Samoa

Is Samoa safe to visit?

Yes. The US rates Samoa at Level 1 and calls it "generally a safe destination", and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary describes serious crime as low and petty theft as uncommon. For most visitors the dangers are the sea, the roads after dark and mosquitoes, not other people. We score Samoa 75, close to Fiji at 78: Samoa has less theft and calmer streets, Fiji a slightly lower homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary.

Homicide figures need context. WHO's modelled estimate for 2021 is 2.4 per 100,000, but the last national figures were 6.26 in 2018 and 3.41 in 2017 (UNODC); Samoa has only about 219,000 people, so a few cases move the rate a lot. Neither the US nor the UK reports violent crime aimed at visitors.

The sea is where visitors get hurt

The beaches of Upolu and Savai'i are the reason to go, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns that tides produce powerful currents in the lagoons, with fatal accidents at popular beaches. Reef passages, the gaps where water drains out to the open sea, are the danger zone on a falling tide. Surf breaks directly onto reefs, so leave surfing to the experienced or go with a local guide. Dive operators may have limited resources, so ask about their safety procedures and oxygen kit before you book.

Simple rules help most:

• Ask your beach fale owner each morning where it is safe to swim, and stay away from reef openings.
• Do not swim alone, at night or after drinking.
• Wear reef shoes; coral cuts infect easily in the heat.

Dengue and medical care

Samoa declared a dengue outbreak on 17 April 2025, and it has run for well over a year. By 2 August 2026 the Ministry of Health had counted 20,131 cases, 5,533 of them lab-confirmed, and 9 deaths. Most were children under 15 on Upolu. The good news is that it has faded, with 11 new cases reported that week. Use repellent in the daytime, when the mosquitoes that spread dengue bite, and sleep under a net if your fale is open-sided. CDC also recommends hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines for most travellers.

Samoa knows the cost of a gap in vaccination. A measles epidemic from September 2019 caused more than 5,700 cases and 83 deaths, mostly young children, after vaccine coverage collapsed. Check that your own MMR doses are up to date.

Hospital care in Apia is limited. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says that in a medical emergency, evacuation to Australia, New Zealand or Hawaii is likely to be the only option, so buy insurance that covers it.

Cyclones and tsunamis

On 29 September 2009 a magnitude 8.1 earthquake to the south of the islands sent a tsunami ashore within minutes. NOAA records waves up to 22 m and 192 deaths across Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga. That is why you will see tsunami evacuation signs along coastal roads. If you feel a strong or long earthquake on the coast, do not wait for a warning; go inland and uphill at once.

Cyclone season runs from November to April, with most rain from December to March. Heavy rain floods inland roads and rivers. Follow the Samoa Meteorology Division and your accommodation's instructions.

Roads, dogs and local rules

WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 13.0 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2019, high for such a slow road network. Limits are 40 km/h in villages and 56 km/h outside, but roads are unlit, and children, pigs and dogs wander onto them. Drive in daylight and slowly through villages.

Stray dogs are common in Apia and villages and do bite. Keep your distance when walking or cycling. Drinking alcohol in public is illegal outside bars and restaurants, the drinking age is 21, and Sunday is a day of rest when some villages ask visitors not to swim. Dress modestly away from the beach.

How we scored it

Conflict (90) and petty crime (88) are Samoa's strongest factors. Natural hazards (58) are the weakest, for the tsunami and cyclone risk, followed by health (62) because of the dengue outbreak and the need for evacuation in emergencies, and road safety (65). Violent crime (80) follows WHO's 2021 estimate, at the bottom of its band because the national rates behind it come from small numbers and stop in 2018, one reason confidence is medium.