Six beaches with something extra
Whether you travel to Mexico, Indonesia, or Costa Rica, spending a day together at the beach is always nice and relaxed. Of course, it’s great to build castles with your feet in the sand or enjoy a good book, but some beaches have that little bit extra. For example, you can learn to surf, spot pink dolphins, or swim among turtles. A kind of beach 2.0, shall we say. We’ve listed six!
Swimming among turtles in Mexico
Turquoise sea? Check. White sand? Check. Waving palm trees? Check. All the ingredients for a tropical beach stay are present in Kamal, a family-friendly town on Mexico’s Riviera Maya. The beach here slopes gently into the sea and there is little current, so your children can play in the water safely. Snorkel and swim: chances are you’ll spot sea turtles here!
Snorkeling in Mexico
Learn to surf in Sri Lanka
For those who don’t just want to laze on the beach, but also want to do something active, Aruba Bay in Sri Lanka is the perfect place to spend a few days. It is the surf spot of Sri Lanka where your teenagers can take a lesson. In an hour and a half, it is quite possible to stand still and catch just that one big wave. Do you not want to watch from the beach with lifeguard certification, but also want to go into the water with a surfboard? Parents are also very welcome!
Surfing in Sri Lanka
Enjoying the Gillis in Indonesia
The Gila Islands in Indonesia are tropical islands off the coast of Lombok. You will travel by boat from the larger island of Taranga to Gila Air and be dropped off at the beach for your stay. In the distance you can already see the white beaches beckon and since there is no jetty to moor when you step out you are right with your feet in the clear water. Just put your stuff away in your own wooden bungalow and go straight back to the beach. You can walk straight into the sea, put on your snorkel, put your head under the water, and are welcomed by numerous fish and colorful coral.
Relaxing in Indonesia
Monkey Watching in Costa Rica
The seaside resort and the adjacent Manuel Antonio National Park have a long, beautiful sandy beach with plenty of shade that slopes gently into the sea. Ideal for a family holiday. There are several restaurants and shops, so you don’t get bored. In many places, you can enjoy swimming and lazing around and the moon-shaped beaches are surrounded by forest that runs down to the beach. Look closely, because between the trees and on the beach you can spot monkeys, sloths, crabs, iguanas, and various birds!
Beach with a jungle in Costa Rica
Spotting pink dolphins in Thailand
In the southeast of Thailand, you will find Khoum Beach: miles of coastline with white sandy beaches and swaying palm trees, almost all to yourself. Unique to this area is the national park with carved rock walls, where you can spot pink dolphins. From a long tail boat, you can see these flippers swimming around freely. Keep your camera ready: the dolphins often jump happily next to the boat.
Flippers in Thailand
Swimming with Penguins in South Africa
An hour’s drive from Cape Town you will find Boulders Bay, also called Boulders Beach: a sheltered beach, consisting of coves between granite boulders. A colony of black-footed penguins has been established here since the 1980s. At Foxy Beach you can view them up close from a wooden platform and at Boulders Beach you put on your snorkel to swim with them yourself. Don’t worry; they’re not that interested in people. They do use fresh fish, so you regularly see them hiding for a tasty snack!
Snorkeling in the Cape of Good Hope
Are you looking for even more inspiration? Read which seven beaches we recommend worldwide for a family trip with (young) children.
Of course, this is just a selection of all the places you can travel to with us. We offer individual tours at twenty destinations, specially developed for families with young children and teenagers. Choose your destination and build your own tour!
Swimming and beaches
On the beach of Limburg
1. Pales Pals
The Palace Pals in Beranger is the place to be on a hot summer day. On the banks of the 40-hectare lake, you will find a sunbathing and playing field for those who enjoy it, a beach volleyball court for sports enthusiasts, and an adventurous pirate playground for the children. Cyclists and walkers rest on the terrace of the bicycle cafe. And for the sunbathers, there is a real beach ready. The demarcated swimming pond is open in the summer months of July and August.
2. Terrill’s Cable Park
A beautiful sunset over the water: for that, you have to be at Terrill’s Cable Park in Dilsen-Stokkem. The overall atmosphere here exudes a chill beach vibe. Sit with your feet in the sand and a cocktail in hand on the terrace of the beach bar. Wake boarders whiz by on the water. Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from trying this out yourself. Experienced wake boarder or never done it before? Everyone is welcome. Laughing at the Aqua Park, an obstacle course on the water, where it is not unlikely that you will fall off a few times.
3. Kikmolen Maasmechelen
The Kikmolen in Maasmechelen is a pleasant day trip, especially for families. This natural swimming pool is located in the River Park Maasvallei and on the edge of the Huge Kempten National Park. Children whiz down the spectacular water slides, while parents relax on the extensive sunbathing lawn or the island. Hungry stomachs can visit the brasserie with a terrace overlooking the natural swimming pool.
4. Natural bath De Wouterbron
The natural bath of the Wouterbron is located in the middle of the forests of Maleic. It is an ecological swimming pond with exceptional water quality. Even on peak days, there is a sea of (swimming) space and an oasis of peace and regeneration. The bath is only open on sunny and warm days. A walk in the dunes is also possible because the Dune Belt is nearby.
5. School Lake
Schulensmeer in Lumen is the odd one out in this list because you are not allowed to swim in this natural water. But that doesn’t make a day trip to this lake any less fun. Walking, relaxing on the lawn, having a picnic, sitting on a terrace … you can simply enjoy yourself here. And… Water sports are allowed on this water. So rent a kayak, try out supping, or even take a surf lesson.
