Apia, Capital city in Upolu Island, Samoa
Description
Apia is a city on the northern shore of Upolu Island in Samoa and spreads around a natural harbor with the Vaisigano River flowing through its center. The streets run along the coastline and then move inland, where low buildings stand among palm trees and tropical plants.
History
Colonists from Germany took over administration of the city from 1900 to 1914, before New Zealand gained control after World War I. The city became the capital of the new state after Samoa gained independence in 1962.
Culture
The name comes from the Samoan language and refers to an opening or passage that fits the natural shape of the bay. Many residents still wear traditional lavalava wrap skirts as they walk through the streets and across the markets.
Practical
The center is near Beach Road and can be explored on foot, while public buses run to nearby villages outside the city. Most shops and offices close on Sunday, when public life is largely at rest.
Did you know?
A police band performs on weekday mornings along Beach Road and plays marches that have continued since the colonial period. The grave of Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson sits on a hill above the city and offers a wide view over the bay.
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Robert Louis Stevenson Museum
3.6 km
Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Apia
450 m
Aggie Grey's Hotel and Bungalows
426 m
Museum of Samoa
568 mMusée des Samoa
568 mRoyal Samoa Country Club
3.4 kmFaleata Golf Course
4.8 kmTown Clock
746 mSTA Village Grounds
522 mPalolo Deep
1.2 kmChinaAid Commemmorative Wall
679 mChinaAid Commemmorative Wall
664 mWork of art, sculpture
5.6 kmScenic viewpoint
3.4 kmRobert Louis Stevenson's tomb
3.4 kmTapua Tamasese Tomb
2.8 kmTomb
2.8 kmIndependence Memorial
2.4 kmBritish & American Memorial
2 kmGerman Flag Memorial
2 kmGerman Memorial
1.8 kmTupua Tamasese Lealofi III Memorial
2.4 kmWorld War II Memorial
640 mCeremonial 21-Gun Salute Gift from New Zealand
2.3 kmTomb
1.8 kmRobert Louis Stevenson Residence
3.6 kmWestern Samoa Retired Nurses Association
1.2 kmWestern Samoa Memorial
557 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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