Fiji has nonstop flights from North America as well as Australia and New Zealand. This makes it an ideal vacation for families. If you are planning a trip to Fiji with toddlers or young children, you are going to want to read up on these tips!
Tips for Fiji with Toddlers
Consider a Seat for Your Child Under 2
If you are traveling with a young child, if you are coming from North American airport with a long overnight flight, consider getting a seat for your baby to be better able to curl up and sleep on the plane. The best thing about flights from Vancouver and Los Angeles is that they are night time flights which mean you leave at night and arrive in the morning, which for those who can sleep on the plane, means a quick flight and some rest on arrival. When flying with a baby, do not fear the overnight flight, the baby will probably sleep better than you do!
For those of you traveling to Fiji with toddlers over two, this is a non-issue and they will need their own seat. At this age, I do not pack anything special for them to sleep, my kids typically curl up in their seat and put their head in my lap. We avoid the bulkhead row for this reason (because their arm rests do not come up). Fiji airways from Vancouver offered plush pillows and blankets on board our overnight flight.
Order a Child Meal on your Flight
Ordering a child meal means your kids get their food first, regardless of where you are sitting on the plane. This is particularly helpful if you want them to eat and then settle down to sleep. My kids fell asleep before the food was served both ways, but at least it was an option! It is nice to have a full service carrier compared to going to Oahu with toddlers.
Pack the Essentials (and extra sunscreen)
Some things in Fiji are quite expensive. Baby items are one of them. Pack what you need so you are not cringing at the prices in stores. Brand availability is also limited. They have tond of sunscreen brands available, but the prices are very high! Better to bring what you need from home! I have a beach packing essentials list you can take a look at before you start packing!
Not All Accommodation Has Elevators
We stayed in a 3 story walk-up while in Fiji. If you have a stroller and do not want to be lugging it up stairs or even worse, waking a napping toddler, try and arrange a ground-floor room to avoid the hassle of stairs.
Organize a Transfer with Car Seats in Advance
Unless you plan to rent a car, you may not need car seats. If you are not planning on bringing yours along, arrange a transfer with your toddler from the airport. They offer car seat options for families. There is not Uber or any rideshare app in Fiji but lots of taxis, vans and busses.
Family Friendly Excursions
Fijians are incredibly hospitable people. You will get used to saying “Bula” (“hi”) to everyone you meet. If you are in fiji with toddlers and babies, you will get even more attention. If you are looking to book excursions with kids, here are some of the family friendly ones we loved:
Fijian Cultural Village: Explore what a traditional village looked like and the roles of the community. They offer pickup and dropoff in Denarau Island hotels, Nadi Airport area hotel, Wailolo area, and children 4 and under are free. Their show is impressive (the fire show is a hit of course) and the performers make it a lot of fun for the kids at the end of the show! BOOK ONLINE HERE
Day Cruise to Tivua Island: This was the absolute highlight for us. Despite the rainy weather on the way there, we saw baby reef sharks and rays right off-shore! The fish were everywhere! A snorkel dream! For babies and toddlers, there is a kids club so the rest of the family can snorkel. Children 2 and under are free. It includes an open bar and lunch and there is white sandy beach all over the island! The water is calm, the perfect beach for toddlers in Fiji! BOOK ONLINE HERE
Choose a Family Friendly Resort
There are several resorts that offer awesome amenities for families. The Radisson Blu Fiji is close to the airport and has great pools and family amenities. The Hilton is also right next door! I love that they have kitchen and laundry options in a resort! It makes family travel so much easier!
Relax and Manage Your Expectations
The most important part of family travel is managing your expecations! Travling with kids is “parenting in paradise” to me. Its not a relaxing, sit in the sun all day (like before you had kids). It is a new stage of life to adjust to. If you go in with the right mindset, it will make your trip to fiji with your babies much less stressful! I have put together some common mistakes that first timers make, have a read of these mistakes to avoid when planning a trip to Fiji.
Lindsay Nieminen hails from Vancouver, Canada and shares her love of travel on this website. She is passionate about showing others that they should not put off traveling the world just because they have young children or are single parents. She aims to encourage them to seek out adventure, whether it is at home or abroad by providing information on how just about everywhere can be a destination to explore as a family.
Eva
Monday 1st of May 2023
Your article was reassuring! We want to take our kiddo to Fiji and we are also flying from Vancouver BC. Did you take the direct 11 hour flight? Our daughter will be 4. We were wondering how she would do. She has been an amazing traveller so far but her longest flight has been 4.5 hrs. Do you think Economy would be fine for the long flight?
Lindsay Nieminen
Tuesday 2nd of May 2023
I’m sure she will do fine! The flight is late so she should sleep! ( my 9 year olds slept the entire flight home! ) We flew economy on the nonstop both ways and it was fine. The plane is older but the pillows and blankets were really cozy ( better than other airlines I have been on lately )