‘Everyone needs some Fiji’

By Kate Vuso

That was the title of the quick flyer made on Canva that was circulated to family prior to everyone gathering to celebrate a significant birthday. If you’re a little OCD and are hosting over 21 family members, having everything well organised is a must, which isn’t very difficult considering all the options available for a 10-day visit to Fiji.

And the truth was, that after a long, cold winter overseas everyone needed some Fiji! Whether Fijian by citizenship or Fijian by heart, the warm, fragrant air that envelopes you as soon as you step off the plane, the Bula smiles, fun and chatter as you exit the arrivals terminal, reminds you that you are ‘home’.

Of course, December through to February is the Fiji summer, so I had pre-warned everyone in advance that the weather might be mixed but the unified response was “but it will be warm!” And warm it was. Although, any time of the year is pleasant in Fiji.

All of our family like their food – not just any food, but with a mixed hospitality background and at least one chef amongst us, good food, a respectable wine menu, great ambience and service – all contribute towards our enjoyment.

Day 1 on the agenda was an evening meal to welcome all the arrivals and provide an opportunity to catch-up. Lulu Bar Restaurant & Cafe at Port Denarau is a five minute walk from our residence and it ticked all the boxes. Our table for 21 pax on the verandah, overlooking the harbour as the sun started to dip, was the perfect setting for the week ahead. As we finished our meal the heavens opened up and unleashed a deluge of rain, which didn’t make any difference to us, considering we were well protected by large awnings and umbrellas. In fact, the younger family members were enticed away from the shelter to finish the evening with a warm rain bath, and catching the end of the nightly cultural performance at the Port.

We were happy that the showers were well passed by the second day of our program, which was aimed at giving everyone a ‘white sand beach and translucent blue sea experience’ at Malamala, a slice of Fijian paradise. It was a stunning day and the sea was as smooth as glass for our comfortable crossing on board South Sea Cruises’ high-speed catamaran to our island day destination.

Malamala Beach Club is the world’s first beach club located on its very own island in the majestic Mamanuca group of islands, just 30 minutes from Port Denarau.

We had booked the spacious beachside Grand Deluxe Cabana 1 to accommodate our group, along with chilled bu on arrival – the perfect fresh organic coconut water thirst quencher for everyone. All our delicious meals from the island’s Pacific-inspired à-la-carte menu were ordered well in advance: Kaiviti Kokoda, Pacific Seafood Basket, Tacos, Sliders and Pork Bao (buns) to name a few. With 180-degree views of the white sand beach and beautiful ocean, our cabana came complete with butler service, bean bags and beach chairs.

So our only tasks were to relax, swim in the gloriously clear warm sea, lap up on natural Vitamin D, plus snorkel and kayak (depending on our energy levels), dip in the resort-style infinity-edge pool and laze in hammocks. With so much to enjoy, even the two youngest among us – a nine-month baby girl and her three-year-old sister – did not nap.

Some of the younger ones (and a few older folks) waited for the tide to rise so they could jump off the end of the pier, as per the ritual that has developed over several years since the popular Beach Club opened in 2017.

There were a lot of tired, well sated, and very relaxed people as we made our late afternoon return on South Sea Cruises’ on-time ferry. Sunscreen had been amply applied, so there was some competition about the healthy glow to everyone’s skin as they shucked off the winter pallor.

When I was drawing up our itinerary, I had originally planned to provide everyone with some downtime on Day 3, booking a highly competent masseur to visit our house and provide the group with a traditional Fijian bobo. This deep-tissue massage was another ideal way of working away the tightness of muscles cramped by the cold and enabling everyone to have a further decompress. However, a fishing charter was also arranged, providing another great day out on the water for those keen on angling.

We finished our day at another one of the many dining options on Denarau – Mamacita Mexican Restaurant & Bar; the heart of Mexican gastronomy in Fiji. Situated at Club Wyndham Denarau Island, Mamacita has always been a popular dining experience for the younger ones amongst us (excellent frozen margaritas remaining a definite drawcard for the adults). Again, you can’t fault the experience according to our criteria, and the friendly service team arranged the booking to accommodate our large group under the verandah. The evening cultural performance was a hit and by the end of the day there were a lot of tired and happy people sinking into their beds.

We had always planned an early Christmas celebration whilst everyone was together, and that was scheduled for Day 4 as a late lunch/early dinner; the various activities on the island and the residence swimming pool kept everyone well-occupied during the morning, with everyone gathering together once more before the Christmas meal to share presents.

In order to manage energy levels (and the state of our kitchen) I had pre-arranged a magiti, or feast, of traditional Fijian dishes, including ota miti (bush fern in a coconut milk dressing), ika vakalolo (whole fish baked in coconut milk), roro balls (leaves of the dalo plant made into succulent balls and baked in coconut milk), dalo and cassava chips, smoked eggplant, octopus salad, prawns in coconut curry, a kaiviti (Fijian) stir fry, vegetable curry, roti and rice. This was devoured by all our foodies (little and large alike). Nadina Authentic Fijian Restaurant is one of our favorite restaurants at the Port and their ability to cater for events enabled us to bring the celebration home to be enjoyed.

Day 5 ramped up again with an excursion to the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa at Natadola Beach along the Coral Coast. Considered one of the 10 most beautiful natural beaches in the world, Natadola is a ‘must-see’ and more than manageable by car from Denarau. The resort itself is stunning, and we celebrated another birthday over lunch in the child-friendly Toba restaurant.

As you can imagine, our well-fed and sun-soaked tribe was definitely starting to slow down a little and so I had scheduled two ‘rest days’ into the itinerary, before a final celebration on Day 8, before everyone departed. The celebration consisted of another meal, but this time prepared by those based in Fiji for the visiting family. For the final family gathering, we purchased kalavata (clothing with matching patterns) in advance for everyone to wear for the occasion and celebrate the very special time we spent together.

‘Everyone needs some Fiji’ was more than just a rallying cry to gather and celebrate. It was the perfect tonic after a long year; it was a moment to recognise the value of the relationships we share, and a moment to touch the ground of the unique and special place we call ‘home’.  

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