The Ultimate Beach ‘Bucket List’ for Families: the Best Beaches for Kids in the World

best beaches

Sun, Sand and Smiles: Our Top Picks for Must-Visit Family Beaches – the ultimate best beaches list!

It’s no secret. We love a beach. Kids are happy. Adults are happy! And generally, they are a budget friendly day out. Even on non-sunny days, we’ve made some of our favourite travel memories on the beach. From building sand boats to chasing waves, sharing picnics to watching wildlife, a beach is our happy place. Over our years of travel we’ve found some of the world’s best beaches for kids and families.

Here, we share our favourite family friendly beaches and what we loved most about each one. Add these to your family beach bucket list!

Koh Lipe, Thailand

We absolutely loved Koh Lipe’s powdery white sand and crystal-clear turquoise water. There’s several beaches on the island, but Sunrise Beach quickly became a family favourite for its gentle slope, perfect for little ones. We appreciated the abundance of shaded spots, the friendly beachside restaurants, and the family-run accommodations.

With kids aged 4years and 6 months, our days were filled with snorkelling, kayak adventures, sand games and lazing in hammocks. There’s also great scuba diving for anyone looking for even more adventure. And of course, the sunsets are pretty spectacular, no more than on Sunset Beach at Bennys! Just watch out for the massive mosquitos!

Kem Beach, Phu Quoc, Vietnam

Best visited during the months May – October, we found Kem Beach to be a peaceful sanctuary for families. It has calm waters and endless soft sand. We took advantage of sunbeds and umbrellas, and ate at one of the many restaurants along the beach front.  There’s even a water park resort at the far end of the beach if you want to mix up pool time and sand time.

The beach is kept clean of sea debris and as long as the tide is in your favour the water is also crystal clear. If you are on Phu Quoc, this is a must visit beach for your list!

La Digue, Seychelles

Of course the Seychelles has so many beaches which are incredible. The sand is that white, and the sea is that turquoise. Our favourite was La Digue’s Anse Source d’Argent which wowed us with its iconic granite boulders and protected lagoons. We felt safe letting the kids paddle in the shallow water, and loved biking around the island to explore picnic areas and snack bars.

Spotting giant tortoises was a highlight for all of us! Snorkelling is possible from the beach and there are glass bottom kayaks for rental. Word of warning though, there are no restaurants or toilets on the beach itself – they are a 10 minute walk back towards the bike park.

Playa El Coco, Nicaragua

Our fondest memories of our time in Nicaragua was on Playa el Coco. We spent a whole week here with what felt like a private beach. We only saw a handful of people each day. It offered walks to other coves, a waterfall at one end, and pelicans keeping us company in the waves. We even spotted a humpback whale from the beach. It was great for wave jumping and surfing as well. Don’t only head to San Juan del Sur – Playa el Coco is far superior and one of the best beaches we have ever visited.

There’s a couple of restaurants, one with a pool, but if you are heading here we recommend staying for a few days minimum. It’s a great place to loose yourself in the emptiness and beach paradise. Enjoy star-filled night skies and toasting marshmellows on beach-fires. It’s safe and clean with so much space to run freely.

Playa Esterillos, Costa Rica

Just a short drive from Jaco, and en route to Manuel Antonio National Park, we found Playa Esterillos to be a calm, golden paradise. The shallow waters were ideal for splashing, and we made the most of shaded areas and local eateries – Nyle developed his love for red snapper whilst we were here. The beach is empty, with just fishing boats and a few locals for company. We still all talk about the masses of pelicans soaring overhead in their tens, even hundreds!

Indian Wells Beach, Long Island, New York

We did not expect our trip to New York to end up with us finding one of our favourite beaches ever. We loved Indian Wells Beach for its cleanliness, and emptiness in the October sunshine. Parking was free at this time, but there’s nothing else there. The back drop of sand dunes brought a play area for the kids. We even spotted dolphins off the coast and spent most of the afternoon watching them jump the waves.

Obviously it was too cold for swimming in October but the space to play and paddle was superb. If you’re considering the United States, New York State will not disappoint.

Porth Iago, Wales, UK

We stumbled on Porth Iago almost by accident, and we’re so glad we did. It’s one of the best beaches in Wales. Its secluded cove offers soft sand, but be warned about the climb to get down. The car park is through a farm and there are now food trucks for coffee available but no toilet facilities.  

As the tide goes out, you’ll find rock pools and a long thin mass of beach. It can get busy so we recommend getting there early and claiming your spot on the dry sand part of the beach. It’s a great safe cove for paddle boarding and kayaking as well – just getting them down the hill can be a challenge. On a sunny day, this small cove in Wales looks like a Caribbean paradise with its turquoise waters.

Panglao Island, Philippines

The Philippines has 7000 islands and so of course it has some stunning beaches and we want to explore more. Panglao’s family friendly vibe won us over immediately, especially at Alona Beach. We loved how shallow and warm the water was, and found plenty of restaurants, shops, and beach huts lining the shore. Since this is a busier beach area, the kids both made friends instantly too.  

The marine sanctuary nearby was a treat, with guided tours to spot starfish and tropical fish at Balicasarag island. There’s also scuba diving available and the snorkelling trips will generally stumble across dolphins and sea turtles as well.

Valdevaqueros Beach, Tarifa, Spain

Spain has a lot of beaches. But we think the best beaches in Spain are on the Costa de la Luz. We were impressed by Valdevaqueros’ sprawling sands, with some mammoth sand dunes at one end which Nyle adored racing through. Our kids loved watching the windsurfers and colourful kites. There are dedicated swimming areas for safety, and it’s worth walking the 10 minutes towards the sand dunes to escape the crowds.

Cafés, showers and loungers made it easy to spend the whole day here – and the food at the main beach restaurant was outstanding. We stayed there long into the evening watching the kite surfers do their thing.

Horse Shoe Bay, Bermuda

Horse Shoe Bay was our only intended destination when we docked on our cruise ship in Bermuda. It’s easy to see why it is so popular with its pink sand and gentle waves. We skipped the expensive sunbeds, and lay on the powder white sand.

There’s some rock climbing to be done with paths up to a great view point to catch the entire bay – this is even safe for kids to climb. Nyle managed it very easily in around 5 minutes, if that. We had hot dogs and chips from the restaurant and there are toilets and changing rooms. Horse Shoe bay is a 30 minute bus ride from the main town and cruise terminal and then a 5-10 minute walk down from the road.

Koh Raa, Thailand

During a day’s snorkelling trip from Koh Lanta, we headed to Koh Raa. The beach’s shade trees and shallow waters were ideal for teaching our younger kids to snorkel with fish visible from the beach. This is a stop that most of the snorkelling trips do and generally lunch is provided by them. We had 90 minutes on this beach, shared lunch with some massive lizards, and snorkelled and swam before getting back on the boat.

The sand on this beach is so bright you need sun glasses. It’s not a beach you can stay overnight on I don’t think, but find a snorkelling trip that includes Koh Raa as you won’t be disappointed – even with all the other boats that arrive around the same time as you.

Khlong Dao Beach, Thailand

Khlong Dao Beach was a hit with our family for its wide, flat sands—perfect for games and running around. There’s a huge choice of restaurants, beach bars and massage huts. Our resort offered a pool but we didn’t really use it with the beach being so good. Nyle loved chasing the crabs along the sand and we even saw a sea snake in the shallows.

Khlong Dao beach is also a favourite for families as so many families visit it = many friends for the kids to team up with. There’s a multitude of shops and supermarkets for snacks, drinks and beach toys. And many of the restaurants offer free sunbeds if you purchase food or drinks from them. The mango smoothies were always incredible and such good value.

Juara Beach, Tioman Island, Malaysia

Juara Beach remains a fond memory, even 6 years after visiting Tioman Island. It quickly won our hearts with its laid-back vibe and gentle waves, perfect for a 4 year old surfing. We spent days swimming, kayaking, and exploring nature trails. The turtle hatchery was a highlight for Alicia, who loved learning about their conservation.

We stayed at the largest hotel on this beach since it had a pool and a great restaurant but there are many smaller guest houses also available. The snorkelling just off the beach is one of the best beach snorkelling locations we have ever experienced. And I think it is safe to call this the most golden sand beach we have ever visited.

best beaches

Final Thoughts: Sand, Sea & Memories

We’ve cherished every moment on these incredible beaches, from Southeast Asia’s tranquil bays to Europe’s iconic shores. We’ve loved sharing and discovering the world’s best beaches for kids as we always know it’s a safe, fun and cheap day out with downtime for everyone.

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