Tribewanted: Vorovoro

Mamma Jenny answers the question that is on every mum or dad’s lips:

‘Is Vorovoro a good place to bring children?’

DEFINITELY! First off, it is extremely safe – there are no animals or insects that can cause harm on the island. Children are free to safely roam, explore, and participate without worrying about them being bitten or stung. The waters are warm and shallow off the beach, and the beach and the water is easily within view of all the main gathering places in the village.

Secondly, the nature of daily life on Vorovoro provides endless opportunities for kids to get involved, ask questions, try new things, and explore. It is an opportunity for kids to experience first hand how life is lived on a remote island, far from the modern conveniences and entertainment of home. They can chat and play with the local Fijian children and visit the local school.

Thirdly, this is by far the most child friendly international travel destination you will find. Going on holiday with children can be very hard – it often feels like much more work than just staying home, but the opposite is true on Vorovoro! I think that is because of the nature of the project – we are a village where everyone is interacting and everyone is looking out for the younger ones. An example of what I mean is that on any average morning you might find my son Lucas (12 years old) playing chess with a tribe member, Bethany (9 years old) in the kitchen helping Kini to make roti for lunch, and Oliver (6) fishing with Jone, our boat captain. Later the same day, you might find Lucas helping some of the Fijian men repair the pig pen, Bethany working with another tribe member to clean up the chicken coop and collect eggs, and Oliver roaming the mangroves with his Fijian friend Poi, collecting hermit crabs to use for fish bait. Later in the evening, we might all come together again on the grog mat and listen to the music played by some of the local Fijian boys, or gather around the campfire and chat about our day, or play games with the rest of the tribe in the Grand Bure.

Questions!

We know that every family is different and you might have questions specific to your brood. Please feel free to pick our brains, make requests or clarify details about Vorovoro or Fiji. We know our little part of the world very well and will hopefully be able to help you have an easy and relaxing holiday. fiji@tribwanted.com.

Or perhaps you’d like to read about some other island families? Hear more from the Cahills, a family perspective on Vorovoro. Or read about the Cale’s family time

What else do you need to know?

Costs: It costs £220 or USD$330 for an adult to spend one week on Vorovoro. New family pricing makes Vorovoro an ideal inexpensive holiday option. One child under 12 years can stay free per each paying adult. Additional children under twelve are half price. Children ages 12 – 18 are also half price. This includes your food, accommodation, boat transfer to and from the island and an airport pick-up in Labasa. You’ll need to spend about $20 on some kava to present to the local chief and if you don’t already have a sulu (sarong) you can buy one for around $6. Once on the island there is no need to spend any money but you may to go on a trip or two, out to the reef, to the local school etc. These average $15 each.

Getting there: You need to buy your own flights to Fiji and 99% of you will land in Nadi. From there the easiest way to get to us is by a short domestic flight up to Labasa with Pacific Sun (www.airpacific.com). There we’ll pick you up, take you into town and then whisk you away to Vorovoro – it takes about forty minutes on the boat and is a beautiful trip up the river. It is also possible, if you have a little more time, to take the boat. This will probably drop you in Savusavu and you’ll then have a three hour bus ride over the mountains to Labasa – email us if we can help you fiji@tribewanted.com

Health and Safety: Good news: Vorovoro is a safe place to be. On the land there are no dangerous or poisonous animals, the biggest worry is falling coconuts! The sea requires a little caution and the main injury is from coral cuts which can get infected if not cared for properly. But there will always be a first aider on the island and there are private doctors as well as a public hospital in the local town.

Accommodation: There is a variety of accommodation including a 6-bed Vale (dorm), The Family Bure (sleeps 5), The Fun House (sleeps 2-4) and The Grand Bure has room. If you’re feeling adventurous there is also a tree house.

Food: On Vorovoro we eat five times a day. Breakfast is usually porridge, tea- fresh fruit and coconut chunks. Lunch might be salads grown from the garden, homemade bread and basil coriander hummus. Afternoon tea could be pancakes and dinner, perhaps, papaya curry with roti. We try to eat what the gardens produce and the fishermen catch. We change the menu frequently as we experiment with new recipes brought by tribe members and aim for healthy but filling food. Meat is usually eaten two or three times a week but costs prohibit it from being a daily treat. If you are a vegetarian or have allergy, just let us know when you book your island time and we’ll cater for you.

Climate: Fiji has a tropical climate. It is always hot. March to November is the dry season – we pray for rain to keep our water tanks full but revel in the lack of mosquitoes and sand flies. December to April is the rainy reason, when water flows in abundant and we can shower under the waterfall. It is also the cyclone season, with January and February being particularly prone.

Kit: Pack for the Pacific Island you imagine. Now add a lightweight rain coat, some mosquito repellent and a bed sheet. Remember ladies, you’ll need to cover your shoulders – add some conservative t-shirts. Boardies to swim in (both sexes). Vorovoro is tough on clothes, leave behind anything special. Pack some shoes that can get wet and something long sleeved to cover sunburn and protect against bites at dusk and dawn. You’ll need sunscreen – make it as eco-friendly as possible ditto shampoo, bodywash etc. It’s helpful to have your own little first aid kit. And everyone needs a sulu, but you can buy one here. If you have extra space please bring something from the island wishlist: http://www.tribewanted.com/blog/wishlist