8 Best Foodie Experiences in Levuka & the Lomaiviti Islands

1. Try a Fijian Lovo

A highlight of the week in any Lomaiviti resort or lodge is the lovo night! “Lovo” is a traditional method of slow-cooking food wrapped in banana leaves (or aluminium foil nowadays) in an underground oven. The food is all cooked together for several hours and then enjoyed as a buffet-style dinner. Experience the delicious smokey flavours of the lovo for yourself at accommodations such as Kauwai Retreat and Leleuvia Island Resort.

Location: Kauwai Retreat – Ovalau Road, Wainaloka, south coast of Ovalau. Leleuvia Island Resort – Leleuvia Island, off the south coast of Ovalau and Moturiki Islands.

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2. Fish for Your Own Dinner on a Sports Fishing Trip

Fishing is a way of life in Fiji, and you’ll notice that most of the Fijian dishes incorporate seafood, often marinated in coconut milk. An exciting part of preparing Fijian food is going out and catching your own fish. Make it an easy-going trip for small reef fish with Bobo’s Farm and Kauwai Retreat. Alternatively, amp up the experience by targeting large game fish like mahimahi, giant trevally, yellowfin tuna and much more on a sports fishing charter available with Toberua Island Resort or Wakaya Club & Spa. For more activities like this, see the 10 Luxury Activities in the Lomaiviti Islands.

Location: Bobo’s Farm – Ovalau Road, Rukuruku, northwest coast of Ovalau Island. Kauwai Retreat – Ovalau Road, Wainaloka, south coast of Ovalau. Toberua Island Resort – Toberua Island, southern Lomaiviti Islands. Wakaya Club & Spa – Wakaya Island, off the east coast of Ovalau Island.

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3. Do a Plantation Walk with Nox

While we’d recommend any foodie to stay at the Levuka Homestay simply for their magnificent breakfasts, it’s also worth staying to meet Nox. The local guide offers various walking tours around Ovalau, including a Plantation Walk. You’ll be introduced to local plants and learn about their medicinal uses, as well as how Fijians use them for food, drink and decorations. Even if you don’t get the chance to stay at the Levuka homestay, tours with Nox can still be organised with the homestay’s owners.

Location: On the same road as the Mission Hill Steps and Delana Methodist Primary School, Levuka, east coast of Ovalau Island.

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4. See a Coconut Demonstration

Ah, coconuts… They are a huge staple of the South Pacific and have many uses. Learn how to open a coconut with one swipe of a blade and how to scrape a coconut and make crafts from its husk and leaves. It will come in handy if you’re ever marooned on an island! Toberua Island Resort and Ovalau Holiday Resort both offer formal coconut demonstrations for their guests. Otherwise, most resort staff are eager to show you how to open a coconut if you ask.

Location: Toberua Island Resort – Toberua Island, southern Lomaiviti Islands. Ovalau Holiday Resort – Between Vatukalo and Naitavanga Point, Ovalau Road, east coast of Ovalau Island.

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5. Drink Kava with the Locals

It’s likely that you will have heard about Fiji’s national drink “kava”. This narcotic drink made with ground-up yaqona roots is used during welcoming ceremonies when new visitors enter a village – known as kava ceremonies. This is how most tourists will experience kava in Fiji, but on the Lomaiviti Islands, you’ll get to experience the drink as the locals do – drinking casually while socialising around the tanoa. Leleuvia Island Resort does a weekly lovo and kava night, during which kava will be prepared for guests to enjoy throughout the night. At The Baystay on Ovalau, an accommodation run by the locals in Rukuruku Village, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to join the locals for Kava nights if you wish to.

Location: Leleuvia Island Resort – Leleuvia Island, off the south coast of Ovalau and Moturiki Islands. The BayStay – Ovalau Road, Rukuruku, northwest coast of Ovalau Island.

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6. Enjoy a Private Dining Experience

Fiji is a top destination for romance, so organising a private dining experience with the resorts in the Lomaiviti Islands isn’t too much of a task. The experience usually involves a private table set up in a secluded area of the beach with your own personal waiter and candles to set the mood. While the resorts on the Lomaivitis don’t explicitly advertise this experience, it is available if you ask at the reception of the Leleuvia Island Resort, Toberua Island Resort or the Wakaya Club & Spa. See more experiences like this in the 10 Romantic Activities in the Lomaiviti Islands.

Location: Leleuvia Island Resort – Leleuvia Island, off the south coast of Ovalau and Moturiki Islands. Toberua Island Resort – Toberua Island, southern Lomaiviti Islands. Wakaya Club & Spa – Wakaya Island, off the east coast of Ovalau Island.

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7. Check Out the Restaurants in Levuka

If you’re staying in an island resort, then you won’t have much choice for food, but those staying in the Ovalau will have a small choice of restaurants in the town of Levuka. A long-standing favourite is Paak Kum Long (Naova’ke Uptown Cafe) on Beach Street. They offer a bit of everything at this well-priced restaurant, including Indian, Chinese, European and Fijian cuisine. Excellent seafood can also be had at the Horizon Restaurant (Koromakawa). For authentic-tasting Indo-Fijian food, try the Ovalau Holiday Resort. While it’s a little out of town, you can call ahead for a transfer if you want to eat at the restaurant. Learn more about your dining options in The Food Guide to the Lomaiviti Islands.

Location: Paak Kum Long – Westpac building upstairs, Beach Street, Levuka, east coast of Ovalau. Horizon Restaurant – Green-roof building on the southern end of town, Beach Street, Levuka, east coast of Ovalau.

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8. Browse the Produce at the Levuka Municipal Market

[Update: The new Levuka Market is still under construction; see the Fiji Government website for the most up-to-date information.]

If you’re lucky enough to be exploring Levuka on Ovalau Island on a Saturday morning, don’t miss the Levuka Municipal Market. The array of fruits and vegetables is an amazing sight to see. It’s a great place to pick up some cheap local produce to spruce up something in your self-catering accommodation. Stallholders are also usually keen to share recipe ideas too! Make sure you catch the market on one of The Best Day Trips from the Lomaiviti Islands.

Location: Next to Market Bridge, Beach Street, Levuka, east coast of Ovalau Island.

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