Family friendly South Pacific holiday suggestions

[Hagabel]

Hi there. Family and I (kids 7/9) are planning a trip for a week somewhere in Xmas holidays (or even Sept holidays). Most places for Sept are booked but looking at other places in Dec/Jan either VERY expensive or ridiculous food prices for 4 of us. We are looking for a moderate priced resort with great beach, snorkelling off beach a must, some sort of kids club and decent food. Any suggestions? We have been looking at mainly Fiji but open to any other ideas. Thanks.

[newarrival]

We had two weeks in Vanuatu at the end of July/ start of August and very much enjoyed it. I wouldn't want to go there in January, though, far too hot.
It is not really cheap, but I don't expect it to be cheap on any of the Islands if you don't go for the most basic accommodation. While searching I noticed that lots of places seem to offer children under 12 for free, don't know if that fits your family profile.

Good luck with finding the right place.

[Fern49]

Trying to find somewhere at Xmas time will be difficult, holidaymakers often book a year ahead. Going to the islands in September might be a better bet, probably not so hot.

[Karen Phillips]

We loved Rarotonga but really didn't like Fiji - unless you can afford to get out to one of the smaller islands.

[TexastoNZ]

We just got back from a week in Vanuatu on Sunday and I'm missing it already! We took our two kids, ages 8 and 10, and they loved it. We stayed at a family-friendly place with on-site babysitters, which we didn't need (I didn't know it was part of the deal) since our kids are older and we like hanging out with them - but by the end of the week, I appreciated the friendly ladies who were more than happy to play a game of table tennis with our kids here and there while we were in our room getting ready or show them starfish in the lagoon while we sat and read books by the pool. It's a small place but its warm atmosphere won us over - called Aquana, but there are probably a few like it on the island.

What I liked best about Vanuatu is that the people are the nicest and friendliest - genuine kindness and hospitality - I've ever encountered (and we travel a lot). We snorkeled on a private island (twice!) with a gorgeous reef just a ten-minute boat ride from the resort (kids did great, water was warm and shallow); visited the nearby village with a local woman who showed us around; hiked up the Mele Cascades (gorgeous, and that's saying a lot living in NZ); ate a lot of delicious food and coconuts, spent family time together, strolled in the sand, relaxed.

I will say the beach right off the resort wasn't a snorkeling beach, but there was plenty of snorkeling very nearby - we snorkeled 4 out of the 6 days we were there. I saw an octopus and a sea horse, in addition to the ridiculously gorgeous fish and coral everywhere. It was a wonderful trip for our family - hope that helps!

[Hagabel]

Thanks for all of the replies and glad you had a great holiday TexastoNZ. Finally booked Daydream Island in the Whitsundays off the Aussie coast. My sister has been there and loved it.

[batgirl1001]

I would recommend a cruise around the Whitsunday islands if you have the time. Stay overnight on a boat. It's a great way of seeing the area including the famous whitehaven beach. Daydream island is nice but rather small. Our boat stopped there for a picnic, run on the beach and to me it was more than enough time there.