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The Travel Guide to

Taveuni for Families

© Ed Bierman on Flickr

The Family Guide to

Taveuni
The Garden Island of Taveuni and its
surrounding o4-shore islands, such as
Qamea, are natural playgrounds. Rich in
culture, marine and birdlife, waterfalls,
forests and coral reefs, Taveuni is the
perfect place in Fiji for families who want
to adventure together. After discovering
a natural waterslide, kayaking over
azure waters, snorkelling among an
array of colourful reef Esh, and enjoying
some time to relax by the pool, you’ll be
glad you made that trip a little bit
further to the islands of Taveuni.

10 Things to Do on Taveuni
with Kids
Snorkel the Rainbow Reef or
Waitabu Marine Reserve
See what a Fijian school is like
on a village tour
Catch dinner on a Fijian Eshing
trip
Walk and play in the Bouma
Falls
Go horse riding along the beach
or a volcanic crater
Explore the bays by kayak
Get a photo with one foot in
today and yesterday
Have a go on the Waitavala
Sliding Rocks
Enjoy an educational visit to Na
Bogi Ono Farms
Leave your kids in the capable
hands of the resort nanny.

For more information on each activity,

see our 10 Things to Do on Taveuni for
Kids. We also describe a few activities in
the guide below.

How to Get
to Taveuni
Taveuni is Fiji’s
third-largest
© Hermann Luyken on
Wikipedia island, located in
the northeast
region of Fiji o4 the southeast coast of
Vanua Levu. Because most families
arrive in Fiji via Nadi International
Airport on Viti Levu (Fiji’s main island),
they will require air or boat transport in
order to make their way between Viti
Levu and Taveuni.

Taveuni via Flight

The quickest and often the most

convenient way to get to Taveuni is via a
domestic Xight from Nadi International
Airport, Nausori Airport, Suva or
Savusavu Airport, Vanua Levu. Flights
arrive at Matei Airport on Taveuni
taking approximately 1h15mins from
Nadi and 50 minutes from Suva. Once
you arrive at Matei, connecting transport
includes a cheap-but-infrequent bus
service and minivans/carrier vans.
However, the most appropriate for
families wanting to get to their
accommodation quickly is a transfer
service organised with your chosen
resort.

Taveuni via Boat/Ferry

The most a4ordable way to get to

Taveuni is via a ferry service. An
overnight ferry service from Suva to
Wairiki Wharf, between Wairiki and
Waiyevo, taking approximately 16 hours.
A ferry also runs from Buca Bay on
Vanua Levu (including a bus service from
Savusavu) to Korean Wharf in
Lovonivonu taking around 1h30mins.
Connecting transport is available
through bus services, car rental (in
Naqara) or through your chosen
accommodation’s transfer service.

For more information on getting to

Taveuni, as well as the ferry and Xight
operators used, see our 7 Ways to Get to
Taveuni (& Around Taveuni).

Family
Water
Activities

© Pixabay With waters

teeming in
marine life and lively coral cities, such as
the famous Rainbow Reef, Vuna
Lagoon and Waitabu Marine Reserve,
Taveuni is simply an astonishing place to
take part in water activities. There are
plenty of water activities that are safe
and suitable for families.

Snorkelling on Tavenui

While scuba diving is a popular sport on

Taveuni, often the better and cheaper
option for families is snorkelling,
o4ering just-as-captivating views of Fiji’s
underwater world. As long as your
children can swim, snorkelling is a family
must-do on Taveuni. Snorkelling above
the vibrant corals of the Rainbow Reef
can be organised with Taveuni Dive
through Aroha Taveuni. There’s also
fantastic snorkelling spots o4 Qamea
Island, which can be organised through
Maqai Eco Resort, including their
Around the Islands Snorkel Tour &
Picnic getting you to several snorkelling
spots on a 5-6-hour trip. The Boat
Snorkel Tours with Makaira Beach
Resort only need a minimum of four
tour-goers for the tour to run, making it
ideal for a family trip! Otherwise, they
o4er free guided snorkelling tours from
the beach. For those visiting the Bouma
National Heritage Park, a4ordable
guided snorkelling can be organised at
the Waitabu Marine Park visitor
centre.

Fishing on Taveuni

Fishing might be the most cliche family

activity ever, but there’s a reason: it’s an
amazing bonding experience. Amp up
the excitement of Eshing with a trip on
the waters surrounding Taveuni
harbouring an array of intriguing marine
life – including 1,200 species of reef Esh.
At many resorts,  the team organises
half-day Eshing trips to hotspots around
Qamea Island where your family can
catch dinner. Experience a traditional
and family-friendly method of Eshing in
handline Eshing at Tides Reach Resort.
Or if mum and dad want a bit of a
challenge, try trawling for wahoo,
dogEsh tuna, mahimahi and more with
Maqai Eco Resort on Qamea Island.

Kayaking on Taveuni

For something to enjoy independently as

a family, try kayaking on the crystal clear
waters of Taveuni. Free kayak hire is a
staple of most resorts on Taveuni and its
o4-shore islands, particularly at
Paradise Taveuni, great for visiting the
regular pods of dolphins.

Family Land
Activities
While the coral-
Elled waters
often take the
limelight in Fiji,
there’s much to
discover on land
© Mark Snyder - Tourism Fiji
on the islands of
Taveuni and Qamea. 80% of Taveuni is
made up of the Bouma National
Heritage Park laced with waterfalls,
hiking trails, birds and Fijian villages.
Your family can also discover the
International Date Line or go horseback
riding.

Tavoro Waterfall Trail (Bouma

Falls)
Travel Tips 
While there are plenty of hiking
Destinations 
opportunities on Taveuni, one of the
best options Accommodation

for families is the Tavoro
Things
Waterfall Trail To Do known as
(otherwise
Bouma Falls) in the Bouma National
Transport

Park. This self-guided trail with a small
Trip Ideas 
entry fee paid to the Tavoro Visitor
Centre in Korovou Village takes you to
Search... 
three di4erent sections of waterfalls,
with the Erst one only being 10 minutes
away. The second waterfall is another 30
Support Us
minutes, then the third is a slightly more
demanding 30-minute hike and slippery
after rainfall. While it’s possible to visit
the falls by bus or car independently,
trips are also organised to the falls at
Tides Reach, Taveuni Palms, Maqai,
Karin’s Garden, Maravu Lodge and
Paradise Taveuni.

The 180 Degree Meridian Date

Line

For a quick activity on a relaxing day,

check out Taveuni’s quirkiest attraction,
The 180 Degree Meridian, otherwise
known as the International Date Line.
The line of longitude passes right here
on the island of Taveuni which marks
the beginning and end of each day. Of
course, for convenience, Fiji shares the
same time zone as Taveuni. An
interpretation panel and a line on the
Xoor makes a fun photo opportunity
where you can have one foot in today
and the other in yesterday. The Meridian
Date Line is located on a road from
Waiyevo leading to the police station.
Tours are also available from Aroha
Tavenui and Taveuni Palms.

Horse Riding on Taveuni

Taveuni is one of the rare places in Fiji

where horse riding is readily available.
It’s great for kids who love animals, as
well as giving the opportunity to explore
further on Taveuni. Tides Reach Resort
organises horse riding on the beaches
and around Taveuni with o4-site
operators, while half- or full-day treks
are available with Aroha Taveuni to ride
to volcanic craters or along the shores.
Be sure to inquire whether there are
horses suitable for children before
booking.

Fijian Culture and Village Visits

Often one of the most memorable

aspects of a Taveuni holiday for the kids
is discovering the Fijian culture. (Trust
us, they will be saying “Bula!” for
months!) The culture is extremely
accessible from any accommodation on
Taveuni, whether it’s a village tour with a
resort or even a resort run by local
villagers! From your resort, join a tour to
Kocoma Village where you’ll see
traditional buildings, take part in Fijian
crafting and weaving, eat lunch with the
villagers, and enjoy village music. At
Maqai Resort, the sta4 will show you
their village, either Naivivi or Nadillo,
where kids can meet other kids at a
Fijian kindergarten or enjoy a game of
volleyball with older kids – a really
authentic and down-to-earth
experience. You’ll also get to live and
breathe the culture at Fijian budget
accommodations like Vuna Lagoon
Lodge and Beverley’s Campground.

Resort
Activities
for Kids
© Chris McLennan - Tourism For families
Fiji
looking for a
holiday to put the little ones into the
kids’ club, Taveuni is not the place.
Taveuni is deEnitely a place for families
who prefer to adventure together.
However, some resorts o4er a nanny
service should you need your own
version of “Fiji time“. Plus, there’s often
plenty of on-site resort activities for your
kids to enjoy, in addition to the family
activities discussed above.

Nanny and Babysitting Services

on Taveuni

For those seeking a bit of alone time

during your stay on Taveuni, resorts
such as Paradise Taveuni, Tides Reach
and Taveuni Palms Resort o4er
nanny/babysitting services. Children stay
and eat for free at Paradise Taveuni,
while parents can also take advantage of
the free nanny service available should
you want to take that scuba diving trip
or spa treatment you’ve always dreamed
of. At the Eve-star Taveuni Palms
Resort, free nanny services (aged under
5 years) and children’s guides (5-12
years) are available. Finally, Tides Reach
Resort and Aroha Taveuni also o4er a
nanny service.

Resort Activities for Kids

At the mid-range to high-end resorts,

kids can enjoy swimming in the outdoor
swimming pools or beach. At resorts like
Maqai Eco Resort, there are around 5
acres (2 ha) or gardens and walking trails
around the resort to explore. Kids can be
entertained at Karin’s Garden through
coconut husking demonstrations or
learn how to plant coral at Beverly’s
Campground.

Family Accommodation on
Taveuni

Maravu Taveuni Lodge

Tides Reach Resort
Taveuni Palms Resort
Lomalagi
Aroha Taveuni Resort
Paradise Taveuni
Maqai Beach Eco Resort
Makaira Resort
Bibi’s Hideaway
Karin’s Garden
Beverly’s Campground
Vuna Lagoon Lodge

For more information on each

accommodation, see our 10 Best Family
Resort on Taveuni.

More About Family Travel

in Fiji
The Guide to Vanua Levu for
Families
The Guide to the Suncoast for
Families
Guide to the PaciEc Harbour &
Beqa for Families

That’s it from the travel guide to Taveuni

for families. Get even more tips in  The
Complete Travel Guide to Fiji for
Families. Plus, discover more stunning
places to stay in the  20 Best Family
Resorts in Fiji.

Author

Laura S.
This article was reviewed and published
by Laura, editor in chief and co-founder
of Fiji Pocket Guide. Since arriving solo in
the South PaciAc over 10 years ago with
nothing but a backpack and a
background in journalism, her mission
has been to show the world how easy
(and awesome) it is to explore a paradise
such as Fiji. She knows the islands inside-
out and loves sharing tips on how best to
experience Fiji’s must-dos and hidden
gems. Laura is also editor of several
other South PaciAc travel guides.

Contact Laura via our contact page

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