If you’ve ever contemplated Fiji as a family holiday destination, the following tips are for you. I spent an insane amount of time researching our recent Fiji family holiday mainly because I’m a frustrated Travel Agent who gets a thrill putting together holiday arrangements and so I thought why not share what I learned. Fiji has so much to offer and I don’t claim to be an expert after one visit, but I did pick up a trick or two. The tips below are predominantly aimed at parents of younger children (under 12) who want to make the most of those infamous kid’s clubs but are not quite sure where to start.
Get off the mainland
If you’re flying into Nadi, you might be tempted to spend the majority of your time at any one of the five star resorts located at Denarau Island. I won’t lie, they’re slick, the cocktails are great – it’s everything you’d expect from a Radisson/Westin/Sheraton Resort but the beach is average and it’s all a little manufactured. Most people we met tacked on one or two nights at the end of their island stay before boarding the plane home and that was more than sufficient for us. We found it best to get the flight (approximately 5 hours from Melbourne) and the ferry (approximately 1.5 hours from the mainland) out of the way first and unwind, rather than face the delays on the way home.
Which resort: We stayed at the Radisson Blu due to their room configurations. A one bedroom suite was more than sufficient, the pool was great for kids and the resort offered a late check-out so we could head straight to the airport without hanging around. Despite this, we actually preferred the vibe and the look of the Kid’s Club over at The Sheraton.
Best Rate: Direct with the hotel.
Babysitting Rates: $25 FJD for the first three hours, $5 FDJ per hour following that. $10FJD surcharge after 6pm and don’t be surprised if room service is ordered.
Kids Club: Our kids were over it by this stage, but most of the large hotels work on 2-3 hour sessions (morning, afternoon and evening) at around $10FJD per session.
Hot tip: The food at Flying Fish restaurant at The Sheraton was mind blowing (expect similar prices to hatted restaurants in Australia).
Denarau Island Beach – Outside The Sheraton Hotel
Handy playground next door to The Sheraton
Which island?
If you’re after blue waters, white sandy beaches and swaying coconut trees – you might be after an island in either the Mamanuca or Yasawa group of islands. The Mamanuca group consists of places like Castaway, Malolo, Plantation, Treasure and Mana and is closer to the mainland than the Yasawa group which has fewer resort options and can take up to four to five hours from Port Denarau. The Yasawas have blue lagoons and the opportunity to swim with giant Manta Rays while the Mamanucas are closer to popular surf spot Cloudbreak. Castaway is very popular and on the pricier scale. It’s compulsory to purchase the food package but by all accounts the menu is fabulous. Malolo has recently reopened following cyclone damage and going on friend’s recommendations is just as amazing. It also has slightly better bedding configurations for those who prefer not to share one room with their kids.
Castaway Island
We stayed at Mana Island Resort – it’s probably pitched between Malolo and Plantation and is one of the older resorts. It’s not five star luxury but I felt that added to its charm. I actually shed a tear the day we left and it wasn’t just because I had a shocking cold and the resort shop had no pseudoephedrine. It’s quite large, the kid’s club was incredibly warm and welcoming and you’re not locked into a food package so you can head to the buzzing backpacker bar next door for some cheap and tasty meals. There is newer, mezzanine style accommodation on the south facing beach but we chose to sacrifice bedding configuration for a deluxe family bure on the north beach because of the stairs issue and the fact it was closer to the pool and the food. If you choose that option, ask for a bure numbered in the 400s (401 and 412 had the best views) so you’re closer to the action and not sharing an outdoor balcony with an adjoining bure.
Best Rate: We found the best price through an online travel agent. Many of the island’s websites appear to be sold out when they have actually put rooms aside for travel agents. I recommend trying Travel Online – they also booked our ferry tickets for us through South Sea Cruises.
Kid’s Club: A one-off fee of $25FJD applies for your entire stay. The kid’s club has three 2.5 hour sessions for children aged 3-12. It’s located next door to the Mei Mei Club which is for children under 3 and costs $5FJD per hour for a one-on-one nanny service. If your little one wants to hang with their sibling, the nanny’s are more than happy to walk them over to the kid’s club so they can play together. In room babysitting is available at the same rate.
Hot tip: There’s a supermarket located at Port Denarau, if you have time I would advise stocking up on drinks or snacks. Mana are relaxed about people bringing aboard slabs of beer but I’ve heard some of the other islands aren’t, so just check ahead. We didn’t have any problem drinking the local water.
Mana Island
Mana Island Kid’s Club
Deluxe Ocean Bures
The restaurant at Ratu Kini Backpackers
South Beach
Other tips
Our kids understandably didn’t want to spend the whole time at Kid’s Club. Find a routine that works for you. We found ours were happiest spending a few hours there in the morning and the rest of the time with us (confession: there were days when we had to bribe them with icy-poles). For families with older children, there are plenty of other activities planned daily like snorkelling, coconut ice-cream making and bus trips to Sunset Beach.
One last tip: Purchase your duty-free alcohol at Nadi Airport, not in Australia. When I read my bank statement and discovered I’d bought a litre of Hendricks, a litre of Tanqueray 10 and some Havana Club rum for $68 dollars I thought someone was having a lend.
Have you been to Fiji with kids? Can you recommend anything else?
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