We have been to Fiji 5 times in the last 6 years. It has become our annual mid-year break. Fiji makes for the most relaxing family holiday because it is:
- Close – flight time is around 4 hours from Sydney
- Well priced – a holiday to Queensland costs around double an average Fiji holiday in one of the main 4-5 star properties. Depending on your budget you have options, including some of the most luxurious islands in the world. Most properties include breakfast, and in some of the more luxurious islands, the cost per night also includes all meals.
- Child friendly – nannies are around $8 AUD per hour, kids clubs are at every hotel, pools are full of fun and games.
- Hospitable – the Fijian people are kind and welcoming.
- Hot – unless you are unlucky to get unseasonably cold weather (and let’s face it no one can control the weather) Fiji is always hot. Don’t go in rainy season, between November and April, as you will get a lot of rain.
We have 3 young children, ranging from ages 3 to 8. We have been travelling to Fiji since our eldest was 2 years old. Travelling with young kids can be taxing. In the middle of the year we want a chance to re-boot and reconnect with our kids and each other. We don’t go to Fiji for a gourmet food experience or incredible site seeing. We know that the entire country works on ‘Fiji time’. We let go of the expectation that service should be perfect and we simply unwind.
Flying to Fiji is so easy. Just when you are getting sick of flying, it’s time to land. The time difference is 1-2 hours depending on the time of year so there is no jet lag. The airport is family friendly, welcoming kids through express lanes and ensuring that bags and transfers (with sea shell leys and cold water) are ready.
As our kids have been young we have up until now chosen to stay at the easiest location – the Hilton Hotel on Denarau Island. We like the Hilton because they have nice 2 bedroom apartments. All the rooms are fully serviced, but have the bonus of a kitchenette and full laundry facilities (washer and dryer). With a young family these amenities are wonderful. I do have to admit the rooms are getting a little tired and could use a good makeover, but they are still lovely and modern and provide all that one could need. Please click on the images below to see this spectacular hotel.
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”10″ gal_title=”Travel Blog-Fiji”]In addition at the Hilton, kids club is free all day. Children under 3 need to be supervised by an adult which can be a parent, or one of the hotel’s nannies. The wonderful nannies are around $8 AUD per hour and we have never had a bad experience. Kids under 12 eat for free in all restaurants when 1 or more adults eat a full priced meal.
We also love the Hilton pool which has a wonderful ‘vibe’ with games for the kids, aqua aerobics and other beachside activities all complimentary. Denarau Island also has a number of other hotels within walking distance including The Westin, Sheraton Villas and The Radisson all with restaurants. There is also a port with some shops and restaurants.
The last trip we went on we decided that as the kids are getting a little bigger we could stand a slightly longer transfer, so we booked half our stay at the Inter Continental hotel on the Coral Coast. The transfer to this hotel from the airport is about 1 hour, compared with around 25 minutes to Denarau. Please click on the images below.
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”11″ gal_title=”Travel Blog Intercontinental Resort & Spa Fiji”]The coast line on this of the island, The Coral Coast, is breathtaking and is far superior to the man-made Denarau Island where the Hilton is located. The water is clear and the sands soft. Low tide is most common allowing the kids to walk out for miles through the clear waters collecting shells or looking at sea life. The Inter-Continental property is magnificent, set in a tropical paradise and the rooms are certainly superior to the Hilton.
This of course makes for a more expensive holiday. The kids club was wonderful with an excellent program every day but it cost $30 FIJ per child per session. This did include a meal (lunch or dinner) and the kids had a ball. This kids club was particularly good for older children and my 8 year old daughter loved it. There were lots of kids her age and older attending which meant all my children had a wonderful experience. The property is quite isolated, which adds to its splendour, but also means that all meals are eaten in the hotel, which can be quite expensive and limiting in choice.
We have not yet been to one of the many splendid Fijian islands, but we have been told some of them are breathtaking and well worth the effort.
At the end of the day, for all it has to offer, we will always go back to Fiji.
Author: Leeann Whitten
