The Wedding, Honeymoon & Romantic Getaway Guide to Apia 💕

© SamoaPocketGuide.com

How to Get to Apia

Apia is located on the north coast of Upolu, Samoa’s eastern island some 3,000 km (1,864 mi) northeast of New Zealand and 3,700 km (2,300 mi) southwest of Hawaii.

The closest international airport is Faleolo International Airport, approximately a 50-minute drive along the north coast where airport shuttles, taxis and buses provide transfers. The airport receives regular flights from New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii and Fiji, which are all well-connected to the rest of the world. Find out about airlines travelling to Faleolo Airport in our guide, Which Airlines Fly Directly to Samoa?

Alternative ways to get to Apia include day trips with cruise liners, as well as via private sailing yacht; both of which anchor in the Apia Harbour. Find out more about your arrival options in Getting Here: How to Get to Samoa?

How to Get Around Apia

Apia has an inexpensive public transport network of taxis and buses. Car and scooter rentals are also available should you want to make your way around independently, while tour operators provide guided tours with transport included. The city centre is quite compact, with plenty to see on foot.

Find out all you need to know about transport in our Apia Transport Guide: 10 Ways to Get to (& Around) Apia.

© SamoaPocketGuide.com

Romantic Getaway and Honeymoon Experiences

While there are almost endless things to do in and around Apia (don’t believe us? Just check out the 25 Best Things to Do in Apia and 50 Best Things to Do on Upolu), there are some experiences that are designed for romance or are just better done as a couple. Here are a few that come to mind…

Matagialalua Friendship Park

A neat little area on the Apia waterfront, Matagialalua Friendship Park offers an attractive park for a romantic stroll with that special someone. Explore the Mangrove Tidal Garden with boardwalks and bridges to mosey over, watch locals battle it out at the sports courts, and head down to the amphitheatre to catch a free gig or event.

Vailima Botanical Garden

Encompassing 12 ha (30 acres) of native, introduced and naturalised plant species, Vailima Botanical Garden offers an endearing space to explore in Apia for couples. The information centre here provides more details about the biodiversity of the gardens, while the freshwater pool and waterfall of the Loimata o Apaula stream is a wonderful place for a refreshing dip. You can also start the Tomb Trail walking track from here, as detailed in the 15 Best Walks & Hikes in Samoa.

Find these gardens by following signposts for the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum along Cross Island Road in the village of Avele, just south of Apia. Instead of turning down the lane to the museum, however, continue straight until you reach an archway and sign for Vailima Botanical Garden.

Papase’ea Sliding Rocks

For something more adventurous, try out nature’s waterslides at the Papase’ea Sliding Rocks! After walking down some jungle steps, you’ll come across the first and biggest slide that locals call the “men’s slide”; a near-verticle 5-m (16-ft) slide. Further down is the “kids’ slide”, a much less precarious slide with a little drop at the end of extra fun. Finally, at the bottom, you have the “women’s slide”. Lots of fun, lots of laughs; what’s not to love? Avoid the busiest times, which tend to be the weekends, to get optimal slide time and more alone time.

Find this attraction in Se’ese’e, Faleata District on the outskirts of Apia. The access road turns off Maugafolau Road near the University of the South Pacific campus.

Palolo Deep

This shared experience of seeing an underwater world thriving is sure to bring any couple closer together. On the shores of Apia, Palolo Deep Marine Reserve hides a vibrant underwater world some 100 m (109 yards) swim away. Hire snorkelling gear from the kiosk and swim out to the white buoy to see an underwater trench brimming with staghorn coral, hundreds of tropical fish species, starfish, octopuses and, if you’re lucky, perhaps even some turtles. Note, however, that the water is too shallow for enjoyable snorkelling when it’s not close to high tide, so plan your visit accordingly. Find this attraction between the Marina and Vaiala Beach along Beach Road.

For more sweet snorkelling spots, check out The Best Snorkelling in Samoa: Top 10 Places to Snorkel.

Other Things to Do in Apia

From couples’ massages to tiki touring around Upolu, there are plenty of more ways to experience Apia together. Get more inspiration from the 10 Most Romantic Things to Do in Apia for Couples. And for experiences that don’t necessarily fall into the “romantic” category but are just as endearing, check out the 101 Best Things to Do in Samoa: The Ultimate List.

© SamoaPocketGuide.com

Dining in Apia

Nothing wraps up a day in paradise more perfectly than a romantic meal with the most important person in your life. From luxurious private dinners on the beach to scouting out the best cafes and restaurants, couples are sure spoiled for choice when it comes to romantic dining experiences.

Private Dining

Apia has many enticing restaurants that we’ll get to in the next section but if you seek a more exclusive experience, perhaps for a special occasion, then treat your loved one to one of Apia’s private dining experiences. Taumeasina Island Resort, for example, indulges couples in a three-course dinner with bubbles either on your room’s balcony or by the beach. You never know, it could be the perfect time to pop the question… As such, as see more ideas in 5 Romantic Ways to Propose in Samoa.

Romantic Restaurants in Apia

Going out for dinner has been a textbook date night for centuries. In Apia, it’s no different!

Starting with cafes, it’s worth making the short venture out of Apia to Pacific Jewell and Garden Cafe. After perusing the local crafts and clothing hand-printed on-site, sit down among the lush tropical garden for a light bagel, tempting crepes or a more hearty all-day breakfast. There are a lot more cafes to choose from, so check out the 10 Best Cafes in Apia and Upolu for more recommendations.

As for your evening dining options in Apia, Bistro Tatau Restaurant is a good go-to to impress with its speciality Asian cuisine, as well as European, Mediterranean and Australasia influences. The restaurant offers a relaxed yet sophisticated environment of slick tiled walls and tones inspired by Samoan skin tones and tatau (tattoo) ink.

Finally, be transported to the Mediterranean and among the attractive patio gardens of Giordano’s Pizzeria. The closest European-style pizzas we’ve found in Samoa, Giordano’s combines Italian cuisine with a gorgeous balmy setting and ambient lighting. Be sure to have an extra look at the back of the restaurant to find the hidden alcoves in the gardens. For more restaurants to try, check out the 10 Best Restaurants in Apia.

Alternative Dining Experiences

Whether it’s enjoying the atmosphere and street eats of the Apia Night Market or trying an authentic Samoan umu at a fiafia night, there are many more dining experiences to be had in Apia. We don’t have the space to unpack them all here, but be sure to head over to The Food Guide to Apia: Places to Eat & Food Tours to take a deep dive into the city’s eclectic food scene.

© SamoaPocketGuide.com

Weddings in Apia

Not your typical island wedding in the South Pacific, Apia offers a vibe of more “contemporary Polynesia” with relaxed boutique hotel venues and lush tropical gardens. To add to the enticement, the requirements to get married in Samoa are so easy with couples only needing to apply for their marriage license at least 10 days prior to the wedding (10 more days in Samoa? Yes, please!) and have their passport, birth certificate and a divorce or death certificate if applicable. Get a full insight into the marriage requirements and more in How to Plan a Wedding in Samoa.

With that, there are several wedding services in Apia that can help make your dream wedding a reality. Most operate out of the hotels, such as Taumeasina Island Resort, Tanoa Tusitala Hotel and Orator Hotel Samoa. On the other hand, some attractions like the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum and Manumailagi Garden also offer their stunning locations as wedding venues – find out more in the 10 Best Wedding Venues in Apia.