eSIM for Samoa

Viasimo's Samoa eSIM starts at $4.79 for 500 MB over 1 day, running on Digicel with 4G LTE where available. Plans last 1 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app.

Works everywhere in Samoa

A'ana
Aiga-i-le-Tai
Atua
Fa'asaleleaga
Gaga'emauga
Gaga'ifomauga
Palauli

Select your planIn stock

Duration

Quantity

Unlimited data · 3 Days$28.99

Unlimited data · 3 Days ×1

$28.99

Going to more than one country? See regional plans

Does my phone take an eSIM? Check now

Dial *#06# on your phone. If you see an EID number, your phone takes an eSIM. Most phones sold since 2019 do.

Not sure it works on your phone? Check compatibility

Network

Which networks does the Samoa eSIM use?

Host networks: Digicel

Your eSIM picks one automatically; you do not choose or switch between them.

Data: 500 MB – 20 GB or unlimited
Validity: 1–180 days
Speed: 4G LTE
Hotspot / tethering: Supported on most devices
Activation: Starts when you first connect in your destination
Speed management: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced
Top-ups: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires
Text messages (SMS): Data only: use an app for verification codes
Connects via: Singapore
Unused validity: 180 days before it must be installed

Setting up Buy, scan the QR code we email you, and switch on the travel line when you land. How it works

Choosing a plan

How much data do you need?

The allowances below are our sizing recommendations, not measurements. The plan beside each one is the cheapest option on this page that covers it.

Recommended data allowances matched to the plans sold for this destination
You are	Plan for	Cheapest plan that covers it
LightMaps, messaging and the occasional lookup	About 1 GB a week	$5.991 GB, 7 days
TypicalMaps, social, photos and some browsing	About 3 to 7 GB a week	$21.995 GB, 30 days
HeavyVideo streaming, video calls and uploads	10 GB a week or more	$37.9910 GB, 30 days
Working or sharingTethering a laptop, calls and cloud sync	20 GB a week or more	$62.99Unlimited, 7 days

Work it out from your own habits

What a week abroad costs

eSIM, local SIM or roaming?

Charged per day

Your carrier roaming

Queue and plastic

A SIM at the airport

$4.79

Viasimo, one bundle

Only the Viasimo figure is a price: it comes from today’s live catalog. The other two rows are directional, not quoted rates.

About this eSIM

Two main islands, a ring road around each, and a mobile network that follows that ring: that is Samoa in a sentence, as far as your phone is concerned. Coverage tracks where the villages are, which means the coast is mostly fine and the interior mostly is not. An eSIM is the practical way to arrive connected, because Faleolo airport is a long drive from anywhere and you want your maps working for it.

Getting online when you land

Install before you fly. Samoa sits far enough from everywhere that you will arrive tired, possibly at an awkward hour, and the last thing you want is to be troubleshooting a phone in the arrivals hall. The profile downloads over your home connection and then waits quietly until it detects a Samoan network.

Once you land, come out of airplane mode and give the handset a couple of minutes. If it attaches to a network but refuses to pass data, the roaming switch on the travel line is the first thing to check, followed by which line your phone has chosen as its data line. Beach accommodation on both islands often runs wifi that is slow or intermittent, so the eSIM is likely to be your primary connection rather than a backup.

Worth remembering: Samoa is west of the date line, so the calendar date changes as well as the clock. Set your phone to update time automatically and let it sort that out for you.

The networks you'll be on

Roaming here connects you to Digicel, with 3G and 4G/LTE. One operator, two radio generations, and no faster tier to hope for. In and around the capital and the larger villages you will typically get 4G; further along the coast the phone often falls back to 3G, which still handles maps, messaging and email without complaint.

Because there is no second network to switch to, the recovery move is simply to force the phone to search again. Airplane mode on, wait a few seconds, airplane mode off. Do that rather than repeatedly reloading a page that is not going to load.

Where coverage holds, and where it thins

Apia and the north coast of Upolu are the strongest part of the country for data, and the coastal road east toward Lalomanu and west toward the airport generally holds a usable signal. The south coast around the To Sua Ocean Trench and the beach fale strips is workable, though it wavers between villages.

Savai'i is thinner throughout. Salelologa and the larger settlements around the coast road have service; the further you get from them, and the further round the northwest toward Falealupo, the less reliable it becomes. The lava fields at Saleaula, the interior rainforest, the walk out to the blowholes and the climbs inland are all places to expect gaps.

Two more honest limitations. The ferry crossing between the islands passes through open water where signal comes and goes. And the mountainous spine running down the middle of both islands blocks reception decisively, so any cross island road or waterfall hike will drop you offline for a stretch. None of this is a defect in the network; it is what a volcanic island chain does to radio waves.

What you'll actually use data for here

Getting around, mostly. Samoa runs on rented cars and infrequent buses, and having live maps for the coastal roads and the turnoffs to swimming holes is the difference between a relaxed day and a frustrating one. Many of the best spots are marked by a hand painted sign and a track down to the sea, so map notes and saved pins matter.

After that: messaging family across an enormous time difference, uploading photographs from beaches that deserve to be uploaded, arranging boat trips and snorkelling by WhatsApp or phone because that is how small operators here work, checking which villages have Sunday restrictions on swimming and activity, and looking up tide times before you plan a reef walk or a trip to the trench. Weather matters too; the wet season brings genuine tropical downpours and a live forecast changes what you do that day.

Before you fly

Make sure the phone is unlocked and eSIM capable, then install and label the profile at home. Leave your home number on for calls and verification texts, with its data off.

Download offline maps for both Upolu and Savai'i, not just the island you land on. Add tide tables and any snorkelling or waterfall spots you have researched, saved as offline pins. Coverage gaps here are geographic rather than occasional, so preparation is worth more than optimism.

Keep power in mind. Long drives, hot days and constant photography drain a phone quickly, and village accommodation may have limited charging. A power bank protects your connection more reliably than any network setting.

If you are island hopping onward to American Samoa, Fiji or Tonga, check the coverage list on your plan before you leave, because a Samoa plan covers Samoa and nothing beyond it.

Unlimited runs at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continues slower.

Before you buy

Important to know

This is a data-only eSIM. It carries no calls or SMS on its own number.
Your existing number stays on your primary SIM, so calls and verification texts keep working.
Your phone must support eSIM, and some carrier-locked phones cannot install one.
Signal varies with location, terrain, congestion and your handset. Dense urban areas are consistently better served than remote ones.
The eSIM selects a host network automatically. You cannot pick or switch between them.
Unlimited plans run at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continue at a reduced speed. Read the fair usage policy

Looking for more information?

Frequently asked questions

Does an eSIM work in Samoa?

Yes. Your Samoa eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. The host networks it can use are Digicel. Coverage runs on 4G LTE. There is no 5G on our host network in Samoa yet.

Do I get 5G in Samoa?

No. Digicel do not yet offer 5G to visitors in Samoa, so your eSIM connects over 4G LTE or slower. Anyone claiming 5G for this destination is quoting a spec sheet, not the network you will actually get.

Will my UK phone work in Samoa?

Possibly not. The UK Foreign Office warns that many UK phones will not work in Samoa because providers may not have a roaming agreement there. Check with your operator before travelling. Local Vodafone and Digicel SIMs are sold at the airport and in shops but must be registered. Our eSIM connects to Digicel on 4G LTE and is set up before you fly.

Do I need a permit to drive in Samoa?

Yes. You need a temporary driving permit, issued against your home licence, and car rental companies can help arrange it. It covers up to 90 days a year. Speed limits are 40 km/h in towns and villages and 56 km/h elsewhere, and any accident must be reported to the police within 24 hours.

When is cyclone season in Samoa?

Cyclone season normally runs from November to the end of April, with the heaviest rain from December to March. The UK Foreign Office suggests following the Samoa Meteorology Division, the Fiji Meteorological Service and the World Meteorological Organization. Keep a power bank charged and your accommodation's details saved offline in case of storms.

Is it safe to swim in Samoa's lagoons?

Take local advice first. The UK Foreign Office warns that tides can create strong currents in lagoons and that there have been fatal accidents at popular beaches, while waves often break directly onto reefs. Ask your fale owner or a local operator about conditions, and check tide times before snorkelling or swimming.

How much data do I need for 7 days in Samoa?

For 7 days in Samoa, Viasimo sells 1 GB for $5.99 and unlimited data for $62.99. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone.

Installing, keeping your number, topping up and hotspot work the same everywhere: see how it works →

Know before you go

Samoa: what to know before you land

Samoa has two mobile operators, Digicel and Vodafone, and our eSIM connects through Digicel on 4G LTE. That matters because the UK Foreign Office warns many UK phones will not roam in Samoa at all, and local SIMs must be registered. Once connected, use your data for the things that catch visitors out: temporary driving permits, low village speed limits, lagoon currents and cyclone warnings.

Emergency: 911
Plugs: I 230V
Currency: Samoan tālā (WST)

Main airports

APW Faleolo International Airport (Upolu)

Apps worth having WhatsAppFacebookGoogle Maps (offline)

Why your home SIM may not roam in Samoa

Samoa is one of the places where a home SIM is least likely to just work. The UK Foreign Office notes that many UK phones will not work in Samoa because UK providers may not have a roaming agreement there. Check with your own operator before you go, but do not count on it.

The local options are Digicel and Vodafone. Their SIM cards are sold at Faleolo airport, in convenience stores and in supermarkets, but locally bought SIMs must be registered, which takes your passport and some time at the counter. Our eSIM connects to Digicel on 4G LTE and is installed before you travel, so you skip that queue after a long flight.

Whichever you use, the FCDO warns that coverage in rural areas and outlying islands can be limited or absent. If you are spending nights in beach fale on Savai'i or on the smaller islands, ask your accommodation how reliable the signal is and agree a check-in plan with people at home.

If your home SIM does not roam, it also cannot receive bank verification texts. Switch important accounts to app-based authentication before you leave, or make sure you can log in without an SMS code.

Driving Upolu and Savai'i: permits, speed limits and dogs

Most visitors hire a car, and Samoa's rules are specific. You need a temporary driving permit, issued against your home licence; car rental companies can help you get one. It covers up to 90 days a year.

Speed limits are low: 40 km/h in towns and villages and 56 km/h outside them. With villages strung along the coast roads on both islands, you will spend much of each drive at 40 km/h, so a map app's arrival time will usually be optimistic. Watch for children and animals near villages, and avoid driving at night, as roads are poorly lit.

If you are involved in an accident, it must be reported to the police within 24 hours. Photograph the scene and the vehicles on your phone, and keep your hire company's number saved offline.

Stray dogs are common in Apia and many villages. The FCDO notes they can become aggressive if approached and there have been attacks, so keep your distance when walking or cycling, especially early or late in the day.

The emergency number is 911 for police, ambulance and fire. Our eSIM is data only, so you will need a local phone or your home SIM, if it roams, to make that call. Hotels and fale owners can call for you.

Lagoon currents, reef breaks and cyclone season

Samoa's lagoons look calm, but the UK Foreign Office warns that tides can create strong currents inside them, and there have been fatal accidents at popular beaches. Surf usually breaks directly onto the reef. Ask your fale owner or a local operator about conditions before you swim, snorkel or surf, and look up the day's tide times while you still have signal.

Cyclone season normally runs from November to the end of April, with most rain between December and March. Heavy rain inland can cause flooding on the coast roads. The FCDO suggests following the Samoa Meteorology Division, the Fiji Meteorological Service, which covers the region, or the World Meteorological Organization.

Samoa also lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire; the last major earthquake was in 2009. If you are staying in beach fale, find out where the nearest higher ground is when you arrive.

A few entry details to save on your phone before you fly:

Most visitors, including UK nationals, can stay up to 60 days without a visa; officials may ask for an onward ticket.
Your passport must be valid for at least six months after arrival.
Flights to American Samoa carry a 40 tala departure tax.
Cash of 20,000 tala or more must be declared.

Researched October 2026 · 5 sources

gov.uk Samoa travel advice: safety and security - GOV.UK
gov.uk Samoa travel advice: entry requirements - GOV.UK
gov.uk Samoa travel advice: getting help - GOV.UK
en.wikipedia.org Telecommunications in Samoa - Wikipedia
royalbrinkman.com Voltage, frequency and plug type per country - Royal Brinkman

7-day itinerary

Seven days in Samoa: Apia, Upolu's south coast and Savai'i

A slow week across Samoa's two main islands by hire car and ferry: Apia and Robert Louis Stevenson's home, the trench, waterfalls and beaches of Upolu's south and east, then two days circling Savai'i for blowholes, lava fields and quiet beach fale.

Length: 7 days
Bases: 6

When to go May to October is the drier, cooler season with lower humidity; November to April is cyclone season, with most rain from December to March, and on Sundays many attractions close for church and family time.

Day 1 Apia

Apia and Vailima

Faleolo airport to Apia, roughly 45 minutes to an hour at village speed limits.

Collect your hire car and temporary driving permit at Faleolo airport and drive along the north coast to Apia. Visit Vailima, the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum in the writer's restored home in the hills above town, and if you have the energy, climb the steep trail up Mount Vaea to his tomb. Finish with a walk along Apia's seafront past the Immaculate Conception Cathedral.

Signal Digicel 4G works well in Apia and along the north-coast road. There is no 5G on this eSIM, and coverage is weaker on the forest trail up Mount Vaea.
Day 2 Apia

Apia: markets, Palolo Deep and the Cultural Village

Start early at the Fugalei market for fruit and local food, then snorkel at Palolo Deep Marine Reserve on the edge of town, where a deep blue hole sits in the reef close to shore. In the afternoon visit the Samoa Cultural Village beside the Samoa Tourism Authority office, where demonstrations cover tattooing, carving and cooking in an umu; check its days and times first.

Signal Strong Digicel 4G across central Apia. Ask locally about tides and currents for Palolo Deep while you have signal, and leave your phone ashore.
Day 3 Lalomanu (beach fale)

Cross Island Road to To Sua and Lalomanu

Apia to Lalomanu via the Cross Island Road and the south coast, about 1.5–2 hours with stops.

Drive south over the Cross Island Road, stopping at the Papapapai-tai Falls lookout. On the south coast, visit the To Sua Ocean Trench, a deep swimming hole in a collapsed lava tube reached by a long wooden ladder. Continue east to Lalomanu, a long white-sand beach facing the island of Nu'utele, and spend the night in a traditional open-sided beach fale.

Signal Signal is patchy over the Cross Island Road and along parts of the south coast. Expect weak or intermittent coverage in beach fale at Lalomanu; ask your hosts how reliable it is.
Day 4 South coast, Upolu (beach fale)

Upolu's south coast: waterfalls and lagoons

Short drives along the south-coast road, 30–60 minutes between stops.

Head west along the south coast to the Sopoaga Falls lookout, then on to Togitogiga Falls, freshwater pools in the forest where you can swim. Spend the afternoon on the lagoon beaches along the coast near Matareva or Saleilua. Swim only after asking locally, as tides can cause strong currents in the lagoons.

Signal Coverage is intermittent along the south coast and weak at Togitogiga. Download an offline map of Upolu and the tide times before you leave a village with signal.
Day 5 Savai'i south coast (beach fale)

Ferry to Savai'i and the Alofaaga Blowholes

Ferry from Mulifanua to Salelologa, about 60–90 minutes; confirm sailing times with Samoa Shipping Corporation, as timetables change.

Drive to Mulifanua wharf at Upolu's western tip and take the inter-island ferry across the Apolima Strait to Salelologa on Savai'i. Head west along the south coast to the Alofaaga Blowholes at Taga, where waves force water through lava tubes high into the air. Stop at Afu Aau waterfall, a cool forest pool, on the way to your fale for the night.

Signal Signal drops mid-strait on the ferry and is patchy on much of Savai'i. Ticketing at the wharves has had connectivity outages, so carry cash.
Day 6 Savai'i north coast (beach fale)

Savai'i: round the island to the Saleaula lava fields

Driving round the island takes most of the day at village speed limits.

Continue round the western end of Savai'i past the Falealupo peninsula and along the north coast. At Saleaula, walk across the lava fields left by the Matavanu eruption of 1905 to 1911, where the walls of a church and other buildings still stand in the black rock. Spend the afternoon on a quiet north-coast beach near Manase.

Signal Expect long stretches with weak or no signal on the western and northern coasts. Coverage is better around Manase, but treat today as mostly offline.
Day 7 Upolu, near Faleolo airport

Back across to Upolu

Ferry to Mulifanua about 60–90 minutes; Faleolo airport is close to the wharf.

Drive back to Salelologa for a ferry to Mulifanua. Once across, stop at the Piula Cave Pool on the north coast, a freshwater pool in a cave beneath a Methodist college, if you have time before the airport. Keep to the speed limits, avoid driving after dark and allow plenty of margin before your flight from Faleolo.

Signal No reliable signal for part of the ferry crossing. Digicel 4G is good again around Mulifanua and Faleolo, so check your flight there.

Staying connected on this route

Download an offline map of Upolu and Savai'i before leaving Apia; many fale stays and coast roads have weak signal.
Confirm ferry times with Samoa Shipping Corporation the day before, and carry cash in case wharf ticketing is offline.
Agree a check-in time with family when you are staying in beach fale on Savai'i, where coverage can be absent.
Follow the Samoa Meteorology Division between November and April for cyclone warnings.

Itinerary sources · 3

samoa.travel Samoa Tourism Authority
travelandtourworld.com Travel and Tour World: Samoa ferry timetable checks, October 2026
gov.uk GOV.UK foreign travel advice: Samoa

Where this comes from

Information and verification

Each block below says what was checked and when. Anything we cannot date, we do not claim.

Prices and plans: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in.; Verified October 30, 2026
Host networks: The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM.; Verified October 30, 2026