'I've cracked the code for the perfect family holiday in Fiji.'

My kids are five and two, and now that I feel I'm starting to see the fog of the baby days lift, I thought it would be the perfect time to head on an overseas holiday.

Until now, we've enjoyed a few close-to-home road trips to some pretty nice places. However, packing the car and driving for days, or spending time in Sydney — whilst beautiful — hadn't felt very relaxing. Rather more like parenting in a different location.

I'd been to Fiji once before, child-free, over a decade ago, and had a fantastic time. I knew I wanted my first trip overseas as a family to be there. Why? It's a very special place — anyone who has visited will tell you there is nothing quite like it.

It couldn't be more wholesome. The people are incredibly hospitable, family oriented and amazing with children; you're literally surrounded by idyllic beaches; it's warm; and the best part for me? It's not too far away. At roughly four hours each way, it's a manageable plane ride for even the wildest of toddlers.

After spending a week there with my family, I'm already daydreaming about my next trip and can't recommend a visit enough. Here are some tips for planning your own Fiji family holiday.

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Where to stay in Fiji.

Fijian island accommodation.

There is something incredibly special about an island stay, and it's the best way to experience the real Fiji. Everything is calmer, more relaxed, you have no choice but to chill out — you're truly on Fiji time.

My family and I stayed at Malolo Island Resort, in the Mamanuca Islands, for five nights and I can say, hands down, it's the best holiday I've ever been on.

It is truly paradise: the island itself can host up to 150 people, yet it's so spacious that when I went for a beach walk each morning, I rarely ran into another guest.

The ocean is on your literal doorstep (which means no need for a beach bag or trolley! #winning), and the water is flat, warm and safe, with hundreds of fish literally swimming at your feet.

My kids splashing around just outside our doorstep! Image: supplied.

There are hourly activities like crab racing, cooking classes, lei making, touch footy, beach cricket and fire dancing, as well as free non-motorised water activities to make the most of the surroundings. There are also three different restaurants with great food and endless options, so we had plenty of variety to keep the kids happy. (Plus there was a kids' club, but more on that later.)

There were plenty of paid activities on offer as well. We went on a snorkelling tour, which meant a small boat ride out to the middle of the reef and some incredible coral and sea life on display. (Tip: if you're not a confident swimmer, the snorkelling is just as good on the main island).

We went on a dolphin tour and saw at least 30 dolphins putting on a show in the water. There's also a spa on the island, so you can book some R&R; and if you're a helicopter parent like me, having a nurse on the island made me feel completely safe, especially since my son had a fever one night. She was able to check out his ears and make sure everything was okay. 

On our way to see the dolphins. Image: supplied.

Mainland Fiji accommodation.

Travelling with small kids who were flying overseas for the first time, I knew that getting off the plane and heading straight to an island might be pushing my luck. So I booked a night either side of our stay in Denarau, just a 15-minute drive from the ferry port.

We stayed at two different hotels to get a different experience: the Sheraton, which had the most amazing buffet breakfast I've ever seen, and a great kids pool with sand; and then the Sofitel on the way home, which had an epic kids' club and water slide. Both offered fantastic activities, including fire dancing, and a little warrior for the kids experience — which meant they got to dress up and participate in the torch-lighting ceremonies.

Enjoying the Sheraton's little warrior experience and torch-lighting ceremony. Image: supplied.

Both hotels were very kid-friendly, and if you only had a short time to stay in Fiji, you could definitely make the most of basing yourself there and taking day trips out to the various surrounding islands.

After our night at the Sheraton, we booked our transfer to Malolo through South Sea Cruises. On the way there, we stopped at various islands and it took roughly two hours. It was a great trip with plenty of scenery to enjoy on the way. The trip back was much shorter — it was direct, and we were back at the port in less than an hour.

What to do in Fiji.

Visit a Fijian village.

We were fortunate enough to visit Yaro Village while we were staying on Malolo Island. The village is just a 15-minute boat ride away and is where a lot of the staff who work at the resort live. It was great to meet local families and learn more about their culture, and the best place to pick up souvenirs, so make sure you take some cash — the money goes directly back to the community.

Our visit to Yaro Village. Image: supplied.

It was great for our kids to meet and interact with local kids, too. I'd done some research in various Facebook groups and found that, as the location is quite isolated, visitors often take school supplies and lollies to the villages, which is exactly what we did. The Chuppa Chups were a huge hit!

Celebrate a milestone.

I celebrated my 25th birthday in Fiji, and it has always stayed with me — and was the reason I knew I wanted this trip to coincide with another celebration. So rather than spend hundreds of dollars for my son to bounce around in an indoor trampoline centre with 20 other kids for his fifth birthday, I redirected those funds and we celebrated in Fiji.

The Fijians know how to celebrate — there's a song for almost every occasion, and they make it such a special time. For Hudson's birthday, the staff played their guitars and sang 'Happy Birthday'. I'm certain it will become a core memory for him.

Hudson's fifth birthday celebration in Fiji. Image: Supplied.

Our best friends were travelling with us too, and they decided to make the most of the epic sunsets and romantic setting by renewing their vows for their 10-year wedding anniversary.

We then had an epic kid-free dinner on the private jetty, and I felt like I was a charter guest on Below Deck (IYKYK).

Another family we met on our snorkelling tour was visiting from New Zealand to celebrate their parents' 60-year wedding anniversary. Theirs was a multi-generational trip, with grandparents, parents and teens all there for the holiday.

Make the most of kids' club.

I know how great kids' club sounds in theory, but I wasn't sure how I'd feel about actually leaving my kids. We weren't staying on the mainland long enough to use the kids' club at the bigger hotels, however on Malolo, the kids went a few times for two hours on each occasion — and we had to drag them out of there, as they were having so much fun!

The staff are so great with children that you instantly feel relaxed, and the kids' club is set up very close to the adults' pool, so if you're feeling nervous you can ease yourself in by spending time there and checking in on your kids at regular intervals.

The kids also made connections with the staff, who we could then book to babysit during meal times, meaning we had some child-free dinners and some extra hands at meal times so we could enjoy our meal instead of chasing our toddler around in circles. I really think this was a big part of why I felt so rejuvenated after this trip — I got to spend quality time with my husband, my kids, and also got some downtime.

How soon is too soon to return?

How to get to Fiji.

I definitely recommend flying Fiji Airways, especially on the way home.

The minute you arrive at the departure desk, you are greeted by the signature Fijian customer service — a big "Bula" — which is great. But most of the major hotels also have a flight check in desk at the hotel, meaning you can offload your luggage and get your boarding passes, and arrive at the airport 1.5 hours before your flight (instead of three), luggage free!

What to pack for a Fijian holiday.

When travelling with kids, it can be hard to pack light because they need so many things — especially when you're lugging nappies/ wipes with you. Plus, they seem to go through so many outfits, because they're constantly getting dirty.

As we stayed in three different places over seven days, I was worried about packing and unpacking at each stop. My biggest tip? Packing cubes. Using packing cubes meant I knew exactly where everything was, and it felt more like an organised wardrobe than living out of a suitcase.

It was so easy. It also meant when I got home, the clothes that didn't get worn were still clean and could be put away straightaway. 

Final tips for a Fijian family holiday.

Don't be afraid to travel during wet season.

There are two seasons in Fiji: dry season (May to October) and  wet season (November to April, with January through March being the wettest). The wet season (which was when we went) is less popular, meaning you can snap up a good deal on a holiday during this time.

The week before we left, I checked out the weather forecast and got myself unnecessarily worried. It said it would be cloudy and thunderstorming the entire seven days we were there. Once I got there, the forecast didn't change, but the weather certainly did — we had several days of beautiful clear skies, and when it did rain, it was only short bursts in the morning and evening.

It definitely didn't interrupt any of our activities, and the water was still really warm and on the days it was overcast, we were treated to glorious sunsets. 

Do tip your service providers.

While it's not expected, the average hourly wage for a person working in tourism in Fiji is $5FJD. That's around $3.50AUD.

Our accommodation had a communal tip box, which they divvy out at the end of the year as a Christmas bonus for staff, but you can also tip individuals who have provided you with great service.

Fiji is pretty cashless, but ATMs are readily available, so we made sure to take out some money to be able to tip and to buy souvenirs at the village.

Feature Image: Supplied.