Okinawa and the Islands in Summer: Beach and Pool Days With Kids

July and August in Okinawa bring a particular challenge for families with children: the sea is finally warm enough to swim in, yet the middle of the day is too hot to be outside. Head to the beach first thing in the morning, cool off and nap under a roof at midday, then go back to the water once the sun starts to drop. Whether your hotel lets you build a day like that changes how tired everyone feels by the end of the trip. Start with two questions: does the property have somewhere to escape the heat, such as an indoor pool or a kids room, and how close is the beach? Choose on those two points and you are unlikely to go wrong.

The other thing to keep in mind for a summer trip to Okinawa is typhoons. It helps to think of the itinerary itself as your insurance policy: wait until close to the date before booking, read the cancellation policy in advance, and leave room around your return flight. Policies differ from hotel to hotel, so always check before you book.

On the main island, Southern Beach Hotel & Resort Okinawa is a one minute walk from the beach and combines a garden pool with a 60 cm deep children's pool and a water slide, plus a year round indoor pool and a kids room. Because you can move the hottest hours indoors, it is easy to build a day of sea in the morning and evening with the hotel in between. Okuma Private Beach & Resort in Kunigami Village sits in front of about 1 km of natural white sand, with a 50 cm deep children's pool, a kids room open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and cottage style rooms. Free loan of cribs, strollers and baby baths, along with a referral service for visiting childcare, makes it a good fit for families with babies and for parents who want a little adult time.

In Miyako and Yaeyama, Miyakojima Tokyu Hotel & Resorts stands directly in front of Yonaha Maehama Beach and has children's pools 40 cm to 70 cm deep and an indoor kids space. Pool towels and arm floats are free, and the hotel serves baby food and will warm food you bring yourself. On Ishigaki Island, ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort by IHG sits within Maesato Beach and offers an outdoor pool with a kids pool from 30 cm deep and a water slide, plus an indoor pool open all year. Some rooms have bunk beds set on Ryukyu tatami straw matting, which makes the room easy to share with siblings. Also on Ishigaki, Club Med Ishigaki Kabira is all inclusive, with meals, activities and the kids club covered by the rate and programs organized by age from 2 to 13. Hotel Locus on Miyako Island is a one minute walk from Painagama Beach, and its heated terrace pool is open year round.

If you are crossing to one of the smaller islands, Villa Unarizaki on Iriomote Island is a cottage 30 seconds' walk from the sea, with a small pool that even little ones can use and a courtyard to run around in. Hoshinoya Taketomi Island on Taketomi Island is laid out as freestanding villas, and its heated outdoor pool is open 24 hours a day all year. Room dining, called heya-shoku, is available, and baby food can be prepared to suit your child's age in months. Loan items are limited in number, and age limits and policies on children sharing a parent's bed differ by property, so look at the verified amenities on each hotel page and then confirm the latest details on the hotel's own website and your booking site.