Ratgeber
Private island with children: calm and safety
Private islands suit families when travel, water, catering and childcare are clarified in advance. Calm and space are the big advantage, while the seclusion calls for planning. Private Islands is a Swiss travel agency offering advice by video call and puts together family trips with suitable islands.
Von Private Islands, Stand
Schritt für Schritt
- Weigh the children's ages against the travel time
- Check family-friendly islands
- Clarify water safety and supervision
- Ask about catering for children
- Discuss childcare and children's activities
- Check health advice from the FDFA (EDA) and the FOPH (BAG)
Checkliste
- Travel documents valid for all children
- Travel time with children checked
- Catering for children asked about
- Water safety discussed
- Childcare clarified
- Travel first-aid kit assembled
- Sun protection and swimming aids packed
- FDFA and FOPH advice checked
A private island can be a calm place for families: no roads, no bustle, plenty of room to play. At the same time it calls for preparation, because help, a doctor and shops are not around the corner.
What families appreciate about private islands
On a secluded island there is no traffic and there are no crowds. Children can play, dig and swim outdoors, and parents have to keep watch less than in busy places. Children feel the calm just as adults do, and many experience the island as a real adventure.
Many families experience the island as time without appointments. Meals, snorkelling and boat trips fill the day without anyone having to organise. That gives parents real rest. Discuss with the children beforehand what to expect so that the journey and arrival feel familiar.
At the same time: the island is small, and alternatives are missing. If you want variety for older children, you should ask about activities.
The journey with children
The journey is the most tiring part. Long flights, connections and the transfer by boat or seaplane demand patience. Plan a calm rhythm and enough breaks. A toy or cuddly animal from home helps with settling in after the long trip.
An overnight stop before the island can make sense. It splits the journey into two parts and lets the family arrive well rested.
With small children, check the luggage limits and seats of the transfers. Inform the operator of ages and needs in advance. Ask about villas with two bedrooms or connecting rooms so that parents and children can find retreat. Ask the operator how many families are on the island at the same time, because that shapes noise levels and playmates.
Water, beach and safety
The sea is a huge playground and at the same time the most important task for parents. Ask about currents, depths and sheltered swimming bays. Not every beach suits small children.
Clarify whether swimming aids are available or should be brought along. Supervision remains the parents' responsibility, even if staff are on site. Insect protection and light, long-sleeved clothing for the evening also belong in your luggage. A family trip to an island is not a programme but a rhythm of water, food, rest and small discoveries.
Sun protection, headwear and water shoes are part of it. On reefs, sharp corals and sea urchins can cause injuries. A small stock of familiar snacks helps if children are reluctant about unfamiliar food.
Catering, childcare and health
Ask whether children's menus are available and how flexible the kitchen is. On remote islands the offer is limited, and special requests need lead time.
Some operators offer childcare or programmes. Check times and offers before you rely on them. Also ask whether purées, nappies and baby food are available on site or must be brought along.
Health advice changes. Check the current status with the FOPH (BAG) and the FDFA (EDA), and talk to your paediatrician about the travel first-aid kit and vaccinations. With small children it is worth having a plan for naps, sun protection and shady spots on site. Plan excursions to suit the pace of the youngest, because boat trips that are too long tire them out and spoil the fun.
Activities and rhythm on the island
Children need variety, even in a place that seems to offer everything. Pack games, books and craft materials, because there are no toy shops. A set of sand toys, a snorkel mask and a ball turn any beach into a playground.
Many islands offer programmes such as fish feeding, cooking or boat trips. Ask in advance about age limits and times. That way you can plan when the family is out together and when everyone finds peace. We tailor villas, travel and childcare to your family and ask operators what is concretely possible.
Keep a regular rhythm with a midday rest, because heat and sun tire children faster than adults. If meals and bedtimes stay similar to home, settling in is easier. Show children early how to behave in the water so that the beach becomes a safe place.
Planning for families
In the [planning consultation](/m/private-islands/planen) by video call we discuss the children's ages, the length of the trip and your wishes. From this we produce a proposal with a suitable island and journey.
We check villas with several bedrooms, sheltered beaches and childcare offers, and clarify questions with the operator.
That way you arrive with a clear plan and can concentrate on time together. We collect your questions and clarify them with the island team before you book.
