What to Eat in Fiji

Viti Levu is a great place to try traditional Fijian cuisine, the staple ingredients of which are fresh fish and coconut milk. Were the country to declare a national dish, it would be Kokoda–-raw fish marinated in coconut milk and lime juice, spiced with pepper, onion, and tomato (often described as Fijian ceviche). Most fish dishes are cooked, often char-grilled to a crispy texture, and accompanied by local vegetables such as cassava (a potatolike starch), a leafy root vegetable called dalo (also known as "taro"), and rou rou (similar in taste and texture to spinach).

The vast majority of resorts offer a weekly lovo, a traditional Fijian feast of fish, chicken, and sometimes pork, wrapped in banana leaves and cooked on heated rocks in an underground oven. For dessert, Fijians traditionally enjoy fruits such as pineapple and bananas, which grow here in abundance and have an unusually sweet taste.