Samoa Cultural Village, Apia: Hours, Address, Samoa Cultural Village Reviews: 5/5
Samoa Cultural Village
Samoa Cultural Village
5
About
Discover Samoa's age-old culture and traditions in a fun and interactive way at the Samoa Cultural Village on Beach Road in the heart of Apia. Fa'a Samoa - the Samoan Way! Samoa is a traditional Polynesian society with Fa'a Samoa playing a vital role in village and community life. Samoans are proud of their strong Fa'a Samoa - which means 'the Samoan Way'. It is the essence of the Samoan culture and dictates how Samoans are meant to behave and their obligations to their elders, superiors, family, community, church and the environment. There are over 362 nu'u or villages in Samoa with a total of 18,00 matais (chiefs). Churches of various denominations feature in every village while meeting houses and open fales or homes encircle the malae or village green. Fa'a Samoa has a strong focus on welcoming visitors making Samoans friendly and hospitable hosts. However, Samoans expect their guests to observe and respect local customs. For a quick insight into Samoa's culture and traditions, visit the Samoa Cultural Village today.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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5.0
343 reviews
Excellent
286
Very good
40
Average
9
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8
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0
Carla S
18 contributions
Free!
Nov 2019
I couldn’t be,I even they put this on for free. I would have been happy to have paid. Please don’t forget to leave a generous tip. Really great place to experience the Samoa culture.
Written 12 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
gregandiz
10 contributions
'Well worth seeing.'
Jan 2020
To learn all about the Samoan Culture...this tour is NOT to be missed.Very enjoyable and the food was yummy.
Written 6 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
sho689
Auckland, New Zealand4 contributions
Brilliant experience for all
Dec 2019
This is a must for both visitors and locals to learn from the experts about Samoan culture and crafts.The hosts are so welcoming,patient and explain beautifully (and with humour) everything you need to know.Certainly worth making time for !!!
Written 6 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
tahlia75
26 contributions
Take the tour
Feb 2020 • Friends
A very informative and light hearted tour. A fantastic way to really see and appreciate the Samoan culture with an opportunity to buy hand made souvenirs. You even make your own woven lunch plates and are served a traditional meal.
Written 2 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
KRM
Sydney, Australia37 contributions
UNFORGETTABLE experience! A MUST!
Jan 2020 • Family
We came across this as we were not sure what else do as it had been raining. What an amaaazing showcase of Samoan culture and its for FREE! (Please do make sure to donate at the end of their show, though, to show your appreciation) They show you how traditional tattoo is done (after this, we looked at Samoan tattoos with much more respect)... we saw how they carve wood.. they cooked a traditional Samoan ‘umu’ for us (and my goodness, it was delicious!) ... we saw how a ‘tapa’ was made - very impressive! The people are so beautiful, well-spoken & welcoming. Must put this on your ‘Must check out’ list. Oh and try buy your souveneirs here to support these guys.
Written 27 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
OzDi
Castle Hill, Australia249 contributions
A surprising find!
Jan 2020
Well worth a visit. Our free shuttle bus from Taumeasina Resort dropped us outside so we wandered in to look. We were invited to a 3 hour show of music, dance, cooking, tapa cloth making and other crafts. It was a great experience which finished with us trying the foods that were cooked in the fire. The show is free but bring cash for a donation at the end.
Written 26 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mirjam v
Tauranga, New Zealand66 contributions
Highlight of my holiday and a must do!
Aug 2019
This is a great experience and if you have limited time in Samoa or not experienced everything cultural as yet go here!
The way they led you through all the different areas was great and the food which we saw being prepared was later offered to us as lunch while watching a dance.
Written 7 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
etbtravelphotography
Denver, CO643 contributions
Go for the Tattooing!
Oct 2019
So this village puts on a show several days a week from 10:30-12:30. I thought I could show up at anytime during those hours during the days of show which I think is Tues-Fri. But that is not exactly how it works. Visitors are ushered from one station to the next. The tattooing is first and it is worth the visit. Then there is cooking. Next woodworking. Then making Siapo. At the end you eat the food you cooked while watching a dance. It was a bit too touristy for me, but it is a nice show for those who want to see their culture. They say it is free but then pass around a money collection basket. I stayed for the whole thing, but for those who have seen stuff like this before, make a sly exit after the tattooing
Written 17 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Iasa Maiava
Auckland, New Zealand11 contributions
Reinforcing our culture
May 2019 • Family
Being of Samoan decent my generation grew up learning and appreciating our culture from very proud parents, who have sadly passed on, our younger generation missed out on our learning so our family reunion was a way to do this and visiting the Samoan Cultural Village before visiting our parents villages was a good way to show them glimpses of what we as Samoans are proud of and are willing to share. 2 hours doesn’t do our culture the justice that it deserves but it gives visitors a better appreciation of the skill and craftsmanship our pacific people hold, mixed with our island humour lol being able to partake in a small traditional meal was a definite highlight for our younger family members visit - definitely a must to visit if you can
Written 13 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
richardjcw1
11 contributions
Well worth a visit
Nov 2019
Very interesting stories of how things came to be in Samoa. The Tattoo history was particularly interesting. My Samoa recommended this activity and we were not disappointed.
Written 4 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jayne2609
Adelaide, Australia14 contributions
How much is it and does this include lunch and do you have to book? We’re flying in on a Wednesday in a couple of weeks and would like to do this and RLS home
Belinda A
Waipawa, New Zealand31 contributions
There is no cost and yes you get to eat the food that they cook.
It is only open certain days, i think tuesday to thursday. We didnt book we just turned up
ethjones2000
1 contribution
IS the Samoa Cultural Village open on saturdays?
KT and AL Tours
Apia, Samoa13 contributions
Yes the village is open Saturdays not Sundays, best to check with your Hotel for any up to date changes - its a great collection of local wares and the only income for some families
yoursaturday
Seoul, South Korea22 contributions
Hello everyone! I'm wondering that this village open on tue/wed/thu? I'll visit Samoa island on 13~16 Aug. Thank you for any information!
tashamac2016
Palmerston North, New Zealand36 contributions
We wish to visit on a Thursday but the ferry from Savaii doesn't get in until just before 10am. With a start time of 10.30am, Is it ok to join in part way through or do you need to be there from the start?
Chris L
Papakura, New Zealand112 contributions
It should be okay, note by the you the time you get through from the Savai'i ferry to Apia it would take up to 40 minutes to get there.
Elke R
2 contributions
What is the best day to visit? Specially interested in weaving and tapa cloth. Went to cultural centre in noumea and was so disappointed as there was no demonstration
June G
Whitsunday Islands, Australia35 contributions
Not really sure as we didn't get to do much because of the weather but I understood that they try and do everything each day they are open.
Jenny O
0 contributions
Hello Duncan. I am very impressed with the reviews and will be visiting Apia on a Cruise ship in August. Will the centre be open and is it really free? Is it easy to get there from the ship? I am very much looking forward to learning about the culture. Thank you Jenny
kiwisc0t
Auckland Central, New Zealand245 contributions
Yes it is free, and you get lunch!
Delvina T
0 contributions
Hi just wondering if there are certain days that the shows are on? How long the shows are? What times? And also are there different shows depending on the day e.g. show about dancing, tattoos, climbing coconut trees etc? Thanks
Dwayne B
Apia4 contributions
The shows are on Tue/Wed/Thu. They start at 10:30am and run for about 2 hours.
callkm
Narre Warren, Australia110 contributions
Hi We are stopping in Apia on our cruise next month. Is the cultural village in walking distance from the port? Sorry, l have no idea where we will be docking as haven't been there before.
How did you get to the cultural village? If walking distance, can you give some direction please? Cheers
VictorH459
Sydney, Australia42 contributions
I didn't go to Apia on a cruise so not sure. But the port is quite large so if you are elderly it might be advisable to catch a taxi - but remember to get fee upfront should cost more than 7-10 USA dollars - Samoans are lovely people and unlikely to over charge
Paula W
Vancouver, WA1 contribution
Thanks for the good description of your experience. How do you book this tour? Are they at the pier where the cruise ships dock? Is there any other experiences you might recommend for mature travelers?
Thanks
Richard J
Omaha173 contributions
As I recall, cultural village is either near the pier or where ship shuttle bus drops u off. No need to buy a tour. They put on separate demos of cooking, dancing, craft- making, etc. and you can either put tips in a box or buy one of the crafts . The whole thing is obviously a little touristy but well done. You can check TripAdvisor as to whether there is anything else that appeals to you.
Frequently Asked Questions about Samoa Cultural Village
- Samoa Cultural Village is open:
- Tue - Thu 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
- Hotels near Samoa Cultural Village:
- (0.81 km) Tanoa Tusitala Hotel
- (0.62 km) Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey's Hotel & Bungalows
- (1.00 km) Amanaki Hotel
- (0.47 km) Talofa Inn
- (1.86 km) Lynn's Getaway Hotel
- Restaurants near Samoa Cultural Village:
- (0.25 km) Nourish Cafe
- (0.42 km) Milani Caffe
- (0.22 km) Nafanua Steakhouse
- (0.71 km) Paddles Restaurant
- (0.44 km) Izzy's