Tuamasaga

Tuamasaga is a district that covers the central part of Upolu island.

Apia

Apia Town is the charming capital of Samoa, situated on the north coast of Upolu. With a population of over 40,000, Apia is a fairly compact town with a central business district along the attractive Apia Harbor.

The pleasant beach road is the main stretch for shops, restaurants and hotels. Beach Road follows the harbor wall with its wide promenade. Before the wall was built, a beach lined the waterfront, but now little sand is left except on the harbor seabed which is a popular swimming spot with locals.

The only beach area is a 10-minute stroll from central Apia at Vaiala which has several guest houses with ocean views but the main attraction here is snorkeling at the Palolo Deep Marine Reserve with its deep blue hole and colorful fish.

Apia has a few distinct features such as the Catholic Church which is the finest architectural building in town. Yet overall it has a laid back old world feeling and is swept meticulously clean every morning and afternoon. The small Samoa Museum on Beach Road shows a basic introductory to Samoan culture and relics from the past.

Apia, is a leisurely drive east of the Faleolo International Airport, and the commercial and government center. Blending old colonial buildings with more conventional modern construction, Apia is a busy water-front town with a charm and an atmosphere all of its own. This unpretentious South Pacific town and surroundings, offer the visitor much to see and do and can also act as a base for further travel to outlying areas.

Many intriguing sights are within easy reach of the town center including the bustling New Market, featuring island produce and handicrafts; the Fish Market; the Flea Market, with its apparel, home goods and handicrafts; the landmark Town Clock Tower and the historic Mulinuu Peninsula with its many memorials and chiefly tombs and the unique Samoan-style Parliament House. Robert Louis Stevenson’s Museum and tomb, Papaseea Sliding Rocks and the Museum of Samoa, to name a few, are all fascinating and worth a visit.

Several grounds and facilities cater for most sporting needs and highlight the athletic prowess of the Samoan people. The Apia Park National Stadium east of Apia and the new sports complex at Tuanaimato, are for hosting international sporting events.

For golfing enthusiasts, the Royal Samoa Country Club Golf Course, the Faleata Golf Course, and the new Le Penina Golf Gourse next to Aggie Grey’s at Mulifanua ,all provide and exciting challenge amongst picturesque surroundings.

Independence Celebration in Apia commences at the beginning of June and feature parades, traditional dancing, spectacular long boat (fautasi) races, and other sporting events. It is a colorful and a wonderful festival that is now held for only one day in June every year.

A flag raising ceremony at 9.00am each weekday in front of the Government Building, is a great way to start the day as the Police Band plays a national anthem whilst traffic and pedestrians remain at a standstill.

City Sights

Mulinu’u, the old ceremonial capital, lies at the city’s western end, and is the location of the Parliament House(Maota Fono) and the historic observatory, which is now the meteorology office.

The name of the Catholic Cathedral in Apia is the Immaculate Conception of Mary Cathedral.

An area of reclaimed land jutting into the harbor is the site of the multistory government offices and the Central Bank of Samoa. A clock tower erected as a war memorial acts as a central point for the city. Apia still has some of the early, wooden, colonial buildings which remain scattered around the town, most notably the courthouse, with a museum on the upper floor.

Recent infrastructural development and economic growth has seen several multi-story buildings being built in the city. The ACB/NBS building houses the Accident Compensation Board, the National Bank of Samoa, and some government departments. The mall below it is home to shops and eateries. The Samoatel building which is the site for Samoa’s international telecommunications hub was built inland at Maluafou, again to protect it from the effects of seasonal cyclones. The newest addition to Apia’s skyline is the DBS building which houses the Development Bank of Samoa.

The Robert Louis Stevenson Museum and Mount Vaea Scenic Reserve is worth a visit. This famous author came to Samoa five years before he died and many of his belongings, including travel and library mementos are to be found at his mansion, Vailima. You can stroll the gorgeous gardens, or take either the 30-minute or 45 minute walk to his tomb at the top of Mount Vaea. From here you can enjoy spectacular views over Apia.

Transport around Apia

The country has no trains or trams, but is served with an extensive bus service. People commonly walk around the town, or even for some distances outside it. There are few bicycles and motorcycles, but increasing numbers of privately owned cars that cause traffic congestion in the inner city. Taxis are a common form of transport.

The small airstrip in Fagali’i, which was used for internal flights and some international flights to Pago Pago in American Samoa has now been closed.

Afega village is part of the Tuamasaga constituency. It is located on the central north coast of the island to the west of the capital Apia in the countryside. The population is 1,781 (2006 census).

Matautu is a village located on the central north coast of the island to the east of the capital Apia. The village has been subdivided into two parts. Matautu-tai (coastal) and Matautu-uta (inland). Matautu-tai is led by High Chief To’omalatai. Legend has it that wayfarers and travelers by sea must stop and give offerings to the To’omalatai before safe passage was allowed by Moaula the village guardian. Moaula is amongst the most revered spirits of Samoa.

Mulinu’u is a small village situated on a tiny peninsula on Upolu Island. It became the site of the colonial administration in Samoa in the 1870s and continues to be the site for the Parliament of Samoa. It is located on the central north coast of the island and is part of the urban area comprising Apia.

Vailele is a village situated on the central north coast of Upolu island in Samoa. The village is less than ten minutes east of Apia. The settlement is north facing and situated in Vailele Bay.

Vailima is the name of a village about four kilometers south of Apia. The name Vailima means “water in the hand”, according to an old Samoan tale. A woman gave some water (vai) in her hand (lima) to help her thirsty companion. The village is most known as the location of the last residence of Robert Louis Stevenson, named ‘Villa Vailima’. The estate has had a varied past with it functioning further as the residence for the governor of German Samoa, the administrator of the New Zealand mandatory authority and the Samoan head of state. It is now a museum in honor of Stevenson and has been substantially restored.