EMILY JABOUR
MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN.
FOUNDER OF
THE PARTY BEBE (KID’S PARTY & LIFESTYLE BLOG),
EVENT STYLIST & PR GURU.
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FEATURED DESTINATION
FIJI
Initially we chose Fiji as we were looking to escape Melbourne’s winter chill and had heard wonderful things about the friendly, happy Fijian people and the beautiful beaches and stunning scenery.
As this was our kids first trip outside Australia, we were also encouraged by the relatively short flight time and the family-friendly resorts in Fiji.
We spent the first five days at Fiji Marriott, a brand new 5-star resort at Momi Bay, and the final four nights at Nanuku Auberge, an ultra-luxe resort located at Pacific Harbour.
Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Nanuku Auberge is a truly luxurious resort, with its very own private island to boot! Set alongside the property’s gorgeous, sandy coastline, our villa – one of just 18 – had its own pool, Jacuzzi, and even a cinema and popcorn machine – a highlight for the kids!
The staff were incredible, the food was divine, and the picture-perfect setting was spectacular.
Fiji Marriott was fantastic too. We stayed in an ocean-front Bure, which enjoyed a gorgeous deck and day-bed set on our own private sandy beach. When the kids weren’t playing on the deck or swimming in one of the resort’s numerous pools or the lagoon, they enjoyed pirate treasure hunts and arts and craft activities at the Turtle Kids Club.
SECLUDED SANCTUARY ANYONE?
The highlight of our trip was the day we hired Nanuku Auberge’s private Island. Arriving by boat followed by a short jet ski ride, we spent the day kayaking, snorkelling, and swimming in the pristine warm waters hugging the island.
Our kids loved the daily torch lighting ceremony at both resorts and were transfixed as they watched the Fijian Warriors work their magic. For our little boy Alex, who is three, I think his highlight was hunting for coconuts and hermit crabs on the beach during the day followed by a frog race at night. Bliss!
AND THE FOOD?
At Nanuku Auberge the dining is all-inclusive with breakfast, lunch and dinner all served in the restaurant or by the pool at The Clubhouse.
The cuisine was some of the best we have enjoyed anywhere in the world. It was also family-friendly. The kids joined us for every meal, but once they had finished eating – or their attention-span concluded – their Nanuku Nanny would collect them and take them to the Lai Lai Adventure Club, down to the beach, or back to the villa to watch a movie, leaving Pete and I to finish our meals. A rare treat!
At Fiji Marriot our family’s favourite restaurant was the Lagoon House Bar & Restaurant. There was a fantastic kids’ menu and even an ice-cream and popcorn bar. The Fish Bar is an absolute must-visit too – it is next to the Infinity Pool overlooking the Coral Sea and is the perfect spot to enjoy a cocktail and to watch the sunset.
EMILY’S TOP FOUR TIPS
My biggest tip is… book a trip to Fiji! If you haven’t been I highly recommend it as a family-friendly holiday destination!
Aside from that, my key tips are:
- Take a well-stocked First Aid kit, complete with ear drops and children’s Panadol. Hopefully you won’t need it, but it was so handy to have – our daughter, Ava, got an ear infection on the third day of our trip and it was such a relief to have the necessary supplies at hand.
- Take a handful of the kids favourite toys from home – the kids filled their Trunkis and Trunki Paddlepaks (www.thestorknest.com.au) with their favourite toys from home and loved having some down-time each day back at the Bure or Villa. The Scrunchbuckets (www.limetreekids.com.au) were a hit too and were used daily to build sandcastles to house an ever-growing army of hermit crabs collected by Alex!
- Book a van for any transfers along the Coral coast – the views are incredible but there is a lot of foliage along the road so the extra height in a van will allow you to enjoy those spectacular coastal views. We travelled with Dodo from Uniquely Fiji and would highly recommend them.
- Lastly, ‘Fiji time’ is an actual thing – the beautiful Fijians are all on ‘Fiji time’ – and by the second day of our trip, so were we! No one is in a rush, so take the time on the flight over to adjust your mindset and start relaxing!
For more information on Emily’s exquisite Fijian getaway read more over at The Party Bebe website here and here.
Images courtesty of Emily Jabour
