Family Reunion in Fiji

Q: Our family group of 19 is hoping to gather in Fiji next July. Can you recommend a resort or some accommodation which can cater for such a large group? What would be the best way to fly there from SA, including Sydney in the flight plan? What weather can we expect in early July? - Jennifer Kroon

A: You have a wide choice of great resorts in Fiji ranging from small family-run beach hotels to the five-star groups like Shangri-La, Westin and InterContinental. Your best bet is to search a few of the discount websites and find the standard of resort you are looking for. You can then decide whether or not you are prepared to pay a little extra for a beachfront location and a range of facilities. I checked the www.hotel.com website, requesting the rate in Rands, and the resorts that could my eye included the beachfront Club Fiji resort (R626 for a double room), the Naigani Island Resort (R715) and the Anchorage Beach Resort (R514). Most resorts would have no problem coping with a group your size. When it comes to flights, you have plenty of options to Sydney from South Africa, with direct flights on Qantas and SAA. Other airlines flying there with a stopover include the Asian carriers (Singapore, Malaysian, Thai, Cathay Pacific) and the Mid-East airlines like Emirates and Qatar. Once you are in Sydney, there are regular flights between Sydney and Nadi, Fiji. The main airlines on this route are Qantas and Air Pacific, but you can also find fares on Air New Zealand. If you fly to Australia on Qantas, you should be able to add the Fiji leg at a cheaper price than you could buy it separately. However, you should also check the discounted fares offerd by Air Pacific and the budget carrier Virgin Australia. As for the weather, you would be visiting in peak season, during the so-called "Fiji Winter". This runs from May to October, peaking in June and July. Expect pleasant temperatures and humidity, a low chance of rain and little chance of cyclones. This does mean, however, that prices are higher and there is less chance of finding bargain rates. (21/8/11)