The Wedding, Honeymoon & Romantic Getaway Guide to Upolu 💕

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How to Get to Upolu

Upolu is Samoa’s eastern island, lying about 3,000 km (1,864 mi) northeast of New Zealand and 3,700 km (2,300 mi) southwest of Hawaii. The island is home to Samoa’s only international airport and 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 Upolu in our guide, Which Airlines Fly Directly to Samoa?

Alternative ways to get to Upolu include day trips with cruise liners, as well as via private sailing yacht. Find out more about your arrival options in Getting Here: How to Get to Samoa?

How to Get Around Upolu

Upolu is well-connected by a main coastal road around the island, which is approximately 185 km (115 mi), as well as three roads across the island. Car rentals, scooter rentals and bicycle rentals are an option – note that you’ll need a temporary diver’s license. Alternatively, bus services, taxis and guided tours are also readily available.

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

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Romantic Getaway and Honeymoon Experiences

While there are almost endless things to do on Upolu (don’t believe us? Just check out the 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…

Uninhabited Island Day Trips

Samoa might be known for its main islands of Upolu and Savai’i, but did you know that there are other tiny uninhabited islands to explore? These provide a truly tranquil and idyllic setting for a romantic day out.

Take a picnic and perhaps a bottle of bubbles and hop on the water taxi to Na’mua Island (or even stay overnight?), join Le Vasa Resort‘s guided tour to Nu’ulopa Island, or paddle a kayak with Outdoor Samoa to Nu’usafe’e Island. Even if you don’t get the entire island to yourselves, the islands hardly feel crowded and, in fact, just walking around the island will likely reveal a hidden beach all to yourselves. You never know, it could be the perfect place to “pop the question”? Speaking of, see our Samoa Proposal Ideas for more ideas.

Couple’s Spa Treatments

Share in a soothing experience with one of Upolu’s heavenly couple’s massages. Spas that are renowned on the island for their couples’ treatments include A Touch of Samoa, Coconuts Beach Club Resort & Spa and Sinalei Reef Resort & Spa, but there are many more to choose from around the island so check out the 10 Best Spas in Samoa.

Upolu’s Romantic Beaches

It’s probably likely that you chose a South Pacific getaway to spend some time at the beach and we can’t blame you; there’s something effortlessly romantic about the soft sands and turquoise waters. On Upolu, Lalomanu Beach with its marine reserve is a popular go-to with many day fales to choose from (learn about paying customary fees for beaches using day fales in the 10 Best Beaches on Upolu). If you’re looking for less crowded beaches, however, we highly recommend the hidden gems of Vavau Beach or, even more remote (4WD access only), Aganoa Beach.

Coastal Walk

Leave the beaches behind and discover another side of Upolu on the serene and secluded Coastal Walk. Protected within the O Le Pupu Pu’e National Park, the one-hour return walk winds its way through lush pandanus forest before emerging on rocky lava cliffs. With the waves crashing below, seabirds occupying the horizon, and a number of coastal arches to uncover as you walk, this certainly is a special place to share with your loved one. What’s more, it’s rare to stumble into anyone else enjoying this secluded piece of paradise, making it an endearing location for that sense of having the place to yourselves. Closed footwear is recommended.

For walks to enjoy together, check out the 10 Best Walks & Hikes on Upolu.

Other Things to Do on Upolu

From scuba diving excursions to staying high and dry on an ATV tour, there are plenty of more ways to experience Upolu together. Get more inspiration from the 10 Most Romantic Things to Do on Upolu. 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.

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Dining on Upolu

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 resort restaurants, couples are sure spoiled for choice when it comes to romantic dining experiences.

Private Dining Experiences

To elevate your evening meal, perhaps to celebrate a special occasion, treat yourself and your loved one to one of Upolu’s private dining experiences. Indulge in a three-course dinner with bubbles either on your room’s balcony or by the beach at Taumeasina Island Resort, choose a private decorated setting at Sinalei Reef Resort & Spa or have a candlelit dinner with personal waiting service on the deck of your luxury villa at Seabreeze Resort. See more ideas like this in the 10 Adults-Only Activities on Upolu.

Romantic Restaurants on Upolu

Going out for dinner has been a textbook date night for centuries. On Upolu, it’s no different with couples spoiled for choice between the cosmopolitan hub of Apia and the island’s resort restaurants.

Even if you’re not staying at the adults-only Seabreeze Resort, at least book one night for dinner at their elegant restaurant nestled into coastal cliffs, the Waterfront Restaurant and Bar. Offering a range of a la carte cuisine on impeccably presented plates, Waterfront is a must-do for comfort food turned fine dining, all accompanied by an enviable sunset position. They also boast an extensive list of liqueurs, spirits, imported beer and New Zealand and Australian wine. What’s more, the restaurant is a child-free zone after 5pm, ensuring a romantic tone is easily achieved.

As for your 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.

Be transported to the Mediterranean and among the attractive patio gardens of Giordano’s Pizzeria. The closest European-style pizzas we’ve found on the island, 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 Best Places to Eat on Upolu: 10 Best Restaurants on Upolu.

For lunch, 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.

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 on Upolu. We don’t have the space to unpack them all here, but be sure to head over to The Food Guide to Upolu: Places to Eat & Food Tours to take a deep dive into the island’s eclectic food scene.

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Weddings on Upolu

The tropical island wedding of your dreams is waiting on Upolu. A toes-in-the-sand ceremony is a speciality here while saying your “I dos” among tropical gardens or a quaint village church are also options. What’s more, 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 (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 across Upolu that can help make your dream wedding a reality. Most operate out of the resorts, such as Sinalei Reef Resort & Spa, Return to Paradise Resort and Coconuts Beach Club Resort and Spa – that also offer attractive wedding packages which you can get more of an idea of from our 9 Best Wedding Packages on Upolu.

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 on Upolu.