Fiji with the family, or Bali AGAIN.

ron's picture
ron started the topic in Thursday, 8 Jun 2023 at 9:02pm

Hi all,

Thinking about trying Fiji for the first time. Mainly for family holiday with a 2 and 5 year old. Ideally i'd get a quick surf or two each day, it wouldn't be the usual surf centric trip.

I'm having a hard time getting a good sense of Fiji online other than the usual Cloudbreak, resteraunts etc. Is there anywhere with easy access surf out front like you get around indo? Doesn't have to be world class. I can't be out half the day by the time you factor in waiting for boat, travel time, long session, boat back.

If this Doesn't exist thats fine, will be back to Bali or somewhere else in Indo. Interested to hear recommendations for family friends places that aren't in Kuta, Seminyak, Canguu etc. I've been over there a bunch but never with the family.

Thanks!

Aaron

Denyer's picture
Denyer's picture
Denyer Saturday, 10 Jun 2023 at 1:55pm

I just went to Indo with the family. When staying in Bali, we opted for Komune Keramas, Umadewi (Medewi) and Ulu Surf Villas.

Komune had the best setup for families and has Keramas directly out front. It's so easy to duck out for a quick one, or head out before everyone wakes up.

Umadewi was much nicer than expected and cheaper than the others. The food was good. The wave is slow but can be very fun.

Ulu Surf Villas was sublime but very expensive. The food is unreal. Temples is right out front so you can duck out first thing in the morning for an uncrowded surf, before anyone manages to walk or paddle up from Racetracks.

Having the break out front makes a world of difference if you only have small windows to surf.

Supafreak's picture
Supafreak's picture
Supafreak Saturday, 24 Jun 2023 at 8:43pm

@goofyfoot , don’t know if you have posted anywhere else yet , I know you said you just arrived back in oz and I look forward to reading of your experience when you have the time .

goofyfoot's picture
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goofyfoot Saturday, 24 Jun 2023 at 9:18pm
Supafreak wrote:

@goofyfoot , don’t know if you have posted anywhere else yet , I know you said you just arrived back in oz and I look forward to reading of your experience when you have the time .

Hey supa, had an epic time in Fiji.
It was more of a family trip than a surf trip so I only had 4 surfs in 10 days.
I’ve got kids similar age to Aaron above and I’d go to Fiji over Indo for a family holiday easily.
The people are super friendly, love the kids and it’s just such a nice all round vibe over there. It’s clean, great food, lots of fresh fruit and juices. Easy flight.
The temperature was perfect, my kids were out all day swimming and playing and it was never that hot where you worried about them.
I find in Indo sometimes I can’t be fkd doing much in the hottest part of the day but Fiji was perfect.
Epic snorkelling out on the reefs and even just off your door step on the drop offs into the channels.

Indo I think is a bit dirtier, maybe a bit more unhygienic. More chance of getting dodgy food and getting crook. Which for me I’m not fussed about but more thinking of little kids there.

Where I stayed was about a 15 minute boat ride out to Restaurants, Cloudbreak etc. It was about a 4 hour turnaround by the time you got back to the island, so I didn’t push the surfing too much with the wife. The surf was busy. But I’m sure you’d get quiet moments.
I really can’t fault it.
A wave out the front would be good just to duck out for a one hour paddle then back with the fam, but it wasn’t that much of an issue.
Already looking forward to another trip there one day.

Supafreak's picture
Supafreak's picture
Supafreak Saturday, 24 Jun 2023 at 10:33pm

Thanks for replying, I’ve always wanted to go. Hygiene is definitely a worry in indo , especially if you have young children .

indo-dreaming's picture
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indo-dreaming Sunday, 25 Jun 2023 at 8:44am

Mum lived in Fiji but ive never been so cant comment on that.

Only really go to Bali for a few days at a start or end of an indo trip, but having a young family now Bali is just like kids heaven so much to do with them.

Went to Bali Zoo last trip well worth doing with the kids.

My boy was stoked on the tigers

basesix's picture
basesix's picture
basesix Sunday, 25 Jun 2023 at 8:41am

I've wondered about the Bali zoo.. is it good for kids? I was worried there might be some not-so-great enclosures?

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Sunday, 25 Jun 2023 at 8:57am
basesix wrote:

I've wondered about the Bali zoo.. is it good for kids? I was worried there might be some not-so-great enclosures?

Nah its pretty much western standard nothing dodgy heaps of room for them to move and hide etc, I think we got lucky with this tiger being so close and there wasnt that many people as borders hadnt been open too long and was still real quite in Bali streets etc

Zoo in KL is a bit more old school, but kind of good as get to hold all these animals with no charges etc but yeah maybe not so good for animals.

Edit: Maybe only elephants are old school not the enclosure but focus on riding them or hold the snakes or parrot whole photo thing, but other than that very spacious well maintained and presented etc

basesix's picture
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basesix Sunday, 25 Jun 2023 at 8:56am

nice, good to have a review.. I figured bali zoo could go either way, lot of bored 20-year lease people living there who are alert to any modern causes

VicRhino's picture
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VicRhino Monday, 26 Jun 2023 at 1:49pm
goofyfoot][quote=Supafreak wrote:

@goofyfoot , don’t know if you have posted anywhere else yet , I know you said you just arrived back in oz and I look forward to reading of your experience when you have the time .

What do they sting you for a boat out to the surf?

goofyfoot's picture
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goofyfoot Monday, 26 Jun 2023 at 3:30pm
VicRhino][quote=goofyfoot wrote:
Supafreak wrote:

@goofyfoot , don’t know if you have posted anywhere else yet , I know you said you just arrived back in oz and I look forward to reading of your experience when you have the time .

What do they sting you for a boat out to the surf?

Hundred bucks

blackers's picture
blackers's picture
blackers Monday, 26 Jun 2023 at 5:51pm
goofyfoot wrote:
VicRhino wrote:

.....
What do they sting you for a boat out to the surf?

Hundred bucks

You had me thinking about going there until that.....

VicRhino's picture
VicRhino's picture
VicRhino Monday, 26 Jun 2023 at 7:44pm

Not too bad really…. Better than Tulla Tub

goofyfoot's picture
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goofyfoot Monday, 26 Jun 2023 at 9:31pm

Blackers yeah got to factor that into it unfortunately.