10 Family-friendly Fiji resorts to keep everyone entertained

Tucked among palm trees and tiered pools, the Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort invites guests of all ages to trade their cares for sunsets and spa time. From your sunken hydrotherapy tub on your secluded open-air balcony, you’ll be able to gaze across the vastness of the Coral Coast. Once you’ve finished your glass of champagne and emerged from your blissful cocoon at Bebe Spa. you will be relaxed and ready to collect your little ones from the kids’ club. Or, stretch your adults-only experience with a Sundowner Caprioska, made with muddled sweet papaya, while snacking on almond-crusted prawns at the beachfront Sundowner Bar & Grill.

The kids will have had an action-filled day of their own playing water polo, traditional Fijian games and swimming in the lagoon-style pool. Teens can choose their own exciting program, from spear-making to hiking to an enchanted pool, to sand dune adventures. Back at your Plantation Bure (a traditional Fijian hut made from straw and wood), with its thatched roof and tapa-cloth ceilings reminiscent of a Fijian village, you can recount the day’s activities with the family while gently swinging from hammocks on your private veranda.

Fiji’s largest resort, Shangri La’s Fijian Resort, is surrounded by 44 private island hectares with pristine sandy beaches and direct access to unspoiled coral reefs. You’ll want to take the family down to the Marine Education Centre, a community project where you can learn about the local ecosystem and even plant some coral.

The nature theme continues at the resort’s Little Chief’s Club. Favourite activities include fish-feeding and crab hunts, as well as cultural Fijian Meke lessons and storytelling. While the kids are busy, parents can slip off to the Sea Sports Centre and hire a snorkel or canoe to explore the reef. Golfers can practise their swing at the nine-hole Executive Golf Course, while luxury lovers can check in for an afternoon of pampering at CHI Spa.

Following a three-month rebuilding project, Castaway Island re-opened in 2016 as a family-friendly Fiji hotel after the devastation caused by Cyclone Winston. Now, you can stay in one of the new individually designed bures with natural rattan and local timber décor, luxe beds and bifold doors that invite you to step straight onto the beach.

At Castaways Kids Club, children can vie for first place in sandcastle competitions and treasure hunts. They’ll get to stoke their creativity by learning how to make coconut toffee and traditional dance like a local. While the kids are kept busy, mum and dad can make the most of the adults-only Jacuzzi and pool with swim-up bar, or learn a few culinary tips at the weekly cooking demonstration.

Once you’ve mastered the basics of Fijian cooking, you’ll want to head to 1808, a concept restaurant inspired by traditional Fijian food preparation techniques. Not to be missed is the Kokoda, the island’s version of ceviche, which combines velvety coconut milk with sweet, zingy lychee and ginger. Alternatively, grab a takeaway box from Sundowner and have a family picnic on the beach with cheesy, crowd-pleasing wood-fired pizza.

On the edge of a breathtaking private lagoon, Koro Sun Resort & Rainforest Spa sits within a 160-acre sanctuary on the island of Vanua Levu. Spacious two- and three-bedroom thatched roof bures and villas are ideal for families, with Pool Bures offering extra privacy. Stand-out features include your own plunge pool, hanging hammocks and fantastical outdoor stone showers.

Koro Kids Club runs every day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free for kids aged four to 12. They’ll meet their Bula Buddy (a caregiver, companion and playmate) before getting stuck into activities like tidal pool exploration, rainforest hikes, coconut leaf weaving and face painting. A free nanny service takes care of children three and under from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily, so parents can rejuvenate with a kayaking adventure, paddleboarding in the lagoon, biking the Hibiscus coastal road or shopping in Savusavu.

A treatment at The Rainforest Spa is a completely immersive nature experience for parents seeking a break. You’ll find yourself swaddled in banana leaves in virgin rainforest surrounds as part of the signature wrap, or massaged with oils scented with coconut, mango and hibiscus. With the little ones being looked after, you can head from the spa to the adults-only restaurant Latitude 17 for fresh coconut curried mud crab or lobster with ginger and garlic.

At the InterContinental Hotel Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, downtime comes with a spa menu. With tempting options like the Yummy Mummy body polish and warm oil scalp massages, all you have to do is unpack your sandals for the pampering to begin.

Suites come with garden, pool, beach or lagoon views, and family setups with interconnecting doors are available for those travelling with the whole brood. Splash out on a two-bedroom luxury Club InterContinental suite to soak in majestic views of white sand beaches from your outdoor Cleopatra bathtub. You’ll be able to watch the kids play in the tropical garden courtyard or pool before you all head to the InterContinental Lounge for afternoon tea. Later in the day, book a table at award-winning Navo Restaurant for grilled Yasawa lobster or decadent chocolate fondant.

Planet Trekkers Kids Club will keep the young ones entertained during the day with games of pitch-and-putt, cricket, touch rugby and volleyball. After sunset, they can experience a torch-lighting ceremony and traditional Fijian fire dancing or tribal drumming. Once the kids go to bed, parents can stop by the Toba Bar & Grill until 10 p.m. for a Coco de Coffee (tiramisu made with vanilla berry slices and coconut) paired with a glass of Jim Barry Lodge Hill Shiraz.

Nestled within a coral cay, Treasure Island Resort is an oasis of white sand and traditional touches. In a bure at the centre of the resort, the Little Treasures Kids Club teaches young guests about Fijian culture and conservation. Lucky visitors will be able to release groups of baby Hawksbill Turtles into the ocean, visit the turtle rehabilitation centre and meet resident parrots and kula birds. Make sure to bring your camera, as parents can watch in delight as their kids put on a traditional Meke performance.

Continue the family fun from the infinity pool, where you can keep an eye on the kids as they build sandcastles. You’ll be able to snorkel straight from the beach or jump into a kayak to explore the turquoise cay. When you return from your action-packed day with tummies growling, head to Mattasawa Teppanyaki for an entertaining family dining experience. Kids can watch as their chef cook their meals on an iron griddle with the ocean as a backdrop.

Built on a former coconut plantation, Plantation Island specialises in accommodation options to suit all visitors – including beachfront bures for families. Settle onto a sun lounger under the shade of a coconut palm, or grab a book and wander towards the sand to sink into a swinging hammock on the beach.

The resort’s Coconut Club for kids offers thrilling activities such as coconut boat-making, pineapple cracking, soccer, limbo and crab hunting. The recently added water park will delight the little ones with its aqua trampoline and central slide. Parents will find an easy view of the festivities from the serenity of the white sand beach, or they can jump in to join the fun themselves.

For some mum-and-dad time, you can take advantage of on-site babysitting services or even hire a 24-hour live-in nanny. With the kids in safe hands, slip off to Black Coral Restaurant & Bar to feast on Fijian Ika curry with slow-braised fish, aromatic spices, coconut cream and green chili. Or, head to the neighbouring Flame Tree Restaurant for adults-only, beachside fine dining designed with romantic evenings for two in mind.

Vomo Island Resort, set against a jewel-toned backdrop of sea, sky and waving palms, has been designed for the whole family. Kids will be entertained in their very own village playground, accessed via a wooden suspension bridge, which comes filled with toys, dress-up clothes, craft tables and a cubby house. The village even has a dedicated chef serving up tasty and nutritious lunches and dinners.

While Baby Butlers are watching the little ones, parents can head to adults-only The Rocks bar. Sip on a ‘rocktail’ – a delightful distillation of lemon zest, juniper berries and grapefruit with hints of lavender and basil – from your rattan armchair as the sun sets. You’ll want to stay for dinner at The Reef, where dishes combine local seafood with ingredients straight from Vomo’s own herb and vegetable gardens.

It’s easy to explore the island as a family – it only takes two hours to roam and is dotted with secluded swimming spots for cooling off. Adults can sign up for a PADI-certified diving course, while kids between eight and 12 can take their first scuba splashes by joining the Bubble Blowers Course in the swimming pool. After an active day, you’ll look forward to winding down at the award-winning Kui Spa at the hands of expert Thai and Balinese therapists. Relish treatments using Sodashi natural skincare products with jojoba, green tea and vanilla to help relax and rejuvenate you for more days of island adventuring.

Set within 10 acres of tropical gardens, Radisson Blu Resort Fiji Denarau Island offers fun-fuelled activities for the whole family. Upon arrival, the kids will receive a personal Banana Passport granting them access to the exclusive kids-only Blu Banana Club. You’ll soon be hearing all about how they built traditional Fijian coconut husk boats and raced them across one of the hotel’s four lagoon pools.

From the resort’s private beach, you can explore the ocean by Hobie Cat stand-up paddleboard or kayak. Play a round at The Denarau Island Golf & Racquet Club, considered one of the best in the South Pacific, or visit the 18-hole championship course for a game with ocean views. After a morning on the greens, you’ll want to treat yourself to the signature Sugar Glow treatment, which uses coconut and natural cane sugar to perform a full-body exfoliation, at Harmony Retreat Day Spa.

Come dinnertime, you can watch the sunset from under a coconut palm while nibbling on Hola El Pio fish tacos at Neptunes. For something truly exotic, book a table at Lomani Wai and dine right in one of the resort’s lagoon pools. You’ll be served by Fijian warriors and treated to a traditional Kava ceremony and fire show.

Voted the No. 1 Resort in Australia and the South Pacific by Condé Nast Traveler in 2017, Malolo Island Resort creates an escape from the stresses of modern living. Owned by a local Fijian family, the resort protects the local ecosystem and provides jobs to members of the Islander community.

The four family bures, which each sleep up to seven people, are dressed in classic plantation style. Charming white shutters and rattan furniture punctuated with greens and blues bring the natural outdoor palette into spacious communal interiors. Open views over the ocean mean you can relax in hammocks while the kids hunt for crabs on the beach.

Kids will get the chance to live like a local Malolo islander at Tia’s Treehouse. As part of the Yanu Yanu program, they can join activities such as learning about herbal medicine, traditional costume-making and Fijian language lessons. Teens can chill out in Khail’s Club with table tennis, over-stuffed bean bag chairs and satellite TV.

For adult downtime, parents can sip on happy hour cocktails while sifting sand between their toes. Kids will enjoy feasting on burgers and pizza at the Beach Bar or can choose to sit out on the terrace overlooking the pool at Treetops Restaurant. Seafood lovers will rejoice in the chance to dine on fresh, line-caught fare or local fish soup made with lemongrass, coconut and ginger.