Restaurants offer a variety of cuisines, including American, Chinese, Japanese, Italian and Polynesian. There are also various drive-in restaurants.
National specialties: •
Fia fia (suckling pig, chicken, fish,
palusami (coconut cream wrapped in taro leaves and cooked in the
umu, or pit oven), breadfruit, coconut, bananas, lime and mango).
National drinks: •
Kava is the national drink and is often drunk in sacred ceremonies. If you become intimate with Samoans, you may be invited to a genuine
kava ceremony. If you
go, follow these basic rules: do not sip until you tip a little
kava from its coconut shell cup onto the ground immediately in front of you while saying
manuia (mah-noo-ee-ah), meaning good luck; do not drain your cup - leave a little and tip it out before handing the cup back to the server; remember that drinking
kava is a solemn, sacred ceremony not to be confused with a casual round of drinks in Western society. The taste may take a while to acquire.
Tipping: Not customary.
NightlifeThere are many nightspots with music and dancing. Samoan
fia fias (feasting and traditional dancing), also known as Samoan feasts, are organized regularly by several establishments. Samoan village
fia fias can be arranged through local tour operators. Visitors are usually welcome at any event in the villages and churches.
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