“Shark!” yells my ever-dramatic daughter as she dips her toes into the warm waters off Fiji’s Tivua Island.  I leave our stuff up at one of the beachside bures and run down to the water. Sure enough, a black fin emerges, just metres away from my daughter’s tiny toes.

“It’s adorable,” she declares, leaping straight into the water with the tiny shark and half a dozen of its equally tiny friends.

Turns out Tivua is something of a baby black tipped reef shark super highway and I half expect them to burst out in a chorus of “doo doo doo doo doo”.

I join Sugarpuff and Captain Cook Cruises’ marine biologist guide in the gloriously clear water, and together we swim further out, passing more baby sharks and dozens of electric blue sea stars, to a coral garden buzzing with colourful parrot fish, stripy Moorish Idols, psychedelic angel fish, schools of long skinny garfish and a couple of Nemos flitting in and out of their anemones.

Kava and coral gardens on Tivua Island with kids

We’ve come to explore this small, sandy atoll in the centre of the Mamanuca Islands with the friendly crew from Captain Cook Cruises. Located just an hour from Port Denarau, a day cruise to Tivua Island with kids proves the perfect start to our Fiji holiday.

From the mellifluous tones of the Fijian crew who sing us across the seas to the traditional welcoming Kava ceremony when we arrive, this cruise is as much an introduction to Fijian culture as it is an opportunity to soak up a little of Fiji’s life aquatic on the surrounding coral reefs.

When it’s his turn to sup from the communal Kava tanoa (bowl), Raff knocks the brownish-grey beverage back in a single gulp, much to my surprise. Thankfully, he feels no ill effects from the slightly narcotic beverage, other than a bad taste.

He smiles happily at his host and claps his hands in thanks, waiting until we’re out of range to whisper in my ear that it tasted like dirt and begs for a lemonade chaser.

Then my passionate ocean advocate is off, ready for an exciting new adventure that will bring him even closer to is beloved underwater world. He meets up with Joe from the PADI certified Viti Water Sports, who has been tasked with turning my little fish into a scuba diver.

My eager student listens intently as Joe takes him through the basics and when they’re ready to head off for Raff’s first confined dive, the rest of us frolic with those cute baby sharks, and make use of the island’s array of water sports, happily kayaking and paddle boarding our morning away.

Lunch and learning on Tivua Island with kids 

A beaming Raff returns to us just in time for lunch, already completely hooked on diving. So much so that while we take our time over the luscious salads, fish and tropical fruits, which we eat to a soundtrack of Fijian tunes and wash down with a sneaky Fiji Gold (the kids stick with lemonade), Raff just nabs a roll and some fruit.

I’m a little shocked as his eagerness to get back to diving is the first time I’ve ever seen anything take precedent over filling his stomach.

Post lunch, Sugarpuff heads off on a treasure hunt with her dad and plays happily with members of the crew, even donning a grass skirt that doubles as a bouffy blonde wig that would make Cousin Itt proud.

Together we take a leisurely lap of the island which, given it’s 800-metre circumference, takes less than ten minutes. Along the way we catch up with the Captain Cook crew who are hosting a fascinating guided herbal medicine nature walk, passing pretty palms and whistling native birds, as we earn about the traditional uses of island plants.

Soon enough, Sugarpuff decides it is high time for more baby sharks. But I leave her and her dad to their finned friends, as I have other plans at the island’s Senikai Day Spa.

While I sneak off for a lazy beach massage, my brave boy is diving deep down to Captain Cook Cruises Fiji’s own purpose sunk wreck, the MV Raiyam. My reward is muscle melting relaxations, his the sight of pretty corals and myriad colourful fish, including a fever of sting rays and a gnarly barracuda grinning a malevolent, snaggletoothed grin as he passes by.

When it’s time to leave we all agree we’d be happy to be marooned on this tiny island paradise, but head obediently to the waiting catamaran. As we board my girl is still humming “Baby shark”, Raff is bursting with pride at his new found scuba skills, and we’re all happily sun kissed, sandy and ready to be sung back to Denarau by the friendly Fijian crew.

Captain Cook Cruises Fiji
Port Denarau Terminal,
Denarau Island, Fiji
http://www.captaincookcruisesfiji.com

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Pro tip: If you want really good Thai food, go to Fiji! Yes, I said Fiji! You see, Kah Restaurant at Pullman Nadi Bay Resort and Spa Fiji, has some of the best Thai food I have ever had the pleasure of stuffing my face with, even in Thailand.

I mean, I went to Fiji expecting to fill up on bowls of kokoda (Fijian raw fish salad) and tropical fruits, and I did, but by dinner time the call of Kah became impossible to resist. It is the resort’s “adults only” restaurant, though families are welcome to eat on the deck or eat from the Kah menu at the neighbouring Barefoot Bar. And I totally recommend that every family visiting Fiji should because the food is ridiculously good. Seriously, I don’t even have the words to describe the sheer awesomeness of the food and service here. I mean there’s good, there’s amazing, there’s oh-my-gosh-my-tastebuds-are-dancing, and then there’s Kah.

I have to start with a shout out to our waitress, the amazing Siteri, who was really sweet and made us all feel super special. Then there’s the menu, which was essentially a list of everything I could ever dream of eating. I had a hard time choosing because everything sounded so good but decided to go straight up traditional.

I started with a Pad Thai with tamarind sauce and fresh lime, which absolutely blew me away. It was quite honestly the best Pad Thai I’ve ever had. I mean I can’t even remember how many times I’ve had Pad Thai and the dish has been ruined by gloopy over-cooked noodles. But these noodles were perfectly firm and silky. And the whole dish was the perfect balance of sweet, savoury and sour with the zingy flavours of tamarind and lime shining through.

For my second entree (technically my mums, but she needs to move faster if she thinks she’s ever going to actually eat all of her meal with me around, so we’ll just call it mine, OK?)
She/I had smoky grilled local tiger prawns that were a-maz-ing. They came with an absolutely addictive sweet, sour and spicy tamarind and chilli sauce that was so good I drank the leftovers.

My third entree (again technically my dad’s, but you get the gist) turned my taste buds upside down. Confession time! I don’t usually like fishcakes due to their rubbery texture and I was initially reluctant to steal/try. But I am so glad I tried these fishcakes, because the intense pop of flavour blew my mind. But it was the more coarse texture that won me over, and the fact that it actually tasted like fish instead of manufactured muck. Plus the sweet and sour chilli sauce that accompanied it kicked butt!

There was a fourth bonus entree of chicken larb salad served up for us to share (not on my watch) and its light, limey flavours were just as heavenly.

After my extreme entreeing, I have to confess to being a little full. Ha ha, as if! You know me, I’m like the Da Vinci of eating and have made gluttony an art form. I don’t think it’s even possible to fill my copious belly. Lucky for said belly, the mains soon made their way out of the  kitchen in all their sizzling and spicy glory.

I devoured an epic Penang duck curry, with the juiciest duck smothered in a creamy, spicy and earthy sauce and just the right amount of spice and heat. Mum went for something a little out of the ordinary, spangled emperor with smoked curry paste and eggplant. It was a real winner, not only because I got to scoff at least half of it. The fish had been baked in a banana leaf and was firm but super juicy and the eggplant chunks were like mini explosions of oozey, sticky loveliness. But it was the kick arse, smoky red curry sauce that had me entranced. In fact, this dish was pretty much a plate full of heaven.

The expression on my dad’s face when his main course arrived was almost as joyful as mine when I stole it from him. I mean, his whole crisp fried fish with three flavour sauce and steamed jasmine rice was enormous, and I knew that would mean there’d be plenty for me. Mind you, it was a bit of a battle! He wasn’t at all keen on giving up a single flake of that perfect fish. But it was a war he had no chance of winning and I greedily gobbled as much as I could. It was perfection, crispy, flaky, and moist and really brought alive by the tangy sauce.

We skipped desserts, mostly because my lightweight parents couldn’t handle another bite of food. Me, I could have eaten the entire meal again. And probably will, tomorrow night, because food as good as the stuff they’re whipping up at Kah Restaurant at Pullman Nadi Bay needs to be treated with slavish devotion!

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It’s not often that we’re left surprised and delighted by a resort stay. But a visit to Fiji’s Pullman Nadi Bay Resort and Spa with kids leaves us feeling all this and more.

What starts as a one-night stopover has become a longer stay thanks to a rather rude cyclone that decided to scupper our planned adventures. But there’s always a silver lining and having more time to enjoy the many delights of this brand spanking new coastal resort certainly counts as one.

With its prime position on a secluded stretch of the date-palm-lined Wailoaloa Beach, just ten minutes from Nadi International Airport, the five-star Pullman Nadi Bay Resort and Spa is not only the ideal resort for those stopping over on their way to Fiji’s outer islands, but it’s also pretty darned perfect for a longer family break.

The resort’s towering cathedral meets traditional bure reception area ensures our arrival is a jaw dropper. While it is unapologetically modern, clever design elements, including seats shaped like upturned canoes, give it a distinctly villagey vibe.

But it is the resort’s stunning central hub, complete with three enormous palm-dotted pools –including an adults-only pool and separate kids’ pool – and strategically placed day beds and sun lounges that is the star attraction for my crew.

The rooms at Pullman Resort and Spa 

Our hibiscus-filled interconnecting deluxe pool view rooms also boast a distinctly Fijian vibe, with warm wooden tones, tapa (bark cloth) inserts in the headboard and coconut fibre trimmings. But it is the balcony leading directly to the Pullman Nadi Bay Resort’s pool area that has the kids giddy with glee. If I could keep them indoors, there’s plenty of space to comfortably sprawl out. Two double beds in the kids’ room provide comfortable sleeping as well as a launch pad for bed belly flops. And there’s a cloud like king-size bed in our room, which we manage to keep our leaping loons well clear of. Both offer large bathrooms with Pure Fiji toiletries, separate rain shower and oversized bathtubs with a glass wall looking over the room (and a blind for privacy).

Both rooms have large flat screen TVs with a huge selection of latest release movies that are fabulously FOC, so after dinner we all snuggle up together in our mighty king-size bed for a bit of family movie fun.

The activities at Pullman Resort and Spa with kids

A favourite with Nadi’s locals for its tranquil ocean outlook and exceptional sunsets, Wailoaloa Beach may not boast the white sand and turquoise waters of the islands, but its ocean waters are as inviting for swimmers as they are for water sports enthusiasts.

The beachfront water-sports centre offers the hire of jet skis, catamarans, kayaks, stand up paddle boarding and a couple of giant water bikes that the kids are obsessed with.

But it is the aforementioned pool, with its 180-degree, uninterrupted ocean views, that has them sunk.  They soak the day away until their fingers turn all pruney and drag themselves from the pool for a quick game of giant chess, which quickly escalates into a viscous full scale battle.

There’s also the occasional sneaky visit to the kid’s club and cool crafts for Sugarpuff, and to the teens retreat for Raff to satiate his desire for a little PS4 action. T

hen it is straight back in the pool to re-prune and repeat.

Of course, mama isn’t left wanting either with the on-site Veikau spa offering a host of muscle-melting massage therapies and a plant-based menu of holistic treatments.

Plus there is a stunning adults only pool overlooking the beach, complete with curtained cabanas, which an underage Sugarpuff is modelling here while no one is looking.

Come sundown we’re hugely entertained by the fiery performance from a crew of Fijian dancers, who fling, toss, swallow and magically move fire to a funky meets traditional beat, right outside our balcony door.

In fact so happy are we that, other than a day trip to Tivua Island, we barely leave the resort. An unusual turn of events for my adventure seeking crew.

 Pullman Nadi Bay Restaurants

Whatever your dining style, The Pullman Nadi Bay Resort knocks it out of the park with four sublime signature restaurants and two bars.

Magiti, the resort’s buffet breakfast spot, proves a real winner with Raff who dances with unbridled joy when he sees the curry selection, piling his plate high with slabs of roti, a fragrant chicken curry and a particularly delicious veggie curry packed with oozy eggplant. There’s also the usual toast, fluffy, crispy pastries, cereal, yoghurt, tropical fruit and a selection of hot western dishes, including eggs made to order. Fresh squeezed juices include killer ginger and turmeric shots, which Raff and I slam down like we’re in a drinking competition. Sugarpuff sticks with a freshly blended papaya smoothie, the fiery burn of the pink ginger in the shots too fierce for her delicate palate.

The Barefoot Bar, with its casual island ambiance, is the furthest we can convince the kids away from the pool when it’s time for lunch. But they’re soon inhaling big bowls of kokoda, a delicious Fijian ceviche-style dish drowned in coconut milk, which they beg for me to add to our at-home meal rotation. I concur, but only if we can also add Barefoot Bar’s ginger and lychee cocktails.

Evening sees us discovering the delightfully hearty dishes at Dan Dan Noodle Bar, a cool noodle house offering Asian specialties for lunch and dinner.

But it is our dinner the following night at sexy signature restaurant, Kah, that leaves out tastebuds slayed. The refined menu takes us on a culinary journey through Thailand via a series traditional dishes executed with a modern twist.

The restaurant is adults only, but families are welcome to dine on the beachfront deck, accompanied by a light breeze and fiery Fijian sunset, or they can order from the Kah menu and dine by the pool at Barefoot Bar.

Raff was so impressed he’s written a raving review of Kah Restaurant at Pullman Nadi Bay Resort for y’all here.

Pullman Nadi Bay service

Sure, it has a convenient location, comfy rooms, excellent amenities for guests and some seriously fantastic cuisine, and these alone would normally be enough for me to give a hotel the Eats World thumbs up. But it is actually the service that leaves us rhapsodising.

Now, I am completely aware that Fijian people are some of the friendliest and nicest people on the planet. And I know that the staff at the Pullman Nadi Bay Resort are paid to be nice to their guests. But there’s something special happening here. A certain camaraderie. A warmer welcome. And from maintenance to management there’s always, always time for a chat.

It’s these little something extras that ensure a happy stay for every guest.

Pullman Nadi Bay Resort and Spa Fiji
Nadi Bay Road
Wailoaloa Beach, Fiji
T:  +679 672 1510
W: pullmannadibay.com

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Travel has proven an amazing way of introducing our children to a range of new and exciting foods. But so many travellers, especially those with kids, refuse to bypass fast food chain burgers and the limp pizza at the hotel buffet to wrap their lips around the local cuisine.

Sometimes it’s due to a fear of flavour but more often its due to an often misplaced fear of food poisoning. But why travel at all if you aren’t prepared to truly experience a destination? The first thing Raffles and I do when we arrive in a new city is head straight for the nearest street food vendor. We both consider it an integral part of the travel experience because it fast tracks our understanding of a country’s cultural identity.

Indeed, one of Raffles favourite recent travel experiences was taking on Phuket Old Town’s Walking Street Night Market, and his body weight, in weird and wonderful Thai treats with Migrationology‘s street food superhero, Mark Weins.

Of course we take precautions. We’d never take an uneducated risk on our children’s health. We avoid tap water, raw foods and stalls with dubious hygiene standards, and our street food mantra is “cook it, peel it or forget it.”

To be honest, sometimes street food can be a safer option for kids, because you can see and smell exactly what you’re feeding them. While there are still no guarantees of avoiding illness, that’s true of any meal prepared outside your own kitchen.

But not all street stalls are created equal. Here are our 12 top tips for a safe street food experience with kids.

Top tips for safe street food

1. Up and at ‘em

Wake up! We all love a holiday sleep in but all the cool cats know that the best local markets start at the crack of dawn. So set the alarm and head out for an early breakfast to ensure you get your teeth into some of the freshest and best street food treats of the day.

2. Shop like a local

If you’re after the real thing when shopping for street eats then avoid ordering tacos in Taiwan or burgers in Bangkok. Choose local dishes cooked to local perfection. Markets packed with western tourists usually serve up sub-standard and inauthentic eats, so go where the locals are and eat what they eat.

3. Follow the leader

For the best food in town just stalk the locals. If they’re lining up for a particular vendor and the food turnover is high, then form a conga line behind them because it’s most likely going to lead you to a fresh and fabulous meal! On the flipside, if a vendor has no local customers, you have to ask yourself why? Regardless of the answer, in my quest for a vom free holiday, I follow the local lead.

4. Behind closed doors

E.coli doesn’t discriminate. The malicious bastard is just as likely to be found hanging with his pals salmonella, listeria and typhoid in a sit-down restaurant where you can’t see the kitchen, the hygiene standards, or the produce you’re about to eat, as he is doing backstroke in the salad dressing at a street side stall.

5. Keeping up appearances

Whether your dining at a restaurant or on street foods, if the store looks dirty and the sous chef is a rodent just move along, there’s nothing to eat here.

6. Keep it clean

Is the vendor using gloves and tongs? If yes, there’s a good chance they understand the importance of food hygiene. Or do they have one finger up their nose and another scratching their arse? We’ll pass. 

7. On the nose

Take the sniff test. If the place smells like a toilet, then there is a good chance you are going to end up bent over one.

8. Hot to not trot

The best bet for avoiding vom-inducing bacteria is to choose foods that are thoroughly cooked and are still hot.

9. Dodge that salad

It’s best to avoid anything raw, including fruits and vegetables. Salads may have been rinsed with unsafe water and fruit that has been pre-peeled and cut may have been exposed to all kinds of icky bugs, dust and dirt, and may well be hosting a bacteria bacchanal. Stick to unopened fruit like papaya, mango or bananas and peel it yourself (after you’ve cleaned your hands).

10. Bottle it

Speaking of water, never drink water that’s not bottled and always use a straw so you’re not drinking from a can that’s been sitting in ice made from undiluted typhoid. We pack our own paper straws (the plastic ones are a hideous environmental hazard) for just such occasions.

11. Clean up your own act

It’s not always the food that makes people sick, it’s the germs you’re packing on your own hands. Especially kids who struggle to keep their hands off everything! Just like we would at home, we make the kids wash their hands before they put their fingers anywhere near their food or mouths. As an added precaution, we also use a splash of hand sanitiser before and after each meal.

12. BYO utensils

Though we used to be a little more nonchalant, with kids in tow we have to take more precautions. We carry our own reusable cutlery for the kids because the plastic cutlery stocked at street vendors isn’t always the cleanest. And its bad for the environment. Paranoid? Perhaps. Have my kids ever had food poisoning? Never.

 SO WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOUR KIDS DO GET TRAVELLER’ DIARRHOEA?

You may know it as Delhi Belly, The Hershey squirts, Bali Belly, Peru Poo, Burrito Bowels or the ever so politely British, holiday tummy.  Regardless of your preferred euphemism, a case of traveller’s diarrhoea is shit. And no matter how cautious you are, getting it can come down to nothing more than bad luck.

The good news is that it is usually a self-limiting condition that clears up after a few days. And while adults can keep things “contained”, so to speak, with over the counter medication like Imodium, things get more complicated with kids’ as, in Australia, Imodium is not recommended for anyone under the age of 12.

Unfortunately, kids under 12 are also more prone to dehydration. So what to do?

1. Oral hydration is essential and the last thing you want is your child to end up on a drip in hospital, so it is vital to replace the fluids and salts that they lose.

2. Don’t leave home without plenty of oral rehydration powder, and ensure the kids take little sips of fluid as frequently as possible. Isotonic drinks like Gatorade and Pocari Sweat can also help and, if you are in the tropics, fresh coconuts (cut in front of you) contain water that is sterile and safe to consume.

3. Breastfeeding is the best way to reduce the risk of foodborne and waterborne illness, and to rehydrate babies who are at even higher risk from dehydration.

5. Avoid juices and dairy products except for plain natural yoghurt as its natural probiotics can help fight the bacteria.

5. Ginger or peppermint candies and fresh (weak) chamomile and peppermint tea can help settle nausea.

6. If your child is hungry, let them eat but stick to bland foods. Bananas, plain rice, porridge, clear soup and soy based milk products have essential nutrients that can help fight infection.

7. Administer some kid-friendly probiotics packed with live (good) bacteria that can aid the digestive system.

8. Rest. Don’t overdo things.

9. If symptoms persist, or your child is becoming seriously dehydrated, seek immediate medical advice.

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