Sharm El Sheikh sits at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula, where the Red Sea turns on some of the finest coral reef on the planet, much of it reachable straight off a hotel jetty. That is the region's gift to families: a child in a snorkel mask can float above a living reef of clownfish and parrotfish without a boat, in water that is warm, clear, and sheltered nearly year-round. The bays here are calm and gently shelving, which suits beginners and nervous parents alike, while the more confident can join glass-bottom boat trips or snorkel the protected waters of Ras Mohammed National Park, where the marine life is extraordinary.

Behind the beach, the Sinai desert and its jagged mountains give the region a dramatic backdrop and the option of a camel ride or a desert excursion when everyone needs a change from the pool. But the heart of a Sharm holiday is the resort itself. The town specializes in large all-inclusive properties built around children, with kids' clubs, water parks, spacious family suites, and organized entertainment that lets parents actually relax. Add short flights from Europe and dependable sun whatever the month, and Sharm El Sheikh becomes one of the easiest, best-value warm-water weeks a family can book, with a world-class reef thrown in for free.