Luckily location solves all the potential problems. So I can say I am lucky.
Da Nang has 12+km sandy beach with looong stretch of shallow water so nothing to protect from.
I started slowly without long stride and raising legs too much... Now I am raising it every time... Try to do faster and stronger runs.
And I noticed progress.
Now I do 100-200m sporadic sprints during the run and I like it.

So, I'd say soft ground is a must for beginners. I can imagine how easy it't to hurt your feet :)