UNO editor Hayley Barnett experiences the ultimate family getaway: Fiji’s Plantation Island Resort, where luxury meets value with endless fun for kids and adults alike. 

As a family of four, it can be difficult to find a place to holiday that won’t break the bank and that caters to both parents as well as kids. 

Most of the time, you either have to bake in a tent or come up with $700 per night for a cabin in the middle of a campsite. But did you know there’s a gem in the Pacific Ocean that offers everything you could want from a family holiday in a five-star location for a fraction of that cabin price?

Plantation Island Resort has been around for more than 50 years and is still owned and operated by the family who built it − and it shows. Everything here is set up with families in mind. Convenience, comfort, and most importantly fun were obviously all high on the agenda when it came to setting up this island paradise.

We booked five nights in October and by the end of our holiday we could all agree it wasn’t nearly enough. Here’s a rundown of everything we managed to squeeze in between sunbathing and cannonballing around and into all four pools. 

DO

Handline fishing

Our seven-year-old, Oscar, often pressures us to organise a fishing trip, but we don’t own a boat and we aren't what you'd call ’boat people’. So the Handline Fishing Tour seemed as good a time as any to tick it off the list and satisfy him for a wee while. It turned out to be the highlight of the whole trip for Oscar. He caught eight fish! Of course, they were of the tropical variety and he had to throw them all back, but he didn’t mind. And Dad was relieved to get the beautifully-patterned creatures back into the water where they belonged. 

Hair braiding

For regular vacation goers at Plantation, hair braiding is a bit of a holiday tradition, especially for young girls. It takes around an hour and 40 minutes, during which time you can choose to have your own treatment or simply order a cocktail while gossiping with the staff. My daughter, Poppy, opted for the corn rows over the box braids. She walked away very pleased with her choice and took every opportunity she could to get an unhealthy amount of selfies by the pool.

Underwater Museum 

One of the best parts of Plantation Island is the most hidden − its reef. It lies so close to the resort that you can simply swim out from the shore, or in our case practically swim out from our bure. Once you get there, a quirky underwater museum awaits snorkellers, full of fish and coral. There are golf buggies, a dining scene with a table and chairs, and various other objects to attract fish to the area. One of the resort’s resident marine biologists, John, swam out with us to make sure we found the museum and the reef itself. We had swum out the day before but had completely missed the reef, so it was great to have a guide show us exactly where to go. John explained that the pieces in the museum were put there to encourage coral conservation and growth. Plantation Island is big on conservation, so much so that they created what is called the ‘Bula Reef’ − a giant man-made coral reef in the shape of the word ‘Bula’, which means ‘hello’ in Fijian. It’s the world’s largest underwater coral display. Although it’s not a public snorkeling site, Dulcinea Tours do once-per-week visits where guests can view the reef from above the water.

Afternoon Delight snorkelling tour

There are a few different privately-owned charter companies offering boat trips around the surrounding islands. We jumped on a trip with Dulcinea and headed out to Castaway Resort’s reef for some more adventurous snorkelling. A short boat ride took us along Malolo Island, giving us a glimpse into island life for those residing on the island as well as other resorts. Our driver pointed out a small island to our left – ‘Google Island’. Apparently, the search engine company owns it. We jumped off the boat close to Castaway’s water park and snorkelled over the coral reef. The reef itself was large and colourful and teeming with tropical fish and marine life. We spent half an hour there then moved on to Funky Fish Surf Resort for some drinks and snacks before heading back to our slice of paradise.

Paddleboarding, kayaking and water park

Most of the water activities and gear is free for guests and can be picked up from the boat shed at the main beach of the resort. We took advantage of the paddleboards and kayaks and journeyed out to the water park with the kids. They would have stayed there all day if they could, but kids under eight need supervision and after a couple of hours it was time for my daily cocktail on the beach. There’s also a new Jungle Water Park which costs FJ$10 per person and consists of two trampolines, a slide and Tarzan swing. My kids could barely handle the bouncy castle water park so we flagged the more extreme version.

Kids’ Club

On arrival we were given a timetable of all the Kids’ Club activities, of which there are many. We highlighted those that the kids were keen on and planned our days around it. There is everything from tie dye t-shirt making to crab hunting, and the staff were very warm and friendly, so we felt good about leaving them in their capable hands. 

Lomani Island Resort & Spa

When the all-day fun fests get a little much for parents, it’s nice to know there’s an adults-only sanctuary right next door. Plantation has its own spa with plenty on offer, but Lomani gives you that extra peace and quiet you might need for some time out. We escaped halfway through our trip to experience the couple’s massage right on the beach. The idyllic surroundings and the resort itself was just the calming activity we were looking for. Lomani Island Resort is right now building a brand new spa with four rooms, an ice bath, plunge pool, sauna and relaxation deck − to offer a full wellness experience − which will open in February 2025.

EAT

Copra Restaurant

This is the main restaurant that offers a buffet breakfast until 10am every day. It’s also the best restaurant in terms of views. Situated right on the beach, guests can opt for the veranda-style dining room and watch the kids’ activities on the beach at night. It does offer buffet dining every night, however, so if you prefer a la carte, the other restaurants might be more preferable.

BOWL

BOWL only opened in October 2024 and is already one of the most popular eateries on the island. Offering a variety of fresh poke bowls using local fish, tuna and chicken, it’s the perfect poolside meal for adults wanting to break away from the usual family fare of burgers and pizza for lunch.

Black Coral

This is a must-dine at least once on your trip. We ended up there three times, not just for the delicious food, but also for the convenient location. It’s right next to the Kids’ Club and there’s a playground directly in front of the dining area. The steaks (including tuna) are cooked on hot volcanic stone, making this a unique dining experience.

Tavola

Tavola Restaurant and Bar is the newest dine-in restaurant, opening only a few years ago. It’s next to our favourite pool spot and became a santuary for our family to swim and dine. The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a variety of different cuisines, from Italian to Thai.

Flame Tree Restaurant

This eatery is located at Lomani Island Resort & Spa next door, the adults-only retreat. It offers a lot of local ingredients and plenty of options. The dinner menu is great for meat lovers, and the cocktails are on point.

TOP TIPS

Join the Facebook page

‘We Love Plantation Island Resort Fiji’ offers advice from guests past and present, and allows you to ask any burning questions you might have before your trip.

Bula Bikes

These are the resort bikes that are suitable for all ages. The kids loved riding around the island on these and it gave them a bit of freedom to get about on their own.

Lookout point

There’s a track behind the resort that winds up to a lookout point, which offers views across the island. It only takes about 15 minutes to get up, but wear good walking shoes as it can get a little slippery on the track.

Water stations

You will be given water bottles on arrival. Save them and fill them up at the clean drinking water stations around the resort. There’s one next to the Coco Hutt which we used each morning.

Liquor store

The resort recently opened its own liquor store so you can stock up and have a wee tipple in your room from time to time.  

plantationisland.com