10 Best Things to Do in the Marshall Islands with Kids

Beaches are never far away in the Marshall Islands, and many are wonderfully suited to families. Expect calm lagoon water, soft coral sand and plenty of space for swimming, paddling, beachcombing and simply letting the kids run wild.

On Majuro, Laura Beach is one of the easiest options, with road access, shallow water, picnic areas, toilets and showers. It is a convenient place to spend the day without needing to organise a boat trip or pack as though you are crossing the Pacific.

For something more remote, the outer atolls offer the kind of powdery beaches that look suspiciously like a computer screensaver. Arno Atoll, for example, is known for quiet stretches of pale sand, clear lagoon water and islets where families may find themselves with almost the entire beach to themselves.

Facilities are limited away from Majuro, so bring drinking water, food and sun protection, and check with local hosts about tides, transport and permission before visiting secluded beaches.

Explore more family-friendly shores in the 10 Best Beaches in Majuro & the Marshall Islands.

Location: All over the Marshall Islands! See the link above for recommendations and their locations.

Price Range: Free-$

For the full castaway experience, leave the main island behind and take the family to one of the uninhabited islets scattered around the lagoon. Most atolls have a principal inhabited island, with quieter beaches and picnic spots only a short boat ride away.

On Majuro, popular options include Eneko Island and Bokanbotin Island, where families can swim, snorkel, beachcomb and enjoy a barbecue beside clear lagoon water. Both have basic facilities and organised transfers.

Similar trips can often be arranged on the outer atolls through accommodation hosts, local boat owners or charter operators. Facilities may be minimal or entirely absent, so bring food, drinking water and everything the family needs for the day, then confirm tides and return times before setting off.

For more ideas, check out the 5 Island Day Trips & Island-Hopping Tours in the Marshall Islands.

Location: Uninhabited islets are found throughout the Marshall Islands. See the link above for recommendations and their locations.

Price Range: $$

Boat trips between lagoon islets are one of the signature family experiences in the Marshall Islands. Across the country, local accommodation hosts and charter operators can often arrange outings to quiet beaches, snorkelling spots and uninhabited islands that are otherwise impossible to reach.

On Majuro, Hang Loose offers a flexible way to explore the lagoon, whether that means swimming, snorkelling, fishing or setting up a barbecue on a secluded islet.

Larry Boy and his crew take guests on fully customisable island-hopping excursions, stopping wherever you want to go.

With deep local knowledge of which islands are best for snorkelling, fishing or barbecuing, the crew will point you in the right direction, and if access fees are needed to visit certain islands on the Majuro Lagoon, Larry Boy will contact the locals or island owners on your behalf to sort it all out.

Do pack your own snorkelling gear, as it's not provided on island hopping trips.

Hang Loose also offers sunset cruises and fishing charters if you're looking to mix things up.

Traditional canoe voyaging is woven deeply into life across the Marshall Islands, making it one of the most meaningful family experiences you can share. These sleek outrigger canoes were designed for speed, balance and life on the lagoon, and seeing one in action gives children a far better sense of Marshallese ingenuity than any textbook ever could.

On Majuro, WAAN Aelõñ in Majel offers one of the easiest ways to experience this tradition through its free museum and affordable sailing trips.

Step inside the museum to find detailed mock-ups of traditional canoes, along with displays showing how they were crafted using pandanus-woven sails and sennit rope made from coconut fibre. A guide is usually on hand to walk you through the exhibits, though you're equally welcome to explore at your own pace if they're tied up (no pun intended).

Then, take it a step further with a 30-minute traditional canoe sail on the Majuro Lagoon, departing from near the harbour. The sail is peaceful, unhurried and genuinely memorable; up to 12 people can join, though solo visitors are welcome too.

Entry to the museum is completely free. Canoe rides are very affordable. Book ahead by calling to arrange a time, Monday to Friday. Note that rides depend on the tide and wind conditions.

After arrival into Majuro and the Marshall Islands, Iakwe Katoj Park is exactly the kind of place you want to find. One of the atoll's tidiest and best-equipped public green spaces, it sits just past the eastern end of the airport runway on the lagoon side, which means you're practically there before your luggage has even arrived.

It's home to one of the island's best children's playgrounds, with plenty of equipment, open grassy areas and shaded picnic spots beneath a scattering of trees.

Steps over the sea wall lead you down onto the flats, where you can take a pleasant walk along the lagoon's edge. The park is notably one of the best-maintained public areas on Majuro.

Behind the park, a series of enormous reservoirs supply much of Majuro's fresh water. On an atoll this narrow, nothing is hidden from view, and spotting that kind of infrastructure up close is one of those quietly fascinating details you don't expect to stumble across in a park.

Snorkelling is one of the easiest family activities to enjoy across the Marshall Islands, especially in sheltered lagoon waters where conditions are often calm and visibility can be excellent.

On Majuro, the shallow waters at Laura Beach are a good place for beginners and younger swimmers, with patches of coral and reef fish close to shore. Reef shoes are strongly recommended, as the seabed can be rough and sharp underfoot.

For a quieter experience, Bokanbotin Island and Eneko Island also offer sheltered swimming and snorkelling. Take care around coral, avoid standing on the reef and keep children close where the water deepens.

Conditions vary between islands, so always ask local hosts about tides, currents and the safest entry points before getting in. For more tried-and-tested locations, see The Best Snorkelling in Majuro: Top 5 Places to Snorkel.

Location: All over the Marshall Islands. See the link above for recommendations and their locations.

Price Range: Free-$

Airport Beach Park is one of those rare spots that genuinely surprises you, and it's a brilliant one for families looking for something a little different.

There is a natural saltwater pool carved directly into the reef, deep enough to swim and jump from the surrounding rocks. There's even the odd fish in here too.

As you fly into Majuro Atoll, you'll notice perfectly rectangular cuts in the reef below, originally made for land reclamation. One of these cuts, right at Airport Beach Park, happens to be deep enough to function as a genuinely swimmable pool. There was once a springboard, though on our last visit it was under repair.

It's a fun and wonderfully unusual experience, especially on an island with so little land to speak of. Behind the pool, you'll find sheltered picnic areas and the odd barbecue, popular with locals on weekends.

For an easy active adventure, look out for places offering kayak, paddleboard or bicycle hire around the Marshall Islands. Calm lagoon water makes paddling especially family-friendly, while cycling is a simple way to explore the flatter, quieter roads at your own pace.

On Majuro, Kin Iokwe offers one of the most convenient selections of equipment for families who want to mix time on the water with a little exploring on land.

Hire a solo or two-person kayak, a paddleboard or snorkelling gear (fins, mask and snorkel) and head out wherever you like, though they recommend the lagoon near the Airport or Delap Park are two of the best spots on the atoll for a paddle or an underwater look around.

Back on land, mountain bikes with suspension are available for both adults and children, complete with helmets and safety equipment. Feeling a little more adventurous? Automatic mopeds are also on offer for riders aged 18 and above, with helmets provided and delivery available to your accommodation.

On top of watersports equipment, mopeds can be delivered to you, or you can pick them up directly from the team in the Rairok area. Payment is cash only.

Instead of dragging the kids through handicraft stores, Elefa Handicraft is one that actually holds their attention, even from the fun face-in-hole board that greets you on arrival.

Local ladies craft beautiful jewellery and keepsakes right before your eyes using shells, while coconut fibres and other materials sourced from Majuro and the outer islands.

Earrings and flowers are the most popular items, alongside necklaces, bracelets and magnets, with special pieces from Arno Atoll also available. What makes this place genuinely special is that no two pieces are quite the same.

On Saturdays, you can book a one-hour handicraft workshop where local ladies will teach you to make your own necklace, earrings or bracelet using the same materials they work with daily. Classes are tailored to what you'd like to make, and all materials are supplied.

Book your Saturday class through their Facebook or Instagram pages and drop in any other day (9 am to 5:50 pm, Monday to Friday or 1 pm to 5:30 pm, Saturday) to browse and shop.

Sampling local snacks is one of the easiest ways to introduce children to Marshallese flavours, especially when doughnuts, fruit drinks and crispy chips are involved. Small shops, markets, festivals and weekend stalls across the islands are good places to ask what has been freshly prepared that day.

Start with a creamy bōbshake, made from pandanus fruit, or try jekaro. This traditional drink is made from the milky white sap collected from the unopened flowering stalk of a coconut tree and has an intensely sweet flavour.

Fresh jekaro is sometimes described as coconut toddy, although the version commonly served in restaurants is prized for its natural sweetness rather than alcohol. Many people dilute it with water, which makes it a little easier to drink without feeling as though you have accidentally ordered liquid dessert.

For something more filling, look for tōñut. These plain Marshallese doughnuts are sold as rings or homemade balls and are best eaten warm, often with instant coffee or boiled eggs.

Another easy snack is mā chips, made from thinly sliced breadfruit fried until crisp. Breadfruit is usually boiled, baked, roasted or mashed, but the chip version is an approachable introduction for younger travellers.

Location: Local snacks are available throughout the Marshall Islands. Ask at markets, festivals, accommodation and small food stalls for what is available locally. Otherwise, we list vendors in our guide, Traditional Marshallese Food & Drink: 10 Foods to Try.

Price Range: $