Fiji on a Budget with Kids: Our Island Hopping Guide
Updated: Sep 21
There’s a side of Fiji most travellers never see — beyond the infinity pools, cocktail bars and luxury resorts. A slower, wilder Fiji made up of tiny island villages, turquoise reefs and simple beachfront homestays. Over 3 unforgettable weeks, we island-hopped through the Yasawa Islands with our kids, discovering just how family-friendly and easy Fiji can be to explore — even beyond the big resorts.
Fiji is a fantastic destination for families, with so many different ways to see and experience the islands. While many families choose to stay in a resort, we wanted to experience a more authentic side of the country, beyond the resorts and into the heart of Fiji. So we ventured into the remote Yasawa Islands, discovering welcoming villages, incredible snorkelling, stunning beaches and the relaxed island life that makes Fiji so special.
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Getting Around Fiji With Kids
Planning an island-hopping trip through the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands wasn't as straightforward as we expected. We found it surprisingly difficult to work out how to travel between the islands independently and we were not keen on doing a guided tour.
Then we discovered the Awesome Adventures Fiji Bula Pass, and suddenly it became easy. The hop-on/hop-off ferry pass allowed us to travel at our own pace and choose which islands we wanted to visit.
How does it work? The ferry is operated by South Sea Cruises, and at each island stop, smaller boats come out to collect guests and take them to their homestays or resorts. It sounds chaotic, but it’s incredibly well organised. The staff on board are extremely helpful and we never felt lost.
Planning your trip and not sure which islands to choose? Check out our complete guide on How to Travel the Yasawa Islands, with everything you need to plan your route, ferry transfers and island stays.
Where We Stayed in Fiji With Kids
We decided to mix things up in Fiji, staying in a combination of hotels, local homestays and resorts.
For our first and last nights in Nadi, we stayed in hotels. Once we reached the Yasawa Islands, we mostly chose homestays and locally owned bungalows, with one resort stay at Barefoot Manta — which we absolutely loved!
Every homestay was a little different, but accommodation was generally very simple. Beds were often quite firm, bathrooms were mostly outdoors and facilities were basic. As a family of four, we either had two rooms with two beds in each or one larger room with enough beds for everyone.
Some homestays also have larger dorm-style rooms with six or seven beds, often used by backpackers. If you're travelling with kids, it's worth messaging your host before booking to check the room and bed setup and make sure you'll have a space that works for your family.
But the simplicity was also part of what we loved about staying locally. Our kids played with local children, we met neighbours and extended family, shared meals with our hosts and experienced a side of island life that we simply wouldn't have seen if we'd stayed entirely in resorts.
Homestays vs Resorts With Kids
There are two main options for accommodation in the Yasawa Islands: resorts and homestays. Most people think of resorts when planning a Fiji holiday, but once you start looking, there are actually plenty of homestays available, particularly throughout the islands.
Homestays give you a genuine glimpse into everyday Fijian life and the chance to meet local families and people around the island. They're also considerably more affordable, with meal plans generally costing around $18–$40 AUD per person, per day.
The other option is resorts, and resorts in Fiji are absolutely beautiful. The staff are incredibly welcoming, and everything is generally comfortable, beautifully done and very well organised. However, they cost a lot more. Most resorts in the Yasawa Islands have compulsory meal plans, which can range from around $50–$200 AUD per person, per day, on top of your accommodation.
We really enjoyed experiencing both. We chose Barefoot Manta for our resort stay because of the opportunity to swim with manta rays directly from the island during manta season — Swimming alongside these gentle giants was unforgettable and it's something we couldn't experience at most of the other resorts.
Is Island Hopping Fiji Easy With Kids?
Absolutely — we highly recommend it! We went straight into island hopping rather than spending our holiday at one resort, and the kids loved it.
The ferry was comfortable, with plenty of room to move around and both indoor and outdoor seating. We also planned our route so we were never travelling for too long at once. We stayed a minimum of two nights on each island and chose islands that were well spaced along the ferry route.
On the way north through the Yasawas, we stopped at three different islands before reaching the top, then made another stop on the way back. This meant we never had one really long ferry journey and weren't packing up and moving every day.
For us, this made island hopping Fiji with kids really easy. We got to experience several completely different islands without the trip ever feeling rushed or exhausting.
Why Visit Fiji With Kids?
For us, Fiji was so much more than a beach holiday. Staying in local homestays we got a real glimpse into everyday life, and we saw how connected the communities are and the importance of family, culture and the land.
Then there were the incredible experiences we had underwater. The kids snorkelled beautiful coral reefs, through schools of tropical fish, swam with reef sharks and at Barefoot Manta Resort, learnt about manta rays and the how to protect the marine environment from the resident marine biologists.
It made Fiji a surprisingly educational trip — just without the kids realising they were learning!
When to Visit Fiji
The best time to visit is during the dry season, from April to October—when the weather is cooler, less humid, and ideal for island hopping.
Cyclone season runs from November to March. It can still be beautiful, but you’re more likely to experience rain and wind.
Choosing Which Islands to Visit With Kids
With so many islands to choose from, planning your route can feel a little overwhelming. We found that staying at least two nights on each island and and spacing our stops along the ferry route worked really well, particularly with kids.
Each island offers something different, so think about what your family wants to experience — whether that's great snorkelling, beaches, hiking, local homestays or resort facilities.
West-facing beaches tend to be calmer and more protected from the wind, which can be great for swimming and snorkelling with kids. We also found that sheltered locations, like Octopus Resort, could still have fantastic snorkelling when conditions elsewhere were windy.
Not sure where to stop? We've put all our tips and advice into our complete guide on How to Travel the Yasawa Islands, where we've shared everything we learnt about planning a route and choosing which islands to visit.
Practical Tips for Fiji With Kids
🥨 Bring plenty of snacks from home. This is honestly one of our biggest tips for travelling the Yasawas with kids. We were always well fed at our accommodation, but kids have a habit of getting hungry at the most inconvenient times — halfway through a ferry trip, after hours of snorkelling or between meals. There are very few places to buy snacks once you're out in the islands, so we were very glad we'd packed muesli bars, crackers and other favourites from home.
💵 Withdraw cash before heading to the islands. ATMs are extremely limited in the Yasawas, and many homestays, local activities and smaller businesses only accept cash.
🏠 Check your room setup before booking a homestay. Homestays vary considerably so it's worth messaging your host before booking to check what will work for your family.
🏝️ Don't change islands every day. We stayed for a minimum of two nights at each stop, which worked really well with kids. It gave us time to actually enjoy each island without constantly packing bags, catching boats and moving on to the next place.
🍽️ Check meal-plan prices before booking. A room can initially look like a bargain, but compulsory meal plans can add considerably to the total cost — particularly at resorts. Always check what's included and calculate the full price for your family before booking.
📱 Don't expect reliable Wi-Fi or electricity everywhere. Some of the more remote homestays are very simple, and Wi-Fi and electricity can be limited.
🥽 Bring your own snorkelling gear. There are incredible reefs throughout the Yasawas, and having our own gear meant we could jump in whenever we wanted without worrying about hiring equipment.
What We Packed for Fiji (and what we used every single day)
During our time in Fiji, the girls lived in the ocean.
From the moment the sun rose, they were barefoot and salty.
Our Fiji Packing List
Long sleeve rashies for kids
Zinc sunscreen - we love Moo Goo!
Wide-brim sun hats
Sarongs
Reusable snack containers & Favorite snacks from home
Compact first aid kit - remember to remove scissors and tweezers if travelling with carry-on only
Laundry soap sheets
Travel Insurance - We use World Nomads
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These are the little things that made our days easier and a little more carefree
More South Pacific Adventures
If you love travelling beyond the typical tourist trail, you might also enjoy some of our other South Pacific adventures.
🌴 How We Island Hopped Around French Polynesia (Flights, Ferries & Costs) – Everything you need to know about getting between Tahiti, Huahine, Bora Bora and Moorea without blowing the budget.
🌴 Bora Bora on a Budget – Yes, it's possible. Here's exactly how we visited one of the world's most famous islands without spending a fortune.
🌴 Moorea vs Bora Bora: Which Island Is Better for Families? – Our honest comparison after visiting both islands with our daughters.
🌴 Huahine Travel Guide – One of French Polynesia's most underrated islands, with quiet beaches, awesome snorkelling and far fewer crowds.
🌴 New Caledonia Travel Guide – A mix of French culture, tropical islands and some of the most beautiful beaches we've ever seen.
🌴 Isle of Pines With Kids – Crystal-clear water, natural pools and postcard-perfect beaches that felt almost too beautiful to be real.
Not sure if Fiji is the best fit? We compared Fiji with Vanuatu, New Caledonia, the Cook Islands and French Polynesia to help you choose the perfect South Pacific holiday here.
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