Food, eating habits and cusine of Vanuatu

When in Vanuatu, one should not miss out the experience of eating out from their markets. The foods served there may not be appealing to the palates in terms of appearance and presentation but they are fresh, inexpensive and fast compared to those served in hotels. Being an exporter of taro and copra, it is expected that a lot of foods would have coconut milk and root crops about them. Of course, being a South Pacific nation, fish and sea foods are in abundance and would definitely find their way in the tables of the locals. So, more or less, typical foods to be found in Vanuatu households interplay with fish, sea foods, coconut milk, taro and also beef. There is also abundance of fruits like papaya, pineapple, mango, banana and sweat potatoes through much of the year.

Octopus is also a delicacy in this country. Most foreigners are taken aback at the sight of cooked octopus but then, to those who had the guts to try have liked the sweetness of its meat. Local people have a penchant for fish eyeballs but only those from freshly gutted fishes. Daring tourist can win easily lots of friends among the locals if they could eat an eyeball.

Among the famous delicacy to be found all over Vanuatu is what they call the lap-lap. Lap-lap could either be taro, yam or plantains which then are topped with coconut milk together with chunks of island cabbage, fish, pork or chicken all wrapped together in a banana leaf and then cooked using an underground oven. Be sure not miss out on this one.