Pacific Island communities are heavily reliant on natural resources to sustain their livelihoods and as a consequence they have developed an intimate understanding of their local environment. Communities have been using their knowledge of the land and sea to monitor changes in their local surroundings, use and manage resources, and adapt to local environmental changes and extreme weather events. Increasingly this knowledge is being recognised as a crucial ingredient in community-based climate change adaptation planning. This article explores how three communities in Fiji and three communities in Vanuatu have adapted to local environmental change or events. Some of the strategies used by locals have included: re-vegetating coastal foreshores with native species; careful household preparation prior to cyclones or flooding events; using innovative water storage practices during times of drought; and employing food preservation strategies during times of cyclones or drought. The article seeks to build on discussions concerning the value and importance of Indigenous knowledge in planning for resilient communities in the future.