For me the best footwear for the beach must be light. Can protect your feet when swimming on a rocky area and from stingy creatures. It must look good with your clothes too so you don’t have to bring too many footwear for your photos. Can be removed fast so you can relax your feet. It must be waterproof.
Slippers or Flip flops
The Good – Comfortable. Can be removed easily. Waterproof. Light for packing.
The Bad – Does not look good on pictures that much. You can’t use it when swimming because it can be removed fast. There are rocky beach with many creatures that can sting and you need protection.
Strapped Sandals
The good – You can wear it while swimming and protect your feet because it has strap and can’t be removed fast. It is versatile and you can use it for hiking too.
The bad – I don’t think it looks good that much on pictures. It can be bulky on the bag and heavy to swim with. It is not easily removed like a slipper if you want to relax your feet.
Aqua Shoes
The good – These shoes are comfortable and really designed to protect you in the water. Faster to wear and remove than strapped sandals. It is lighter for swimming and packing.
The bad – It is not versatile and only meant to be used on the beach.
I prefer wearing slippers because I want something that I can remove very fast. Second is the sandals because of it’s versatility and the ability to protect your feet.