Beach holidays are one of life’s most relaxing experiences – dipping your toes into clear blue water, laying out on white sand and ordering one (or more) tropical beverages – you can feel the stress release from your shoulders just thinking about it! That said, once you have cleared the hurdle of selecting the perfect beach destination (shameless plug) for you and your travelling companions, there are a few practical concerns that you need to think about.
Perhaps you are travelling with a large family party, and someone is always willing to stay with your keys, wallets, phones and cameras – if that is the case for you, you are certainly lucky. But for the rest of us, keeping our valuable items safe while we take a swim with our kids or partner can be a headache.
In order to assuage your worries about protecting your valuables while you are in the water, we have compiled a handy list of tips that are sure to help you keep your belongings safe, dry and protected on the beach.
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Bring only the bare necessities – A day spent at the beach is one of the best times to utilise your in-room safe. It is always a good idea to minimise the number of valuable items that you bring with you to the beach, and that includes leaving behind expensive jewellery, electronics, excess money and credit cards. If you are planning a big day out followed by a meal or shopping, see if you can build some time into your schedule to detour back to your room in order to pick up or drop off these items.
You’re at the beach, all you need is a sturdy pair of flip flops.
Bring a dry bag with you – Long a favourite accessory of divers, kayakers and surfers, a water proof dry bag is a key ‘must- have’ item when going on a beach holiday. These innovative bags will allow you to submerge your phones, wallets, keys and other valuables with no worries about their safety – just remember to keep a good grip on it! We really like the options from Wiggle – their brightly coloured dry bags also float, meaning that they will never sink below the waves.
The dry bag that brings all the boys to the yard.
- Become a Master of Disguise – If you want to get ultra sneaky about your valuables, you could always take your cue from countless Pinterest boards and online lists and hide them in cleverly disguised ‘beach safe.’ Convert a sunscreen bottle, a chapstick tube or even a diaper (gross, I know – but that is exactly why it will be safe!) into a ‘hiding in plain sight’ place to store your cash and cameras. Some great ideas also include cutting a slit in a tennis ball, resealing an empty crisp bag or cutting the bottom out of a beer can. Remember – if you choose to utilise these ideas, you need to ensure that all members of your party know not to throw them in the bin, and you do always run a risk that an overly zealous environmentalist passing by might do the same.
Optionally leave your items with a crab guardian. He’ll keep an eye on them for you.
- Invest in a waterproof belt – Similar to the dry bag approach, a waterproof belt case will allow you to bring your possessions right into the water with you. These belts are ideal for cash, cards, passports and maybe a smart phone, but will not work for bulkier items like cameras. A benefit of these belts is that they can be worn on land as well, foiling potential pickpockets in touristy areas!
You can also be a beach ninja and roundhouse kick anyone who wants to take your belongings.
We hope that you utilise one or more of these handy trips on your next foray to the beach – they are a great way to keep your valuables safe and dry, whether you are a solo traveller or holidaying with the entire family. Bon voyage, and enjoy the water!
The captions hahahahah