Food Activities on the Pacific Harbour and Beqa Island
There’s no better place to experience the Fijian culture through food than the Pacific Harbour. Sure, it’s a bold statement to make, but with the Beqa Lagoon on its doorstep teeming with tropical fish, the Pacific Harbour’s resorts and restaurants serve up some fantastically fresh Fijian seafood. On top of that, the locals are keen to share their culture with food-orientated activities from cooking classes to crab-catching. Get inspired with this list of things to do on the Pacific Harbour for foodies.
While you’re here, you might also be interested in our Foodie Guide to the Pacific Harbour & Beqa. Plus, bookmark The Complete Guide to Food in Fiji for even more tips!
1. Learn to Cook Local Food in a Fijian Cooking Class
One of the most immersive foodie experiences that’s not too hard to find on the Pacific Harbour and Beqa Island are Fijian cooking lessons. Guests at the Beqa Lagoon Resort have the opportunity to learn how to make kokoda – a traditional dish of fish marinated in coconut milk. Or learn how to cook kokoda using prawns traditionally, over an open fire at the Nanuku Auberge Resort. Other resorts which offer cooking lessons include the Royal Davui Resort and the Lalati Resort & Spa.
© FijiPocketGuide.com
2. Check Out the Restaurants and Stalls at the Arts Village
Foodies staying on the mainland can’t miss the Pacific Harbour’s Arts Village! With over 50 market stalls and eateries, there is plenty of food to sample, souvenirs to buy and locals to meet. For example, the Bula Massage Clinic is a great place to try kava (see below) and tastings of real Fijian food. You will also be able to buy fresh produce and sit down at one of the many eateries in this colonial-themed shopping centre.
© FijiPocketGuide.com
3. Learn About Local Herbs and Spices in a Fijian Medicine Walk
Discover Fijian herbs and medicines on a medicinal walk through the native forest. This is a particularly popular foodie activity to do on Beqa Island where it has its own unique culture – the same culture that practices “firewalking” in Fiji. Join medicine walks with Beqa Island resorts such as Kulu Bay Resort and Lalati Resort & Spa.
© FijiPocketGuide.com
4. Do a Fijian Food Safari
Guests staying at the Nanuku Auberge Resort will certainly get their foodie fix on an all-inclusive Fijian Food Safari. Your guide will teach you how to catch crabs in the mangroves like a local before taking you on a medicinal walk to learn about local herbs. The tour also includes a visit to a market and farm to buy fresh produce from the locals for a Fijian warrior to prepare for you back at the resort in a cooking demonstration. Learn more about this resort in our 5 Best Luxury Resorts on the Pacific Harbour.
© Nanuku Auberge Resort
5. Try Moonlight Prawning, Crab Catching and Beekeeping
Yes, there are more foodie experiences to be had at the Nanuku Auberge Resort, so let’s get to it! Take a traditional bilibili raft through a mangrove forest to catch crabs and bring them back to resort to preparing lovo (underground) style. You can also go up a river to cast nets for prawns at moonlight, followed by an evening in a local family’s kitchen to learn how to cook coconut-steamed prawns. Finally, an alternative experience is to play beekeeper for the day by visiting the resort’s beehive. See how honey is made followed by a honey-focussed spa treatment and a five-course honey-themed tasting menu.
© Nanuku Auberge Resort
6. See a Coconut Demonstration
Ah, fascinating coconuts! Learn how to husk a coconut at resorts with coconut demonstrations at resorts like the Lalati Resort, Kulu Bay Resort, Royal Davui and Nanuku Auberge. For an extra special treat, learn how coconut milk is made at the Beqa Lagoon Resort and taste real fresh coconut milk!
© Kevin Sanon on Unsplash
7. Try “Destination Dining” with a Beach Picnic
Eating out doesn’t necessarily mean eating at a restaurant when you’re on the Pacific Harbour. Romantics can whisk lovers away to private sand cays for a beach picnic with resorts such as with Lalati, Kulu Bay, Royal Davui, Beqa Lagoon and Nanuku Auberge. Alternatively, have a private dinner with a personal butler on the pier of the Lalati Resort. Or there’s always the option to enjoy in-residence dining in your resort. For more romance, see our 10 Romantic Activities on the Pacific Harbour for Couples.
© Pexels
8. Try a Traditional Lovo Feast
You can’t visit Fiji without trying the smokey melt-in-your-mouth flavours of a “lovo”. This traditional cooking method has been used for centuries, slow-cooking meat and tropical vegetables in an underground oven complete with a ceremonial unveiling. Catch a lovo feast once a week at resorts like Lalati, Kulu Bay and Nanuku Auberge Resort. Learn more about cultural activities in 10 Best Ways to Experience the Fijian Culture.
© LynneS on Flickr
9. Experience a Traditional Kava Ceremony
Continuing with traditions, another one you have to experience while in Fiji is the kava ceremony. Kava is a narcotic drink made with Yaqona roots mixed with water. The earthy drink is shared during a welcoming ceremony performed when new visitors arrive at the village. The experience is replicated at most resorts in the Pacific Harbour and Beqa Island, usually performed one night of the week.
© Chris McLennan - Tourism Fiji
10. Treat Yourself to Some Fine Dining
Although Fiji is more about island-style dining – eating on the floor with your hands if you’re staying in a Fijian village – there are a few fine dining experiences to be had on the Pacific Harbour should you want to spoil yourself. Try Seduce at The Pearl Resort serving Fijian-influenced cuisine with local ingredients. Alternatively, Nanuku‘s signature restaurant, Kanavata Restaurant and Lounge, showcases the fresh Beqa Lagoon seafood prepared into an internationally-influenced menu. Find out more about the local restaurants in our Guide to the Best Easts & Restaurants on the Pacific Harbour & Beqa.
© Humphrey Muleba on UnsplashMore Things to Do on the Pacific Harbour for Foodies
