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Choosing a sea resort: meal plans, rooms, reefs and the details that make the trip

A holiday at a sea resort promises something simple: wake up, walk to the water, and let someone else worry about the rest. Yet behind that promise are a lot of choices. One resort is a sprawling complex with five restaurants and a water park, the next is a handful of thatched villas on a private island reached by boat. Both sit by the sea, but they offer completely different holidays.

This guide looks at resorts rather than holiday homes. It covers the kinds of seaside resorts you will find around the world, how meal plans really work, which room to pick, and the practical questions that separate a relaxed stay from a disappointing one.

From big all-inclusives to tiny island hideaways

The sea resorts in this collection fall roughly into a few families.

• Large all-inclusive resorts are common along the Caribbean coast of Mexico, in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Cuba, and on the Red Sea coast of Egypt. Expect several pools, buffet and themed restaurants, evening entertainment and plenty of activities.
• Small boutique seaside resorts often have only a few dozen rooms or villas. They are quieter and more personal, and are found everywhere from the Greek islands to Bali and the coast of Kenya.
• Private island resorts occupy a whole island, usually one resort per island. The Maldives is the best-known example, but Fiji, the Seychelles and parts of the Philippines have them too.
• Overwater bungalow resorts put your room on stilts above a lagoon, with steps straight into the water. They are most associated with the Maldives and French Polynesia, and can also be found in Fiji and a few other tropical destinations.
• Eco and dive resorts focus on the reef and the landscape rather than luxury. Think simple bungalows, a dive centre and early nights, in places such as Indonesia, the Philippines, the Red Sea and the Pacific islands.

Meal plans explained

The meal plan often matters more to the final cost than the room rate. Resorts use a few standard terms.

Room only means exactly that. It works well at resorts near a town or a strip of restaurants, but on an island with one resort it can become expensive, because every meal is eaten on site.

Bed and breakfast and half board (breakfast plus dinner) give you a good base while leaving lunch free. Full board adds lunch, but usually not drinks.

All-inclusive covers meals, snacks and a selection of drinks, but read the small print carefully. Things that are often excluded or charged extra include premium spirits and wines, some of the à la carte restaurants, room service, motorised water sports, diving, spa treatments, excursions and sometimes even bottled water in the room. Some resorts offer a basic and a premium all-inclusive level, so check which one you are actually booking.

Picking the right room category

Resorts often list many room types with similar names. Garden view, partial sea view, sea view, beachfront and swim-up rooms can differ a lot in price and experience. A partial sea view may mean a glimpse of blue from the corner of the balcony. Beachfront usually means you step from your terrace onto the sand, while a swim-up room opens directly onto a shared pool. In overwater villas, ask whether the water below is deep enough to swim at all tides, and whether the villa faces sunrise or sunset. Ground-floor rooms are practical for young children and for anyone who struggles with stairs, while upper floors tend to have better views and more privacy.

Kids clubs or adults only?

Families and couples often want very different things from a resort. Family resorts may offer kids clubs by age group, children's pools, splash areas, babysitting and early dinners. Ask from what age children are accepted at the club, whether it is included in the price, and how many hours a day it runs. Adults-only resorts, on the other hand, promise quiet pools and a calmer atmosphere. Some resorts mix both, with a family section and a separate adults-only zone, which can work well for multi-generation trips.

The beach, the reef and the seaweed

Not every beach is the same, even in the same country. Some have soft white sand and shallow water ideal for children, others are rocky or have strong currents. In the Maldives and other lagoon destinations, the house reef close to shore is a big part of the appeal, so ask how easy it is to snorkel from the beach. In parts of the Caribbean and Mexico, sargassum seaweed can wash ashore in large amounts in some seasons; many resorts clean their beaches daily, but it is worth asking about recent conditions. Coral is fragile, so wear reef shoes where needed, never stand on coral, and choose a reef-safe sunscreen. Some destinations, such as Hawaii and Palau, restrict certain sunscreen ingredients altogether.

Seasons, storms and monsoons

Timing makes a huge difference by the sea. The Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico have a hurricane season in the second half of the year, and the western Pacific and the Indian Ocean have typhoon and cyclone seasons of their own. Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent follow the monsoons, which bring rain to different coasts at different times, so one side of Thailand or Sri Lanka can be dry while the other is wet. Remember that seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere: summer in Australia, Mauritius or South Africa falls around December and January. The Mediterranean is at its best from late spring to early autumn, and the Red Sea is warm enough to swim for much of the year.

Getting there and hidden costs

Transfers can be a surprising part of the budget. Island resorts may be reached by speedboat, domestic flight or seaplane, and seaplanes often only fly in daylight, which can mean a night near the airport on arrival. Ask whether transfers are included and whether there are baggage limits. Also check for resort fees, service charges and local taxes that are added at checkout, and whether prices are quoted per room or per person.

Questions to ask before you book

• Which meal plan is included, and what is excluded from the all-inclusive package?
• How is the transfer from the airport arranged, how long does it take, and what does it cost?
• Are there resort fees, service charges or taxes on top of the quoted price?
• Is the beach suitable for swimming all year, and is there a reef you can snorkel from shore?
• Is the resort family-friendly, adults-only, or split into zones?
• What exactly does the room view look out on, and how far is it from the beach?
• Which activities are free, and which water sports and excursions cost extra?
• What is the weather like in our travel month, and does it fall in a storm or monsoon season?
• Is there a doctor on site or nearby, especially on a remote island?

Tips for a better resort stay

Look beyond the resort walls. Boat trips to nearby islands, snorkelling with turtles, visiting a local market or taking a sunset cruise often become the highlights of the trip. Bring a light long-sleeved top for sun protection on boats, respect local dress codes when you leave the resort, and keep some cash for tips where that is customary. Finally, give yourself a day to do nothing at all: that is what a sea resort is for.

Browse the resorts on this page

The sea resorts listed above are grouped by continent, country and region, so you can quickly narrow your search to the coast or island you have in mind. Each link goes to the resort's own website, where you can look at the rooms, check availability and book directly. Do you run a resort by the sea? Add your link for free with the button at the top of this page and let travellers find you.