Fiji with Kids

Fiji is like a second home for me. I’ve been many times and stayed at lots of resorts, and I decided it was where I wanted to spend my 40th birthday a few years ago. It’s a popular destination for families and at least once a week I get asked about where to go and stay in Fiji with kids. This trip we visited four different resorts over three and a half weeks. I’ve written down my thoughts on all four below.

Arriving

We arrived off an 830am Sydney to Nadi flight with Virgin about 230pm Fiji time. The flight is only 3.5 hours which is an easy one with little kids. Especially when they’re like mine. Our first stop was Malolo Island – we got a seaplane there which was amazing. 15 minutes from Nadi Airport to the island. You can get a boat transfer which is obviously cheaper, however the launches stop around 2pm so you’ll need to overnight on the mainland to do that.

Malolo Island Resort

We had a Family Bure which could sleep up to 8. The bure was big and well set out, and distance to eateries, kids club, pool etc fine. You’ve got 3 places to eat: The Terrace (breakfast, lunch and a la carte dinner or themed buffets) Beach Bar or Treetops – which serves adults only breakfast and fine dining dinner) The kids eat at the Terrace for all their meals in a seperate setting. We got the all inclusive meal package which I would recommend.

Food was good – the all inclusive gave you two courses for lunch and three for dinner, you never went hungry. Kids club and nannies great – free for kids 4 and over or you hire a nanny to look after them. There’s 2 pools, one which is adults only. They were pretty small for a resort in my opinion. Overall, a great stay. Treetops was my favourite place to eat obviously.

Intercontinental Natadola

We got a seaplane back to Nadi Airport then a helicopter (amazing) to the Intercontinental Natadola

We’ve been here a few times. It’s 5 star and the rooms are gorgeous. We stayed in a 2 bedroom suite (be warned its 2 rooms across from one another – not a 2 bedroom place, there is a corridor between the rooms so if you have young kids and older ones you’ll be either leaving them on their own or splitting parents like we did)  There’s 4 eateries, a fantastic kids club (be warned you have to pay for this – FJD 30 / kid / 4 hour session) a huge pool with fountains (great for the kids) plus an adults only pool.

Natadola Beach is lovely – the Fiji mainland and coral coast are not crash hot for their beaches, this is as good as it gets) This is an expensive hotel to eat at, we spent a fortune on food over 5 days so budget for that if you’re going. Being a 5 star the service is exceptional and Navo, the fine dining restaurant is outstanding. Because the resort is so large there are buggies that can drive you to and from your rooms and around the resort (free of charge) if like me you’re lazy.

Jean-Michel Cousteau

Now we are talking. It has been my dream for 10 years to visit this place and it didn’t disappoint. It is a one hour plane trip from Nadi Airport – the plane is tiny and I am not a nervous flyer, but this did freak me out. The resort is located in Savu Savu. When you arrive your children are allocated a buddy in a group of between 4-6 kids if they are aged 5 or over. Under 4 gets a nanny – EACH! These angels look after your kids 830am-930pm EVERY day all day!

The kids club has 2 pools, watersides, fountains, cubby house, tree house, and a trampoline. You will not see your child. We stayed in a 2 bedroom ocean front deluxe and it was beautiful. The food is exceptional. Fiji is not known for its food, but in a week we did not have a bad meal.

The water is crystal clear and the diving here is incredible (my husband’s view I am scared of the ocean) The only negative is being an eco friendly resort it isn’t air conditioned – but it’s a small price to pay. The staff are all fantastic. My son was so attached to his nanny he cried for hours when we left. It costs an arm and a leg (it’s an all inclusive resort) but I am telling you it is worth every cent. The pool is adults only too – they really want you to utilise the nannies and rest and relax – heaven.

Hilton Denarau

The last stop was the Hilton Denarau.

We have stayed at Denarau a lot – and this resort is the best for us hands down. We had a 3 bedroom penthouse (Room 1201 – it’s the bomb) It had its own pool leading right onto the beach. The rooms are massive, huge lounge area, dining, BBQ – you name it it’s there. There are 2 restaurants plus a deli selling rolls etc. The beauty of Denarau is being a short ride from all the other resorts giving you access to all their restaurants. A bus can take you between them all. The Hilton has 2 big pools, a fantastic kids club that is free from 3 years of age, Maravu restaurant is outstanding…the staff are brilliant. It’s the closes resort to Denarau Port where there is lots more dining options. I wouldn’t stay anywhere else in Deneraru. Highly recommend.

It was an amazing trip…but it wouldn’t be my family without its dramas. The kids got sick (gastro, ear infections and everything else under the sun) My husband saved two men's lives when they decided to go swimming at night, intoxicated. My kids fought and whinged. My son tried to urinate in a restaurant rockery and fell in love with a barmaid.