This paper describes the process and outcomes of a pilot Community-Based Adaptation (CBA) project on Druadrua Island, Fiji. From the project’s achievements, the author asserts that CBA enhances the capacity of local communities to adapt to change. It is also pointed out that developing partnerships and networks with locally based technology, information, engineering experts and institutions, should be a key function of CBA project implementers. The paper presents an empirical view of the Druadrua Island programme, where two of its most vulnerable sectors - its coastal ecosystem and water supply - were targeted by the CBA project. The case study further demonstrates that planning for adaptation through CBA can be both anticipatory and reactionary but capacity-building to face present problems remains crucial for adaptation. Moreover, the efficiency and effectiveness of actions largely depend on whether the facilitators are from the same culture, speak the same language, and have an understanding of local customs. Overall, it is concluded that CBA projects are inherently time-consuming and build on practice and experience.