Malamala Beach Club with a Toddler and Baby: At a Glance
- Is Malamala family-friendly? Yes — we visited with our 3-year-old and 1-year-old and found it surprisingly easy to manage with young children.
- Best departure: 9:30am from Port Denarau.
- Best place to sit: Shaded beach loungers near the Malamala sign worked really well for us.
- Best for: Families wanting a relaxing island day with swimming, snorkelling, food and plenty of space to spread out.
- Baby-friendly: Yes, although you’ll want to bring everything your baby needs for naps, feeding and nappy changes.
- Toddler-friendly: Yes — particularly the shallow water, beach and fish spotting.
If you’re planning a trip to Fiji with little ones, a day trip to Malamala Beach Club might be on your radar. But is the Fijian beach club island actually family-friendly for toddlers and babies?
We took our 3-year-old and 1-year-old on a full-day excursion to Malamala from Port Denarau, and it turned out to be one of the absolute highlights of our holiday! Here is everything you need to know about taking young kids to Malamala, including our schedule, best spots to set up camp, and what made the day so stress-free.
Key Details & What’s Included
- Departure Point: Port Denarau (Cruises depart at 9:30 am, returning at either 4:45 pm or 6:00 pm).
- Coach Transfers: Return transfers from most resorts/hotels in Nadi, Denarau, Vuda, and Wailoaloa right around to the Coral Coast area are included.
- Inclusions:
- Complimentary Wi-Fi (central facility area)
- Towel service
- Use of non-motorised water sports equipment (kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, snorkelling gear)
- Lifejackets for all ages (including small kids!)
Why the 9:30 am Departure is Perfect for Families
We opted for the earliest departure time at 9:30 am out of Port Denarau, and it was the best decision we made.
Leaving on the earlier boat meant getting onto the island before the afternoon crowd, giving us first pick of the beach lounges and plenty of time to get settled before lunch. Travelling with a 3-year-old and 1-year-old means timing is everything, and this schedule fit right into our usual routine without feeling rushed.
Finding the Best Setup: Beach vs. Pool Area
When you arrive at the jetty, you follow the boardwalk up to be greeted by the stunning main pool and bar area. While it’s absolutely gorgeous, the pool deck can get a bit busier, so we decided to head down closer to the sand.
We grabbed a cold bucket of Pals, took a walk around the island path, and found a quiet spot under the shade on the beach.
- Location tip: We set up camp right near the iconic Instagram Malamala sign!
- Lounger strategy: Grab enough sun loungers for everyone in your family. Having dedicated loungers for each of us was a lifesaver when the kids needed to rest or lie down. Our 1-year-old knocked out for a solid 1.5-hour nap right on the lounger in the shade, while our 3-year-old rested and played in the sand.
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Malamala Beach Club Food, Drinks & Beachside Service
One of the highlights of Malamala is that you don’t even need to leave your beach lounger to order food or drinks.
Friendly waiters come right down to your spot on the sand to take your order and deliver everything straight to you. It made dining with a toddler and a baby completely effortless—no queuing up at a bar or juggling plates while managing kids!
Water Activities at Malamala for Little Ones
Even with tiny kids, there was so much to do in the water:
- Snorkelling: The reef right off the beach is incredible. The water is clear, calm, and packed with colourful fish just a short swim from the shore.
- Kayaking: We fitted the kids into the provided kids’ lifejackets and took them out on a kayak around the calm shallow water.
- Fish Spotting: The shallow edge of the water made it super easy for the 3-year-old to wade in and spot fish swimming right around our feet.
What to Pack: Malamala Beach Club Day Bag Essentials
While Malamala provides towels and non-motorised water equipment, packing smart makes managing a 1-year-old and 3-year-old much smoother:
- Swimwear & Sun Protection:
- Long-sleeved rash suits and sun hats for both kids (the Fijian sun is strong!).
- Reef-safe sunscreen (reapply often after swimming).
- Swim nappies for the baby (pack 3–4 extra just in case).
- Water shoes or neoprene booties (great for little feet when walking near coral pieces on the shore).
- We also had a few small plastic sand toys with us
- Nap & Comfort Items:
- A lightweight muslin wrap or compact beach blanket (ideal to drape over the baby while they nap on the lounger).
- Baby’s comforter, dummy, blankie etc.
- Snacks & Drinks:
- Kids’ drink bottles filled with water.
- Easy, quick to grab, non-melting snacks (pouches, crackers, or raisins) to keep tantrum-free between food orders.
- Wet Bag & Spares:
- A waterproof wet bag for damp suits before heading home on the return boat.
- At least two complete changes of clothes per child.
- A spare towel (we had one extra for each child of our own towels but also used the facilities towels too)
Final Verdict: Is Malamala Worth It with Kids?
Absolutely — for our family, Malamala Beach Club was one of the highlights of our Fiji holiday.
Taking a 3-year-old and 1-year-old on a full-day island trip sounded like it could be a lot of work, but Malamala was surprisingly easy with young kids. The combination of the shaded beach loungers, calm water, beachside food and drinks service, and plenty of space for the kids to play meant we could actually relax and enjoy the day too.
There were families with children of all different ages while we were there, and our 1-year-old even managed a 1.5-hour nap on the lounger in the shade — which, when you’re holidaying with a baby, feels like winning the lottery!
For us, the 9:30am departure was definitely the way to go. Getting onto the island early meant we could choose a good shaded spot, settle in before it got busier and let the kids enjoy the beach without feeling rushed.
Would I take a toddler and baby to Malamala again? Absolutely. If you’re considering adding Malamala Beach Club to a Fiji holiday with young children, I’d have no hesitation recommending it based on our experience.
Just pack plenty of sun protection, swim nappies, snacks, spare clothes and whatever your little one needs for a good nap — and don’t underestimate the value of securing a shady lounger early!
Malamala Beach Club with Kids: FAQs
Yes! We visited Malamala Beach Club with our 1-year-old and 3-year-old and found it surprisingly easy to spend the whole day there with little ones. There were families with children of all ages during our visit, and our baby even managed a 1.5-hour nap on a shaded sun lounger!
The main thing to remember when visiting with a baby is that you’ll need to bring everything you normally rely on for a full day out — plenty of nappies, swim nappies, snacks, water, sun protection and whatever your baby needs to settle for a nap. The fact that food and drinks can be ordered from your lounger made the day considerably easier for us.
Yes, we thought Malamala was very toddler-friendly. Our 3-year-old loved being able to play in the sand, paddle in the shallow water and spot fish around the edge of the beach.
We also found that having our own shaded loungers gave us a good base for the day. It meant our toddler could play nearby, have a rest when needed and we could keep all our bags and baby essentials together.
If you’re visiting with a toddler, I’d recommend heading down to the beach after arriving and getting yourself set up early. For us, having a good shaded spot made the whole day much more relaxing.
Yes, lifejackets were available for children when we visited, and we used one for our kids when we went kayaking.
This was a huge plus for us because we didn’t have to travel to Fiji with bulky children’s flotation gear. We would still recommend checking the current age/size requirements with Malamala before your visit, particularly if you’re travelling with a very small baby or toddler.
Yes, but if shade is important to you, I’d make finding a good spot one of your first priorities.
We chose to set up on the beach rather than around the main pool area and found a shaded spot near the iconic Malamala sign. This worked really well for us because we had our 1-year-old with us and standing in the shallow water and looking for fish around our feet. The water was clear and calm during our visit, which made it a fun activity even without our wanted somewhere comfortable for a daytime nap.
Our baby ended up sleeping for about 1.5 hours on the lounger, so having shade made a huge difference to our day.
I’d recommend arriving early, especially if you’re visiting during a busy period and travelling with babies or toddlers.
