Best Travel Tips For Beach Holidays

Is there anything not tantalising about idyllic islands and beaches? Here are the tips to know before planning your next trip…

Secret beaches, stunning islands you’ve never heard of. Let the travel industry experts guide you through the very best beach island holiday with their list of tips, tricks and hacks…

1. Seek solitude in Spain

The best, least crowded beaches in Spain lie on the Costa Brava, north of Barcelona in Catalonia, with hardly a high-rise in sight. On scorching days, head to Tamariu, in the province of Girona, to fling yourself into the crystal sea from a springboard embedded into the rock. Heaven.

Sophie McComas, director of Buffet, a creative content studio specialising in food, drink and travel.

2. Journey along the Riviera Maya

“The Riviera Maya along the south-east coast of Mexico is one of my favourite spots on the planet," says Jennifer Vandekreeke, vice president of Carnival Cruise Line in Australia. “It’s the perfect combination of authentic cuisine and culture, beachy goodness and water adventure.

From Cozumel to Tulum, you’ll find delicious spiced pulled pork and authentic tacos, warm and friendly locals, extraordinary cultural experiences with the ancient ruins of Chichen Itza, Coba and Tulum; plus amazing water-based adventures like swimming in cenotes and cliff jumping in Xel-Ha." This stretch of Caribbean coastline also rates highly for Lisa Perkovic, travel expert at Expedia: “My favourite place to stay is the Viceroy Riviera Maya," she says. “Not only is the Riviera Maya the perfect combination of lush jungle and pristine beaches, the hotel is situated right on the beachfront. The service is impeccable with a great staff-to-guest ratio, plus the personalised services and products they provide during your stay are second to none." Travel journalist Sangeeta Kocharekar zones in on the region’s hub.

“Despite its steady stream of international tourists, Tulum still hasn’t lost much of the boho charm that put it on the map in the first place. Most of its hotels are eco-conscious and nearly all of its restaurants seem to be at one with their surroundings," she says. “And though Tulum is beachside, it’s more than just a beach town. It’s got ancient ruins, stunning cenotes and award-winning dining. If you haven’t thought about heading here, do."

3. The road to Hana

This is an absolute must-do while on the island of Maui in Hawai‘i. Hire a car, download the ‘GyPSy Guide’ app (no wi-fi is needed!) and hit the road early so you have plenty of time to take it all in. The app will direct you and point out the best places to stop, tell you stories and facts, and give you advice – it makes the road trip seriously easy and really enjoyable.

This winding road has more than 600 turns and 59 bridges, passing waterfalls, rugged coasts, lush greenery, sleepy villages, beautiful beaches and swimming holes and an incredible hike through rainforest and bamboo forest to the 120-metre Waimoku Waterfall. A long, but really great day.

Megan Arkinstall, contributing editor, International Traveller

4. Explore California’s sand dunes

I’ve just returned from a fantastic road trip with my son to California. As soon as we landed we headed to Pismo Beach, an enormous area of sand dunes on the central Californian coast, and joined many other adrenalin seekers throwing ourselves around the dunes on all sorts of two and four-wheeled vehicles.

David Rousham, vice president international development, Cunard

5. Get active in volcanic Vanuatu

We took a family holiday to Vanuatu last year, where we did a day trip to the island of Tanna. Apart from the beauty of the island itself and its people, climbing up to the top of the volcano was an absolutely awesome experience. The power and impact of standing on the edge of an active volcano is hard to describe.

Sture Myrmell, president, P&O Cruises and Carnival Australia

6. Bask in Balinese beachside opulence

Last year I stayed at the Bulgari Resort Bali in Uluwatu and I didn’t want to leave. Guests stay in their own private villa with 180-degree views of the Indian Ocean and access to an exclusive beach. Sitting beside your own private pool you’ll be visited by the local monkeys while experiencing the amazing service of your personal butler.

Clare Wheatley, general manager Australia and New Zealand, Delta Air Lines

7. Travels in Thailand

True paradise is never easy to get to. If you pick an island that requires a little extra effort to reach – meaning: no airports, multiple transits – you are guaranteed to lose the crowd along the way. In Thailand, bypass the resort-filled beaches of Phuket and Koh Samui, and try Koh Chang [pictured], Koh Phayam and Koh Tarutao instead.

Food and travel writer Eloise Basuki and photographer Leigh Griffiths, Strangertalk.co

8. A faraway fusion

Providencia is a beautiful little island owned by Colombia in the Caribbean. It has incredible clear water, and a mixture of cultures resulting in Latin American and island Caribbean vibes! The beach bar Roland Roots is a great place for a dance to some fusion music. Rachel Crowther, director of creative media, experience, Burberry travels at least six times a year for work.

9. Japan’s less-travelled in Okinawa

I really do think that Okinawa is the ultimate undiscovered island retreat that everyone should be discovering. Of course it has beautiful beaches and a sultry sub-tropical climate, but what pushes it past just about every island I can think of for depth of offering is the completely unique culture, the insanely great food and the fascinating history.

One of the things that endlessly enthralls me about Japan is the diversity of traditions from region to region, and Okinawa stands alone from the rest of the country having been its own kingdom (Ryukyu) until the 19th century. My top tip for getting there is to book your flight into Japan with either JAL or ANA as both offer heavily discounted add-on explorer flights to anywhere in the country, including into Naha, the prefecture capital. From there you can island-hop by ferry and plane: there are countless islands stretching out towards Taiwan and China to the west and the Philippines to the south.

My five musts while there are:

• Shuri Castle in Naha, the seat of the Ryukyu kings.

• Peace Memorial Park in Itoman, a sprawling memorial to the soldiers who fell here during the Battle of Okinawa, one of the last and bloodiest battles of the Second World War.

• Try taco rice, an amalgamation of Japanese and US cuisine, born in the post-war years (US troops have been present on Okinawa since the end of the war).

• Go snorkelling off Ishigaki Island.

• Spend time on Taketomi Island, where bikes are the best way to navigate the narrow laneways of crushed coral and sand bordered by traditional Ryukyu houses hiding behind walls of stacked coral and covered in flowering bougainvillea.

Leigh-Ann Pow, editorial director, International Traveller

Okinawa convention and visitors bureau sand sun beach water swim luxury — Traditional living in the sun on Okinawa Island (photo: Wataru Kohayakawa).

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10. Off-grid on the Greek Islands

Bisti Beach on Hydra, Greece – to get to this incredible sheltered bay you have to take a boat from the main port. There’s no electricity but you can still get a drink, swim in the beautiful shallow sea and then snooze under pine trees.

Luke Edward Hall is a London-based artist and designer of interiors, fabrics and ceramics whose work combines Greco-Roman aesthetics and crumbling English country house style with a dash of 1970s Palm Springs. From painting murals in the South of France and California to designing fabrics and sets in Rajasthan, his commissions take him around the world.

Check out more of the best 100 tips, tricks and hacks from travel insiders by category

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

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