Hi there, it's Ernest from Trip Astute. In this video, we're reviewing some travel
tips for your next beach trip. Also, we're gonna tell you how you can win a free
Loctote Flak Sack Sport bag.
(light chiming music)
Summer is upon us, which means beach vacations for
many of us. Though being at the beach can present some issues for travelers, as
there are specific hazards and challenges. For example, how do you keep
your valuables safe while you're swimming? Or how do you pack towels
without using up all your luggage space? Today we're going to review some tips
and tricks that can help make your next trip to the beach a little bit easier,
safer, and more enjoyable. So, let's jump straight in. Number 1: Secure your
valuables. There are basically two approaches to
this issue. One is to take your valuables with you into the water and use a
waterproof pouch or wallet. I know some people swear by this approach, but I have
to admit that I'm not a big fan of it. I think I'm just paranoid that water will
leak in. Or even worse, I'll lose it while swimming. The other
approach is to secure your valuables using a portable safe or slash resistant
bag that can be locked to a chair or other removable object.
I've even strapped mine to a beach chair knowing that the person would have to
steal the entire chair if they wanted to take the bag. This isn't completely
foolproof, but I think it's the most practical approach for most people. In
fact, we reviewed several products that can be used for this purpose. And if you
stay tuned to the end of this video, you'll learn how you can enter to win a
Loctote bag for free. Number 2: Use quick dry travel towels.
One of the biggest challenges is packing towels
especially when you have limited space in your luggage. My recommendation is to
invest in some quick dry travel towels. These are made with a microfiber that
not only absorb water, but can be dried quickly. They are also extremely compact
and take up very little room in your bag. There are several options out there, but
we recommend the Quick Dry Travel Towel Set from Country Bound. I've had a few
microfiber towels that only lasted after a few uses. However, I like the Country
Bound ones since they are high-quality and they come with a
lifetime warranty. The towels come with hang tags as well which are useful for
drying. The set also includes three different size towels and a storage bag.
You can get them from Amazon or the website for less than $20, and I think
they're definitely worth the cost. We use them for most of our travels, not just
when traveling to the beach. Number 3: Consider renting gear. I've traveled a
few times to tropical locations hoping to do some diving and snorkeling. Though
I quickly realized how little space I had in my suitcase for my gear. I
recommend renting equipment from a local dive shop at your destination. Even if I
plan to just go snorkeling, I'll often pack my mask and snorkel, then rent my
flippers since it tends to be the most bulky object in my luggage. Number 4:
Bring sunscreen and bug repellent. Bringing sunscreen is a no brainer, but I
have to admit that I've neglected to bring insect repellent on several
occasions and regretted it. This happened in Central America and I
ended up getting eaten alive by sand fleas, mosquitoes, and other insects.
I think I'm a "mosquito magnet" in general, but I still recommend bringing some just
to be safe. If you need more info or recommendations on repellents, see our
video on the topic. Number 5: Watch out for rip currents. This one is so
important! So many people die every year after being swept out into the ocean by
strong rip currents. It even happened last year in Los Angeles. Rip currents or
"rip tides", as they're sometimes called, are long and narrow channels of water
that flow from the shore to the ocean. If you get caught in one, you'll feel like
you're getting pulled away from the shore. In fact you can usually identify
rip currents when you see foaming water and debris that seems to be pointing
toward the ocean. If you get caught in one,
don't fight it. Go with the flow and once you feel like it's not pulling you
anymore, swim parallel to the shore to escape the current. Then start swimming
back to shore. The biggest mistake is to try and fight the current, which will
only exhaust you, especially if you're not a strong swimmer. It's worth
mentioning that rip currents can also occur in large lakes, so be very careful.
Number 6: Wear sunglasses and avoid losing them. Wearing sunglasses
is important since the glare from the water and sand can strain your eyes. I
love polarized lenses too since they often let you see into the water by
reducing the glare. If you want to see an example of what it looks like, check out
our video on polarized lenses. One thing to be careful though is that it's easy
to lose sunglasses in the ocean. Most sunglasses do not float. So if they get
knocked off your face by a wave ,you'll likely lose them. I've seen this happen
so many times. So I recommend either being extremely cautious or using a
strap to keep them secure. Yeah, they may not look stylish, but you'll be glad
you're wearing them if you ever get hit by an unexpected wave. Number 7:
Rinse items after saltwater exposure. If you wear your sunglasses or watch in the
ocean, you'll want to rinse them with fresh water
once you're done swimming. Even if your watch or sunglasses are waterproof or
resistant to corrosion, it helps prolong the life of your belongings by rinsing
off the salt. Number 8: Carry water in an insulated bottle. One of the things I
hate is bringing bottled water and having to drink warm water since it's
been around the hot sand and sunlight. I recommend getting an insulated water
bottle that will keep your water nice and cold, even at the beach. It's also a
lot better for the environment. We did a review of the S'well insulated water
bottle a while back, so check it out if you need more information. Number 9:
Consider wearing aqua shoes. I've been in situations where I've been to a
beautiful beach only to find that it's more rocky than sandy. This can make for
a painful and sometimes dangerous situation when entering the water. In
this situation, I recommend getting some inexpensive aqua shoes to protect your
feet. They're an easy way to keep your feet from getting cut and scratched, and
you can use them for boat trips. Lastly, I mentioned that we were doing a giveaway.
Loctote has sent us one of their Flak Sack Sport bags to give away to our
audience. The bag is a lightweight version of their Flak Sack 2 and is
worth $100. Just head over to our website to enter. You don't have to purchase
anything, but there are multiple ways to enter and gain entries. By signing up for
some of our social media channels, you'll earn extra entries into the
contest. The more options you complete, the more entries you'll earn.
And of course, there's no pressure to enter. We'll randomly select our winner on July
7th. Keep in mind that the contest is only for US residents, though if you're
not based in the US, don't worry. We'll have more giveaways soon, so stay tuned.
I want to send a big thank you to Loctote for generously sending us a bag for
the giveaway. If you haven't seen our review of their premium Flak Sack 2 bag,
check it out. It's actually a very versatile bag for travel, especially if
you plan to spend time at the beach or the pool. In fact, I used mine a few weeks
ago when we stayed at an Airbnb in Palm Springs. Since it didn't have a
safe, I was able to lock up my laptop and other valuables while we were out
exploring the town. Do you have any travel tips for those visiting a beach?
If so, please share in the comment section below.
We hope you enjoyed this video and found it useful. If so, please give us a thumbs
up and consider sharing our video with others that might also benefit from our
content. Until next time, travel safe and travel smart.