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Visas

When travelling to Samoa, you need to be in possession of an onward or return air ticket and the address of a location where you can be contacted while in Samoa. No visa is required if you or staying 30 days or less. If you wish to stay longer you can contact the Immigration Office, P.O. Box 1861, Apia Western Samoa, either in advance or by applying in person once you have arrived.

Vaccinations

A vaccination for yellow fever is required if you have been to a country with yellow fever.

Although mosquitos are ubiquitous, malaria is not present in Samoa.

In recent years there have been outbreaks of dengue fever. A relation, who contracted dengue fever a couple of years ago, was bedridden for two weeks, with symptoms that he described as being similar to the worst possible case of flu that you can imagine. There is no vaccination for dengue fever. A recent outbreak was reported in October 1997, and confirmed by Australian Health Laboratories. Modified: 4-Nov-97

Medical Facilities

There are small health clinics located in various villages on both Savai'i and Upolu. The main hospital is located in Apia. All clinics charge patients, an nominal fee, on a per visit basis.

Tim had the dubious pleasure of having to visit several clinics on his first trip to Samoa. On our first night there, we were having to take showers outside, because of disruption to the water supply when he tripped and lifted the nail completely off his right big toe.

We went to the local clinic in Leulumoega Tuai. It was about 8 o'clock in the evening and we were the only people in the clinic. Even so, we had to wait about 15 minutes before any member of staff appeared. However, the demeanour and manner of the nurse who appeared, was such that we decided it would be wiser to go to the hospital in Apia.

Whereas the local clinic had been quiet, with no real signs of activity, the main hospital bustled with activity. There were several other people awaiting attention and number of people sitting and standing around chatting. After registering, a process that consisted of providing a name, contact address and paying 5 tala, we went into the A & E section, where staff were constantly wandering in and out, but no one appeared to be in charge. Within about 5 minutes, we were directed to a cubicle, where we sat and waited. Some time passed before a Samoan gentleman, dressed in an island's shirt, lava lava and sandals approached and enquired as to what our problem was. This was the doctor. Although rather casually attired he had an a perfect bedside manner and spoke excellent English. He took Tim to an examination room where after administrering a local anaesthetic he removed the nail.

Throughout the rest of our stay Tim had to get his dressing changed every three days or so. We went to several different clinics, even returning to the one in Leulumoega Tuai. We experienced no difficulties, everyone we met spoke Enlgish, to varying degrees, but always well enough to avoid confusion. Added: 4-Nov-97

Unit of Currency.

The unit of currency is the Tala which is divided into 100 Senes. Due to government currency regulations, which make it illegal to take Samoan currency out of Samoa, you will not be able to obtain any Tala prior to your arrival in Samoa. Although there is a bureau de change at the airport, you should find that you get a better rate at the Bank of Western Samoa in Apia.

Samoa was one of the first countries in the world to introduce plastic rather than paper notes. In 1990 a commemerative 2 Tala note, printed by the Reserve Bank of Australia, was released into circulation. Although there were initially problems with the ink smudging, Samoa is blaizing the trail for the rest of the world. Plastic notes although twice as expensive to produce last on average four times longer than paper money, and in tropical climates, where paper money has a life of about four months, are the only sensible option.

Travellers cheques and credit cards are not widely accepted.

Business Hours

Businesses tend to be open from 08:00 to 16:30 with an hour and a half for lunch between 12:00 and 13:30.

Public Holidays

Embassies and Consular Offices

Australian High Commission	Tamaligi
	Phone: +685 23 411
British Consul	N.P.F. Bldg 2nd floor
	Phone: +685 21895
Chile Consul	Taufusi (opposite Bottling Co.)
	Phone: +685 23644/24096
Chinese Embassy	Vailima
	Phone: +685 22474
French Consul	Gold Star Bldg 2nd floor
	Phone: +685 22711/21246
German Consul	N.P.F. Bldg
	Phone: +685 22695
The Netherlands	John Williams Bldg 2nd floor
	Phone: +685 24337
New Zealand High Commission	Tamaligi
	Phone: +685 21404/21711
South Korean Consul	Carruthers Bldg
	Phone: +685 21414/21415
Swedish Consul	Matautu
	Phone: +685 20345/46/47/48
United States of Amercia	John Williams Bldg
	Phone: +685 21631

Economic Indicators

The graphs below are based upon information from the International Monetary Fund's, International Financial Statistics.

Samoa's economy is much smaller than that of a large number of companies. As is to be expected for a small island with very few natural resources imports exceed exports, and the trade deficit is increasing. Exports hit an all time low in 1994 due to the loss of coconut and copra crops as a result of the tropical cyclones in several preceeding years which decimated the coconut plantations and taro blight virus which attacked the tuber that is both a staple food stuff and a cash crop for export.

The effects of the trade deficit have been further exacerbated by the fall in the value of the Samoan Tala, which has led to reduced income from exports and higher costs of imports.

 

Reformatted: 4th May 2004