Solo with toddler

I'm planning on backpacking around Fiji with my 2.5 year old for 12 days late Feb / early March. I'd appreciate any general suggestions on Fiji travel with little ones / travel as a single parent / single woman, plus specific info as follows:

• can you take sealed baby food / dried fruit into the country?
• any recent experiences with Stoney Creek Resort?
• experience with daytrips to Nausori Highlands / Navala (is it tacky touristy?)?
• Lautoka day trip - worth it or just make a few hour stop on the way round to Suva?
• I'm heading to Suva via Kings Rd - best way to make the trip?
• is Nananu-I-Ra all it's cracked up to be? is it really a good alternative to Mamanucas / Yasawas? (considering budget / child in tow / time)
• Suva advice?
• Lautoka worth a day trip or overnight?
• anyone had experience with Discover Fiji treks? I've booked a three day / two night trek in Namosi Highlands, but I'm concerned about the any day departure meaning that it will just be my daughter and I and male guides (one guide carrying toddler).
• best mid range alternative to Shangri La / Outrigger etc on Coral Coast for chillout before returning to Nadi via Natadola Beach for an afternoon / morning?
• any other must-do's on Viti Levu that are possible with a toddler?
• best island day trip or will I have covered enough with Lautoka, Nananu-I-Ra and Coral Coast given my toddler handicap when it comes to snorkelling / lazing by the beach?
• is a compact folding pram possible or should I stick to carrying her in a pack? Just trying to figure out logistics of pack, daypack, camera gear, nappies, wipes etc etc etc, plus runaway toddler.

Hi Nicole, Cant advise you on specific locations in Fiji but I backpacked as a solo mum in SE Asia with my 2.5yr old a number of years ago. Logistic wise,depending on weight of your child, a baby sling is handy - a good (strong) sarong will do - pack on back/child in front. Borrow or buy a pack with daypack attached so you dont have to carry it in front and have hands free for your child. Snorkelling IS possible. Purchase a good swim ring (MUST be a tight fit) and put child in it wearing arm floaties, attach string and - voila - child can be towed beside you. The arm floaties prevent the child slipping out of the ring. My child loved this. I found people extra helpful and warm wherever I went BECAUSE I had a child and my child benefitted enormously from backpacking experiences / learnt to appreciate what she has in life and to be helpful to others. Hope this helps.

Be prepared to pass the kid around-Fijians love kids.

Be prepared to have your stuff stolen -especially if travelling on cruise liners - and I don't mean my fellow tourists. If you have eyes in the back of your head go for it! I admire your sense of adventure.

Luckily you have to have eyes in the back of your head with a toddler. I think I also need to have arms of an octopus though. It is hard to have your valuables protected when the only thing that really matters is the safety of the kid. I will be extra vigilant, thanks for the tip (and no cruise liners or boats 'cause kids overboard is probably more likely than stolen passports).

Thanks for the inspiration SeascapeAu. Plenty of people have told me I'm crazy so it's nice to hear that it's possible (and that Fiji is such a kid-accepting place, hardnosethehigh). LOVE the snorkelling suggestion - brilliant! Child is 15kg so I'll be moving slowly (and burning off all the coconut cream I suppose), but I think the Ergo carrier I have will do the trick.

Ignore #3-the man has issues with the human race-specifically himself.

That aside it's bound to be the experience of a lifetime for you both and I mean that in the most postive way.

HI Nicole

Just wanted to encourage you with traveling with a child. I take my kids overseas all the time as a single mum. My kids love their trips and have great stories they share with other people, who usually sit there wide eyed and cant believe they have seen more than them.
You will find that some people will have a negative opinion about traveling with kids, but its only because you are doing what they dont have the courage to do.
Have fun and if you get the chance, head to Asia... Its so easy to travel with kids there and its super cheap... Cheaper than Fiji :-)

you don't mention planning to go to any island groups, there are lots of touristy and also more local-style resorts in the mamanucas and yasawas that you'll both love and are not to be missed, please don't just stay on the main island. enjoy!

Won't you be a bit hot with a toddler strapped to you? Its justs thought....I'm planning on doing similar for 4 weeks in july, would love to hear how you get on. so where will you stay, do backpackers hostels take littlies? I didn't think they did (?) please correct me if i'm wrong. Mine will be 20 months. We will def go to a smaller island i know and tour around a bit but thats as far as i've got with the plans as I've not booked yet. I do love the floatie idea above though - brilliant!!

Yes, I will be hot. I trialled the baby on front, daypack on back thing the other day and found that photography will be so difficult, it likely won't happen and I got very hot. It was certainly do-able and will be great when I've got to get over rough terrain, through the airport or a short distance, but for all day sightseeing, it's not very comfortable...and I want to be able to take photos. So I've purchased a Babylove Roma superlight, folding, travel stroller. It's only 3.6kg so I can fold and carry when the ground isn't suitable for wheels and I have to resort to the baby backpack.

I'm not staying in backpackers, more flashpackers. And all the ones I'm staying in are on the quieter side with double rooms/bures. Then I'm staying at homestays and villages so everyone so far has been excited about a toddler coming to stay.

I haven't planned to leave Viti Levu because in only 12 days, I'm just squeezing in the main highlights of the mainlaind. Plus the budget only stretches so far and island hopping gets expensive. I'll have to save that one for next time. The highland/village trek for 3 days is my highlight this time round.

Thanks all - I'll be sure to let you know how it works out, AJT. I'm very jealous you have 4 weeks!

......So I've been waiting to hear how was thr trip?..........

Sorry, forgot login, forgot to reply... Trip was great, but hard work. The backpack was good in certain situations, but the fold up pram performed remarkably well. It was rainy, muddy and miserable when we first arrived and we were constantly wet and cold. Flashpackers with cold showers didn't help.

If I could do it again, I'd wait until the toilet training was complete. Dealing with number 2 accidents everyday wore me down. So did tantrums on the very unsanitary streets.

She was a saint on transport which I didn't expect. She became used to long, hot trips and resigned to the fact that there was nothing to do no matter how much you annoyed mum, so she slept on every bus after a few days.

Baby food was easy to get and thankfully my daughter enjoyed UHT milk so Milo poppers kept up the energy between jars of aussie baby food. The locals seem keen on 2 minute noodles as nutrition so it's lucky the baby food was readily available.

The homestay and village trip were most enjoyable for my daughter with lots of kids to play with. No toys required. Sticks, stones and chasey kept them occupied for hours without ever having to speak a word. The pool at a comfortable resort was much needed respite for me. All the trials of a day out and about in a foreign country on bumpy buses, unsafe taxis and lots of walking were easily handled if a hot shower and clean sheets waited at the end of the day. I can't say the same for the nights with cold showers and creepy crawlies in the bedroom.

How did your trip go AJT?