At Trees and Fishes Private Retreat, dining is part of the stay rather than an afterthought. Our island cuisine brings together fresh local produce, fresh fish, organic meats and seasonal ingredients in a relaxed beachfront setting, with the option of a casual lunch, a chef-selected dinner, cocktails at Hacienda or a private dining experience built around a special occasion.

Whether you arrive for a couples escape, a fishing holiday, a wellness stay or a private group getaway, meals give each day its rhythm. You can begin with breakfast, settle in for a leisurely lunch, return to the lodge for sunset drinks and finish with a three-course dinner that reflects the ingredients and flavours available at the time.

Key Takeaways

What Does Island Dining Mean at Trees and Fishes?

For us, island dining is about the setting, the ingredients and the pace of the experience. Hacienda @ Trees and Fishes sits within our private retreat, where guests can move between the beach, pool, gardens and dining spaces without leaving the lodge.

Our cuisine is inspired by the local ingredients available in Vanuatu. We work with fresh fish, organic meats and seasonal produce, then bring those elements together in dishes shaped by island influences and creative flair. The menu is not designed to be identical every day. It changes with the ingredients and season, giving each stay its own dining rhythm.

This is a relaxed gourmet experience rather than a large resort buffet. A lunch can be easy and informal. Dinner can be a slower three-course meal, a romantic sunset occasion or part of a private experience with your group.

Hacienda: Our Beachfront Dining Experience

Hacienda @ Trees and Fishes is where we welcome guests for lunch and dinner. The setting is part of the experience: beachfront views, poolside dining, beachside spaces and the Hacienda beach bar all sit within the retreat.

You might choose a relaxed lunch during a day at the lodge, enjoy cocktails before dinner or settle into the evening as the sun goes down. For guests staying at Trees and Fishes, it means there is no need to leave the retreat to make dining a memorable part of the holiday.

What Is on the Menu?

The food at Trees and Fishes is led by the ingredients available to us. Our Chef’s Selection three-course dinner is built around a curated entrée, main and dessert, with the menu changing regularly to showcase seasonal produce, seafood and meats.

For more relaxed dining, Hacienda also offers an all-day menu. Current choices include fresh fish dishes, sashimi, tuna tartare, fish carpaccio, salads, island-style snacks and other casual lunch options. The exact dishes can change, so the current menu at Hacienda is always the best guide to what is available during your stay.

We keep the food grounded in the setting: quality local produce, fresh flavours and a meal that feels connected to a stay by the beach rather than copied from somewhere else.

Drinks, Cocktails and the Hacienda Bar

A gourmet stay is not just about the dinner plate. Hacienda complements island cuisine with a curated selection of French, Australian and New Zealand wines, champagne, boutique beers, spirits and cocktails.

You can keep it simple with a glass of wine before dinner, enjoy a cocktail by the beach bar or choose something special to mark an occasion. The drinks list includes both classic and island-inspired choices, with the current menu available at Hacienda during your stay.

For our Gourmet Dining Package, each guest receives one complimentary signature cocktail each day. The package also includes a welcome indulgence platter and a bottle of sparkling wine on arrival.

“Good island food doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs to taste like the place it comes from.”

Anthony Pisano, Ocean Blue Fishing

How Dining Fits Into a Stay at Trees and Fishes

Every guest shapes their own stay, but dining gives the experience natural moments to come together. You may begin with breakfast before a private experience, return for lunch after time by the water or settle into dinner after a day exploring, fishing or relaxing at the retreat.

For our Ocean Blue stay-and-fish guests, every stay-and-fish package includes accommodation, breakfast, lunch on board, dinner, return airport transfers and the fishing program. After a day on the water, guests return to Trees and Fishes to reset, share the day’s stories and enjoy the lodge experience before the next session.

For guests whose holiday is built around food, relaxation or romance rather than fishing, Hacienda remains at the centre of the stay. It is a place to slow down and enjoy the setting, not simply a place to eat between activities.

Our Vanuatu Gourmet Dining Package

Our Vanuatu Gourmet Dining Package is designed for guests who want dining to be a central part of the holiday. It has a minimum three-night stay and is for two guests.

The package includes:

• Airport transfers and personalised check-in

• A welcome indulgence platter and bottle of sparkling wine on arrival

• Daily breakfast for two

• A daily Chef’s Selection three-course dinner for two

• One complimentary signature cocktail each day per person

• An exclusive sunset cruise for two, including canapés and drinks

• An exclusive around-the-island day trip for two, including a picnic package

• An exclusive guide for each tour

• Your choice of available room

The package is ideal for guests who want their accommodation, dining and private experiences to work together as one considered stay. Current availability and package details should always be confirmed when booking.

Dining for a Romantic Getaway

A memorable meal can be the centrepiece of a romantic stay. Our Vanuatu Romance Package includes daily breakfast for two and one romantic dinner experience for two during the stay, along with a welcome indulgence platter, sparkling wine, private sunset cruise, massages or spa treatments for two and your selected room.

The romantic dinner is served on one night of the stay in an intimate setting. It is designed for couples who want more than a restaurant reservation: time together, a considered menu and an evening that feels personal to the occasion.

A Sunset Cruise and Dinner at Trees and Fishes

For guests who want to take the dining experience onto the water, our private sunset cruise combines Port Havannah Harbour, gourmet canapés, handcrafted cocktails and a chef-prepared dinner on return to Trees and Fishes.

Your private group has exclusive use of the vessel, with a captain and host guiding the evening. After the harbour cruise, you return to the retreat for a chef-prepared dinner in a reserved island setting. It is available as a private experience and is also included for two guests in our Gourmet Dining Package and Romance Package.

The Setting Matters as Much as the Menu

Trees and Fishes is a boutique private retreat, not a large commercial resort. That changes the dining experience. Guests can enjoy beachside dining areas, the poolside dining pavilion, the Hacienda beach bar and the tropical setting of the retreat as part of the meal.

The room you choose can also shape the feel of the stay. Garden Retreat Suites sit among tropical gardens, Waterfront Retreat Suites have Coral Sea views and direct access to a private sandy beach, and Pool Suites place guests close to the pool. Villa Luca is an option for larger private stays.

You do not have to choose between a food-focused holiday and an active Vanuatu experience. At Trees and Fishes, dining fits around the way you want to spend the day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dining at Trees and Fishes

Plan Your Gourmet Vanuatu Stay

Whether you are planning a romantic getaway, a food-focused escape, a stay-and-fish holiday or a private group retreat, island dining can be part of the experience from your first welcome drink to your final dinner.

Explore Hacienda island cuisine, review our Vanuatu Gourmet Dining Package, or contact the Trees and Fishes team to begin planning your stay.