Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Fiji for Families • Fiji Travel

If you have been searching for all-inclusive family resorts in Fiji and found yourself confused — wondering why results keep showing properties that are nothing like a Caribbean all-inclusive — that confusion is completely valid. The terminology means something different in Fiji, and understanding that difference before you book will save you a significant amount of frustration, and probably a significant amount of money.

True all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean sense — unlimited food, unlimited drinks, activities, entertainment, and transfers all bundled into one nightly rate — are genuinely rare in Fiji. The vast majority of Fijian resorts operate on a room-only or bed-and-breakfast basis, with meals, activities, and transfers priced and charged separately. This is simply how the Fijian resort market works. It is not a failing; it is a structural characteristic of the industry here, and once you understand it, you can plan around it effectively.

What Fijian resorts do offer — and what makes the distinction worth understanding — are full-board or “full-board plus” packages that cover most of what a family actually spends money on during a typical resort day. These packages typically include all three meals, non-motorised water activities such as kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkelling gear, and access to the kids club. For a family with children, this is a practically meaningful combination. Food and drink costs compound quickly when children are involved, non-motorised water activities can cost FJD $30 to $60 per item per day if charged separately, and kids club fees at a resort charging per session can reach FJD $40 to $80 per child per day. A full-board package that covers all of these things is not an all-inclusive in the Caribbean sense, but it is a genuinely good value proposition for most families.

What almost never comes included in any Fijian package, regardless of how it is marketed, is unlimited alcohol. Drinks remain on a pay-as-you-go basis at virtually every Fijian resort. Motorised activities — jet skis, parasailing, banana boat rides, speedboat trips, and diving — are almost always priced separately. And transfers to and from the island are sometimes included in certain package tiers but often priced apart. If a booking agent or website uses the phrase “all-inclusive” without providing a specific, itemised list of what is included, ask for that list before you confirm anything.

Plantation Island Resort (Malolo Lailai, Mamanucas)

Plantation Island Resort is the Fiji property that comes closest to what most families imagine when they search for an all-inclusive option. It is a large, well-established resort on Malolo Lailai Island in the Mamanuca group, about 30 minutes by boat from Port Denarau Marina, and it has been catering to families — particularly Australian and New Zealand families — for decades. That experience shows in how the property is structured and in what its packages actually include.

The resort’s full-board plus packages cover all daily meals, the kids club, and a range of non-motorised water activities including kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling gear, and access to the resort’s recreational facilities. For a family with young children, this coverage is substantial. The kids club at Plantation is a genuine facility — staffed, programmed, and popular enough that children often request to go back on their own initiative, which is one of the more reliable tests of a good resort kids club. Meals are buffet-style and the standard is solid rather than exceptional, which is an honest description. For a family of four on a full-board package, expect to pay approximately FJD $600 to $900 per night depending on room category, season, and package tier. At the time of writing that converts to roughly AUD $415 to $620.

Transfers to Malolo Lailai from Denarau are not included as standard in all packages — they are operated by South Sea Cruises and cost approximately FJD $120 to $140 per adult return. Confirm the transfer situation when booking; some packages at certain seasons do include them, and it is worth establishing this in writing rather than assuming.

The honest case for Plantation Island Resort as a family all-inclusive option is this: once you are on the island, the majority of what a typical family spends money on during an ordinary resort day is covered. That is a different thing from unlimited-everything, but for most families it is the practically useful version of the concept.

Malolo Island Resort (Malolo Lailai, Mamanucas)

Malolo Island Resort sits on the same island as Plantation but operates as a more boutique property with a correspondingly smaller scale and higher price point. The resort offers full-board packages that include all meals, and non-motorised activities are included within various package configurations. The feel is more intimate and adult-oriented than Plantation, but the resort does accommodate families and children are genuinely welcomed rather than merely tolerated.

For families who want the included-meals structure of a full-board package but prefer a smaller, quieter environment over the large-resort atmosphere of Plantation, Malolo Island Resort is a worthwhile consideration. Activities beyond the non-motorised range — dive trips, boat excursions, fishing charters — are charged separately. Confirm the specifics of what your package includes at the time of booking; the inclusions can vary between seasons and promotion periods.

Toberua Island Resort (Near Suva)

Toberua Island Resort operates a full-board model by necessity as much as by design — it sits on a small private island about 15 minutes by boat from the Coral Coast near Suva, and the isolation means there is nowhere else to eat. All meals are included as standard, making the food component of the budget genuinely straightforward. The resort is small and intimate, with a relaxed pace that suits families looking for something quieter than the Mamanuca activity circuit.

The activities range is more limited than at larger Mamanuca properties, which is partly a function of size and partly a function of the target audience. What Toberua delivers — and what a certain type of family holiday genuinely benefits from — is simplicity. Meals included, a beach, snorkelling off the house reef, and unhurried days with minimal logistical complexity. It is not the right fit for families who want a structured programme of activities and a buzzing kids club, but for families with older children or for parents who prefer a slower pace, it is a good fit.

A Note on Turtle Island (Yasawa Islands)

Turtle Island in the Yasawa Islands is a fully all-inclusive private island resort in the genuine sense — accommodation, all meals, all drinks, all activities, and transfers are included in the nightly rate. The experience it offers is exceptional, and the property is one of the most celebrated resorts in the South Pacific.

It is included here purely for completeness, because it appears in searches for Fijian all-inclusive resorts and it does technically meet the definition. However, for practical purposes, Turtle Island is not a family destination — the resort caters to couples, and with nightly rates in the range of FJD $3,500 to $7,000 (around AUD $2,400 to $4,800) for two people, the price is prohibitive for most families even before children’s rates are considered. For families researching all-inclusive options in Fiji, Turtle Island should be understood as a different category of travel.

Package vs. Pay-As-You-Go: The Honest Calculation

For a family holiday in Fiji, the financial case for full-board packages is straightforward once you run the numbers. Children eat as much as adults at resort restaurants and frequently more at buffets. Resort food and drink charges — when you are paying individually for every meal, every juice, every snack — compound with a speed that surprises most families on their first Fiji trip. A family of four at a resort where everything is charged separately can easily spend FJD $300 to $450 per day on food and non-alcoholic drinks alone.

Non-motorised activity hire has genuine daily value for active families. Kayaks at FJD $25 to $40 per hour, paddleboards at similar rates, snorkelling gear hire at FJD $20 to $35 per set per day — if your children are in the water for four or five hours across different activities, the cost of doing this on a pay-as-you-go basis is real. A full-board plus package that covers these items removes the daily mental calculation and the accumulating receipts.

The most important question to ask before confirming any booking is: “What is included in this package, line by line?” Not “is it all-inclusive,” not “does it include most things” — a specific list. Ask whether all three meals are included for children at the same level as for adults, whether the kids club is included or charged per session, whether transfers from Denarau are included or separate, and which water activities are included versus priced additionally. Get the answers in writing. This is not excessive caution; it is the minimum due diligence for a holiday where the included/excluded boundary directly determines your budget.

Final Thoughts

True all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean sense do not broadly exist in Fiji, and families who arrive expecting that model will be caught off guard by additional charges if they haven’t researched carefully. What does exist — and what works well for families — is the full-board plus package structure offered by properties like Plantation Island Resort, which covers the expenses that accumulate most predictably during a family resort holiday: meals, kids club, and non-motorised water activities. That is not the same thing as unlimited-everything, but for most families on a typical resort day, it covers the practical majority of what they would spend money on.

Book with clarity about what is and is not included, read the package terms in detail, and confirm transfers and kids club access specifically. Done carefully, a full-board family package at a Mamanuca island resort is genuinely good value and removes a meaningful amount of logistical friction from the holiday — which, with children, is often exactly what a family trip needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fiji all-inclusive in the same way as Caribbean resorts?

No. True all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean sense — unlimited food, unlimited alcohol, activities, and transfers all bundled into one rate — are rare in Fiji. Most Fijian resorts operate on a room-only or bed-and-breakfast basis, with meals and activities charged separately. Some properties, particularly Plantation Island Resort in the Mamanucas, offer full-board plus packages that cover all meals, kids club access, and non-motorised activities — which is a practically useful coverage for families, even though it differs from the Caribbean model. Alcohol and motorised activities are almost always charged separately regardless of package type.

Which Fiji resort is best for families wanting meals included?

Plantation Island Resort on Malolo Lailai in the Mamanuca Islands is the most established option for families seeking full-board packages in Fiji. The resort has operated family-focused packages for many years, and its inclusions — all meals, kids club, and non-motorised activities — are among the most comprehensive available in the Fiji market. Malolo Island Resort on the same island offers a more boutique alternative at a higher price point. Toberua Island Resort near Suva includes all meals by necessity and suits families who prefer a quieter, more intimate experience. Always confirm the specific inclusions of any package before booking.

Are transfers to island resorts included in Fiji family packages?

Not always, and this is one of the more common sources of budget surprise for families booking Fiji island resorts. Transfers from Port Denarau to properties like Plantation Island Resort are operated by South Sea Cruises and typically cost approximately FJD $120 to $140 per adult return, with children’s rates applying for those under 15. Some packages — particularly promotional packages offered at certain times of year — do include transfers. Confirm whether transfers are included in your specific package at the time of booking, and get the answer in writing. If they are not included, factor the transfer cost into your total holiday budget from the outset.

What should I ask before booking a family package in Fiji?

The most useful questions to ask before confirming any family package in Fiji are specific and itemised: Are all three daily meals included for children at the same level as adults, or only some meals? Is the kids club included as part of the package, or is it charged per session? Are boat transfers from Denarau to the island included, or priced separately? Which water activities are included — and does “non-motorised activities” cover everything available or only a subset? What activities are charged additionally regardless of package tier? A reputable resort or booking agent should be able to answer every one of these questions with a direct, itemised response. If the answer to any of them is vague, ask for clarification in writing before paying a deposit.

By: Sarika Nand