Fiji family-friendly travel guide

Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of arrival.

Australians can visit Fiji for up to four months on a free tourist visa without applying in advance, as long as you have a return ticket.

Nadi Airport is the main airport in Fiji. It has duty-free shops, a cafe and restaurant as well as an ATM and an ANZ bank. Nadi is also the airport for connecting flights to the smaller islands. Almost all resorts on smaller islands will have someone waiting at the airport to collect you.

Fiji is comprised of over 332 islands – 110 of which are permanently inhabited – which means that you will most likely require transfers or some other form of transport in order to sightsee or reach your accommodation.

Resorts on the main island, which encompasses the popular Coral Coast and Denarau Island regions, will often arrange transfer services from the airport. Organise this prior to your departure – they may require an extra fee. If this is not an option, there are plenty of taxis on hand, while families who want to travel like the locals can arrange to catch a coach bus that travels via the Coral Coast from Nadi to Suva.

Getting around Fiji is generally easy and fairly inexpensive. All the island groups can be accessed either by plane or ferry.

You can also hire a car on Viti Levu or Vanua Levu if you hold an Australian driver’s licence and a self-driving tour can be a great way for families to explore some of the less-visited regions.

Car hire companies operating in Fiji include Budget, Europcar, and Avis.

Buses are a cheap and efficient means of getting around the larger islands, and a great way to meet some of the locals.

The beauty of Fijiian food is in its local fresh produce, which can be found at any of the various markets on the island, and traditional cooking techniques such as the use of open fire or underground cooking methods.

Expect to find a beautiful local twist on sweet potatoes, coconut, an abundance of fish and various curries. Most resort restaurants will have a kids menu, as well as culinary theme nights, poolside barbecues, buffet feasts and Fiji’s famous lovo – an underground oven filled with hot rocks and a variety of meats and seafood wrapped in banana leaves.

Fiji keeps its islander feel when it comes to shops. While you are able to find international fashion brands and major shopping centres, even major cities are brimming with local handicrafts, markets and traditional art and jewellery. Major credit cards are widely accepted.

The main island, Viti Levu, is the place to find “Western-style” shopping experiences:

• Mid City Mall, Suva
• Port Denarau Shopping Centre

If headed to Suva, other places for shopping include:

• Suva Curio & Handicraft Centre
• ROC Market
• Suva Municipal Market – for fresh fish, fruit and vegetables

On all of Fiji’s islands you’ll be able to uncover local villages, most of which will make their own goods and handicrafts. Interesting mementos include pottery, tapa (bark) cloth, woven baskets, woodcarvings, face masks, grass skirts and silver jewellery. Bargaining is not usually partaken in, however, acceptable at some markets. It is best to judge each situation individually.

A smile and a vinaka (the Fijian word for ‘thank you’) are all that’s expected by the locals.

If you are invited into a local village, dress conservatively and don’t wear a hat (they’re offensive to the chief).

• Take your hat off if you are invited into a local village.
• In Fijian culture it is considered an insult to touch someone’s head.
• Remove shoes before entering someone’s home.
• If you are offered kava – accept it!

240 volts AC, 50 Hertz. They use three-pin power points, the same as in Australia.

Tap water is safe in Nadi, Suva and in most resorts, but if you’re heading to more remote islands, drink bottled water. Visit your doctor at least six weeks before leaving, as you may need to get vaccinations for typhoid and Hepatitis A and B.

Overall, Fiji requires more or less the same safety precautions as those you would use at home in Australia. However, it should be noted that for a major scuba dive location, it does not currently possess an operational decompression chamber, so exercise extreme caution and stay within safety limits while diving.

Hello – Ni Sa Bula (Neer sar bula)
Goodbye – Sa Moce (Sa more there)
Please – Yalo Vinaka (Yarlo Veenarka)
Thank you – Vinaka (Veenarka)
Yes – Io (Ee or)
No – Sega (Senga)
Eat – Kana (Karna)
Toilet – Vale lailai (Va le lie lie)
One – Dua (Du a)
Two – Rua (Ru a)
One more – Dua tale (Du a ta le)

Often the first stop for romantic getaways and honeymooners, the Yasawa Islands are a group of islands to the north of the mainland, It’s not somewhere you would go on a quick weekend escape – to truly make the most of this beautiful setting, you’ll need at least several days – but truly worth it. This is perhaps the most magical spot in Fiji and the kind of place that is guaranteed to blow your little ones away!

Natadola Beach is a no brainer for those looking to impress their friends on social media. With blindingly white sands and sparkling blue water, it’s a part of Fiji that requires no filter. The added bonus? The locals here also offer horse rides!

Fiji’s only two-level floating platform, this surreal little slice of paradise has an Italian wood-fired pizzeria and is surrounded by turquoise waters and vibrant corals.