Fiji. It’s one of those places that
conjures up images of remote islands, with white sandy beaches fringed by palm
trees. Sipping cocktails in a beach front hammock while your kids are at kids
club (okay, so not that remote, Fiji caters to everyone) and permanent
sunshine.
Reality can be a little different, at least
where the weather is concerned. The first time we booked a trip to this bucket
list hotspot, our holiday was cancelled at the last minute as a result of a
devastating cyclone. The second time, earlier this year, we were considerably
luckier. While the week before had seen solid rain, we were blessed with ten
days of blue skies and sunshine. The day we left, the rain returned.
On every other level, however, Fiji very
much lives up to its promises. I’ve seen many beautiful beaches in my lifetime,
but Fijian beaches have got to be in my top ten. The people are warm and friendly, and
magnificent with kids. The flight is relatively short (4 hours from Sydney),
the island transfers straightforward and the time difference with Sydney is only two hours
meaning you don’t have to worry about jetlagged kids. In fact the only downside
to our travel story was the impossibly early departure time, which was entirely
our own fault. If you can avoid it, don’t take the 6am flight, it’s just not
worth it!
Here are some highlights from our holiday.
*We travelled in August to Malolo Lailai in
the Mamanuca island group where we spent 10 days in a garden bure at plantation
island resort. This resort is “child friendly” and offers all traditional
resort style features. However, we found it was easy to escape the masses and
enjoy the Fijian island beauty by exploring other corners of the island.
