Best holiday ever. Outrigger – Fiji is just magic, a beautiful place just outside of Fiji’s Mamanuca Island group. Rainforest, white sandy beaches, coral reefs, the bluest of water and the most welcoming family of staff. Our Fiji holiday ticked all the boxes – family time, adventure, play, couple time, amazing food, culture, relaxation and of course fun.
The quality of our family time can be less than we wish for running through the swift pace of daily life. I often say that I wish the clock would slow down and our holiday paradise seemed to have that effect on all of us. We held hands while we walked, gazed at the stars, followed lizards, collected hermit crabs and counted fish – together.
Our family all has a big sense of adventure and there was a list of action items we had to get through before two weeks was up at Fiji! Our big bear Nate fell in love with the underwater world that surrounded us and was forever donning his mask, snorkel and fins. Lucky for the little fella- Owen, he didn’t miss out on all the fun, riding in the glass bottom boat ride, which offered a crystal clear view of what hides beneath the surface of that azure sea.
The kids seemed to grow wiser on our holiday, perhaps it stemmed from the view, seeing them relish in all these new experiences and embrace new foods, sports, traditions and friendships.
We navigated the beaches by kayak, bush walked and spent hours playing ball games in the pool and at the beach.
We lived like rock stars one day and took a boat trip to South Sea Island to a bar in the middle of the south pacific where we soaked up rays, sipped cocktails and adored the view. An experience like no other.
Bula Time – Any tension from our ‘real life’ was quickly kneaded away with coconut oil massages under the sheer cloth and tropical thatch roof island bures. Total bliss and relaxation wasn’t hard to find and the option to indulge in some beauty fixes such as manicures, pedicures and our kids loved everything about Fiji. We had time to devour a novel and mingled with other guests at the swim up bar.
Kid’s Club offered different daily activities such as sandcastle competitions, races, ice cream eating contest, banana leaf weaving, cooking, coconut hunting, face painting and so much more. The kids would check out the daily schedule and plan their day to perfection.
Confession time. I have one negative from the trip – the few kilograms I gained eating amazing food and overzealously taking up the options to eat and drink my way through the day! 3 main restaurants to choose from – the Sundowner Bar and Grill, it was beachfront with a stellar view and sublime food. By the second day the chef remembered how I liked my eggs and the fresh produce was delightful. Each night there was a different buffet theme: Mexican, Asian, traditional Fijian or fresh seafood – the chef and his team offer amazing choice, the freshest of ingredients and reinventing traditional dishes with a modern twist. Most lunches we spent poolside, as the kids didn’t want to go far from the pool and loved the burgers and chips! Happy hour and early dinners were devoured almost every night.
