The Fijian focus on first-class care for children means adults get plenty of time to unwind, writes Adam Ray.
We've always turned up our noses at package holidays, preferring to plan everything ourselves, to race around on holiday and return home in a state of exhaustion. But the arrival of twin boys last August put paid to that.
Now we have a simple goal: relaxation. So we headed to Fiji with friends and their kids. And a great choice it proved, too, with seven days of brilliant, warm weather at beautiful Mana Island, an hour from the mainland by boat. But the island and its climate are only half the appeal for a family holiday, because Fijians are seriously good with children.
As we stepped off the boat and wandered through the island resort, all the locals wanted to say hello to our kids. We were stopped by people wherever we went. We soon got used to it because Fijians are so child-friendly. So it seemed a good idea to try leaving the boys at the resort's kids' club for an hour or two, while we went snorkelling.
Despite the bevy of friendly babysitters, one of our boys began shrieking when we left them. So snorkelling was put on hold but there was still plenty to do with the kids - taking them around the coral-fringed island for walks and playing in the warm sand in the shadow of palm trees. They even took to crawling in and out of the cool sea.
