Most of Samoa’s medical facilities, including pharmacies, are located in Apia.
If you're headed to more outlying areas, including Savai’i, it’s wise to pack a few key items in your first aid kit that could ultimately make your holiday a more comfortable experience.
In Samoa, malaria is not considered a problem, but dengue fever does exist. Preventing mosquitoes from getting near your skin is the best way to avoid bites, but we all know that’s almost impossible.
Any itchy bites you receive should be little more than a mere annoyance, not a major health risk, but it still pays to exercise caution by using insect repellent and mosquito nets.
Mosquito bites can get infected or worse, so it’s still a great idea to take an antihistamine or calamine cream and plasters to cover a subsequent wound - or to prevent scratching, especially for children.
If you’re planning an active adventure holiday in Samoa’s hot climate, then dehydration is a real risk. The best cure is prevention, but if you do end up being short on water intake, then having an electrolyte powder sachet in your stash can really save the day, if not the holiday.
An essential item on your packing list has to be sunscreen. Samoa’s hot, tropical climate means you will get burned if you spend time on the beach or water without it.
Easy to pack and useful, if you head anywhere further afield and stub your toe on a rock, get scratched in the jungle or slip on slippery ground, you’ll be wishing you’d packed a humble box of plasters before you left home. Importantly, preventing the wound from getting dirty may save you a lot of problems later.
Unfortunately, in the tropics, the risk of landing yourself with an upset tummy is significantly higher than at home. To prevent this from completely ruining your holiday, consider packing a tummy calming or anti-diarrhoea medicine before leaving home (some are pharmacy-only products). If you are unlucky enough to spend more time getting to know your hotel room toilet than planned, then turn to your electrolyte powder supply to stop yourself from getting dehydrated.
As pharmacies are few and far between in Samoa outside of Apia, it is important to bring your own prescription medicine on your holiday. Ensure it is properly packaged and labelled, and if possible bring more than you need.
When clean water is not readily available, it’s antibacterial hand gel to the rescue. This simple hygienic solution could save you a whole lot of problems later in your holiday. Make sure you pack the gel into your check-in luggage if it’s not needed during your journey to and from Samoa, as it is considered a liquid.
If you’re prone to sinus and allergies then plane travel, air conditioning and tropical humidity can sometimes play havoc with your system. Bring antihistamines along in case they’re needed. They are also helpful to have on hand in case of any unusual insect bite reactions.
It doesn’t pay to drink untreated water in Samoa. Having water purifying tablets to drop into water can be useful if you’re faced with no other choice.
