Fiji Village Visit Etiquette: Sevusevu, Kava and What to Wear

On most trips to the Yasawa Islands there is a morning when you put the snorkel down, pull on something with sleeves and walk into a village. For many people it ends up being the part of the week they remember best. It goes much better if you know a few customs before you arrive. Here is a practical guide to Fiji village visit etiquette, from the sevusevu to the kava bowl to what to wear.

Why the sevusevu matters

Every Fijian village has its own land, reef and leadership, and you are a guest on all three. The sevusevu is the ceremony where visitors ask permission to enter and are formally welcomed. You bring a gift of yaqona, the dried root of the kava plant, usually a bundle of roots wrapped in newspaper or a packet of the ground powder. It is presented to the village headman, the turaga ni koro, or to the chief.

You do not need to make a speech. Your guide or host speaks on your behalf, the gift is accepted with a short chant, and from then on you are welcome. Buy the kava before you leave the mainland. The municipal market in Nadi or Lautoka sells it, and your guide will tell you how much to bring.

What to wear

Dress is the part of Fiji village visit etiquette people worry about most, and it is easy to get right.

• Cover your shoulders and knees. A T-shirt and knee-length shorts are fine for men. Women usually wear a long skirt or dress.
• Bring a sulu, the Fijian wrap, and tie it around your waist over shorts. It is the easiest way to get it right, and many villages lend them.
• Take off your hat and sunglasses when you enter. Wearing a hat in a village is seen as a challenge to the chief.
• Carry your bag in your hand, not over your shoulder.

How the kava ceremony works

After the sevusevu the kava is mixed with water in a large wooden bowl, the tanoa, and served in a half coconut shell called a bilo. Sit cross-legged on the mat, with your feet tucked away rather than pointing at anyone. When the bilo comes to you:

• Clap once with cupped hands and say "bula".
• Take the bilo with both hands and drink it in one go.
• Hand it back and clap three times.

Kava tastes earthy and a little peppery, and it will numb your lips and tongue for a few minutes. That is normal. You will be asked whether you want "high tide" (a full bilo) or "low tide" (a small one). Low tide is a perfectly polite answer, and you can decline a second round.

Inside homes and around the village

• Take your shoes off before entering any house or community hall.
• Never touch anyone's head, including a child's. The head is considered sacred.
• Speak softly and do not shout across the village green.
• Ask before taking photos of people or entering a building. Most people say yes, and it is the asking that counts.
• If you are offered food, wait for the prayer before you eat and say "vinaka" (thank you) afterwards.

Sundays and village life

Sunday is for church and family, and most village visits do not run. If you are on an island over a weekend, the singing from a village church carries across the water and is worth hearing. Dress as you would for a visit and sit at the back. Village schools and kindergartens often welcome small donations of books or stationery. Ask your guide first rather than handing out sweets.

What a visit gives back

In the Yasawas, villages own the reefs, beaches and islands that visitors use. Resorts and tour groups pay for access, and those arrangements fund schools, boats and community projects. Good Fiji village visit etiquette is part of what keeps that relationship working. For more on the islands themselves, read our Yasawa Islands guide and one week in the Yasawas.

Visit with a small group

Our Yasawa Paradise expedition includes a village visit and kava ceremony, alongside the Blue Lagoon, the Sawa-i-Lau caves, a manta channel and a bull shark dive. We bring the sevusevu and brief you on Fiji village visit etiquette beforehand, so you can relax and enjoy it. It runs 25 September to 1 October 2027 with a maximum of eight guests and pairs well with our Tonga whale trip. Applying is free.