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5 Best Day Trips in Samoa 🗺️ [2023]
5 Best Day Trips in Samoa 🗺️ [2023]

5 Best Day Trips in Samoa 🗺️ [2024]

© SamoaPocketGuide.com

Unmissable Road Trips in Samoa

Big islands mean big adventures and that couldn’t be more true for the islands of Samoa. Whether you only have a day or two to experience Upolu and Savai’i or you’re just looking for an amazing road trip from the capital, Apia, we’ve got you covered in this list of the best day trips in Samoa!

How to Do These Day Trips in Samoa

These day trips in Samoa have you exploring the islands independently unless you choose to take one of the “relevant tours” we’ve also listed. To get around, you will either need to rent a car, scooter or private driver. Tips on where to hire vehicles, as well as how to hire a driver can be found in the following guides:

For more transport options, check out our Samoa Transport Guide: 14 Best Ways to Get Around Samoa.

5 Best Day Trips in Samoa 🗺️ [2023]© Google Maps

1. Upolu East Coast Road Trip

Distance: 130 km (80 mi) round trip
Drive time: 2 h 50 minutes round trip.
Most relevant tour: “The Pristine Waters of Upolu” with Samoan Island Adventures.

If you’ve got little time to see as much of Samoa as possible, then the Upolu East Coast Road Trip is a goodie, but not one to be taken lightly. There are a lot of attractions to see on this full-day road trip in Samoa, including the Piula Cave Pool, Lalomanu Beach, To Sua Ocean Trench, Sopoaga Falls, O Le Pupu Pu’e National Park and not to mention all the sights along the Cross Island Road.

The full itinerary can be found in A Self-Guided Day Trip on Upolu: East Coast Itinerary.

Day Trip Overview

  • Piula Cave Pool to Lalomanu Beach (Le Mafa Pass)
    Distance: 40 km (25 mi), Drive time: 50 minutes.
    Attractions: Piula Cave Pool, Falefa Falls, Le Mafa Pass, Namu’a Island and Lalomanu Beach.
  • Lalomanu to Maninoa
    Distance: 45 km (28 mi), Drive time: 1 hour.
    Attractions: Vavau Beach, To Sua Ocean Trench, Sopoaga Falls, Togitogiga Waterfall, Ma Tree, Coastal Walk and Maninoa Beach.
  • Maninoa to Apia (Cross Island Road)
    Distance: 24 km (15 mi), Drive time: 35 minutes.
    Attractions: Papapapaitai Falls, Lake Lanoto’o, Tiapapata Art Centre, Baha’i Temple and the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum.

Get the full details on this day trip in Samoa in A Self-Guided Day Trip on Upolu: East Coast Itinerary.

5 Best Day Trips in Samoa 🗺️ [2023]© Google Maps

2. Upolu West Coast Road Trip

Distance: 108 km (67 mi) round trip
Drive time: 2 h 40 minutes round trip.

While the east coast tends to steal all of the limelight on Upolu, the west coast is still well worth exploring for those who have the time for this day trip in Samoa. You’ll find most of Samoa’s adventure tours here, including tours for kayaking, scuba diving, quad biking, mountain biking and canyoning. Those wishing to explore Samoa’s third-most populated but less-visited island, Manono, can also experience this from the west coast.

The full itinerary can be found in A Self-Guided Day Trip on Upolu: West Coast Itinerary.

Day Trip Overview

  • Apia to Mulifanua
    Distance: 36 km (22 mi), Drive time: 50 minutes.
    Attractions: Wolfpac ATV Tours, EFKS Museum and Ifiele’ele Plantation.
  • Mulifanua to Lefaga Bay
    Distance: 30 km (19 mi), Drive time: 50 minutes.
    Attractions: Outdoor Samoa, Manono Island, Nu’ulopa Island, Faleatai Saddle, Lalotalie ECAT Ventures, Savaia Giant Clam Sanctuary and Return to Paradise Beach.
  • Lefaga Bay to Maninoa (O Le Pupu Pu’e National Park Detour)
    Distance: 22 km (14 mi), Drive time: 30 minutes.
    Attractions: Maninoa Beach, Aganoa Black Sand Beach, Ma Tree, Coastal Walk and Togitogiga Waterfall.
  • Maninoa to Apia (Cross Island Road)
    Distance: 24 km (15 mi), Drive time: 35 minutes.
    Attractions: Papapapaitai Falls, Lake Lanoto’o, Tiapapata Art Centre, Baha’i Temple and the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum.

Get the full details on this day trip in Samoa in A Self-Guided Day Trip on Upolu: West Coast Itinerary.

5 Best Day Trips in Samoa 🗺️ [2023]© Google Maps

3. Savai’i North Coast Road Trip

Distance: 90 km (56 mi) one way
Drive time: 2 hours one way.

Samoa’s “big island” has some much more substantial road trips in terms of driving times due to there only being one main road circumventing the island and no cross-island roads. One-way road trips like this Savai’i North Coast Road Trip, staying at a different accommodation from where you began, is a much easier way to handle a Savai’i road trip than returning back the way you came. You’ll also want to save time to hit most of the amazing attractions along the eastern and northern coasts of Savai’i, from turtle swimming beaches to lava caves.

The full itinerary can be found in A Self-Guided Day Trip on Savai’i: North Coast Itinerary.

Day Trip Overview

  • Salelologa to Asaga
    Distance: 25 km (15.5 mi), Drive time: 35 minutes.
    Attractions: Salelologa Market, John Williams Memorial, Lano Beach and Asaga Mangroves.
  • Asaga to Manase
    Distance: 30 km (19 mi), Drive time: 35 minutes.
    Attractions: Saleaula Lava Fields, Dive Savai’i and Manase Beach.
  • Manase to Vaisala Bay
    Distance: 40 km (25 mi), Drive time: 50 minutes.
    Attractions: Safotu Cathedral, Mataolealelo Spring, Pe’ape’a Cave, Laauoleola Cave, Va-i-Moana Koko Tour and Va-i-Moana Fishing Charters.

Get the full details on this day trip in Samoa in A Self-Guided Day Trip on Savai’i: North Coast Itinerary.

5 Best Day Trips in Samoa 🗺️ [2023]© Google Maps

4. Savai’i South Coast Road Trip

Distance: 90 km (56 mi) one way
Drive time: 2 hours one way.

Equally as epic as the itinerary above, this Savai’i South Coast Road Trip almost makes it impossible to choose the best day trip on Savai’i. Again, a one-way trip is easiest to handle, staying in Falealupo at the end of the day. Otherwise, you can always return the same way if you have the energy. With amazing waterfalls, Savai’i’s famous blowholes, cultural demonstrations, historical sites and more, we challenge you to even be able to stand by the end of this adventure!

The full itinerary can be found in A Self-Guided Day Trip on Savai’i: South Coast Itinerary.

Day Trip Overview

  • Salelologa to Palauli
    Distance: 13.5 km (8 mi), Drive time: 20 minutes.
    Attractions: Salelologa Market, Siapo Demonstration and Afu Aau Waterfall.
  • Palauli to Taga
    Distance: 27 km (17 mi), Drive time: 35-40 minutes.
    Attractions: Samoa’s Smallest Church, Mu Pagoa Waterfall and Alofaaga Blowholes.
  • Taga to Falealupo-uta
    Distance: 43 km (27 mi), Drive time: 55 minutes.
    Attractions: Satuiatua Beach, Faiaai Beach and Lovers Leap.
  • Falealupo-uta to Cape Mulinuu
    Distance: 12 km (7.5 mi), Drive time: 25 minutes.
    Attractions: Moso’s Footprint, Falealupo Historic Church, House of Rock, Falealupo Beach, Mauga Fetu Star Mound, Ana O Vaatausili Giant’s Cave, Vaisuatoto Well and Fafa o Sauali’i.

Get the full details on this day trip in Samoa in A Self-Guided Day Trip on Savai’i: South Coast Itinerary.

5 Best Day Trips in Samoa 🗺️ [2023]© SamoaPocketGuide.com

5. Apia Day Trip

Distance: 25 km (15.5 mi) return
Drive time: 50 minutes return
Most relevant tour: See the 5 Best Day Tours of Apia.

That’s right, exploring the capital of Samoa and its outer suburbs is a day trip in itself! In fact, we’ve compiled a whole itinerary of an Apia Day Trip, complete with historical monuments, attractive parks, cultural tours, museums, snorkelling and even a natural waterslide!

The full itinerary can be found in A Self-Guided Tour of Apia: One Day Itinerary.

Day Trip Overview

  • Samoa Tourism Fale to Mulinuu Peninsula
    Distance: 2.4 km (1.5 mi), Driving time: 5 mins, Walking time: 30 mins.
    Attractions: Samoa Cultural Village, Government Building, Friendship Park, Town Clock Tower, Savalalo Flea Market and the Mulinuu Peninsula memorials.
  • Mulinuu Peninsula to Vailima
    Distance: 7.6 km (4.7 mi), Driving time: 15 mins, Walking time: 1 h 45 mins.
    Attractions: Fugalei Market, Museum of Samoa, Mailelani Samoa Gift Shop, Robert Louis Stevenson Museum, Tomb Trail and Vailima Botanical Garden.
  • Vailima to Papase’ea
    Distance: 15 km (9.3 mi), Driving time: 30 mins.
    Attractions: Pacific Jewell Gift Shop, Palolo Deep, Aggie Grey’s Hotel, Immaculate Conception Cathedral and Papase’ea Sliding Rocks.

Get the full details on this day trip in Samoa in A Self-Guided Tour of Apia: One Day Itinerary.

More Day Trips in Samoa

That’s it for our list of the best day trips in Samoa. If these Samoa road trips aren’t quite speaking to you, however, check out these alternative tours and things to do while in Samoa:

Finally, get back to the basics of planning a getaway to the islands using The Best Samoa Travel Guide: Plan a Trip to Samoa the EASY Way.

Sources:

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across Samoa and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

Our editorial standards: At Samoa Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

Author

Laura S.

This article was reviewed and published by Laura, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Samoa Pocket Guide. Since arriving solo in the South Pacific over 10 years ago with nothing but a backpack and a background in journalism, her mission has been to show the world how easy (and awesome) it is to explore a paradise such as Samoa. She knows the islands inside out and loves sharing tips on how best to experience Upolu and Savai’i’s must-dos and hidden gems. Laura is also the editor of several other South Pacific travel guides.

Contact Laura via our contact page

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