Fiji is simply always an idea that’s floating around our family chat. It’s where my thoughts go without fail every winter, and I start wishing like crazy that we’d booked ahead for a family holiday in Fiji those glum July school holidays.
So, this year I really thought about my future sad-self and literally one of the first things I did in 2026 was book in for a school holiday trip to Fiji for the depths of winter. This year, I’m hoping to be even more on to it and book out next year’s even further in advance to get the best deals.
So… how do you book a Fiji family holiday when so many other Kiwis are trying to do it at the same time, and manage to afford it? Where should you go? What should you take?
I’ve been lucky enough to go a few times now, and these are my top picks for where to go, plus all the tricks I’ve picked up over the years (including some pretty unusual ones from quite unexpected sources!).
If you’re hoping to take your island holiday daydreams out of your imagination and into reality, here’s how to do it:
Capsule x Flight Centre x Tourism Fiji
The Coral Coast: A Short Skip and a Jump to Heaven!
My personal fave when heading to Fiji on a family holiday with kids is the Coral Coast. It’s definitely a longer drive (depending where exactly you stay and the traffic at the time, it’s between 50 minutes and two hours), but here you’ll find resorts that are just as impressive as on Denarau, plus beautiful, white sand swimming beaches. Unlike Denarau, you can’t move easily between resorts and try different restaurants – but, these resorts are so impressive, you’re not likely to want to wander anyway.
One of the most family friendly resorts on the island is the Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort. Their recently refurbished rooms range from your classic, contemporary rooms with gorgeous garden or ocean views – through to traditional Fijian-style thatched plantation and beachfront bures. If your kids love the water, this is such a safe bet – there’s two main pool areas, and they’re enormous. One – where your kids will no doubt spend the bulk of their days – is the Splash Zone which features an incredible twisting waterslide you’re also going to want to line up for.
Likewise, you can’t go wrong with the Shangri-La Yanuca Island. It features a natural lagoon, coral reef, pristine beaches and each room, suite and bure offers stunning ocean views. While that impressive list ticks all the boxes for you to have a relaxing holiday (did I mention it has a top-notch spa!?), this place is seriously up for kids too.
The Little Chief’s Club is also seriously impressive, offering up a range of fun activities for the kids (there’s tye-dying and weaving classes) to keep them entertained. There’s also a massive inflatable water park, mini-golf, a games room, plus a marine education centre to keep them busy.
Head to the Islands: Discover a True Slice of Paradise
If you’re looking for a slower pace and a Fiji family holiday to really remember, jump on a ferry and get out to one of the smaller islands.
A 45-minute ferry ride away is Malololailai Island in the Mamnuca Islands, where you’ll find Plantation Island Resort. This is one of the most beautiful, scenic islands you can lay your eyes on – and, Plantation Island is almost entirely focused on families. I headed here a few years back when my son was just a toddler and it was perfection – we keep talking about heading back. It’s essentially a three-star resort (with prices to match) at a five-star location.
Alice, her husband and son at Plantation Island Resort
There’s hotel-style rooms available plus a plethora of different bure options. Then, there’s four different pools, a range of different sports courts, playgrounds, kids’ club, the Jungle Water Park – plus, it’s surrounded by one of the most beautiful, safe beaches Fiji has to offer.
The best thing I did before heading there was joining it’s famous Facebook Group – there’s more than 30,000 members, many of whom are experts when it comes to Plantation. You’ll find out all the inside info and tricks before you go – food and drink can be expensive, but you’ll pick up lots of good hacks. I thought the suggestion of taking a toaster was insane… but did it anyway and it was SUCH a good way to keep costs down. Maybe those people who pack a sandwich press and a Nespresso machine are geniuses after all.
Another sure-fire bet is Castaway Island, located on Qalito island in the Mamanuca Islands, about one hour and 50 minutes away by ferry. This group of islands are seriously breathtaking (one of them, Monuriki, is where Castaway, the Tom Hanks movie, was filmed) and you’ll find many high-end resorts here.
Castaway is part of the Outrigger group and offers an affordable holiday on one heck of a stunning island. It’s covered in lush rainforest, with white sandy shores and azure waters. They describe themselves as the ‘barefoot resort’, because here there’s no pretence, it’s a place to spend quality time together and truly unwind.
If your kids a little older, this is where they’re going to want to head – they recently opened a waterpark that features a mini obstacle course (including a slide, swing and action trampoline) that’ll keep them occupied for hours.
Their bures are spacious (some sleep up to 10!), and have a real feeling of seclusion and privacy, set amongst all that luscious rainforest.
The Denarau Dream: Fly then Drop and Flop!
Look, there’s a reason so many Kiwis head to Denarau every school holidays: it’s so bloody convenient. It’s a quick 30 minute drive from the airport to your resort – and these are some of the best you’ll find in the world. These are places you can truly switch off and unwind.
One of your best bets is the Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa. There, you’ll find IKA Kids Club – one of Fiji’s best. Why is this so important? Well, this Hilton has TWO adults only pools and an incredible spa (honestly, I think the massage I had here is one of the best of my life) – which you’re going to want to spend some time at! IKA is available for kids aged 4-12 and boasts a seriously impressive timetable of events (honestly, take a look here!). Plus there’s disco nights, a play park AND a Build-A-Bear workshop.
Room-wise, you have so many options. The starting base room is a Garden Guestroom with Lounge (it sleeps three) – and then there’s one-bedroom options (which also sleep three) and two-bedroom (sleep five) that come with a kitchenette and laundry (refrigerator, microwave, espresso machine and a BBQ! A great way to cut down on food costs). If you’re travelling with the grandparents they even have incredible three-bedroom suites available that sleep up to seven.
Tips for the absolutely PERFECT family holiday in Fiji:
· Get In Fast. Of course, the trickiest part of planning a family holiday is the fact that everyone in NZ (and often Australia!) is trying to book their holidays over the same two week period. If your kids are under five get thee to Fiji now while you can do it on the cheap! Otherwise, the best tip is to get in early. I have a friend who goes to Fiji every July school holidays and when I finally asked her how she affords it, her answer was pretty simple: Flights are able to be booked about 11-12 months in advance, so that’s exactly when she buys them: the very moment they’re available, because if you’re flying in school holidays that’s generally the cheapest they’ll ever be. Same goes for accommodation. Plus, she always has a holiday booked to look forward to. Win win!
· Seek advice: The more information you have about where you’re going, the better! Ask the experts at Flight Centre for their top picks and any insider advice (trust me, they’ll have plenty! And along with this, there’s always your fellow travellers. I only learned this trick a few years ago (when I was headed to Plantation Island!), but now my top tip is to look on Facebook to see if the resort you’re headed to (or planning to go to!) has a Facebook group. These are GOLD. Any question you may have will have already been answered, you’ll see people sharing their real experiences in real time. It’s where I learned the trick of taking a toaster to Plantation Island (still the silliest/best Plantation holiday hack there is).
· Take the Extras. Transfers always ensure there is a car seat available for young travellers if required, but if you’re embarking on your own transportation, or you want the comfort of your own, take the car seat. If you’re flying on Air New Zealand or Fiji Airways, you can take a car seat AND a stroller/pram for no additional cost if your child is under 12. It can feel like one heck of a faff when you’re lugging it around, but personally, I think it’s well worth it. Car seats are rare as hen’s teeth in Fiji so don’t plan on finding a taxi that provides one and the roads can be pretty dicey at best. If you’re staying in Denarau or a large resort, a pram can also be a lifesaver (just make sure yours can handle getting sand in its wheels!).
· Mix and Match! What is it with my friends and Fiji, but I have another friend who goes every year – and her top tip is going with the in-laws. It’s a fab way for the kids and grandparents to spend some quality time together (particularly as they live in different cities) aaand you also get built in babysitters? Their favourite way to do it is to go to the likes of Castaway or Plantation for a few nights with just their family, then they head back to the mainland and each year try a new resort with the grandparents to truly unwind.
· Keep an Eye Out for a Buffet Breakfast Deal. Many resorts offer a deal with breakfast included – or for a pretty small amount if you book in well in advance. These can be a game changer! Setting the whole family up with a solid breakfast can not only set you up for having more energy, feeling happier (and less hangry meltdowns in little ones!), but it’ll save you money in the long run.