Tropical Fiji. The ads don’t lie. Sunny days, palm lined beaches and one of the most family friendly holiday destinations. If you were like me and are planning your first Fiji Holidays with your brand new baby, Here are my Top 3 Tips for Visiting Fiji.

Top 3 Tips for Visiting Fiji with a baby

Where to stay: Things to consider

When deciding on a location to stay – we opted to stay on Denarau Island. Denarau is really close to the Fiji’s main international airport, Nadi (20 minutes by car), and is like its own gated development. The area is mainly made up of large resorts (9), a port, some private residences and a golf course. The great thing is that you can walk across to all the resorts, either via a walkway along the beach or use the shuttle, called the Bula Bus. It was wonderful to be able to walk across all the resorts in the evening and try different places for dinner!

The other option we considered that is a bit further from the airport is the Coral Coast. It has a really appealing coastline with pristine beaches as the main pull for travellers. Denarau instead, actually only has a man-made beach so you would generally just laze by the pool. The trade off was a bit more of a remote location (1 hour and 20 minute drive from the airport) and less restaurants at walking distance. So for first timers, Denarau was the perfect choice! We opted to stay at the Hilton Fiji in Denarau, you can read more about it in my review HERE.

What to pack and bring from home

When packing your suitcase, I recommend you take everything you need for your baby from home, enough to last you the whole trip. So that is nappies, wipes, formula, creams, baby food and whatever else your baby needs. Yes, it might mean that you will have a suitcase filled with baby stuff – but it will defenitely save you a lot of money. While you can most definitely find these items for purchase there, the convenience stores in the resorts have a huge markup on these items for holidaymakers. If you are after a specific type or brand of item, they might also not have it.

There was of course a local supermarket at the port which had more affordable prices and more options. But to be honest, I was glad I had everything with me so the only thing I had to buy was water to make up the baby bottles! It also means that once you unpack your suitcase in the resort, you can relax! You already have everything you need and you won’t have to worry about going to look for things if you run out.

Vaccinations and Mosquitos in Fiji

Make sure your vaccinations for you and your baby are up to date before travelling to Fiji. Speak to your doctor for any concerns or specific health advice before travelling. We opted to travel once our baby was 6 months old and had just had his 6 months routine vaccinations.

Mosquitos can be an annoyance in Fiji, with December to April being the wet season and when most moquitos are around. There is Zika, Typhoid and Dengue cases throughout Fiji so ensure to take some kids and adult insect repellent to avoid getting bitten. You can also purchase a net to go over the cot if needed and if your baby is quite sensitive to mosquito bites.

You can check the most up to date travel information for Fiji from the Australian Smart Traveller website HERE.

Nanny and babysitting facilities at the resorts for babies

Lastly if you haven’t already read this in all the other posts about Fiji, they absolutely love babies and children there! The service is outstanding and everyone in the resorts is very accommodating. We would often sit by the pool and the attendants will come around and take our little one for a few minutes while we had our lunch and they are just the most gentle and nurturing people I have ever met! Most resorts in Denarau offer Kids Clubs and Babysitting / Nanny facilities.

Hiring a nanny

We used the nanny at the resort we stayed at and it was well worth! Most resorts offer a nanny service for little ones under 3 years old. The nannies may be employed by the resort or from an outside company. Either way, they are extremely affordable (from 8-10 FJD per hour) and more than happy to provide you with references. Do note that the rates vary – for some you might have to book ahead and for an minimum amount of hours (generally 3) or for 2 or more consecutive days. The fees are usually higher for the evening. The nannies are extremely professional, well trained with children and they will take great care of your little ones.

Kids Clubs

Kids older than 3 years old can generally go to the Kids Club without an accompanying adult but do need to be toilet trained. Depending on the resort/package you booked, the Kids Club might have a fee per child to attend. In most cases, it will be included as part as your room rate if you are staying longer than a few days.

‘Vinaka’ (Thank You!) Fiji! We had a fabulous time and I can’t wait to go back and get some more of the Fijian hospitality!

To Check out my review of the Hilton Fiji, click HERE.

Have a look at some great Fiji Hotel deals, have a look at Expedia or Booking.com.

To check out the best airfares to Fiji, check out Skyscanner.