At a Glance
- Last visited: September 2023. First visit Fiji with kids.
- Location: South Pacific, main visit to Viti Levu (Fiji’s largest island)
- Best time to visit: Dry season, May to October, especially the shoulder months of May, June, September and October.
- How long to stay: 1 week covers the Coral Coast and side trip or a week in Denerau or to one of the islands, but you’ll need longer if wanting to a mix of mainland and islands
- Best for: Families who want relaxed beach time, resort pools, a day trip to a private island and a gentle taste of Fijian culture
- Budget (family of 4): Moderate to high, resort-driven pricing on activities and day trips, cheaper self-catered stays bring it down. We were semi-budget travellers (not blowing out on accommodation but eating out most of time). Resorts will charge far more than eating like locals.
- Getting there: Direct flights into Nadi International Airport, around 3 hours 15 minutes from Auckland
- Getting around: A hire car for the Coral Coast, taxis and resort transfers around Nadi and Denarau and onto the islands
- Best area to stay: Coral Coast for local culture and nature, Denarau/Nadi for resort convenience and island day trips
- Family friendly rating: 8/10, easy beach days and gentle activities, let down slightly by how much the best bits (day trips, park entry) cost
Quick Picks
This post contains affiliate links – full disclosure at the end
Bula!,..Bula!,..Bula!…our kids repeatedly screamed out of their windows as we drove past locals by the side of the road. “Bula” is hello in Fijian and it usually comes with an infectious smile, and clearly it had rubbed off onto our kids, who now wanted to return the friendliness by bula’ing back to the unsuspecting villagers as we passed them by.
This is our honest guide to Fiji with kids.
In This Article:
- What is Fiji like for families?
- When to visit Fiji with kids
- Getting to Fiji
- Getting around Fiji with kids
- Where to stay in Fiji with kids
- Where to eat in Fiji with kids
- Things to do in Fiji with kids
- Tips for Fiji with kids
- Costs and budget
- Is Fiji worth it for families?
- Frequently asked questions
What is Fiji Like for Families?
It’s awesome. Our kids loved it there.
Fiji is home to more than 300 islands, the majority of which are uninhabited and many of which are just tiny jewels scattered across the vast South Pacific ocean.
A rich mix of cultures brings a rich diversity in the country’s language, culture and food.
Viti Levu, a mountainous lush green tropical paradise surrounded by reefs, lagoons and sandy beaches, is the largest island and where we spent most of our time. It is also home to kamikaze frogs, friendly stray dogs and plenty of Nemo fish.
There’s several activities / places to visit if you want to explore beyond the resort, covered in this guide.
There’s one main ring road that circles the entire island, but as we only had a week, we focused on the western part of the island. Having a car helped us explore.
When to Visit Fiji with Kids
Dry Season (May to October) – The Best
Sunnier days, lower humidity and less chance of rain disrupting beach time, boat trips or island hopping. July and August tend to have the best weather and are busier with Australian and Kiwi holiday makers. May, June, September and October are the shoulder months, still dry but a little quieter and cheaper than peak July/August.
Wet Season (November to April) – Hot, Humid and Cyclone Risk
Higher temperatures and humidity, and significantly more rain, January to March is the wettest stretch and cyclone season runs November to April, peaking January to March. Accommodation prices drop substantially in this period if you’re happy to take the risk.
Getting to Fiji
Nadi International Airport is Fiji’s main gateway. Direct flights from Auckland take around 3 hours 15 minutes with Air New Zealand or Fiji Airways.
Australia flight times are similar.
Fiji Airways have expanded in recent years and it’s now possible to fly to/from Japan (9 hours) and several airlines service the USA (11 hours).
There are several airlines servicing other Pacific islands so if you have time, incorporating Fiji as part of a wider South Pacific adventure is a worthwhile experience.
Getting Around Fiji with Kids
We hired a car and drove ourselves, which gave us the freedom to explore the Coral Coast at our own pace, stopping at markets, beaches and lookouts as we went. A car is the easiest way to cover this stretch of coast with kids. Around Nadi and Denarau, taxis and resort shuttles cover most of what you’ll need. But if you’re happy to stay in your resort then you won’t need anything, just your transfer.
Where to Stay in Fiji with Kids
Many people arrive on package holiday, particularly in Denerau, which is just a 30-minute transfer from the airport, which makes it very convenient. But Denerau is incredibly pricey and the beach here isn’t great. We chose to stay on the Coral Coast, a 90-minute drive in our hire car down the coast, before heading back to stay in Nadi, being just 10-minutes’ drive from Denerau but far cheaper and with a half-decent beach.
Coral Coast – Blue West Villas
There’s a number of medium to high end resorts along this stretch of coast as well as some more basic options. Being on a semi-budget we went more basic.
This place was perfect for our needs. Our two-bed villa was massive, a little run down, but with a fully equipped kitchen, lounge area, two-bedrooms and a huge pool with no one else in it. Plus, we had use of another pool a 5-minute walk away closer to the beach, again with no one else in it. We found this place was more where locals stay rather than masses of tourists. So, if it’s good enough for the locals, it was good enough for us.
📍 Where We Stayed: Club Fiji, Nadi, Wailoaloa beach
Club Fiji, just outside Nadi right on Wailoaloa beach, was a great spot. Two pools and two places to eat. Hammocks to lounge around on and friendly staff. The beach itself, whilst not idyllic south pacific paradise, it was decent and the kids still loved it. The room was small, with all four of us squeezing in, but it was clean, modern and had a decent small kitchen.
Where to Eat in Fiji with Kids
Crab Shack – Sigatoka Sand Dunes
A great spot for tuna salad and fish tacos, and an awesome spot to watch the sunset after a day at the dunes. Around FJD$90 (USD$40) for the family.
Sitar Restaurant – Coral Coast
Fijian curry on the sunset strip, around FJD$90 (USD$40) for the family.
Bederra Inn – Coral Coast
Incredible spot on the sunset strip, right overlooking the beach – around FJD$90 (USD$40) for the family.
Raju’s International Cuisine – Nadi
We went looking for a Fijian restaurant during Nadi’s rush hour chaos and ended up here instead – a real locals place and just shows how much chepaer it can be away from the tourist areas. A massive meal each for 4 of us was FJD$31 (USD$14) – a genuinely good find in the end.
Nadina Restaurant – Denarau
Fijian food including lovo, kokoda and sui (beef soup), all pretty amazing, plus a free kava. This was our big blow out – around FJD$182 (USD$80) for the family.
Flying Fin Restaurant – Cuvu
Great fish meals for around FJD$90 (USD$40).
Hot tip – Fijian cream buns
If you’re near a bakers, then pop in and grab a handful of these beauties – simple cream buns bur the buns are so soft – a true addiction. Our kids were constantly on the lookout for the ‘Hot Bread Kitchen’ chain stores, who seemed to do the best!
Things to Do in Fiji with Kids
1. ⭐ Our Top Pick: Malamala Island Day Trip⭐
We did our best to keep Fiji tourism in business by paying through the nose for a half day trip to Malamala island. It didn’t disappoint. With a bar, restaurant and infinity pool, crystal clear waters, snorkelling, and plenty of palm fringed sandy beach to chill out on, this tiny island takes just 7 minutes to walk around. We kicked back for 5 hours lapping up the sheer beauty of the place. The entertainment for the day was watching the kids attempt to get into a hammock and stay in it. Ferries leave from Port Denarau and take about 30 minutes. It’s probably more aimed at a younger crowd but was fine for kids and we all had a great day out. Food is a little pricey but good quality. The ice creams were epic. Cocktails less so. Our bill was FJD$155 (USD$70).
Book your discounted ferry and entry tickets here
2. Sigatoka Sand Dunes
Rated as a must-do on most websites we researched and to be fair they did not disappoint. A calf-burning 45 degree angle, 100 metre climb to the top gave rewarding views across the coast and towards the interior mountains. Getting back down was a fun series of Neil Armstrong leaps or a dizzy mind-spinning roll that clogged every orifice with sand. Kids took the latter option.
3. Natadola Beach
About an hour’s drive up the coast back towards Nadi.
It’s fair to say that whilst some beaches on Viti Levu are nice, they are not the idyllic turquoise water with white sand beaches most would associate with the South Pacific. Those are found on the islands. Natadola beach came close. A stunning bay with crystal clear warm turquoise water and beautiful sand, it’s no wonder that Intercontinental has grabbed most of the land here and plonked its gigantic hotel right on the beach. A day pass costing FJD $45 (USD$20) is required just to enter the hotel grounds. They do hair braiding down here on the beach if your kids are into it (like our daughter).
4. Kula Eco Park
This a decent sized animal park. A little run down but run by friendly staff and plenty to see to keep the kids entertained for a couple of hours. Our kids got to feed a turtle here, while I held a snake and an iguana.There’s also a splash pad and water fountains to cool off in. Entry was FJD $150 (USD$68) for the four of us.
5. Glass Bottom Boat Tour – Naviti Resort
A FJD$30 (USD$14) for all four of us – glass bottom boat tour of the reef – good enough to see a few colourful fish and rays, and a chance to look around a genuinely great resort at the same time.
6. Local Markets and Villages – Coral Coast
The Sigatoka market is worth a wander for cheap veggies and souvenirs, though bargain carefully, we bought a hook necklace from a market stall claiming it was hand carved bone, then saw the exact same one half price in a souvenir shop later. Bavari, a craft and souvenir shop on the way back to the Coral Coast, has some genuinely impressive carved Maui hooks, among other souvenirs, that are worth a look.
7. Denarau Island
Built in the late 90s and early 2000s on reclaimed marsh land, Denarau is home to a run of high end resorts and a purpose built marina with restaurants, bars and shops. Port Denarau is also the gateway for ferries and catamarans out to Fiji’s outer islands. Worth an evening stroll even if you’re not staying there, everything stays open until around 9pm. It’s a great spot and many end up for a package holiday in one of the mega resorts. The beach here isn’t great so bear that in mind when deciding. But it is very convenient from Nadi airport, just 30-minute maximum away.
Tips for Fiji with Kids
- Bargain at markets, prices are often set high for tourists first
- Pack for both sun and rain even in dry season, tropical showers can arrive fast
- A hire car opens up the Coral Coast far more than staying resort-bound
- Book the Malamala ferry ahead, the last boat back fills up
- Learn to say Bula, it goes a long way and the kids will love using it
- Don’t miss those cream buns
- Just beware, there are a lot of stray dogs in Fiji – so just keep your kids at arm’s length when near any strays
Costs and Budget for Fiji with Kids
- Accommodation – varies enormously depending on your budget / location. We paid FJD450 (USD$200) per night in Nadi & FJD$285 (USD$130) / night on the Coral Coast
- Car Hire – we paid FJD$115 (USD$50) per day
- Kula Eco Park: $150 FJD for a family of four
- Natadola Beach / Intercontinental day pass: $45 FJD
- Glass bottom boat tour, Naviti Resort: $30 FJD
- Malamala Island day trip food and drink: around $155 FJD on top of the ferry/entry cost
- Family meals out: roughly $30-180 FJD depending on the restaurant / location
Fiji isn’t a cheap family destination once you start adding paid activities and day trips, resort pricing dominates. Self-catered stays like Blue West Villas and eating at local spots rather than resort restaurants brings the daily cost down significantly.
Is Fiji Worth It for Families?
Yes. Fiji had been a full-on adventure, a mix of relaxation but full of exploration. The food in general had been pretty awesome, but it was those warm, infectious smiles that we will not forget. If there’s one thing the kids will take from this holiday, it will be Bula.
Useful Links
This post contains affiliate links. If you book through these links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you – which helps keep Roaming Wild running. Thank you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fiji good for families with young children?
Yes, resort pools, calm lagoon beaches and short activities like Kula Eco Park and glass bottom boat tours all suit young kids well.
How many days do you need in Fiji with kids?
A week covers the Coral Coast and / or Nadi/Denarau comfortably, longer if you want to add an outer island stay rather than just a day trip.
Do you need a car in Fiji?
Helpful for the Coral Coast where sights are spread out, less necessary if you’re staying resort-bound around Denarau.
Is Malamala Island worth it with kids?
Yes, a genuinely beautiful spot for a half day, though food and drink on the island add up fast on top of the trip cost. Whilst it’s probably geared more towards a younger crowd, our kids loved it and it was totally fine.
What is the best time to visit Fiji with kids?
The dry season, May to October, especially the shoulder months of May, June, September and October for slightly cheaper, quieter conditions.
Is Fiji expensive for families?
Paid activities and resort dining add up quickly. Self-catered accommodation and eating at local restaurants rather than resorts keeps costs down.
Have you been to Fiji with kids? Drop a comment below.
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