Go, but pay attention.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Samoa
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go, but pay attention.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Measles, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Visitors to Samoa are issued a gratis 90-day Visitor's Permit on arrival (except citizens of the United States residing in American Samoa) unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries.
Passport validity required: 6 months beyond entry.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Samoa, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
Dress code
Local communities expect you to dress modestly when visiting towns and villages. Swimwear is acceptable on the beach or by streams and waterfalls, but anywhere else it is likely to receive negative attention.
Source: UK FCDO →LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Samoa and same-sex marriage is not recognised. Showing affection in public is likely to receive negative attention. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →Right now
In the news the last few days
Media coverage of safety topics here has turned notably more negative in the last 2 days (as of 2026-07-29) compared to its usual tone — a real-time signal, not part of the Sketch Score itself. The headlines below are why.
- Warning as new travel update issued for anyone travelling to the United States2026-08-19
- Hawaii 7th case of travel - related dengue confirmed on Oahu2026-08-19
- Foreign Office issues US travel hurricane update with vital safety information2026-08-18
- M4 . 1 earthquake SSE of Hōnaunau - Nāpōʻopoʻo on Hawaiʻi Island likely an aftershock from M6 . 0 in May : Maui Now2026-08-17
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
I · 230V
Driving side
left
Emergency
police: 999 / ambulance: 999 / fire: 999
Cash vs. Card
The currency is the Samoan tālā, denoted as "WS$, "T", "ST" or "SAT" (ISO currency code: WST). 1 tālā consists of 100 sene.
Show the receipts (7 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09