Saturday nights are ‘Lovo Nights’ on Leleuvia Island, a Fijian traditional feast cooked over hot rocks while buried in earth, to produce uniquely flavoured foods. You may also try Kava, the national drink of Fiji, which will be made ready for the evening festivities.

While the food is delicious, to truly embrace the Lovo experience, watching the preparation of the fire pit, the food, the making of coconut milk, the preparation of the leaves for wrapping of the food, bind you to the entire experience, which can take up to three hours of preparation.

Specially selected rocks are heated on an open fire, to absorb heat and will serve as the base for the Lovo. When sufficiently heated, these are pulled from the flames and placed in the bottom of a shallow pit. Chicken and fish tightly wrapped in a weave of palm fronds or banana leaves are placed at the bottom of the pit, followed by various root crops including dalo (taro), cassava (tapioca), pumpkin and potato. Once the pit is filled with food, it is covered with palm fronds, earth, sacks and rocks to seal in the heat and the steam and allowed to cook.

Unearthing the Lovo is done with much anticipation of the feast to come, served up in our dining area accompanied by our evening entertainers.