KAIVITI VILLAGE MOTEL

The Kaiviti has motel-style accommodation with self-contained rooms. It’s a clean, spacious, comfortable and friendly place to stay, a short walk from town and has a swimming pool and poolside bar that advertises the ‘best hamburgers in town’. At the time of writing the new owners were refurbishing.

KAKULA (RABBIT ISLAND)

Kakula Island is a lovely little island just off the north of Efate. Currently a boutique resort aimed at high-flying US Hollywood-type visitors is being built. Time will tell if this was a good idea. A Frenchman, who had a large colony of pet rabbits, once lived there – hence the nickname ‘Rabbit Island’. When he decided to pack up and leave, he asked the people in the local village to look after his rabbits – which they did. They were eaten in very short time.

KANAKAS

(see Blackbirding)

KAVA

Vanuatu kava is more potent than kava drunk in other South Pacific countries. It's a legal ‘opiate’ that comes from grating, grinding or chewing the root of the plant. There are many varieties, from mild to 'two-dei' kava, so called because it can be strong enough to induce a two-day sleep. Unlike in Fiji, there is no hand-clapping ceremony that accompanies drinking although kava can be part of a ceremony. But, like in Fiji, it should be swilled down in one motion, simply because it tastes pretty ordinary. It is a great stress reliever and is useful in healing urinary tract infections and stomach ailments. The chemicals sensitise hearing and sight, which is why nakamals are dark and quiet. How many shells should you have? Probably no more than three at first although some have a motto that kava is like breasts - one's too few, three's too many. Once your lips become numb, you should have had sufficient to be 'mellow'. Another test is to get up and go for a short walk as kava can also affect the limbs. I remember seeing one tourist from a cruise ship on Epi Island who was showing off his drinking prowess to the locals. Cross-legged and lucid, he knocked back 7 shells to no apparent ill effects until he had to head back to the ship. His brain worked fine but his body didn't. His legs were like spaghetti and he seemed to have grown several knees that worked simultaneously in several directions. It took four local men to help him along the wharf back to the boat with the local women laughing at "white man fuldrong long kava" - full drunk on kava. The cruise ship left for Mystery Island, but Epi would always be a mystery to him. For Australians who enjoy it, there is a Kava Hut in Adelaide (Hindley Street) and you can buy it online at TheKavaHut.com and amuse your friends around the barbie. Tell Gordon you came from the Vanuatu A to Z site to get a 10% discount!

KAYAKING

Hopping in a kayak to explore the lagoon or harbour is a pleasant thing to do and a great way to explore the region. If your resort doesn’t have kayaks, you can hire them from the larger waterfront resorts.

KIDS CLUBS

The two major resorts have Kids Clubs for 3 to 12 year olds (Le Lagon and Le Meridien) and they do know how to keep kids occupied with activities, swimming, crab hunting, watersports, craft and so on. They also have kids menus and child minding. Erakor Island Resort will provide an activities organiser for children staying and the Melanesian has a Kids Club during school holidays. All resorts can arrange babysitting at around 200vt an hour (1000vt a night).

KILOMETRES

Vanuatu uses the European METRIC (and Australia/New Zealand) system for weight, length, distance and area: millimetres, centimetres, metres, kilometres, Celsius etc. For US and UK visitors' reference.

• 1 mile = 1.609 kilometres
• 1 pound (lb) = 2.21 kilograms
• 1 gallon = 4.55 litres

KITE BOARDING

The few kiteboard riders I have met have been addicted to the sport, so if you are one and are heading to Vanuatu, pack the board so you can get that hit while you’re away. The best spots are out front of Breaka’s Beach Resort and on Mele Bay (Hideaway Island).

KIWANIS

The Kiwanis Club Of Port Vila is one of the larger charity organisations that is responsible for many projects in and around Port Vila and run Kiwanis Race Week in June or July with all proceeds going to good works.

‘KLEVERS’

The ‘klevers’ (clever) are ‘medicine men’ who practise custom (kastom) magic.

KOKODA (TAHITIAN FISH SALAD)

Kokoda (pronounced kokonda in Fiji) is also known as ‘Coconut Ceviche’, ‘Tahitian Fish Salad’ and, in the Cook Islands, ‘Ika Mata’. It takes about ten minutes to knock up and it’s a delicious South Pacific favourite (or it should be – it doesn’t appear enough on Vanuatu menus). It’s raw fish, marinated in lime juice, with coconut cream and is served cold. Fresh tuna is probably the best choice of fish, but it works just fine with the excellent local poulet fish. For an entrée for 4 people, get:

• 400g fresh fish
• 1/2 cup lime or lemon juice (kiwi fruit can be used for a quick-time marinade)
• 1/4 cup thick coconut cream
• 1/4 cup red onion
• handful chopped coriander
• finely sliced spring onion or two
• a green or red chilli (no seeds, no pith and finely chopped)
• salt and ground black pepper

Cut the fish into small chunks or thin strips and mix through the lime juice. Leave it for at least an hour – up to 4 – in the fridge. the finer the slice, the quicker it will ‘cook’ in the citrus juice. Combine the remaining ingredients, drain the fish and toss through the coconut mixture. Serve at once with salt and pepper to taste. A crispy bed of lettuce makes a nice presentation and a cool crunchy taste. For a different taste replace the coconut milk with soy sauce.