Upolu Sea Temperature Today

Beaches

The south and east coasts of Upolu have the island's best-known beaches. Lalomanu, at the eastern tip, is a curve of white sand facing Nu'utele island, with simple beach fales for overnight stays. On the south coast, the lagoon at Maninoa and Siumu is sheltered by the reef and lined with resorts, and Return to Paradise Beach at Lefaga takes its name from a 1953 film shot on that beach. Many beaches belong to villages, which ask a small fee and expect modest behaviour, especially on Sundays. Near the village of Aufaga, a small palm-topped islet in the lagoon is the burial place of a village chief and is sacred, so visitors must not go onto it. The sea temperature on this page is measured in the lagoon off Aufaga, by this islet.

Things to do

To Sua Ocean Trench, near Lotofaga on the south coast, is a deep swimming hole linked to the sea, reached by a long wooden ladder. Near Apia, the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum occupies Villa Vailima, the house where the Scottish writer lived in the early 1890s, and a steep trail leads to his grave on Mount Vaea. Palolo Deep Marine Reserve, just east of Apia, lets snorkellers swim from the shore to a deep hole in the reef. Other sights include Papase'ea Sliding Rocks, Piula Cave Pool and the waterfalls along the Cross Island Road, and ferries from Mulifanua cross to Savai'i, Samoa's larger and quieter island.

Weather and best time to visit

At Upolu the sea stays above 27 °C / 81 °F all year, even in the coolest month.

Upolu is warm and humid all year. May to October is the drier and more comfortable season, with trade winds from the south-east. November to April is the wet season, with heavy showers and the risk of tropical cyclones. In December 2011 Samoa moved to the west side of the International Date Line, so it now shares its calendar day with New Zealand and Australia.

Hotels and where to stay

Apia has hotels close to the harbour, markets and government buildings, while beach resorts are spread along Upolu's south and east coasts, from Lefaga to Maninoa and Siumu, and around the north-west coast near Faleolo. Beach fales at Lalomanu and along the south coast offer simple stays by the sand.

Signature hotels: Seabreeze Resort Samoa (Aufaga) · Sinalei Reef Resort & Spa (Maninoa) · Taumeasina Island Resort (Apia)

Airport and getting there

Faleolo International Airport (APW), on the north-west coast of Upolu, is reached through Pacific hubs such as Auckland, Brisbane and Nadi; check current routes and whether your journey needs a connection. Apia is roughly 45 to 60 minutes away by road, and transfer times to the south coast resorts vary, so confirm them with your accommodation. Car ferries leave from Mulifanua wharf, near the airport, for Savai'i.