Samoa is one of the best and most underrated countries on earth, boasting stunning beauty, great people, fabulous food and much more.
Not just that but perhaps, just perhaps, the street food Apia scene might just be the best in the region. And if that alone is not enough for you, there’s also a pretty decent nightlife.
Table of Contents
Samoan Cuisine
Samoan cuisine is hearty, earthy, and built around what the islands provide. Expect plenty of fresh fish, pork, chicken, and root vegetables like taro and yams. Coconut cream is used liberally, adding richness to even the simplest dishes. Oka, a raw fish salad marinated in coconut milk and lime, is essential, as is palusami, which wraps taro leaves around coconut cream and sometimes corned beef.
Breadfruit is everywhere, fried, baked, or boiled, and eaten with almost everything. Overall, Samoan food is unpretentious, filling, and designed to feed both locals and travelers in generous portions.
Street Food Apia
While I love Pacific cuisine, street food can be hit or miss. In Micronesia or Tuvalu it barely exists, and in Nauru it’s mostly bad Chinese food. Not so in Fiji, Tonga, or Samoa, where street food is everywhere, a core part of daily life.
Downtown Apia is full of stalls selling BBQ chicken, pork, fried treats, and quirky little cakes. Meals are cheap with BBQ chicken with rice and yams costs under 5 USD. There are also food courts with fried chicken rivaling KFC, plus traditional and Chinese dishes actually done fairly well for the region.
Top 5 Street Food Apia Dishes
5.Fried Breadfruit – Crispy on the outside, soft and starchy inside. Perfect snack or side. Top tip add butter.
4.BBQ Chicken – Juicy, smoky, and cheap. Served with rice and yams, a proper feed.
3.Palusami – Taro leaves wrapped around coconut cream, sometimes with corned beef. Soul food on a plate.
2.Oka – Fresh, zesty, and creamy raw fish salad that screams Samoan summer.
1.Sapasui – Samoan chow mein that tastes better than most hotel versions, rich, sweet, and comforting.
Best Places to Get Street Food in Apia
Downtown Apia is the action hub. Beach Road and Cross Island Road have heaps of BBQ stalls, fried snacks, and cakes. Fugalei Market is the biggest and busiest, perfect for sampling everything.
Food courts near the central bus station are ideal for fried chicken or bigger meals, such as Chinese fare. Everything is cheap, fast, and cooked with a lot of local love.
McDonalds in Samoa
Yes, Samoa has a McDonald’s. Shockingly, it’s been there since 1998, and it’s surprisingly good. Grab a Big Mac and it tastes as it should. The burgers look like they do in the photos and they have actually had a decent crack at Big Mac sauce.
A curious but valid part of the Samoan street food scene and perhaps a benchmark for the chain in the region.
Soft Drinks in Samoa
Samoa has all the usual Coke and Pepsi brands, but also local brews only found here. Taxi is the benchmark light, sweet, and refreshing and goes well with liquor. There’s also Vita Cola and Apia Fizz, which locals love.
Great with BBQ and even better with cheap Samoan vodka.
Nightlife of Apia Guide
Apia isn’t Vegas, or Angeles, but it has options. I didn’t go “out out” this year, but hit Karl’s Getaway, dancers, music, and a feast Samoan style. Sails Restaurant serves cocktails and food, and bars and casinos offer a chill late-night scene.
The nightlife is inclusive, featuring local trans-females in a safe environment. The casino is no Macao aside from the fact the staff are Chinese. You can though get a beer and lose your money here.
Top 5 Places to Party in Apia
5.Karl’s Getaway – This is a hotel and not a bar at all, but great times when I stay here and they sell liquor next door.
4.Sails Restaurant & Bar – Upscale cocktails, good food, relaxed atmosphere.
3.Mango Bar – Local music, friendly crowd, casual vibes. Popular with the trans community.
2.Cross Island Club – DJs, beers, casual local party spot.
1.Apia Casino & Lounge – Best late-night stop for drinks, gambling, and people watching.
Conclusion
Apia’s street food scene is brilliant, Samoa itself is stunning, and there is party to be had if you know where to look. Honestly, the question is not if you should go, but for how long.
And of course I do tours to Samoa.