Fijian Culture & Village Life on Beqa
The team who look after you at Beqa Lagoon live in the villages next door. During your stay you can walk over and meet them — sit with the chief, visit the island school, hear the Sunday choir, and learn to husk a coconut. This is real Fijian life, not a show put on for tourists.
Book Your Stay See What's IncludedWelcomed as Friends
You visit the homes of the people who work at the resort, not a staged tourist village
Meet the Chief
See how the customs of village life still shape everyday decisions on the island
The Island School
Spend time with the children at one of Beqa's two schools, who love to share their work
Hands-On Traditions
Try weaving, watch a coconut husked, and learn the legend behind it
Real Fijian Life, Right Next Door
Beqa Lagoon sits beside the villages it grew up with. The people you meet on these visits are the same ones who welcome you at the resort.
An Invitation, Not a Performance
Plenty of resorts bus guests to a "cultural village" built for the purpose. Beqa is different. You walk to the actual villages where the resort's team and their families live, and you are welcomed in as a guest of friends.
You are likely to meet the chief and see how ancient customs still guide daily life. People will want to talk to you, and the children especially will pull you into whatever they are doing.
One thing to know before you go: out of respect, women should have their shoulders and knees covered. A t-shirt with a sulu (sarong) or a skirt works well, and sulus are available in the resort boutique if you need one.
The Cultural Experiences
Spread across the week, each one is included with your stay
Local Village Tour
Walk to the village where most of the Beqa team and their families live. Meet the chief, see homes and daily life, and understand how custom still holds the community together.
Island School Tour
Beqa has two schools teaching children from 5 to 18. A short walk brings you to a classroom full of proud kids keen to show their work — and they may well ask you to join in. Pens, stationery, and small gifts are always welcome.
Choir Performance
Sunday is the day of church. You can attend the morning service, and in the evening the village choir arrives in their finest dress to sing for you. The harmonies are something people remember long after they leave.
Coconut & Weaving Show
Hear the legend of the coconut tree while the team husks a fresh coconut for you to drink. Then try weaving palm fronds yourself, with a pair of patient hands to guide you.
Fijian Cooking Show
Learn to make kokoda, Fiji's version of ceviche, the way islanders have prepared it for centuries. Tasting it afterwards is the best part.
Visiting Respectfully
Small courtesies that mean a lot in a Fijian village
Before You Visit
- ✔Cover shoulders and knees — for women especially, a t-shirt with a sulu or skirt is the right call. Sulus are available in the resort boutique.
- ✔Bring something for the school — pens, exercise books, and small gifts are genuinely appreciated by the children and teachers.
- ✔Ask before photographing people — a quick smile and a question goes a long way, and you will usually get a warm yes.
- ✔Hats off in the village — removing hats and sunglasses when you meet the chief is a simple sign of respect.
- ✔Nothing to book or pay — these visits are part of the weekly cultural program and included for every guest.
Included With Every Stay
The cultural program runs all week — none of it costs extra
Village & Culture FAQs
What guests ask before joining the cultural program
A real village. You visit the homes where the resort's own team and their families live, and you are welcomed as a guest. It is not a recreation built for visitors.
Modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees. For women, a t-shirt with a sulu (sarong) or a skirt is ideal. Sulus are available in the resort boutique if you don't have one.
If you visit the school, pens, exercise books, and small gifts are always well received. There is no obligation, but the children and teachers genuinely appreciate it.
Very much so. The school visit in particular is a highlight for families, and the village children usually fold visiting kids straight into their games.
No. The village tour, school visit, choir, coconut and weaving show, and cooking show are all part of the resort's weekly cultural program and included with your stay.
Yes, though it is polite to ask people first, especially inside the village. Most are happy to be photographed and will often pose with you.
More to Experience at Beqa
The rest of the island's culture and adventure
Meet the People Behind Beqa
The diving and the lagoon bring people to Beqa. The villages are what they talk about when they get home. Stay with us and the whole week of culture is yours.
Book Your Stay at Beqa Lagoon