With stunning water, easy snorkeling from the palm-fringed beaches it is easy to understand why family holidays in Fiji are sure to be a hit! Let us help you decide if Fiji with kids is the right decision for your family. We discuss what we did on our own trip, what makes Fiji holidays with kids a lot of fun, plus age-specific advice. Fiji is also an excellent destination for younger children, so we’ve also covered Fiji with toddlers and traveling to Fiji with a baby in case you just can’t wait to get traveling again!
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How Did We End Up Traveling To Fiji With Kids
Disney’s magical movie Moana was the reason that we took our family holidays in Fiji. Seriously, from the moment we all saw Moana in the cinemas, we were entranced.
We were still hugely caught up in Moana’s Pacific beauty when I had to book a work trip to Sydney (on the other side of Australia for us). It then seemed like a logical hop to continue on to somewhere in the Pacific. In fact, this is one of the reasons we are able to travel so much – we add family holidays onto work trips.
We did some research on other Pacific Islands like Vanuatu and New Caledonia. However, being able to book the flights to Nadi with our Qantas frequent flier points meant that we decided to go to Fiji with kids.
Resorts with kid’s clubs, nannies, and babysitting are an excellent option for busy people looking for a holiday in every sense of the word. Fiji for families is just awesome, especially if you are looking for a resort getaway where the kids are looked after.
Our Fiji Family Holiday Itinerary
Initially, we had hoped to divide our 17 day family holiday in Fiji into four places, about four nights in each. However, in the end, due to “Fiji package deals” and a number of logistical considerations we did the following:
We stayed first near Lautoka at the First Landing Resort, then on Mana Island (in the Mamanuca Island chain), then to Suva, returning to Korolevu on the Coral Coast, and finally a night at the Hilton Doubletree Sonaisali Island for an easy early morning airport transfer. If you stay in any of these places we think you would have one of the best Fiji family holidays!
Fiji For Families – What You Have To Know
It is true that Fiji for families is, well, pretty awesome. It is set up to cater to every need. This is what you need to know about traveling to Fiji with kids.
Fiji Family Holidays Makes Sense As Fijians Love Children
Every SINGLE piece of promotion you will read about Fiji raves about what a child-friendly culture. It is true that the Fijians will make a fuss of your children; they are on island time and like to stop and chat with the kids. They adored our toddler boy more than his slightly older sister (she was 7 at the time).
Kids Club’s Galore
Every family-oriented resort in Fiji has a kids club which is why Fiji holidays with kids are so very popular. With all kinds of activities running every day you just need to choose what you want to do.
Before booking your Fiji family resort it is important to find out what the age ranges of the kids club are. Many kids club operate from age 4 to age 12 for example. Find out if the kids club operates only in the daytime or also has a night section.
Travel Time To Fiji For Your Fiji Family Holiday
When you are traveling with kids, the travel time is super important. The longer time you spend on an airplane with a toddler or baby the more difficult it is!
These are some sample flight times:
From Australia
Sydney to Nadi – Direct flights take about 3 hours and 45 minutes.
Melbourne to Nadi – Direct flights take about 4 hours and 45 minutes.
Brisbane to Nadi – Direct flights take about 3 hours and 30 minutes.
For the best prices and most direct flights check Fiji Airways, Qantas, and Virgin Australia airlines. There are also several non-direct flights to Suva from several Australian cities. However, flight times vary depending on the length of the layover.
From North America
Los Angeles to Nadi – Direct flights take about 10 hours and 40 minutes.
San Francisco to Nadi – Direct flights take about 11 hours and 10 minutes.
Fiji Airways operates the only non-stop flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Nadi, Fiji. There are many other airlines that fly into Fiji from other North American destinations but travel time depends on the number and length of layovers.
Travel Time Within Fiji
If your idea of Fiji holidays with kids is lazing by a pool and relaxing, then you will have a fantastic Fiji holiday and not need to travel more than half an hour from Nadi airport to Denarau Island.
If you are thinking of visiting one of the gorgeous Fiji Islands with kids, then you will need to travel by boat. Our trip to Mana Island took over 2 hours and with rough seas, our 3-year-old did have seasickness. The further you travel from the Port in Denarau, the longer your travel time will be. For example, a trip to the Yasawas will take about 3 hours, depending on which island you are traveling to.
On the main island, Vitu Levu it takes about 3 hours to travel from Nadi to Suva. There are a number of good places to stop, including the sand dunes at Sigatoka and the Kula Eco Park.
Where To Stay For The Best Fiji Family Holiday
If you are interested in independent style accommodation in Fiji, this short explanation will help you planning your Fiji with kid’s trip. If you are looking for the best Fiji family resorts then our full review will help you out.
We stayed in “bures” in 3 out of 5 different hotels and resorts and enjoyed this style of accommodation. “Bure”’ is the Fijian word for Bungalow or villa. We had plenty of space, either two rooms or a large room with different bed configurations. Bures also had the advantage of verandas or balconies, which gave us a real island feel. At the First Landing Resort, we also had a kitchenette which meant we could self-cater; a real bonus!
One of our best tips for planning a Fiji Family holiday is to make sure you have enough space. That is why we liked the bures with their verandas. If you book hotel style accommodation you will save money as they are cheaper, but it doesn’t give you the same feeling. If you are traveling as a family of 5, (e.g. 2 adults and 3 kids) you will likely have to book 2 rooms to meet maximum room capacity requirements.
Fiji With Toddlers
Fiji holidays with toddlers are definitely do-able. As mentioned above the Fijian people love children in general but especially loved our boy who just over 3 was just out of the toddler phase. For those in the midst of the toddler years, you may be wondering if Fiji with toddlers is wise. We think it is, though you might need to adapt your expectations.
Toddlers – especially the terrible twos – are notoriously hard to keep track of and tantrum fairly often. We would suggest the following in order to have a successful Fiji holiday with toddler!
- Look for the best Fiji resort for toddlers. We would personally be considering one of the resorts on Denarau Island.
- Before booking ask about rooming arrangements. Can your whole family fit in one room? Many of the Denarau resorts pride themselves on being able to accommodate a family of 4 in one room.
- Also, make sure your room doesn’t open out onto water and is far from the pools. Maybe I’m over cautious when on holidays with my toddlers but I do worry the door gets left open for a moment and the toddler is out the doo
- Ask about ages for the kids club. Many kid’s clubs are aged 4 up. We’ve heard that the Radisson Blu Bananas Kids Club has different rooms for ages 1 to 3 and 4 to 12, and childminding available if you are traveling to Fiji with bub.
- Alternatively, find out how much it will cost for childminding or a nanny. During our Fiji family holiday, we saw a significant number of families enjoying the use of a nanny. This means that Mum and Dad get a break while not actually being separated from the kids.
- Depending on how fussy your toddler is, ask about the kid’s menu. In our experience toddler-friendly food was plentiful.
Only you know about the behavior of your toddler and how much of a problem a several hour boat trip would be for them. The Fijian islands are very beautiful, but they might not be the best place to stay in Fiji with toddlers. Understand that you are traveling with a toddler. By nature, they are unpredictable and pretty full-on. Just because you are on holiday in Fiji they are still going to have their moments! That’s why it is helpful to be staying in a nice place and why we have covered the best place to stay in Fiji with Toddlers below.
Traveling To Fiji With A Baby
So, you have had your beautiful bundle of joy and hopefully are now getting some zzzz’s! You are thinking of a Fiji Holiday with Baby?
There are all kinds of blogs out there on the internet discussing what the ideal time to travel with a baby is. For us 4 months plus works very well. The reason for this is that you have recuperated from birth and are hopefully sleeping ok. A 4-month-old baby still sleeps a lot and doesn’t move much.
For an international trip, we’d most likely wait until the baby had their 6-month-old injections just to know that they are protected against common childhood illnesses. We think that you would have a ball on your Fiji holiday with Baby!
For reference, with Babe #3 we did an Australian holiday when she was 4.5 months old and she was a breeze! So easy. When then went on an international holiday to Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand when she was 7 months and she could already wiggle around the floor and needed to be watched more. Then, by the time she was 12 months, we went on another Australian holiday… and guess what!? She was then a toddler and it was much harder than the previous two trips. So our experience is that it is better to travel when they are small and immobile!
Given the number of nannies and facilities in the Fiji resorts, we think that traveling to Fiji with a baby would be one of the easier international trips you could tackle!
Fiji Baby Gear Hire
One thing you might not realize is that there are places in Fiji where you can rent baby gear instead of having to bring it from home. You can rent anything from car seats to buggies to cots, even toys, and highchairs. One of the main places that come to mind is Fiji Babies.
Personally, we organized a transfer from Nadi to Suva and then from Suva to the Coral Coast and worked directly with Fiji Babies who provided a car seat free of charge. Most resorts have high chairs. Also, know that some of the best Fiji resorts for toddlers may also have equipment you can rent. We would suggest calling your accommodation ahead of time to inquire. Fiji with a baby or Fiji with a toddler is totally doable with some planning before your trip.
Best Fiji Resorts For Toddlers And Babies
Fiji with a toddler or Fiji with a baby can be complicated. What are the best Fiji resorts for toddlers and babies? Here are some of our suggested best Fiji resorts for toddlers and families alike.
Radisson Blu Resort Fiji Denarau Island
This is a gorgeous Denarau Island Resort near Nadi Airport that is great for families traveling to Fiji with babies and toddlers. They have a great kid’s club and cots available upon request.
Sheraton Fiji Resort
A great Fiji Resort for your Fiji family holiday. The Sheraton Fiji Resort Denarau offers cots and playpens for families upon request. They also can arrange babysitting services. They too have a kid’s club and a great lagoon-style pool, perfect for families.
Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa
Westin Denarau Island is another great Fiji hotel for babies and toddlers. They offer many of the activities and features of the hotels listed above, including a kid’s club. In addition to regular rooms, The Westin also offers villa accommodations with a kitchenette. These are perfect for families with children wanting to self-cater. This is a great resort when traveling to Fiji with a toddler.
What About Fiji With Teens
There are enough adventure activities on Fiji that should keep your teenager excited and interested. As much of the best Fiji Accommodation is resort-based, it means that the teen is contained within the resort area, but still safe and not able to get out into big cities. With many adventure activities on both the islands and the Mainland of Fiji, there is plenty to keep teenagers occupied in Fiji. Our post Things to do in Fiji covers a section on Fiji with teenagers.
Family Holidays in Fiji – The Verdict
Whether you are planning to visit Fiji with kids or have a toddler or baby, you can have a successful and enjoyable trip with some planning. We hope we have provided some thought-provoking tips in order to have the best Fiji holiday with kids and toddlers!
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