottish author spent his final years, and optionally hike up Mount Vaea to his grave. After lunch in Apia, drive south to the iconic To Sua Ocean Trench, a stunning 30-metre-deep natural swimming hole filled with turquoise seawater, surrounded by lush tropical gardens. Descend the wooden ladder and swim in the crystal-clear pool. Continue along the south coast to Lalomanu Beach, rated by Lonely Planet as one of the world's top 10 beaches, and relax in an open-air beach fale. End the day with a sunset over the Pacific.
📍 Piula Cave Pool, Papase'ea Sliding Rocks, Sopo'aga Falls, Apia
Start with a visit to Piula Cave Pool on the north coast of Upolu, a twin freshwater cave pool beneath a historic Methodist chapel, connected by an underwater passage. Swim in the cool, crystal-clear spring water. Drive to Papase'ea Sliding Rocks, where natural rock waterslides plunge into a swimming area surrounded by rainforest. Continue to the Sopo'aga Falls, a dramatic 54-metre waterfall cascading into an enormous gorge. In the afternoon, visit the Samoa Cultural Village in Apia (free admission) for traditional dance performances, tattooing demonstrations, and coconut husking. Experience a traditional umu feast in the evening, where food is cooked on heated stones in an earth oven, producing rich, smoky flavours unique to Samoan cuisine.
Last updated 2 weeks ago
Fresh raw fish (typically tuna or snapper) marinated in fresh lemon or lime juice that 'cooks' the fish through acid, then mixed with coconut cream, diced onion, tomato, and chilli. Light, refreshing, and quintessentially Pacific.
Young taro leaves stuffed with a rich filling of coconut cream and onion (often with corned beef), wrapped in more taro leaves and slow-cooked in the umu earth oven. The coconut cream caramelises inside the leaf parcels, producing an intensely rich and creamy dish.
A Samoan adaptation of chop suey made with glass noodles stir-fried with vegetables and typically pork or corned beef in a savoury soy-based sauce. A diaspora staple that feeds many from a single pot and reheats well.
Soft bread rolls baked in a sweet and sticky coconut cream sauce until golden and caramelised. Often called the national dessert of Samoa, served in shallow bowls spooned over with extra coconut sauce and paired with Samoan cocoa (Koko Samoa).
Food cooked in the traditional Samoan earth oven (umu) where heated volcanic stones are used to slow-cook fish, pork, chicken, taro, and bananas wrapped in banana leaves. The result is tender, smoky-flavoured food with a unique taste that defines Samoan gatherings and Sunday feasts.
Last updated 2 weeks ago
A spectacular 30-metre-deep natural swimming hole filled with turquoise seawater, surrounded by tropical gardens. Descend via a long wooden ladder into the pool. Best visited at high tide when water is deepest. Entry costs 20 Tala per person.
The restored Victorian-era mansion Villa Vailima where Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson spent his final years (1890-1894). Features original furniture, art, and memorabilia including a tablecloth gifted by Queen Victoria. His grave sits atop nearby Mount Vaea.
A pristine stretch of white sandy beach on the southeast coast of Upolu, rated by Lonely Planet as one of the world's top 10 beach destinations. Open-air beach fales are available for overnight stays right on the sand.
A stunning twin freshwater cave pool beneath the historic Piula Methodist Chapel on the north coast of Upolu. The pools are formed by natural springs flowing through limestone caves and connected by an underwater passage extending about 20 metres.
Natural rock waterslides formed by smooth volcanic rock, plunging into a small swimming area surrounded by lush rainforest. Located in the Faleata district, about 15 minutes' drive from Apia.
A dramatic 54-metre-high waterfall cascading into an enormous gorge near where the Main South Coast Road meets Le Mafa Pass Road on Upolu island.
Located on the southwest coast of Savai'i island, ancient lava flows have created tubes connecting a flat clifftop to the ocean below. Waves send water rocketing up through the tubes, creating spectacular fountains spraying up to 30 metres in the air.
Last updated 2 weeks ago
A glimpse into our favourite moments from Samoa.
The earth suddenly opens to reveal a secret swimming hole of crystalline turquoise, its volcanic rock walls draped in emerald vines where roots dangle toward the impossibly clear water below.
