Lighthouses of Samoa

The Samoan Islands are an archipelago of Polynesia in the South Pacific Ocean. The islands were partitioned in 1900; the large western islands of 'Upolu and Savai'i were assigned to Germany and the smaller eastern islands to the United States. German Samoa, as it was called, was occupied by troops from New Zealand in 1914, early in World War I. Renamed Western Samoa, it remained under New Zealand administration until it became the Independent State of Samoa in 1962. The eastern islands, American Samoa, remain a U.S. territory.

Independent Samoa includes two large islands, Sava'i on the west and 'Upolu to the east. Apia, the capital and principal port, is on the north coast of 'Upolu. The total population is about 205,000.

The Samoan phrase for a lighthouse is moli uila; motu is an island, aau is a reef, and uafu is a harbor.

Aids to navigation in Samoa are maintained by the Samoa Ports Authority.

Special thanks to Michel Forand for his research on Samoan lights.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume K of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 111.

General Sources
World of Lighthouses - Samoa
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Online List of Lights - Samoa Islands
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.
Samoa Country Map
A useful map posted on Wikipedia.
Navionics Charts
Navigational chart for Samoa.


Apia Range Front Light, 'Upolu, July 2008
Flickr photo copyright Kerstin C.; permission requested

Sava'i Lightbeacon
[Salelologa Range Rear (2?)]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 8 m (26 ft) round post painted with red and white horizontal bands. Wikipedia has Sarah Kelemen's view from the Salelologa Wharf and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The front light is on a similar post 6 m (20 ft) tall and about 500 m (1/3 mi) southeast. NGA lists a "white concrete column" for both range lights. Salelologa is the terminal for ferries arriving at Savai'i from 'Upolu. Located on a reef in the lagoon off the ferry terminal. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K4620.1; NGA 3148.

Apolima Lightbeacon
* Apolima
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 85 m (279 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 7 m (23 ft) round aluminum tower with gallery, unpainted. A photo is at right, Wikipedia has a view of the island from the sea (at highest magnification the light can be seen on the ridge at right), the light can also be seen in another view from the sea (click on the photo for magnification), and Bing has a satellite view. Apolima is an inhabited island in the center of the Apolima Strait, which separates 'Upolu from Savai'i. The lighthouse is accessible from the one island village by a trail that ends with a very long staircase; the view is worth the climb, according to at least one visitor. Island accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K4614; NGA 3140.

'Upolu Lightbeacons
* Apia Range Front (2)
Date unknown (station established 1888). Active; focal plane 16.5 m (54 ft); green light, 1.5 s on, 1.5 s off. 16 m (52 ft) steel post, painted with red and white horizontal bands, adjacent to a small 1-story equipment shelter. A photo is at the top of this page, Trabas has Erich Hartmann's photo and Google has a satellite view. This modern light replaced a 16.5 m (54 ft) wood tower that is still listed by NGA. Located on the waterfront in front of the Samoan Government Building. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SAM-001; Admiralty K4598; NGA 3112.
* Apia Range Rear (2)
Date unknown (station established 1888). Active; focal plane 67 m (220 ft); white flash every 4 s. 6 m (20 ft) steel skeletal tower carrying a slatted daymark painted with red and white horizontal bands, adjacent to a small 1-story equipment shelter. Trabas has Rainer Arndt's photo and Google has a satellite view. Located on the lower slopes of Mt. Vaea south of Apia, about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) south of the front light. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K4598.1; NGA 3116.
[Apia East Breakwater]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); white flash every 4 s. 8 m (26 ft) round steel post, painted white. Trabas has Rainer Arndt's photo, a view from the sea is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a short breakwater on the east side of the entrance to Apia harbor. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K4600; NGA 3118.
[Fanuatapu]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 64 m (210 ft); white flash every 5 s. 3 m (10 ft) aluminum tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located atop Fanuatapu, a small island off the eastern tip of 'Upolu. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty K4594; NGA 3108.

Apolima Light, Apolima, December 2017
piktag.com photo (originally from Instagram) by Roland

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Kiribati | East: American Samoa | South: Tonga | West: Wallis and Futuna

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Posted August 22, 2010. Checked and revised October 11, 2023. Lighthouses: 3. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.