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Coordinates: 13°50′S 171°46′W / 13.833°S 171.767°W / -13.833; -171.767

Apia
View of the Samoan government buildings in Apia
Map of Apia
Apia Map of Apia
Coordinates: 13°50′S 171°45′W / 13.833°S 171.75°W / -13.833; -171.75
Country	Samoa
District	Tuamasaga
Constituency	Vaimauga West and Faleata East
Founded	1850s
Became Capital	1959
Area
- Urban	23.2 sq mi (60 km2)
Elevation [1]	7 ft (2 m)
Population (2006)
- Urban	37,708
- Urban Density	2,534.48/sq mi (6.534,27/km2)
Time zone	SST (UTC-11)
- Summer (DST)	HST[2] (UTC-10)

Apia is the capital and the largest city of Samoa. The city is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second largest island. Apia is the only 'city' in Samoa and falls within the political district (itūmālō) of Tuamasaga.

The Apia Urban Area has a population of 37,708 (2006 Census)^[3] and is generally referred to as the City of Apia. The geographic boundaries of Apia Urban Area is mainly from Letogo village to the new industrialized region of Apia known as Vaitele.

History

A high chief of Apia, Seumanutafa Pogai, circa 1890-1910.

See also: Fa'amatai

chiefly system of Samoa.

Apia was originally a small village (2006 population is 304), ^[3]from which the country's capital took its name. Apia village still exists within the larger modern capital of Apia which has grown into a sprawling urban area with many villages. Like every other settlement in the country, Apia village has its own matai chiefly leaders and fa'alupega (geneaology & customary greetings) according to fa'a Samoa.

The modern capital Apia was founded in the 1850s and has been the official capital of Samoa since 1959.^[4]

The harbor was also the site of an infamous 15 March, 1889 naval impasse which 7 ships from Germany, the US, and Britain refused to leave harbor while a typhoon was clearly approaching, lest the first moved would lose face. All the ships were sunk, except the British cruser Calliope, which barely managed to leave port at 1 mile per hour and ride out the storm. Nearly 200 American and German lives were needlessly lost, as well as 6 ships sunk or beyond repair. [1]

During the country's struggle for political independence in the early 1900s, organised under the national Mau movement, the streets of Apia became the center of non-violent protests and marches where many Samoans were arrested. In what became known as 'Black Saturday', a peaceful Mau gathering in the town resulted in the killing of paramount chief Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III by New Zealand constabulary on 28 December, 1929.^[5]

Geography

Apia is situated on a natural harbour at the mouth of the Vaisigano River. It is on a narrow coastal plain with Mount Vaea (elev. 472 m), the burial place of writer Robert Louis Stevenson, directly to its south. Two main ridges run south on either side of the Vaisigano River, with roads on each. The more western of these is Cross Island Road, one of the few roads cutting north to south across the middle of the island to the south coast of Upolu.

Administration

Apia is part of the Tuamasaga political district and of election district Vaimauga West and Faleata East. There is no city administration for Apia. Apia consists of some 45 individual, independent villages. Apia proper is just a small village between the mouths of the Vaisigano (east) and Mulivai (west) rivers, and is framed by Vaisigano and Mulivai villages, together constituting "Downtown Apia".

The Planning Urban Management Authority (PUMA) Act 2004^[6] (amended in 2005^[7]) was passed by parliament to better plan for the urban growth of Samoa's built-up areas, with particular reference to the future urban management of Apia. The city's historical haphazard growth from village to colonial trading post to the major financial and business centre of the country has resulted in major infrastructural problems in the city. Problems of flooding are commonplace in the wet season, given the low flood-prone valley that the city is built on. In the inner-city village of Sogi, there are major shoreline pollution and effluent issues given that the village is situated on swamplands. The disparate village administrations of Apia has resulted in a lack of a unified and codified legislative approach to sewerage disposal. The relatively high growth in vehicle ownership has resulted in traffic congestion in the inner city streets and the need for major projects in road-widening and traffic management. The PUMA legislation sets up the Planning Urban Management Authority to better manage the unique planning issues facing Apia's urban growth.

City features

Apia cathedral

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.

Apia courthouse

An area of reclaimed land jutting into the harbour is the site of the multistorey government offices and the Central Bank of Samoa. A clock tower erected as a war memorial acts as a central point for the city. The new market (maketi fou) is inland a bit at Fugalei, where it is more protected from the effects of cyclones. 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 (2001) 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 (2004) 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 (2007) which houses the Development Bank of Samoa.

Writer Robert Louis Stevenson spent the last four years of his life here, and is buried on Mt. Vaea, overlooking both the city and the home he built, Vailima, which is now a museum in his honour.

Economy

Polynesian Airlines has its headquarters in the Samoa National Provident Fund Building in Apia.^[8] Fish and copra are the country's major exports, and cotton goods, motor vehicles, meats, and sugar are the major imports.^{[citation needed]}

Transport

Apia Harbour at dawn, during the independence celebrations of 2003

Airplane at the airport

Apia Clocktower, 2009

Apia Harbour is by far the largest and busiest harbour in Samoa. International shipping with containers, LPG gas, and fuels all dock here. Ferries to Tokelau and American Samoa depart from here.

Apia is served by a good road network, which is generally kept reasonably well maintained. Most of the main roads are sealed; the unsealed roads have lower use. Vehicles drive on the right-hand side of the road although much disputed legislation is in train to change to the other side. Speed limits are 25 mph (40 km/h) near the centre of town and 35 mph (56 km/h) in the rest of the country with a 15 mph (24 km/h) limit in special circumstances.

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 which 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. The main international airport, Faleolo International Airport, is a 40-minute drive west of the city.

Communications

Most streets are not marked with signs, and none of the houses or businesses have street numbers. There are no postal codes and there is no local mail delivery. Post office boxes are used for delivery, and a customs officer is present in the main Apia post office to check parcels. Locals refer to locations by the village where the house or business is situated.

Telephone services are efficient with local, trunk and international dialing. Both SamoaTel and Digicel operate mobile phone services with a high rate of mobile phone ownership in the country.

International internet services are served by a satellite link with several internet service providers offering broadband and dial-up services. The dependency on satellite links means that there can be brief service disruption caused by the sun passing behind a satellite, or for longer periods during strong winds when the dishes need to be "parked" to secure them. There are plans to set up a fiber-optic cable link but have not been finalized. In addition to private service subscriptions, multiple internet cafes are present in Apia.

Education

Apia is home to a number of pre-schools, primary, secondary and post-secondary institutions^[9], including Samoa's only university, the National University of Samoa. In addition, the University of the South Pacific School of Agriculture maintains a campus^[10] at Alafua, on the outskirts of Apia.

Universities

• National University of Samoa
• University of the South Pacific
• Oceania University of Medicine

Colleges

• Avele College, Avele
• Church College of Samoa, Pesega
• Faatuatua Christian College, Vaitele Fou
• Leififi College, Leififi
• Malua Theological College
• Maluafou College, Maluafou
• Saint Joseph's College, Alafua
• Assemblies of God Harvest Bible College, Lotopa
• Saint Mary's College, Vaimoso
• Samoa College, Vaivase Tai
• Seven Day Adventist College, Lalovaea
• Robert Louis Stevenson College, Tafaigata
• Wesley College, Faleula

Primary schools

Most of the Villages have their own primary schools but the Churches run most of the primary schools in Downtown Apia.

• Marist Brother's School, Mulivai
• Saint Mary's School, Savalalo
• Peace Chaapel School, Vaimea
• Apia Baptist School, Aai o Niue
• Seven Day Adventist Primary School, Lalovaea

Housing

This is a mixture of old colonial houses and more modern Western-style houses, interspersed with some traditional Samoan houses.

References

1. ^ "Weather Underground: Apia, Samoa". http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/91762.html. 
2. ^ "Samoa Starts Daylight Saving Time in 2009". timeanddate.com. 2008-11-28. http://www.timeanddate.com/news/time/samoa-daylight-saving-time.html. Retrieved 2009-08-03. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Population and Housing Census Report 2006". Samoa Bureau of Statistics. July 2008. http://www.sbs.gov.ws/Portals/138/PDF/census%20survey/Table%202.%20Population%20byregion,%20faipule%20district%202006.pdf. Retrieved 16 December, 2009. 
4. ^ "Samoa", Encyclopedia Britannica
5. ^ http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/politics/samoa/rise-of-mau
6. ^ "Planning and Urban Management Act 2004". http://www.parliament.gov.ws/popup_gen.cfm?act=285. 
7. ^ "Planning and Urban Management Amendment Act 2005". http://www.parliament.gov.ws/popup_gen.cfm?act=338. 
8. ^ "Our Company." Polynesian Airlines. Retrieved on October 23, 2009.
9. ^ Encyclopedia of the Nations: Samoa Education
10. ^ University of South Pacific: Alafua Campus

See also

• 1889 Apia cyclone

Tuamasaga District: Itūmālō Traditional centers: Afega and Malie Villages  · Apia (Country capital)  · Fa'ato'ialemanu  · Fagali'i  · Lalovaea  · Lauli'i  · Letogo · Lotopa  · Magiagi Tai  · Malua  · Matautu · Moataa · Mulinu'u  · Pesega  · Sataoa · Siumu · Tafaigata  · Tanugamanono  · Taufusi  · Tuana'i · Vaiee  · Vailele  · Vailima  · Vaimoso Notable landmarks  · Vailima, former home of Robert Louis Stevenson  · Faleata Sports Complex, Taunaimato Notable people  · Brian Lima  · Leo Lafaiali'i · Loki Crichton  · Semo Sititi  · Jimmy Thunder  · Archaeology in Samoa  · Falemauga Caves  · Lapita plainware pottery & pre-historic earth mounds at Vailele  · Electoral constituencies: Faipule Districts  · Faleata East  · Faleata West  · Safata (2 seats)  · Sagaga Le Falefa  · Sagaga Le Usoga  · Siumu  · Vaimauga East  · Vaimauga West (2 seats)  ·

From Wikitravel

Apia is the capital of Samoa. It is on Upolu.

Understand

As with most Pacific Island capitals, Apia is a little shabby and run down.

Reasonably small in size and lacking in obvious attractions, it is very useful as an initial stop off point for first time visitors to get their bearings, organise tours and accommodation, and recover from jet lag. The vast majority of Samoa's highlights can be found outside this town.

Get in

By plane

Apia is approximately 20 miles from Faleolo Airport(IATA: APW). Outside the tiny terminal are the normal stream of taxis (especially when an international flight arrives, as it's not a frequent occurrence) which will normally cost in the region of 30-50 tala for a ride into Apia. Some hotels, such as Aggie Greys, operate shuttle buses for guests. Arrange this in advance, as the scrum of arriving passengers and eager taxi drivers can be confusing when a whole plane load of tourists step outside to the small drop off/pick up point.

By boat

Occasional cargo ships dock at Apia port on their way around the world. A twice monthly ferry sails to Tokelau.

Get around

Much of Apia is within walking distance. Although this may not be a comfortable experience on a hot and humid Samoan Day. Another thing to consider is the congregation of aggressive dogs towards dusk and in the evening. A walk from the suburbs into the centre is best avoided at any time for the above reason. Most households have a dog, and even an innocent walk past their driveway could encourage an attack. Culling prior to the South Pacific Games (Aug 2007) has reduced the numbers in the centre of town.

Taxis are cheap, safe and easy to hail down but single women are advised to sit in the back seat, particularly if wearing a short skirt.

• Robert Louis Stevenson museum about 5 km south of town in the village of Vailima is definitely worth a visit. This was built by RLS during the final years of his life, which he spent in Apia. It is now a very well kept museum with a good collection of items either originally from the home or equivalents. Catch a taxi up and consider walking back in the late afternoon.

• Robert Louis Stevenson's grave on a crest of Mt. Vaea is best visited in the early morning. As long as there has not been a lot of rain the longer and shallower path up takes about an hour and is an easy walk. The steep path down hill is an option if it has been dry recently. Early morning is a good time to do this walk. Take water and snacks and once you are at the grave, you will have good views to the east and across the Pacific.

• A walk along the sea wall is enjoyable. But only on a milder day (i.e. 25 degrees), and not after dusk because of dogs. Many Apians walk along the sea wall in the late afternoon.

• The fish market is worth a visit at 6AM on Sunday morning. This is when the locals go to buy fish for the special meal of the week, Sunday tonai.

• The flea market nearby the fish market, sells a variety of local handicrafts.

• Mulinu'u peninsula holds parliament house, the law and titles court, the historic observatory, and many important tombs.

• The new market or marketi fou is a traditional market selling all sorts of local produce as well as some handicrafts. One area sells kava by the cup.

• Apia Museum is on the first floor of the courthouse building in beach road. This small museum is worth a visit on a hot day as it is air conditioned.

• Palolo deep at the eastern end of beach road provides snorkeling gear for hire and the deep itself is a safe and easy way to see abundant reef life as long as there has not been recent heavy rain to silt up the water.

Buy

Both the flea market towards the west of town and the new market further inland are host to many interesting stalls and locally made souvenirs.

Eat

Apia has several quite reasonable places to eat. Beer and soft drinks are available at most places.

There are numerous restaurants that cater for locals on a budget and will sell the sort of food that is eaten in the average household. The menu is likely to include chop suey, chicken curry, and mutton flaps. A lot of Samoan food tends to be rather fatty with lots of sauce. Umu or earth oven cooked local food include roast pig, and the great delicacy, palosami. Palosami is made of onions, and coconut cream with possibly chicken or prawns, all wrapped in a new taro leaf and baked. This is a "must try" and goes well with taro, which otherwise is as bland as eating a boiled potato.

The restaurants in the big hotels are the only ones open on Sunday. Aggie's has a fia fia night on Wednesday where you can see a cultural show including fire dancing (siva afi) and eat from a buffet. Make sure you keep both your main course and desert tickets.

• Top of list is the Bistro Tatau which offers fine dining for a fine price.The foods ok but the guys running the place are a bit cold and distant.
• Tu-I-Moana cafe and bistro in Beach Road near the flea market in the new multi-storey building. Good food and a bar with a live band.
• The Yacht Club on Mulinu'u peninsula has a deck overlooking the harbor and serves good "pub food" for tala 20-40 a meal.
• The Hotel Millenia just down the road is a favourite meeting place for locals for a drink and a bite to eat in the late afternoon.
• The Seafood Gourmet near the wharf has good food for reasonable prices and provides a view over the harbor.
• Further down the street is Paddles offering more sophisticated lunch and dinners with an Italian touch.
• The Blue Marlin in Fagali'i (about 3 km east of Apia) has a great view and reasonable food.
• Apaula Heights has a deck which affords views across the eastern part of Apia and the Pacific. It is a must for a full-moon night. The food is above average standard for Apia and prices range from tala 30-70 a main course.
• Up Cross Island Road and just before Vailima (the RLS museum) are the Indian Curry House and Koko Banana, with both offering reasonable food and good views.
• If you are wandering around town and absolutely stuck for a place to eat, the most westerly and remote McDonalds in the world can be found in central Apia. More importantly, it is air conditioned and a place to escape the unwavering heat.

Drink

Alcohol can be bought at almost all restaurants. Soft drinks and bottled water are generally available and safe. While the purity of the tap water is questionable, all factory bought ice is safe. It is only later handling that can contaminate it.

• Kava at the market (see above in "Do").
• There is a mall (meaning a pedestrian street) in the centre of town with two coffee shops, the Sydney Side Cafe and Cappuccino Vineyard both offering a cafe atmosphere and a great place to sit and watch people passing by.
• The RSA is a local club that tends to be a bit rough and ready but is a great way to meet locals and chat.
• There is a string of restaurants and bars in the centre of town between the fire station and the Australian High Commission which is a good area to visit in the late afternoon and early evening but is best left before closing time when things can get a bit troublesome.
• Le Well liquor store sells a good range of spirits and wines that are much cheaper than buying them by the glass from your hotel.

• Aggie Grey's Lagoon, Beach Resort & Spa, ☎ (685) 22880 (aggiegreys@aggiegreys.ws, fax: (685) 23626), [1]. Aggie Grey's Hotel (not to be confused with Aggie's Resort out near the airport) is the traditional choice and offers the ultimate South Pacific experience.  edit

• Hotel Elisa, Beach Road, ☎ (685) 21116 (contact@hotelelisa.ws, fax: (685) 20536), [2].  edit

• Hotel Millenia, ☎ (685) 28284 (info@hotelmilleniasamoa.com, fax: (685) 28285), [3]. Doubles: 210 WST.  edit

• Princess Tui Inn, 1 Vaiala Beach Road, ☎ (685) 23342 (princesstui@samoa.ws, fax: (685) 22451), [4]. The Princess Tui Inn is ideal for budget travellers and only 2 minutes by taxi out of town. Doubles: US$42/52 (low/high).  edit

• Sinalei Reef Resort, ☎ (685) 25191 or 1-800-869-5409 (sinalei@lesamoa.net, fax: (685) 20285), [5]. Approximately US$240.  edit

Stay Safe

Samoa is generally very safe. Locals who strike up a conversation are unlikely to have sinister motives. However, don't be complacent.

The major risk in Apia is from dogs. Recent culling has improved this situation in the center of town, however it is far from cured. If confronted by a dog or pack of dogs, back away out of their territory. If you have no means of escape, reach down as if you are picking up a rock. Alternatively, carry a pointed object with you such as an umbrella when out walking.

Nearly all of Samoa's nightlife is centered in Apia, and so, like anywhere in the world around closing time, it can get a bit rowdy. Samoans are, on the whole, extremely friendly and despite their size, remarkably relaxed and gentle people. This does not mean you should let your guard down.

The concept on ownership in Polynesia is different. Locals believe in sharing everything, and this does mean that items can be swiped. Do not leave anything of value lying around.

• United States, [6].  edit

Get out

Take a local bus, tour or car out and around the Island. Take the ferry to Savaii and spend a week or two staying in beach fale's around each island.

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

English

Wikipedia has an article on:

Apia

Wikipedia

Proper noun

Apia

1. The capital city of Samoa

Translations

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈapja/
• Rhymes: -apja

Proper noun

Apia f.

1. Apia

Declension

Derived terms

• apijczyk m., apijka f.
• adjective: apijski