The Hungry Guide Eating Your Way Around Fiji

Going on a Fiji holiday? Some of the most brilliant eating experiences await the first time travelers to the islands of Fiji, in between traipsing the oceanside, relaxing on the beaches, or conversing about the latest catch of fish with the locals. Indeed, the seafood, always locally caught, remains the centrepiece of the many delightful eating experiences to be had in Fiji.

If you're willing to rough it a little bit outside the resorts, you can stay in the village of Namatakula on the island of Viti Levu and spear your own catch of parrot or unicorn fish. Prepared in the traditional style, boiled with plaintains then roasted with coconut milk fresh from the tree, this experience brings a visitor on Fiji holiday so much closer to the experience of locals. Guests are treated with great hospitality and friendship, so long as you come in humility and interest for different ways of life.

Also not to be missed is the experience of a Lovo, or traditional Fijian feast cooked in the heart of the earth. Quite literally, a huge pit is dug in the ground and lined with dried coconut husks. The husks are set aflame, then lined with stones. When the flames die down, deliciously seasoned food is wrapped in banana leaves and set in the oven-heated pit. The cooks place the meat and fish in first, then top them with the vegetables. The whole smorgasbord is then covered with banana leaves and more stones, and left to cook for two to three hours. The lovo serves the whole group or village gathered for the feast, and as a guest it is an exceptional feeling of community and openness to partake in such an experience.

For the traveler on Fiji holiday seeking a more standard restaurant experience, Fiji also offers plenty of traditional gourmet options. Ask for the kokoda, traditionally prepared mahi-mahi cooked in coconut milk, lime juice, and tomatoes, or try the delightfully Caribbean sweet potato and pineapple bake. In this dish, the acidity of the pineapples is subsumed in the rich depth of sweet potatoes, coconut and cheese sauce, giving a delightful zing to an otherwise heavy dish.

Finally, if you're on Fiji holiday, you can't leave Fiji without trying a traditional Fijian breakfast of tropical fruits, grown locally on the islands. Starfruits, guava, passionfruit, papayas, bananas, and of course mangoes can be eaten as fruits or drunk as juices. These fruits are always delightfully sweet and fresh, unlike anything you'll ever get in the grocery store. Imagine sitting on a patio, watching the morning tides roll in, smelling the sea breeze, with a glass of the freshest mango juice possible. Sit, relax, and enjoy your Fiji holiday to the fullest.