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Apia is the capital of Samoa. It is on the island of Upolu.
Apia was founded in the 1850s and has been the official capital of Samoa since 1959. The harbor was the site of an infamous naval standoff in 1889 when 7 ships from Germany, the US, and Britain refused to leave the harbor when a typhoon was approaching, for fear of losing face. All the ships were sunk, except for one British cruiser. Nearly 200 American and German lives were lost. During the struggle for independence in the early 1900s, organized by the Mau movement, a peaceful gathering in the town resulted in the killing of the paramount chief Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III and ten others by New Zealand police on 28 December 1929.
As with most Pacific Island capitals, Apia is a little shabby and run down. The vast majority of Samoa's highlights can be found outside this town, although... Read more
Apia is the capital of Samoa. It is on the island of Upolu.
Apia was founded in the 1850s and has been the official capital of Samoa since 1959. The harbor was the site of an infamous naval standoff in 1889 when 7 ships from Germany, the US, and Britain refused to leave the harbor when a typhoon was approaching, for fear of losing face. All the ships were sunk, except for one British cruiser. Nearly 200 American and German lives were lost. During the struggle for independence in the early 1900s, organized by the Mau movement, a peaceful gathering in the town resulted in the killing of the paramount chief Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III and ten others by New Zealand police on 28 December 1929.
As with most Pacific Island capitals, Apia is a little shabby and run down. The vast majority of Samoa's highlights can be found outside this town, although most are within a very short drive.
The Samoa Tourism Authority manages an information center offering maps, brochures and other information for tourists.
Much of Apia is within walking distance, although this may not be a comfortable experience on a hot and humid Samoan Day. Another thing to consider is the number of aggressive dogs towards dusk and in the evening. A walk from the suburbs into the center is best avoided at any time for this reason. Most households have a dog, and even an innocent walk past their driveway could encourage an attack.
Taxis are cheap, safe and easy to hail down but single women are advised to sit in the back seat, particularly if wearing a short skirt.
Buses fan out to the whole of Upolu from downtown Apia.
Apia has several quite reasonable places to eat. Beer and soft drinks are available at most places.
There are numerous restaurants that cater for locals on a budget and will sell the sort of food that is eaten in the average household. The menu is likely to include chop suey, chicken curry, and mutton flaps. Umu or earth oven cooked local food include roast pig, and the great delicacy, palusami. Palusami is made of onions, and coconut cream with possibly chicken or prawns, all wrapped in a new taro leaf and baked. This is a "must try" and goes well with taro.
Remember that restaurants tend to close early by Western standards and that, with a few exceptions, the restaurants in the big hotels are the only ones open on Sunday. There are no street numbers in Apia so you will have to ask for directions if you do not take a taxi. The town is divided into lots of smaller villages and the restaurant location is given by village, road (e.g. Beach Road, which is a couple of miles long), or the building, which is not much use to foreigners.
Alcohol can be bought at almost all restaurants. Soft drinks and bottled water are generally available and safe. While the purity of the tap water is questionable, all factory-bought ice is safe. It is only later handling that can contaminate it.
At the end of 2010, the Apia bar scene had been thrown into some confusion by the puritanical tendencies of the Prime Minister, who was trying to get them closed by 22.00. Given the confusion, opening hours are not specified here. You should check when you arrive. All bars are closed on Sundays.
Markets in Apia are host to many interesting stalls and locally made souvenirs. Note, however, that many of the items on sale, such as cloth in Samoan patterns, are actually imported from China.
Stay with people you know and trust. Free-roaming dogs can be a safety problem in the capital Apia. The Government of Samoa (GoS) passed the Canine Control Act in 2013 as a first step toward addressing dog management. Most dogs ignore you and don't see you as a threat if you ignore them.
LOCAL TIME
3:15 am
May 29, 2022
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Visiting Apia City, Samoa. P1
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