Best Time to Visit Apia

Wet season and dry season

Apia has two seasons, and temperature barely changes between them. It's warm all year, with highs of 28 or 29°C and nights that stay close to 26 or 27°C. What changes is the rain.

From November to April, expect heavy, steamy days. January is the wettest month at 266 mm, with rain on 27 days. Showers often come in short, loud bursts, and the sun never stays long. This is also cyclone season, so check the forecast before you book flights and keep your plans loose.

From June to September, the air feels a little drier and the sky clears more often. August is our top pick, with the least rain (64 mm) and the most sun outside September. July and September are close behind. October and May are in-between months, and they can go either way.

Which month for which trip

Want to swim, snorkel and sit on a beach? Go in July to September. Lalomanu Beach on Upolu's southeast coast and To Sua Ocean Trench look their best in clearer light. The cool, shady Papase'ea Sliding Rocks are fun in any month, but the paths are muddy after rain.

Hiking is easier in the drier months too. The trail up to Mount Vaea, where Robert Louis Stevenson is buried, gets slippery and slow when it's wet. Do it in August and you'll still sweat, but you won't be wading.

On a tight budget, or happy to trade sunshine for quiet? The wet months can work. You'll spend more time in Apia's market, cafés and fale (open-sided Samoan houses) while the rain passes. Just don't plan a lot of outdoor days in a row.

Crowds and events

High season runs roughly from June to September, when visitors from New Zealand and Australia come for the dry weather and school holidays. It's still a quiet destination, but the best beachfront fale fill up first, so book those early.

The big event is the Teuila Festival, usually held in early September. It brings dance, canoe races, music and a lively craft scene to Apia. It's a good reason to pick September over August if you like a crowd. Samoa's Independence celebrations, around 1 June, add parades and boat races to the capital.

If you're here in the wet months, Christmas and New Year are family time, and many locals travel to their home villages. Expect some places to close for a few days.