Choosing a beach

Surf, swim or snorkel: how activity labels should be read

Updated 2026-11-14

Activity, physical features and access rules are three separate questions. A beach can be excellent for surfing and still a poor choice for a nervous swimmer, and a calm cove can have steep steps that rule out some visitors.

Reading the tags

• Surfing means surfing is mentioned for the beach. It does not tell you the break, the skill level or the season.
• Snorkeling means it is mentioned. Visibility, currents and reef rules change through the year.
• Dogs and accessibility entries are shown only when a specific rule or feature is documented. A blank is not a no.
• Sand or pebble describes the surface in the reference text. Dark or coarse sand is still sand.

Using the filters

Use the search page to combine destination, surface and activity filters, then add two or three beaches to the compare table to see which details are known and which are still missing.