Every year YPT run multiple trips to the least visited countries of the Pacific Islands, which means we know a thing or two about the food of the region. Chief among this knowledge being that the food is bloody good.

With this in mind we’ve decided to put together our list of the 12 best Pacific Island foods that you have to try from each country, as well as 5 absolute staples.

12 Pacific Island Foods to try

Palau – Fruit Bat

Yes, it sounds weird, and yes it is technically a flying mammal. But in Palau the fruit bat is slow-cooked in coconut milk with local herbs and vegetables and it tastes nothing like you imagine. It is rich, slightly gamey, and a true delicacy if you want to experience something you cannot get anywhere else.

Federated States of Micronesia – Moco Loco

Apparently from Hawaii, but I discovered it in Pohnpei and boy was it good. Fried rice topped with a freaking hamburger and gravy. You do not get a more quintessential Pacific Island food. Heavy, greasy, and perfect for lunch after a long morning of island hopping.

Marshall Islands – Marshallese Poke

Well it is like a regular poke, so raw tuna, coconut and the like on rice, but with a Marshallese twist of the milk being a bit more sweet. A favorite of the Marshall Islands Resort. Fresh, light, and absolutely tropical in flavour, it is exactly what you want on a hot day by the lagoon.

Kiribati – Coconut Fish

Kiribati has not just some of the best raw tuna in the region, but the world. And it is best served lightly cooked in coconut milk. Can be found throughout the country. Soft, fragrant, and perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the coconut, it is simple food done right.

Nauru – Noddy Bird

Pretty much the national dish, alongside spam of Nauru. A small wild bird that tastes very gamey, this is a firm part of every Nauruan feast. Roasted slowly or steamed, it is the kind of dish that makes you feel you are genuinely tasting the country rather than just eating to fill your stomach.

Fiji – Curry

Fiji does curry better than almost anywhere else in the Pacific. Coconut-based, sometimes with fish, chicken or even local yams, it is mild enough for tourists but has depth and spice for locals. Served with steamed rice, a bit of roti, and maybe a beer on the side, it is comforting, filling, and completely unpretentious.

Tuvalu – Beach BBQ

Tuvalu has great food from top to bottom, but a real highlight is heading out to an atoll and doing a full Tuvaluan fest. Beef, chicken, crab, lobster, sashimi, oh and ideally vodka. Cook it on the beach over wood fire, eat under the stars, and you have one of the best meals of your life.

Samoa – McDonalds

OK, so while Samoa has a ton of great food, it is also the only place bar Fiji that has a McDonalds. And you know what? It is perhaps in the top 5 Big Mac’s I’ve had in the world. Clean, greasy, perfect for an island day when nothing else is open, and for some reason the fries taste better with the humidity.

Tonga – Street Food

When it comes to Pacific Island foods I have to say that Tonga has the best street food of anywhere. Loads of street BBQ selling chicken with sweet potato, yams and the like. Truly good. Eat standing next to the grill, grab a piece of hot chicken wrapped in banana leaf, and you understand why locals eat this every day.

Vanuatu – Kava Chocolate

We could actually just say Vanuatu chocolate, with them kinda being experts in the genre. Top though for me was kava chocolate as it made me full and high. Sweet, bitter, a little numbing, and totally unique to Vanuatu, it is dessert with a kick.

Solomon Islands – Sausages

The Solomon Islands has a cheap of great BBQ, usually hidden behind betel nut stalls. The best thing to get though is their take on a saveloy. Trust me you will not be disappointed. Smoky, salty, and simple, it is one of those dishes that makes you want to keep eating just to see if it can get any better.

Papua New Guinea – Mumu

I could and indeed have gone on a lot about food in Papua New Guinea, with it truly being hard to pick the best of the best. At a push though I think you have to say mumu. It is a traditional dish cooked in an underground oven, usually with pork, sweet potato, yam, and leafy greens all wrapped in banana leaves. Slow cooking makes everything melt together, smoky, earthy, and just perfect for a communal feast.

5 Pacific Island Food Staples

So while those were the best Pacific Island foods for each country there are also a number of dishes, and snacks that are just ubiquitous to the whole region. And yes you guessed it, spam is indeed one

Spam

Spam is everywhere. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, fried, grilled, in sandwiches, on rice, even in soups. The islands adopted it during wartime and never let go. Cheap, salty, filling, and oddly comforting, you will see it in every corner store and market.

Corned Beef

Another imported favourite, corned beef is used in everything from sandwiches to stir fries. On most islands it is fried with onion and coconut oil, served with rice or taro. Heavy, salty, and reliable, it is basically the default meal when fresh protein is scarce.

Kava

Not a food exactly, but a cornerstone of Pacific Island culture. Kava is a mildly intoxicating drink made from the root of the kava plant. It is earthy, bitter, and sociable. Drink it with locals, expect to feel relaxed and a little buzzed, and do not expect a hangover.

Paiawara

Not absolutely everywhere, but very common in PNG, West Papua and the Solomon Islands where it is known as kwaso. Essentially home brewed super strength liquor that leaves the magic no hangover. Powerful stuff, drunk socially and often in celebration.

Raw Tuna

Fresh, thinly sliced, or in a poke style salad, raw tuna is everywhere in the Pacific. Light, buttery, and utterly fresh, it is the protein of choice for islanders and visitors alike. Eat it simply with coconut, lime, or soy for one of the best meals you can get anywhere on earth.

So, there you have it, some top dishes to try in a region that’s food is probably the most underrated on the planet. And while it is far from electric, not only will you not go hungry, but you can truly enjoy the changes as you float through the islands.

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