Help appreciated...I have research fatigue! Looking for recommendations on a beach destination that meets the following criteria for our family with young kids:
1) Safety
2) Safe swimming beach for kids
3) Snorkeling
4) Wildlife
5) Day trips to explore cultural activities
6) Access to variety of restaurants within walking distance
We would be going for 2 to 3 weeks. ***Our preference is to go somewhere other than Mexico.***

Maui.

Krista
Gail Greenfield Lahaina town is closed to tourists, the rest of the island needs the help of tourists and their money. Stay local, shop local and eat local. I have several friends that live there.

Krista
I’ve been to Maui, Kihei, several times.
It seems that sharks are really an issue there now.
Last Dec a poor woman was killed and never recovered.
As much as I absolutely love Maui, the water freaks me out!

Jacqui poor woman was killed and never recovered? Wow. That's impossibly incredible

Kelly just her snorkel and a piece of her bathing suit.
Her husband was able to make it to shore.
It was tragic

Cartagena

Bali!!!

Matt

Costa Rica

Fiji. Closer to home- Costa Rica or Guatemala

Sounds like Hawaii or maybe Belize if looking for something a bit different/further but not overseas.

Oman

I would honestly look into Colombia myself. I spent 3 weeks there many years ago and it had everything you are talking about and more. Santa Marta is a beautiful little beachside town.

Costa Rica

Samara Costa Rica. Just did a week there with our toddler and it was perfect.

Josh How was the snorkeling?

Marian fantastic and really accessible. You don’t have to leave the bay to find good water

Marian We have been to Samara many times and love it, but the snorkeling is not good. If snorkeling is important to you I would recommend Hawaii or Fiji as others have suggested here.

Josh Agree. Samara would easily fit the bill. Plus it has excellent intrabus connections all over Costa Rica if you don’t want to rent a car. We and multiple friends have used a travel agency in Costa Rica to set up the exact trip you would like. Highly recommend:
https://crstours.com/
CRSTOURS.COM
Vacations in Costa Rica | CRTOURS travel agency Costa Rica

Brenda Thanks for the TA recommendation.

Josh yup. I came to the comments to say Samara as well. We've been there a few times and will return again!
It's got everything one needs without being ridiculously touristy!

Josh did you drive from the airport of rent a driver?

Randy we looked into both options and ended up hiring a shuttle driver for there and back. With our toddler we knew we wanted to have a more stay put vacation.
If you plan on venturing out and about I would rent a car without hesitation. If you’re staying put get a shuttle. Carlos at bluesky Tours was such a wonderful guy. He’ll do shuttles or tours or whatever you need.
https://www.blueskyprivatetourscr.com
BLUESKYPRIVATETOURSCR.COM
Blue Sky Private Tours Costa Rica | tours

Josh thank you

Dubai! From Seattle the price isn’t bad and direct flight. 50+ activities for kids there.

There aren't many destinations direct from Vancouver that meet your criteria other than Mexico. Our kids are adults now, but back in the day I can recall it being difficult with kids and layovers. (Huatulco meets your criteria perfectly, think of it as Oaxaca instead of Mexico.
) If you don't mind transferring, Belize has a lot to offer. You can search this site for a myriad of posts about it that I and others have written.

Alan agree
Ambergris Caye is wonderful

Barb for their kids, a stay at the Belize Zoo with the guided night tour!

Alan we did a boat ride to main island to a ruins tour and a river cave float..
Swam with nurse sharks , rays and turtles.
Never once felt unsafe

Barb Too commercialized!

Barb Ambergris Caye is incredible

Elizabet I thought so

Waikiki meets all of those.

Costa Rica

We like Utila. Rent a beach house. Snorkeling right outside your rental or go to the lovely public beach and snorkel there. Friendly, safe, many restaurants to choose from. For a change you can take a ferry to Roatan. The monkey and sloth park is always a hit and your kids would love it. More shopping and US grocery products as well.

Just back from Kauai- Stayed at Pono Kai Resort - literally half block from Kapaa and on the Ocean with a 6 Mile walking path - Kapa'a is centrally located on the Island - easy drive whichever direction you want to explore. Has Pool and close to many beaches, one in particular for safe swimming and snorkelling.

i second Ann-Marie. I stayed exactly where she did last xmas…

Ann-Mari I agree! Our little was too small for snorkeling when we went so I’m not sure about that but Lydgate Beach Park had a protected lagoon that I thjnk people were snorkeling in, calm waters, playground, right on the long beach path. Kapaa is such a nice beach town.

Allison Lyndgate Park is the one that is so family oriented!

Ann-Mari I have such blissful memories of it

Ann-Mari we stayed in Poipu and rented a car with my 2 year old. It is by far the best vacation I’ve had and I now don’t want to go back to Oahu. Such a relaxing island with so much to see and do!

Janis I agree. Just came back from Kauai. Very nice but expensive. Fantastic snorkelling at baby beach. There’s houses on ocean right there you can rent run by a place called Garden Island rentals 800-247-5599

I would suggest the Big Island of Hawaii. Cheaper than Oahu and Maui.
I have purchased the Hawaii tri-park pass and the 3 National Parks are fantastic. Volcanoes national park in Hilo, Haleakala in Maui, and Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau in Kona. $55 for an annual pass for a carload of people.
https://www.nps.gov/.../news/20230112-tri-park-pass.htm
NPS.GOV
Three Hawaiʻi National Parks announce 2023 fee-free dates and new Tri-Park Pass availability - Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Thailand.

Suzanne we did Thailand with our kids and it fits what you’re looking for. Tons of culture, tons of restaurants, and very safe for kids. We went to koh samui because there are four hospitals and an airport

Fiji

Aulani on Oahu… checks off all on your list!

Belize. westjet now flies from Calgary. Head to one of the Cayes. Caulker, Ambergris…

Karen Too commercialized. Try Placencia.

Karen I don't get why westjet doesn't offer direct flights to Belize from Vancouver. Bigger market, surely there is a demand for it.

Many parts of Australia tick all those boxes on our off seasons.

Marlas long expensive flight tho

Jess it is, yes.

You may love Marco island in Florida. It’s stunning and a great beach. And you can daytrip to see alligators in the Everglades. Do a swamp tour. Even all the way to Miami for a Miami heat game (we did)… it’s not easy to get to but it’s worth it! I don’t think there’s snorkeling… it’s just beach But a beautiful one!

Catherin I love Marco island! So hard to get to by flight though

Costa Rica

I was also trying to do the “avoid Mexico” plan but westjet had a big sale on flights to Huatulco so we booked it as it’s definitely the “lesser known” Mexico. We are avoiding any all inclusives and staying in Puerto Escondido on Playa Carrizalillo with our two little kids.

Lindsey I did a month here, well Escondido, with my toddler and loved it! Other then knowing which beaches has strong currents etc. carrizalillo is def in my top 3 beaches ever and I’ve been to lots of them around the world. Just watch the under tow is all. There are other beaches more calm around tho. We also enjoyed the beach club at Bacocho for a little faux resort life and pool swimming - and the feed to enter go towards your food. Plus turtle release at 6pm.
Bonus tip you can get groceries delivered if you learn to navigate the Chedraui website in Spanish. Save time! Or see if Rappi is in Escondido yet!

We love Puerto Escondido. Playa Manzanilla/Angelito are walking distance from town and in a perfect little bay for kids.

Lindseydo you mind sharing where you stayed please?

Tracy
Villas Carrizalillo

Aruba!! Seriously felt safer than the town I live in on Vancouver island. The beaches were great and lots of places you can snorkel from the beach, or do a snorkel tour. Not as much variety of activities compared to Mexico but there definitely still is enough activities. The palm beach area has tons of restaurants right there. We did rent a car and stayed at an airbnb so we explored more around the island and I would definitely recommend renting a car at least part of the time

i second this.
The whole island is about the size of Nanaimo. Their industry is tourism. Their currency exchange is set and US money is used freely they speak four different languages typically.
The weather is warm not atrocious and the beaches and water are fabulous. I never felt safer just wandering around and exploring.

Taralee can you tell me how expensive you found food and stuff? And would you say a week is long enough?

Karen food/drinks was the most expensive part like a mini corona was $8 US and food was as expensive as here if not slightly more so. airbnb was reasonably priced but some of the beachfront hotels are very expensive. I have heard cost wise once you are there it is similar to Hawaii. I think a week was long enough, that’s all we did and found it to be enough time as it is fairly small

Taralee thanks for this - very helpful! Did you find your car rental was expensive? Is it easy to navigate without a car?

Karen car rental was pretty good, much cheaper than when I rented a car in Canada but not as cheap as Mexico. There were buses but not sure how frequent they were

Taralee thanks for this! Tossing around the big island or Aruba - tough choice!

Taralee I could spend the rest of my life on that island! Definitely agree with this recommendation!!

Costa Rica

Costa rica

Huatulco is in Mexico but meets all of your requirements and additionally is super safe, easy to get to (albeit long flight) and hot! Very beautiful there.
On another note: Don’t stress about where to go for your vacay - wherever you select will be the right choice and you are sure to have a fantastic family vacay as long as you are open minded as nowhere is perfect

Justin Is it a direct flight to Huatulco!

May yes there are during the main season!

Bonaire with westjet. YouTube Bonaire

Hopkins, Belize

Trevor worse place in the world!!!!!!!!!!!! Would NEVER take a child there!!!

In the WHOLE world?

Susan tell us how you really feel. Lol. You must be a 5 star resort person.

More like a
like a no star girl. Just disliked everything about that town. It's dirty, sketchy, unfriendly, dangerous, and more. Have done a lot of third world travelling on a small budget and Hopkins is not a place I would recommend to anyone, especially with children.

Fiji!!! The people are so warm and welcome you into their villages. More than just a beach trip, it was educational and heartwarming.
We stayed in the Yasawa Islands at Octopus Resort then to Blue Lagoon.
Direct flights from Vancouver to Fiji then took a ferry to the islands.

Deanne Totally agree! Family oriented, friendliest people on earth and a bargain for Canadians!

Deanne Came here to recommend Fiji, too! Just did a direct flight there from YVR and also stayed in the Yasawas (at Barefoot Manta).

Giordana was there snorkeling?

Virginia Tons. Where I stayed is known for its snorkeling in particular as they do reef conservation - the reef is right off the beach, you can literally wade in and start seeing things before you’re even swimming. We saw rays, sharks, gigantic clams, angelfish, clown fish, the most incredible live corals, parrot fish, on and on.. my four year old learned to both swim with a lifejacket and snorkel on our trip.

Snorkelling right off the beach of Octopus and Blue Lagoon Resorts. Hotels provided the equipment free of charge to use at any time.

Playa Potrero in Costa Rica, heaven

Fiji or Hawaii. Some if my best-ever snorkelling was had there. Not sure Fiji would fit your #4 and 6 criterias though.

Huatulco Mexico

Fort Meyers Beach/Sanibel Island, Varadero Cuba, Maui

thailand.. went to koh lipe last december . small island, great snorkeling, walking street with shopping /restaurants . stayed at mountain resort right on water, lots of family’s and boats on beach to do excursions. highly recommend !! felt very safe!

We camped on Hawaii. Best vacation ever. State camp grounds. Families appear to be enjoying it like we were. Saved a ton of money.

Sue We have camped in Hawaii too. All the islands except Oahu. We had a blast.

Bahamas, Grand Cayman Or Curaçao.

Bali (Sanur area) ticks ALL of your boxes

We just got back from Curacao and absolutely loved it! "Cultural activities" are more adult focused (the history of slavery). I also agree that Belize- Ambergris Caye is a terrific fit for your hit list too.

Belize

Ko' olina on Oahu. Great manmade lagoon beaches for kids and snorkeling. Beautiful setting and pathways for walking and exploring. Nearby restaurants within walking.

Oahu, Ko’olina. Best family vacation ever! 3 ocean lagoons with breakwaters around, swimming pools, beautiful walks, 4-5 restaurants to walk to. Fully equipped ABC store for snack or ready made meals and all the other grocery/souvenirs general store stuff. Paradise Cove right next door has best Luau on the island. Behind it there is a hidden public beach where turtles and monk seals hang out. Excellent snorkelling there and again totally sheltered by a reef around the bay. We rented a 3 bedroom condo at the Beach Club through vrbo which was expensive, but we had our two daughters with their families. There are townhouses that aren’t right on the beach that are very affordable. You will need to rent a car as it’s about 25 minutes from airport.

Someone mentioned Florida and said the snorkeling wasn't great but we snorkeled in the Keys - you do have to take a tour or rent your own boat but Alligator Reef lighthouse is amazing snorkeling - perfect for kids because it's not that deep. So much purple fan coral and tons of fish too. Lots to do in Florida!

New Zealand checks all of these boxes. Direct flight from Vancouver to Auckland.

Viet Nam hands down!

Kingsley Dinnadge Agree. Vietnam was awesome. I went to Na Trang and Jungle Beach might be my favorite beach ever!

My vote is also for Samara, Costa Rica. Very laid back town. Depending on where you stay, everything is easy walking distance...beach, grocery stores, restaurants. Snorkeling is ok at either end of the expansive beach. Or you could visit any of the other close beaches. My favorite in the area for swimming and playing is Playa Carrillo, just 10 minutes down the road. Plenty of birds and monkeys to hear and see.

We just got back from Fiji with our four year old. It was direct from Vancouver, and ticks all those boxes. Children are very loved there, and some of the best snorkeling I’ve ever done, right off the beach in the Yasawas.

I started cruising as a child when I was 5 years old! Best weeks of my life as a kid. You get the best of both worlds. Safe, sooo many kid activities, parents get alone time because the kids are off in their ‘day camps’ when at sea. I would suggest visiting the Caribbean islands. I prefer south tours but they’re all nice. You can do your beaches and snorkeling there. Daytime is for adventure and evening is for relaxation!

Kauai

I know you said not Mexico but Huatulco had it all! Excellent snorkeling in calm waters, cultural, tour to see crocodiles in the mangroves and release baby turtles into the ocean, lots of other tours and a nice down town area. We loved it and I think it would be great for kids. Also very safe and taxis are cheap and easy to get around. There are other places nearby to explore as well.

Nicaragua. Cheap and safe and beautiful.

Tom really? I'll look into it

Litsa I agree I love Nicaragua.

Tom where do you fly from & to?

Tommy fly in and out of Managua. Head south immediately as Managua is not very pleasant. I would recommmend Grenada, Ometepe, San Juan del Sur, Playa Maderas

Samara Costa Rica fits this bill except maybe snorkelling? I don’t know about that part.

Consider visiting Bali, Indonesia. It offers a safe environment, family-friendly beaches like Nusa Dua for safe swimming, great snorkeling spots, and wildlife experiences at Bali Safari and Marine Park. You can explore cultural activities in Ubud and enjoy a variety of restaurants in popular areas like Seminyak. It provides a diverse experience for your family vacation.

Christin I agree….however, it is a very long flight just to get there and flights can be expensive. Asian airlines such as Eva Air, JAL, Korea etc. are good. Think $1800-2200 each, depending on when you go. Once there, it is quite inexpensive in the 3-4 star range.

Christin have to chat with you about this!

Belize has all this. I would suggest United air. west jet go there as well this time of year but personally I would not rely on them. Alaska Air is also a good option.

Belize 100%

We did Bali for 6 weeks with 3 kids and it was amazing! We have also done Costa Rica and it’s fabulous to!

If you want to introduce your children to cultural diversity I suggest Bai Xep, Vietnam. It is a long flight so minimum 3 weeks but it is an incredible place and very inexpensive with accomodation for 4 including Breakfast at under $50/day.

Hawaii! So awesome with kids since it’s safe (and amazingly beautiful).

I second Fiji. It may be further away, but when you consider the exchange rates, it is way cheaper than Hawaii. Stunning beaches, incredible snorkeling, beautiful people and direct flights from Vancouver.

Fiji

Hawaii. Maui or Kauai.

Disney Resort on Oahu!

With young kids sometimes it depends on how far you're willing to fly, how many connections you're willing to endure, how much you're willing to spend, versus what you get in return.....and factoring in jet lag when you return home. Comparing relatively easy destinations (Huatulco, Costa Rica) close to our time zone, versus something like Thailand or Vietnam can sometimes help nail down a destination. Have a great time wherever you go.

Maui, great beaches and snorkeling , lifeguard patrolled. Kaanapali has kid friendly hotels with great pools and slides as does Wailea. Kihei is condos and closer to get to other parts of the island for exploring. Restaurants everywhere within walking distance other the Napilli. And direct flights.

Sydney Australia Bondi Beach with lifeguards.so many Beaches parks aquarium , Koala sanctuary. Museums soo good

Curacao

Puerto Rico. Went a few years ago and loved it. Very historic Old San Juan was beautiful, the rainforest hikes in Luquillo was breathtaking. More beautiful beaches in Culebra and Vieques islands. We did a nighttime bioluminescent kayak tour through the mangroves. PR actually blew my mind.
https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/regions/culebra-vieques
DISCOVERPUERTORICO.COM
Culebra & Vieques

https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/.../visit-el-yunque...
DISCOVERPUERTORICO.COM
Visit El Yunque National Forest

https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/.../13-old-san-juan...
DISCOVERPUERTORICO.COM
13 Old San Juan Landmarks You Shouldn't Miss

Haven’t been yet (planning to with our kids next Xmas)but Panama fits the requirements

We took our kids to Belize.ambergris Caye. They were 12, 11 and 7. The snorkeling was the best. Better than Costa Rica, Mexico, Aruba and Puerto Rico. Having said that you do have to take a small boat to the reef so if the kids are very young may not work.
We really enjoyed Puerto Rico. San Juan is an old city and felt safe. We then took a ferry to the Spanish virgin islands(viequez and Culebra) small, village like, not busy with lovely small white sand beaches. We took a boat/ kayak trip at night and saw the most amazing bioluminescence.
The beaches were flat with pretty good snorkeling.
Have fun

Oahu

Cuba

If you want Oahu, there's an airbnb my son has , it's a min one month rental but with a direct booking he maybe able to do 3 weeks. https://air.tl/Di0r7UIp. Amazing location.
AIRBNB.CA
Condo in Honolulu · 2 bedrooms · 3 beds · 2 baths

It’s a milk run from here, but the little island of Vieques in Puerto Rico was amazing the times we went!

Japan okinawa

waikiki beach

Fiji and Australia have direct from YVR!

Thailand for suuuure. I’m here now and sadly on my way to the airport to come home.

Cuba

Curaçao

Bali

Fiji

I'm from Vancouver and air bnb our townhouse in Costa Rica when we arent using it. We are 15 minutes from 5 amazing beaches. Our townhouse is 3 bedroom 3 bathroom in a gated community with a pool and lots of great families. It's a beautiful place to visit. Highly recommend you check out Costa Rica
https://air.tl/3xATywgk
AIRBNB.CA
Wishlist: our property · 1 saved

.

Cook Islands

I would say, Hawaii. Great beaches and snorkeling. Safe. Decent food. Some cultural activities and hiking. And direct flights from Vancouver.

Huatulco non stop from Vancouver.
Las Brisas or Dreams Huatulco.
You can snorkel right from or near your resort, in front of a dozen beach bars or in a National Park.
Taxis cost 35 pesos to go anywhere in town and 80 pesos by taxi will get you to about 20 beaches.
At Huatulco it's door to restaurant service, door to bar service and door to snorkel from the beach service.
Huatulco airport consists of a few palapas.
No time share shark tank.
It's a 15 minute ride to town without a traffic light along the way.
You will however pass a 29,600 acre National Park.
No Walmart, no Costco, no Vidanta no Rius.
Huatulco is super clean.
All tree lined boulevards and sidewalks.
Most of the utilities are underground.
80 percent of the international tourists are Canadian.
Huatulco is not popular with fat guys in speedos with a smoke in there face 24/7 that speaks a language other than Spanish or English.
Huatulco is also not popular with spring breakers and loud mouth steroid punks.
Huatulco has by far the best weather and warmest ocean.
In the winter time I am in the ocean or non heated pool before 8:00 am just to cool off.

Check out Ko Olina in Oahu.

Malaysia Bintam, Langkawi ... Indonesia Bali, Lombok ... Thailand Koh Samui etc

Costa Rica

Kona side of the Big Island (Hawaii). Has everything. We fly straight through from Vancouver. If you put a flight alert on your phone for the dates you want to go you can usually get flights for around $400 return.

Nova Scotia

Kids on a plane? Maximum hours: 5-6 which means Mexico, Hawaii, or Central America (with layovers). Mexico is perfect - just avoid the bigger cities and crowded tourist attractions. East Coast: Puerto Morelos and Akumal have kid-friendly beaches and there are some fantastic cenotes. Only one stretch of highway - about 130 km - so day trips up and down the coast are do-able and Collectivos and buses are plentiful; but East coast weather isn't always reliable and then there's the Sargassum seaweed. West Coast - Huatulco is pretty much the only good snorkeling on the West coast and west jet has direct flights from Vancouver. So many places to go within taxi/bus range. Search Booking.com for affordable rentals with no down payments.
Booking.com
BOOKING.COM: The largest selection of hotels, homes, and vacation rentals

Belize!!!!!

.

Cook Islands super safe amazing snorkeling right from the beach, beautiful beaches, very cultural and friendly locals we stayed here and loved it
Aitutaki Beach Villas

Hawaii. We did a week in Waikiki followed by a week in Kihei. It provided everything on your wish list.

Aruba

Malta, Greece (naxos and Rhodes are great with kids), okinawa

I'd say Da Nang/Hoi An in Vietnam ticks all those boxes with ease except the snorkeling which you have to take a boat to a nearby island to see some coral

Another great option is Moaboal in the Philippines. It is beautiful and has some of the best snorkeling/diving I have ever seen!

Hawaii

Hawaii. Regarding a safe beach, my kids had to wear life jackets until they could swim freely across a swimming pool. They accepted this with no problem from a young age.

ko olina in hawaii on Oahu but not in the city

fiji airways flies direct to Fiji, and is (or was) having a seat sale - I don't have kids and will leave it to others to comment on its suitability from that perspective.
I flew with them to Australia recently and the flight was very comfortable (and I'm tall).

Consider Hainan Island in China.
https://thetravelintern.com/visit-hainan-island/
THETRAVELINTERN.COM
11 Reasons Why You Should Visit Hainan Island For Your Next Resort Holiday - The Travel Intern

I loved Aruba!

Fiji or Belize

Tahiti. Our air b&b was right on the beach and we walked out to beautiful reef to swim. We could see the sunrise and sunset all from the patio. Fish and turtles beautiful places to explore and great food

I am in Boracay Island and it is safe and beautiful here.

Thank you for all your recommendations. I really appreciate it! I have been enjoying researching all the suggestions.

Playa Tesoro in Nicaragua. It’s run by Canadians from Vancouver. We were recently there with our 13 and 12 year old. Amazing!
www.playatesoro.com
PLAYATESORO.COM
Playatesoro

Thailand!