Beach Escapes: Planning a Sun Trip

Decide what kind of beach you actually want

Calm shallow water, surf, snorkelling and long walking beaches are different things and rarely found together. Being honest about which one matters narrows the choice quickly.

If you are travelling with small children, calm and shallow beats scenic almost every time. If you want to snorkel, look for reef protected bays rather than open coast.

Timing

Check sea temperature, not just air temperature. Early season sun can come with water that is colder than the photos suggest.

Also check the local rainy season and any wind patterns. Some coastlines are reliably windy in specific months, which is excellent for kitesurfing and irritating for everything else.

• Sea temperature for your travel month
• Rainy season dates for the specific coast
• Prevailing wind, if you want calm water
• School holiday periods in the source markets

Choosing where to stay

Being on the beach is not always better. A property two streets back is often significantly cheaper and gives you access to restaurants that are not resort priced.

If you plan to leave the resort at all, check what is walkable. On many coastlines the answer is nothing, which makes a car necessary and changes the budget.

Packing and practicalities

Reef safe sunscreen is required in a growing number of places, and it is cheaper at home than in a resort shop. Bring more of it than you think.

A dry bag, a light long sleeve layer for the sun, and proper footwear for rocky entries cover most of what people wish they had brought.

Leave room for one other thing

Even on a pure beach trip, one boat trip, market visit or short hike tends to be the thing people remember. Book one, not five.

And keep the last day light. Rushing to an afternoon flight after a morning excursion is a poor way to end a relaxing week.