Nothing quite compares to sunbathing, the feel of the cool breeze on your skin, and the calming sound of the waves while you’re relaxing on the beach. While spending time at the beach can be an excellent way to unwind during your vacation, you need to prepare before heading to the beach. That said, here are eight travel tips for the perfect beach vacation.
Beach Vacation Tips
Apply Sunscreen
Sunburn can be awfully uncomfortable and dangerous. Protect yourself from sunburn by slathering sunscreen before you head to the beach. But don’t stop there. Carry the sunscreen with you and reapply it every two hours, especially after swimming. As a rule of thumb, get a waterproof sunscreen with SPF 30 for maximum protection.
Wear Sunglasses
Sunscreen can safeguard your skin, but it won’t protect your eyes. Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses. If you’re uncertain what sunglasses will offer the best protection, consult an optician. Ideally, it would be best if you got UV-blocking sunglasses to shield your eyes from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.
Carry a First Aid Kit
Applying sunscreen and wearing sunglasses are great preventive measures you can take to protect yourself while at the beach. But they’re not enough. It’s also a great idea to protect yourself from potential injuries by carrying a small first aid kit. Your first aid kit should contain the following things:
- Ointment
- Gauze bandages
- Medical tape
- Alcohol wipes
- A pair of tweezers
- Elastic bandages
- Painkillers
Insect bites also count as injuries. Therefore, if you’re prone to severe reactions from insect bites, ask your doctor if you should carry an epinephrine autoinjector with you to treat an allergic attack.
Carry a Comfy Chair or Blanket
Away from safety measures, your time at the beach should be as comfortable as possible. Carry a cozy portable chair or recliner for extra comfort while you’re basking in the sun. Alternatively, if you prefer sunbathing on the ground, carry a large beach blanket to lay on the ground. You should also consider bringing a large umbrella to offer shade if it gets too sunny.
Stay Hydrated
Spending time in the sun all day can make you dehydrated. Ensure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Also, bear in mind that alcohol can make you dehydrated so, if you plan to drink alcohol, limit your intake and drink plenty of water.
Pack Entertainment
There are lots of fun-filled activities you can do at the beach. But they can soon become monotonous if you’ve been at the beach for a while. Worse still, bad weather can prevent you from going to the beach. That’s why you should find other fun activities to do. Carry books and portable travel games such as Scrabble or a deck of cards. If bad weather strikes, at least they’ll keep you and your friends or family entertained while indoors. Before picking a holiday destination, you may also want to check out other activities at the destination if you can’t go down to the beach.
Watch Out for Rip Currents
While swimming in the ocean can be lots of fun, it can also be dangerous due to rip currents. It is estimated that rip currents cause 100 deaths annually. Rip currents are particularly pernicious because they are relatively difficult to spot. However, common signs to look out for include:
- Change in watercolor
- Fewer breaking waves
- Water or seaweed receding from the beach
Capture Photos and Videos
Last but not least, the last thing you’ll want is to have no recollection of your vacation. Therefore, ensure you carry a digital camera or action cam – preferably one that shoots underwater. Capturing your memories is an excellent way to preserve them and reminisce about the good old days on dreary winter nights.