After a blissful hour on the beach, having taken pictures of everything from the shimmering ocean to the pretty shells, you realise that you haven’t taken a single selfie – only to discover that your battery is on 10 percent.
No amount of fumbling in your beach bag will produce the powerbank you know you left on the kitchen table.
For some this could mark the end of a very short beach outing.
A powerbank is just one of the essential items no beach bag should be without.
Besides the obvious sunhat, beach towel and umbrella, here are 10 must-have items you shouldn’t leave home without.
1. Sunblock: Come on guys, this is a no-brainer, and if you don’t know why, then you have no business on the beach in the first place.
2. Water: Water and sunblock should be the first items in your bag. There is no way you can spend time in the blazing heat without keeping your body hydrated. Pack as much water as you can. You’re meant to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day but when you’re out in the heat you might want to consider upping that amount. Pop a few bottles of water in the freezer the night before.
3. Snacks: I’m sure you thought that the chicken wrap you packed at 9am was going to be a great lunch-time treat – but then you unwrap it and it’s all warm and yucky with a crunch of sand. Instead of packing a full-on lunch, take along little snacks. Think raisins, nuts, protein bars and ice cold fruit. Gummies and popcorn are a must!
4. Hydrating facial spray: Not only do facial mists or sprays give your face that instant dewy glow, they cool down and hydrate your skin at the same time.
5. Wet wipes: Pop a pack of wet wipes, even better sanitising wipes, in your bag for those unexpected spills and sticky ice-cream fingers.
6. Sunglasses: Not only do they look cool and protect your eyes from harsh midday sun rays but you can hide behind dark lenses while secretly trying to check out that cute guy on the beach.
7. Hair accessories: Whether it be a headscarf, headband or the humble hair clip, no beach bag should be without at least one of these. Unless you have that movie star, beach- ready hair, these simple tools can rescue any bad hair situation. We all know how hair clips and hairbands have a tendency to vanish, so be sure to keep them in a separate little bag.
8. Cash: When you’re out on the beach and the ice-cream guy comes around, trust me, he’s not going to whip out a card machine. On the beach cash is king. Not only for tempting treats but for that the extra water you forgot to pack.
9. A good book: We all have that one book we’ve been meaning to finish. Yes that one you started three months ago. With your toes in the sand and a cool summer breeze, you’re in the best place to get back into that book.
10. Eco-friendly refuse bag: Don’t be that disgusting litter bug and leave your trash on the beach. Collect all those empty water bottles and chocolate wrappers, pop them in your refuse bag and take it back with you, and dispose of your trash in a decent, environmentally-friendly manner.
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