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Food and Drink
Local specialities include breadfruit (Chuuk) and thin slices of raw fish dipped in a peppery sauce. Pohnpeians have over 100 words for yams and grow them to massive proportions (it may take several men to carry one); yams occupy a central position in local culture. Although some dining rooms serve buffet-style fare, table service is usual and operates at a leisurely pace.
Sakau, as it is known on Pohnpei, or kava, as it is known throughout the rest of Polynesia, is made from the root of a shrub which yields a mildly narcotic substance when squeezed through hibiscus bark. There are several sakau bars where visitors can sample it and watch it being made.
Things to know: Alcohol is prohibited on Chuuk (with the consequence that nearby islands are often used as picnic resorts).
National specialities:
• Sweet potatoes.
• Coconut.
• Fish (especially crabs and clams).
• Pork.
National drinks:
• Sakau (a traditional drink used in ceremonies).
• Fresh lime juice and water.
Tipping: Visitors to the country are seen as guests and hospitality is an honour in the culture. Therefore tips are neither encouraged nor expected.
Sakau, as it is known on Pohnpei, or kava, as it is known throughout the rest of Polynesia, is made from the root of a shrub which yields a mildly narcotic substance when squeezed through hibiscus bark. There are several sakau bars where visitors can sample it and watch it being made.
Things to know: Alcohol is prohibited on Chuuk (with the consequence that nearby islands are often used as picnic resorts).
National specialities:
• Sweet potatoes.
• Coconut.
• Fish (especially crabs and clams).
• Pork.
National drinks:
• Sakau (a traditional drink used in ceremonies).
• Fresh lime juice and water.
Tipping: Visitors to the country are seen as guests and hospitality is an honour in the culture. Therefore tips are neither encouraged nor expected.
Nightlife
There are good restaurants and a few cinemas in major island centres. Locals and visitors alike enjoy making their own entertainment. Video rentals are a main form of entertainment and a few well-stocked DVD and video rental stores are located in Kolonia. Sakau drinking is the most frequent evening activity on Pohnpei. Cultural dances can be arranged through tourist offices or hotels. Most hotels have music, dancing and discos. Bars and restaurants open untill 2200 every night.
Shopping
Favourite purchases on Chuuk include love sticks and war clubs. Yap people produce colourful grass skirts, lava-lavas woven from hibiscus bark, woven baby cradles, betel-nut pouches and stone money. On Pohnpei, there are elaborate, carefully scaled model canoes and woven items. Stores sell handicrafts, canoes, and shampoo, soap and lotion made from fresh coconut.
Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1700. On weekends some shops open with limited hours; 0830-1330.
Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1700. On weekends some shops open with limited hours; 0830-1330.
