When you go on a family holiday, you don't want to have to worry about entertaining the kids all the time. That is why, at the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort, we offer the complimentary Bula Club for children.
The award-winning program offers a variety of fun activities, educational games and exploration for children aged 6-12 years. Open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., you and your partner can relax by the seaside or go on an adventure yourself while the young ones are taken care of.
Encouraging children to cook
One of the highlights for children at the Bula Club is the 'Junior Chef's Program'. Here, they learn how to harvest produce from the resort's organic garden and assist in preparing lunch or dinner.
At Jean-Michel Cousteau, we are strong advocates of the farm-to-plate concept , so you can be certain that your young ones will gain a good understanding of different aspects of organic farming such as planting and composting, as well as food preparation.
The children who partake in the Junior Chef's Program enjoy the wholesome, fresh dishes they helped to prepare for either lunch or dinner, where parents are welcome to join in the adult section of the main restaurant.
Iconic Fiji dishes
When your children learn to cook at the Bula Club, we make education as much of a priority as fun. This means that once you return from your relaxing Fiji holiday, your young ones will know about the different cooking methods (open fire and underground), staple ingredients (taro, rice, fish, sweet potatoes and cassava) and culinary history of the Pacific Islands.
Here are some of the most iconic Fijian dishes you and your children might encounter – and learn to cook – during your stay.
Lovo
A delicacy that is commonly enjoyed at weddings or festivals, lovo is cooked in an underground oven. The oven, which is essentially a hole in the ground, is lined with coconut husks that are lit on fire and covered with stones. Fish, meat and vegetables are then wrapped in taro and banana leaves and placed on top of the hot stones to cook.
The food is left in the oven for up to three hours, something that leads to delicious smoky flavours and tender consistency.
Kokoda
Kokoda is made from finely cut, raw mahi-mahi fish. The iconic flavours of the dish come from the dressing, which is made from thick coconut cream, chillies, lemon juice, salt and onions. To achieve a slightly chewy texture, the fish is marinated for 6-8 hours and served with coconuts or clams.
A great starter, this light dish is Fiji's version of South American ceviche.
Taro
The potato-like root vegetable is one of the key ingredients in many Fijian dishes and even has cultural value to the islands'. So much so, the first full moon in May is celebrated by a holiday dedicated to taro.
Mashed, fried or steamed, the taro root is a favourite among the Fijians, particularly because all elements of the plant can be used and cooked. Taro leaves, for example, are often boiled in coconut milk to achieve a spinach-like dish.
Duruka
Known as Fiji's asparagus, duruka is the unopened flower of a cane shoot. It is often used with coconut milk or to add a slightly nutty flavour in curries. Early settlers from Papua New Guinea are thought to have introduced the stringy and fleshy food in the late 1800s.
Family holidays in Fiji, done differently
An all inclusive Fiji holiday at the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort offers much more than gorgeous beaches and palm trees. A family holiday here provides the best of both worlds – relaxation for you and adventures for the children.
Get in touch with our team to talk about your ultimate holiday.
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