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Upolu & Savai'i: Route Guide

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The To Sua ocean trench and its ladder
Photo: Rickard Törnblad · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Polynesia without the resorts: a swimmable ocean trench ringed by flowers, beach fale villages run on custom, and lava fields running into the sea.

Upolu & Savai'i is a 130 km one-way journey (mixed transport). It works best as 5–7 days; the plan below is the 6-day version for July, built from 89 verified places, with planned transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

5–7
days
130km
distance
3
Stops
89
curated stops

Plan your own version → 5-day plan · 6-day plan · 7-day plan · best time to go

The route

Apia→ 65 kmLalomanu→ 65 kmSalelologa (Savai'i)

What you'll see

The fish market
Watch locals gather for Sunday tonai, buzzing with fresh seafood.
Apia
O Le Pupu-Pui National Park.
Hike to Samoa's highest peak and marvel at waterfalls, ancient trees, and coastal cliffs.
Lalomanu
Mt. Matavanu Lava Fields
Trek three hours to walk across moonlike lava fields from early 20th-century eruptions.
Salelologa (Savai'i)
Falemata'aga - Museum of Samoa
Discover ancient Lapita pottery and historical photos in a colonial building.
Apia
Return to Paradise Beach
Unwind on a stunning beach made famous by a classic 1953 film shoot.
Lalomanu
Alofaaga Blowholes
Watch ocean waves shoot high through lava tubes, forming slippery but spectacular fountains.
Salelologa (Savai'i)
Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Admire grand cupolas and ornate details of this 19th-century Catholic cathedral.
Apia
Lalomanu
Enjoy beautiful beaches and glimpse idyllic small islands along the southeast coast.
Lalomanu

Choose your length

5-day plan24 stops · 15.8 h transit4.8 stops/day · 3.2 h transit/daySee the full plan →6-day plan24 stops · 12.4 h transit4 stops/day · 2.1 h transit/daySee the full plan →7-day plan24 stops · 14.2 h transit3.4 stops/day · 2 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: May, June, July, August, September, October

Dry trade-wind season — the To Sua trench at its clearest and fale nights breezy.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

Similar journeys

Plan your own version →