Zach StovallBabi Guling
Pigs are a common denominator in the Pacific. Polynesian islands have a penchant for putting their pork in the ground to slow roast among hot stones, but no preparation can compare to Bali’s babi guling. The Indonesian island’s version of suckling pig roasted on a spit over blazing coals results in juicy, slow-cooked pork, served with a slice of crispy crackling. Warung Ibu Oka in Ubud is the best-known babi guling spot on island, but warungs (cafés) abound wherever you are on Bali.
Zach StovallRoti
Eastern Caribbean cooking has an undeniable — and delicious — Indian influence. Perhaps the best example of this East/West Indies fusion is the roti, a burritolike concoction of soft, Indian flatbread wrapped around curried meat or vegetables. After a morning riding the drifts off Tobago, make a stop at Jabba’s on the Charlotteville waterfront for a rib-sticking roti lunch.
Zach StovallConch Salad
If you find yourself in the Bahamas or Turks and Caicos, there’s one ingredient that’s bound to appear at pretty much every meal — conch. The massive shellfish thrive in the shallow sand flats of these islands in the stream, so it’s no surprise locals have found a million and one ways to eat their sweet meat. Head to Da Conch Shack on Provo to get a taste of what is often lauded as the best conch salad in the Caribbean, featuring tenderized chunks of conch meat tossed with lime juice, tomatoes, peppers and onions.
Logging time underwater works up an appetite, and after a long day on the boat, there’s nothing better than tucking into local cuisine. Here we’ve pulled together some of our favorite island dishes from around the dive world — the kind of meals where locally sourced ingredients and decades of tradition coalesce into sublime flavors you’ve got to try for yourself.
