Fiji or Vanuatu with 1.5 and 3.5 yr old

[Deedles]

So we have decided to go on a very late planned holiday with our two very cheeky lil dudes next month.
We thought we would go to Fiji but now we are thinking Vanuatu may be a nice and also cheaper place to go. Also DH says that it being smaller may be better so we wouldn't have to drive so far to sight see.

What are your reccomendations on the 2 and we are on quite a budget so cheaper would be better!

Basically for our holiday we want beaches, nice restaurants/eating out, very child friendly, possibly the nanny/child minding options, a couple of tours if possible and shopping if there are any good places.

Any suggestions welcome.

[BellyBelly]

Ive been to both, I cant remember money wise what was cheaper as I had an all inclusive food package in Fiji. For families very much the same, both great places to go. Vanuatu had some great little spots to take the kids to see turtles, coconut crabs and small sharks. Went glass bottom boat riding too. So many beaches in both places that its hard to go wrong! Fiji is great too but I went on a couple trip out in the yasawa islands away from the mainland, so didnt look at kids options much. Sure theres heaps though.

[MantaRay]

I haven't been to Fiji but I took a 3 month old and a 22 month old to Vanuatu. Vanuatu was very kid friendly - it was easy with both boys. Flights and accommodation are very reasonable from memory but food was very expensive there. I have heard that Fiji is very kid friendly too so you should probably just choose the place that suits you best.

[OceanPrincess]

I've been to both. Fiji is more developed and they are more aware of the power of the tourist (and tourist dollar!) but Vanuatu is catching up, slowly but surely.

Not as many options on Vanuatu with regards to accommodation but you'd be able to find something I'm sure. We talked about staying on Iririkki Island with kids - that's one of the newest resorts and possibly most family friendly.

Food from memory is much of a muchness price wise - both are not the cheap South East Asia prices of Thailand and Vietnam, more similar to Aussie prices.

HTH - any specific questions let me know, I've been to Vanuatu twice and Fiji once.

[BellyBelly]

I stayed at Iririki, half the island is for adults only, half families. Some of their places to eat are adult only too. Loved the acommodation there and an amazing seafood restaurant across from the island, yum. Also a market (grocer) and crafts closeby.

[Shanti]

Fiji is awesome!! Took our DD1 there when she was just 10mths old and they were awesome with her!! Great for kids.... but do you know what place is really great for kids???? Thailand!!!! we just went with our nearly 3yr old and our 7mth old..... the Thai people SPOIL them!

[Deedles]

So we have decided to go to Vanuatu as the flights are short, its cheaper and seems like a smaller place to get around.
We are on a tight budget so it seems like the best option. We would mainly just like to hang on the beach/pools, eat nice food, relax and spend family time together.

Fiji and Thailand would have been wonderful but we will go to Thailand when the boys are bigger as DH's uncle is married to a lovely thai lady and they have an apartment in Bangkok and also a house on a farm out in the country. So that would be nice but I want the boys to remember that holiday :-)

Going to book it all now! Any tours or sight seeing on this small island anyone recommends?

[OceanPrincess]

Hideaway Island - short bus then boat trip from the main town. Lovely little island with some fantastic snorkeling. Kids might get bored though!

Mele Cascades Waterfall - lovely waterfall but not an easy walk up - you'd end up carrying your younger bub. Wear reef shoes or similar as there are water crossings on the way up.

We went up to Bluewater Resort where you can hand feed turtles and sharks in a natural aquarium. Kids might love that!

There's a crew called Vanuatu Ecotours who would be able to organise an "Island" tour for you, that'd be good.

[Deedles]

So we are staying at the Iririki Island Resort & Spa. Its had mixed reviews on trip adviser though so we are starting to think twice?

I had a look just then at the blue water resort and the reviews all say how horrible it was. They said it was overgrown and falling apart/a dump. So thats a bit sad as I think it would have been a great option. When did you go the OP? What did you think of it?

Will look up the tours now. Thank you

[BellyBelly]

I went to Iririki in 2008. So alot can change in that time.

[OceanPrincess]

Deedles I went in 2007, for part of my honeymoon. We didn't stay at Bluewater - I can remember it did seem a bit outdated and in need of a bit of TLC even back then!

But, we booked a tour through one of the local operators - we just walked down the street in Port Vila - yes "the street", there is literally one road around the whole of Efate island, in the main part of town it has a handful of side streets branching off it but that is it! Anyway that might have changed too now! But, we found a tour operator in the main street and booked a tour with them... they drove us up there, we hand fed the turtles and crocodiles and then went for a gorgeous kayak tour on the ocean and up a river. It was stunning, but hard work and that part probably wouldn't be appropriate for your littlies.

But I thought maybe feeding the turtles and sharks would be nice - you could get a taxi to drive you up there, spend a few hours there and then come back, without doing the kayak tour.

Actually I just checked tripadvisor too - it looks like it has been shut down. I really hope their animals are ok and have been released

So sad. Seems a little bit typical of the NiVans... didn't work? Ah well. Let the jungle take it back over!