What to Pack: 7 Essentials for an Island Adventure
As avid travelers who escape to the Caribbean as often as possible, we’ve learned a thing or two about what you do–and don’t–need to pack for the perfect island adventure. Here, we’ll share the list of seven essentials we won’t head to the airport without.
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- Sunblock:
Top of the list is sunblock—and lots of it. If you’ve ever tried to buy this on an island, you’ll find that the selection is typically limited, and it’s incredibly expensive—sometimes as much as 2-3x what you’d pay in the U.S. Do yourself a favor and pack your favorite to protect your skin during those days in the sun. And pro tip: chemicals in many sunblocks actually harm reefs, so be sure to check out this article from Water Sporting Adventure to learn more about reef-safe sunscreens before taking any dips in the ocean. For a bonus tip: Consumer Reports also ranks sunscreens on their effectiveness. For more on that, click here. - Med Kit:
For us, it’s not a proper adventure if we don’t get a few scrapes, bumps and bruises along the way. But even if you’re planning on just relaxing, you never know when you might eat the wrong thing, step on a shell or worse. That’s why we always travel with a small med kit filled with essentials for the most common situations. Check out this great post on what to pack in a good travel med kit. - Rash Guards/Swim Shirts:
Sunblock only lasts so long, particularly if you’re spending a lot of time in the water. Enter: Rash Guards. Also known as Swim Shirts, these are typically worn by water sport enthusiasts to protect their arms and upper body while engaging in some pretty awesome activities. However, they’re gaining popularity among people outside these sports as well, as swim shirts can be great even for the most relaxing vacations. These long-sleeve shirts have sun protection built in, so you don’t have to worry about whether your sunscreen has worn off. We have tons of Swim Shirts for men, women and kids! - Plenty of Swimsuits:
Have you ever tried to hang-dry a swimsuit on an island? Cause if so, you’ve likely learned that it takes WAY longer to dry than it does in drier climates. We always pack at least one swimsuit per day of a trip. Women in particular shouldn’t hang around in a wet swimsuit (not good for the lady parts), so having clean, dry suits always on hand is the best way to ensure a healthy and happy trip. - Extra Towel:
Yes, most hotels will provide towels, but we’ve run into some weird rules with what time the towels need to be turned in. Some are super lenient, and some require that you turn in towels every night, which can be challenging if you’re going on late afternoon/evening snorkeling excursions. Do yourself a favor and pack an extra one—even if it’s smaller/less fluffy than your usual beach towel (those are tough to pack). You’ll be thankful you did. - Beach Tote:
Unless you’re keen on taking one of your travel bags out in the sand or on a boat, it’s a wise move to pack an extra specifically for that task. A simple beach tote or drawstring bag will do the trick. These kinds of bags can pack super flat, so they won’t take up much room in your suitcase. - Good Hat or Visor:
If you couldn’t already tell, we take sun protection seriously. Vacations are meant to be spent away from your hotel room, so having the proper coverage (sunblock, rash guard and something extra for your face) is essential. Whether you like a good trucker, baseball hat or visor, we have tons of great options for you.
- Sunblock:
With that, we wish you happy packing and good adventures!
-the nauti captain
P.S. This post originally appeared on SuitcaseConfidential.com