SOUTH PACIFIC
MAMANUCA ISLANDS Less than an hour’s boat ride from Port Denarau, the Mamanuca Islands are the closest group to the mainland. The Tom Hanks movie Castaway was filmed at Monoriki Island and can be visited on day trips from its many resorts
PLANTATION ISLAND RESORT On the second largest island in the group, Malolo Lailai Island, accommodation at Plantation Island Resort ranges from poolside rooms the kids will love to beachfront bures. As well as the Coconut Kids Club, it has a creche and indoor activities centre and two outdoor playgrounds. Activities include pineapple cracking, coconut boat making, toy weaving, limbo, talent quests, crab hunting, crab races, dance lessons, tie-dye t-shirt making, scavenger hunts, beach
Malolo Island Resort
Six Senses
soccer, shell and necklace making, fish feeding, nature walks and face painting. Families can enjoy a meal by the water at the Ol’ Copra Shed, dine on Pacific Rim cuisine at a la carte restaurant Black Coral or grab a burger, hot dog or pizza at the beachfront Snack Bar. The Cocohut Espresso & Frappe Bar also sells fresh coconuts and there’s a mini-mart selling ice-creams and snacks. Babysitting services are available. plantationisland.com
MALOLO ISLAND RESORT
With its teenage retreat, complete with bean bags, music, table tennis and entertainment, this resort is ideal for adolescents. The Fijianowned property has colonial and plantationstyle architecture and two pools. Dine at main eatery Terrace Restaurant, the thatched roof Beach Bar or at signature restaurant Treetops if your kids are aged 13 or over. Malolo Kids Club, which is free for children aged four to 12, has themed. Marine Environment Day teaches kids about coral reef care with snorkelling lessons, fish identification and fish feeding, while the Coconut Tree Day teaches kids to husk and scrape coconuts and build and race traditional Niu boats. Other activities include traditional arts and crafts, herbal medicine and endangered species tours, face painting and Fijian language lessons. Visits to the local primary school and neighbouring islands can also be arranged. There are 46 bures in five categories, including four Family Bures which can sleep up to seven people. maloloisland.com
SIX SENSES FIJI
This luxurious resort on Malolo Island has 24 spacious private pool villas plus 60 two to five-bedroom residences. Its Grow With Six Senses kids’ club, open daily from 9am to 9pm, is complimentary for children aged four to 12. Activities include yoga, tree planting, bracelet weaving, zumba, tie-dye t-shirt making and pizza making. Nanny services are also complimentary for Residence guests between 9am to 5pm, and available to villa guests at a cost. Families can organise picnics, take part in cooking classes, sailing, jet-skiing, kayaking, snorkelling, waterskiing and stand-up paddleboarding. Other options include village tours, island hopping and sunset cruises. Junior spa treatments are also available. In the middle of the resort, Tovolea Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Guests at TeiTei Pizzeria, near the outdoor cinema, can interact with the resort’s chefs as they prepare meals. RaRa Restaurant and Bar has views of the marina and offers classic cafe dishes and ASEAN specialties, while RaRa Café is a great place to grab a coffee and a pastry. sixsenses.com/resorts/fiji/destination 63