Samoa Food Itinerary: 3 Days / Weekend

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How to Get Around Samoa in Three Days

This Samoa food itinerary for three days includes travelling to various different destinations on Samoa’s main island, Upolu. Here’s a quick rundown on how to get around Samoa in three days.

Road Transport in Samoa

Upon arrival in Samoa, you can either get your rental car delivered to the airport or this itinerary allows for the option to take an airport transfer and have your vehicle delivered to you at your Apia accommodation once you’re ready to hit the road on Day 2. See airport transfer options in the 10 Best Airport Transfers in Samoa.

For travelling around Upolu, car hire offers the most flexibility and convenience. Get advice on car hire from What You Need to Hire a Car in Samoa. Alternatively, this itinerary is doable with a mix of taxis (see Taxis in Samoa: Taxi Fares, How to Use & More), hiring private drivers (see How to Hire a Driver in Samoa for more advice), as well as taking guided tours such as the 10 Best Sightseeing Tours in Samoa.

For all of your transport options across the islands, check out our Samoa Transport Guide: 14 Best Ways to Get Around Samoa.

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Day 1 – Arrival in Samoa + Apia

Travel time: 45-50 minutes drive.

Faleolo Airport Arrival

Welcome to Samoa and the start of your escape to paradise! After the arrivals process of going through customs and biosecurity, you’ll step outside of the arrivals area to where your rental car or airport transfer will be waiting, whether it’s organised through your accommodation or simply a taxi transfer (see your options in the 10 Best Airport Transfers in Samoa). If you arrive on an early morning/late night flight, get some shut-eye at the nearby Sheraton Samoa Beach Resort or Transit Motel.

Faleolo Airport to Apia

Providing you’re travelling to Apia during the daytime (and there are at least four people in your group), stop by Ifiele’ele Plantation for one of their plantation tours, as well as to sample some of their dried fruit, chutneys, jams and ice pops that are loved around Samoa. See the 10 Best Foodie Experiences on Upolu for more details on the tour.

Alternatively, experience Samoa’s plantations in the most adventurous way possible on the Wolfpac ATV Tours – see the 10 Best Adventure Tours in Samoa for more information.

Once you reach Apia, you’re in the culinary capital where all of Samoa’s restaurants are (more or less). We’ll get onto some of the foodie activities in the capital on Day 3. For now, check-in at your accommodation and enjoy the breadth of eateries available.

Apia Foodie Accommodation

• Lava Hotel
• Taumeasina Island Resort
• Amanaki Hotel
• Le Manumea Hotel
• Tanoa Tusitala Hotel
• The White House Hotel
• Samoa Tradition Resort

See some of these accommodations listed in the 10 Best Resorts for Foodies in Samoa, as well as in the 25 Best Hotels in Apia & Upolu.

Dining Recommendations

For lunch, Nourish Cafe near the gorgeous Immaculate Conception Cathedral provides an attractive indoor and outdoor setting for an array of creative yet health-conscious meals for lunch with plenty of vegan, vegetarian, dairy and gluten-free options. Learn more and see alternative options in the 10 Best Cafes in Apia & Upolu.

As for dinner, make a booking at the most popular restaurant in town, Paddles Restaurant, famous for its relaxing ambience combined with Italian-Samoan fusion cuisine. See more recommendations in the 10 Best Restaurants in Apia.

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Day 2 – Cross Island Road Trip (Private Chef Tour)

Travel time: 1 hour drive.

An exciting Upolu day trip awaits from Apia, which you can enjoy from either your rental car or on yet another private chef tour, this time with Tour Samoa.

Guided Private Chef Tour

On the “Full-Day Island Tour of Apia, Upolu and Samoa“, enjoy a highlights tour of Apia, before venturing across the Cross Island Road with a tour of the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum and the Baha’i Temple. You’ll stop by a number of waterfalls and the To Sua Ocean Trench if you’re keen. Additionally, relax at one of Upolu’s stunning south coast beaches where your private chef will prepare a Samoan lunch, which you’re welcome to observe.

Apia to Maninoa (and Back)

If you’d rather self-drive, we recommend checking out of your Apia hotel and hitting the Cross Island Road, stopping by the acclaimed Robert Louis Stevenson Museum for an intriguing mansion tour and revelling in these glorious gardens.

Speaking of gardens, don’t miss a potter around the Baha’i Temple; one of only eight in the world! Next door is also the Tipapata Art Centre with its art gallery and vegan speciality cafe.

Further along the Cross Island Road is the free-to-visit Papapapaitai Waterfall, one of the highest waterfalls in Samoa.

Your final destination today is Maninoa with a gorgeous beach and fabulous resorts with restaurants. After you’ve wrapped up the day here, return back to Apia (if you can pull yourself away).

Dining Recommendations

Along the Cross Island Road, you have the option of Tiapata Art Centre & Cafe with homemade everything and specialising in vegan meals (as well as meat and fish dishes) – see Samoa for Vegans & Vegetarians + 10 Best Restaurants. Alternatively, Forest Cafe provides a unique setting as long as you have a 4WD vehicle. Find out more in the 10 Best Cafes in Apia & Upolu.

For dinner, Ava I Toga Restaurant of the Sinalei Reef Resort is a must-do for fine dining on its over-the-water restaurant, boasting an array of creative cuisine for all diets. Learn more about these restaurants and others in the 10 Best Restaurants on Upolu and 10 Best Bars on Upolu.

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Day 3 – Explore Apia + Departure

Travel time: 45-50 minutes drive.

Experience the culinary delights of Samoa’s capital today, as Apia boasts many experiences that foodies will love. Make sure your flight is a late one, so can enjoy as many of these activities as possible!

Foodie Experiences in Apia

• See an umu demonstration at the Samoa Cultural Village
• Browse the Fugalei Market, SWAG Market, Fish Market, Night Market and more – see the 8 Best Markets in Samoa
• Take part in a Samoan cooking class at the Taumeasina Island Resort
• Experience a Sunday to’onai (if it happens to be a Sunday)
• Catch your own dinner on a Samoan fishing charter…

… And the list goes on in detail in the 10 Best Foodie Experiences in Apia.

Dining Recommendations

For lunch, try a turmeric kick in a latte or vai tipolo if you’re intrigued by RiVaiv Cafe‘s very own turmeric juice. Otherwise, the two cafes in the chain with an attractive garden setting are best known for their fresh poke, teriyaki and steak bowls, as well as pad Thai, seafood sushi tacos and vegan tempura sushi tacos. Take a look at the 10 Best Cafes in Apia & Upolu for more about this establishment plus alternative recommendations.

If you need dinner recommendations, Bistro Tatau Restaurant is a good go-to to impress with its speciality Asian cuisine, as well as European, Mediterranean and Australasia influences. Start with the likes of steamed dumplings or a tropical oka for an injection of local then move on to pan-fried swordfish, crisp pork belly salad or rib-eye steak. Learn more in the 5 Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Samoa.

Departure from Faleolo Airport

Finally, after an exciting long weekend in Samoa on a foodie getaway, it’s finally time to say goodbye to the islands.

Remember to arrive at the airport a couple of hours before your scheduled departure so that you have enough time to check in, go through security and browse the retail offerings, as listed in The Guide to Shopping in Samoa + The Best Places to Shop. You may even want to wait for your flight in style at the Faleolo Airport Lounge with a refreshment buffet, unlimited WiFi, a shower, unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and more.

For anything else you need to know about leaving Samoa, it’s all listed in our guide, Leaving Samoa: Departure Tips & Checklist.

And it’s “Tofa Soifua” from Samoa!