Going to the beach? 14 Essentials

I’m stuck in the middle of the city, coffee in hand while writing this piece.  It’s not difficult to imagine sitting on the side of a boat as it slices through the waves, the wind on my face, eagerly waiting for the boat to stop on a beautiful sandy beach.

Summer is finally here. There’s no better way to celebrate than a visit to the beach.

In the past, we’ve written about the many beaches you can visit in Cebu. Today, we’re going to make a few suggestions on what you should be bringing to those beach trips. Think of this as a little check list when you plan your trip.

A good pair of shades

This is essential. The sun can get really bright and you don’t want to be squinting the whole time. Obviously, you want a pair that matches your style and personality while not having to worry about getting a little sand and water on it.

Music

You’ll want a little music in the air. First off, download Spotify to your phone. That way you’ll have plenty of music to choose from. Now you need good speakers to listen from.

Shirts

You can easily get any ragtag shirt from the mall, but do yourself a favor and get something that shows who you are. Shirts are about sharing to the world what is important to you. With the wave of local shirt brands sprouting about, you can have something on your chest that actually means something.

Try this. Spend a long day under the sun. Then at some point, put your hand on your head. You will be surprised how hot your scalp gets. Wear a cap. With the sun up in the air, you’ll need a little cover from the heat. Here are a few good choices:

Flipflops

In the Philippines, you need a good pair of tsinelas! Don’t just get any brand. Those brandless rinky dink slippers tend to not last very long. You can get the stylish Havaianas or Ipanemas. Personally, I like to go with a simple durable Islander.

Swimwear

Don’t be the one who forgets to bring their swimwear. It’s the beach. You’ll need this.

Sun block

Basking out in the sun always feels great. Just make sure to take precautions to protect your skin, the higher the SPF the better.

Bracelets and anklets

In the beach, dress the part. A little burloloy goes a long way. Get something from Lilila Primitive Art. They are lovingly handmade and many of the pieces have a little story to it.

 Towels

You’ll need a good beach towel. Personally, I like the types that are huge and wavey. That way, I can bring two. One for laying on the sand and another for drying off. Lagu beach towels

Camera

If you have one of the newer smart phones, those can do the job well. You won’t even need those point and shoots anymore. But if you plan to go a more serious route, but don’t like the heavy weight of a DSLR, try out the many micro four thirds cameras.

Food and drink

In Cebu, the tradition is just to stop by many of the bbq places on the way to Mactan. My personal favorites are Matias, Tatangs or Nasings, but the food doesn’t have to be BBQ. You can always bring along a healthy drink from Mooshi or Healthy Shots.

Bodysex

“The best summer lotion/moisturizer/sunburn healer that I’ve ever tried.” – Steph.

After a long day under the sun, try this. Your body will thank you for it.

 A good book

Majority of the time in the beach is a lot of doing nothing. Fill in the gaps with a good book. Here are  the last three books I’ve “read” (I listen to audiobooks via Audible.com); Zero to One, Steve Jobs and The Everything Store.

Bag

You’ll need a place to put all your stuff in. You can opt to bring a waterproof bag, but most of those tend to be quite small. If you are going as a group, bring a proper beach bag with lots of space and pockets. If you are packing for yourself, keep it light and handy.