Family Beaches

Shallow entry, calm water, and facilities within reach.

Three things have to hold at once, and the third is what removes most candidates. Shallow gradual entry means no shelf and no shore break — reef flats, lagoons and enclosed bays qualify, open ocean beaches almost never do. Calm water means no rip and no undertow, which excludes even some sheltered-looking beaches where a current runs at one end. And facilities means toilets, shade and somewhere to buy water within reach, because a two-kilometre walk in from a car park changes what a beach day is with small children. Lifeguard cover is a strong signal and is noted where it exists, though most of the world's beaches have none. Tidal beaches are included where the tide is predictable and excluded where a returning tide can cut people off, which is a real hazard on several of them.