Beach hopping is a blast and something unique to do to add a bit of adventure to your next trip to an island or coastal area.
Over the last few months, I’ve been fortunate enough to visit 3 separate islands and figure out the best method to planning a beach hopping adventure.
I had so much fun and got to see more alluring locations than I ever thought possible in a single visit.
RELATED: THE MOST STUNNING BEACHES ON ST. THOMAS
So…what IS beach hopping?
Beach hopping is the act of visiting multiple beaches one after the other, and is a great way to get an overview of an area.
If you’re visiting an island, beach hopping could be the best way to find your favorite spot and the place you would want to set up for the remainder of your visit.
Rather than spending hours at a single location, you plan out a route with a handful of locations to be visited in a set amount of time: a few hours, half a day, or a full day adventure.
Beach hopping essentials
When you’re out on an adventure, you never know where you might end up. And you want to be prepared, rather than caught with your pants down, figuratively, of course.
Having a few supplies packed for your adventure will keep you prepared and safe, no matter how long your beach hopping adventure winds up being.
These are the items that I recommend and personally use when beach hopping on tropical islands or along rugged coastlines of the mainland. Feel free to add more as the situation dictates. These are in addition to your typical beach-going items (towel, sunscreen, etc.).
Water. I grew up going to the beach and can tell you first-hand how quickly you’ll get thirsty. Salt water will dry you out. Being out in the sun will parch your throat. Bring a LOT of water with you.
Snacks. Running around will work up your appetite. But not everyone wants to stop in the middle of an adventure and have a sit-down meal. Stop at the grocery store ahead of time and grab some snacks that will keep for hours.
Small cooler. This might be a little tricky if you’re at a hotel or renting an AirBnB, but having a small cooler or temperature controlled bag to keep your food and water cold is super helpful. When I was staying in Ponce, Puerto Rico, my AirBnB host had a cooler that I could use. When in doubt, ask!
Wet wipes. If you’re needing to eat or handle camera equipment after playing in the ocean or sand, you’ll want clean hands. And if you’re going to a restaurant or another location after beach hopping, having wet wipes available to do a quick “wash” is clutch.
Map. It’s a good idea to have a hard copy map or a picture saved to your phone for reference. Sometimes cell service/reception can drop at the least convenient time and it’s helpful to know where you’re going.
Change of clothes. Having a change of clothes to change into after a day of salt, sand, and sun can make you feel like a new person. Even if it’s just another pair of shorts and top, you’ll be more presentable at restaurants and establishments. Plus, it’ll make the drive back to your accommodations that much more comfortable.
Steps to planning your adventure
The best part about planning a beach hopping adventure is the freedom to build it out to fit YOUR wants and style. DIY adventures are whatever you want them to be and can last however long you want. Isn’t that ideal?
While there’s no wrong or right way to go beach hopping, there are a few things that need to be addressed when planning out your adventure.
Rent a car to maximize beach hopping
Unless you’ve managed to find yourself on an island that is only a mile square, you’re going to need a set of wheels to go beach hopping. Renting a car gives you more flexibility, especially if public transportation and ride share isn’t readily available.
Renting a car offers you respite from the sun and heat, allows you to bring more stuff on your adventure, and an option to charge your phone.
Look at a map and take notes
Study a map of your location. Give yourself a radius distance that you’re willing to drive to go beach hopping. Familiarize yourself with other things that are around the beaches you’ll visit: restaurants, gas stations, other points of interest that you might want to check out after your adventure.
You’ll also want to consider writing down which beaches you visit and a few things about each one. This will help you remember not only which beaches you visited, but what distinguished them from the others.
Consider the time of year
Time to think about what time of year you’ll be beach hopping. Weather and currents, beach conditions, high season vs. low season.
There are so many factors to consider when planning out your adventure, and you don’t want to have a nasty surprise when you show up to a beach you’ve been looking forward to, only to remember that it’s spring break and every other person on the island is joining you.
Factor in windward/leeward sides of the island
Windward and leeward sides of islands refer to the direction of the winds.
An island’s windward side faces the prevailing, or trade, winds, whereas the island’s leeward side faces away from the wind, sheltered from prevailing winds by hills and mountains.
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/
One side of the island gets the wind pushed towards it, creating a larger surf and stronger currents. While on the other side of the island, the leeward side, you might only experience strong winds in the evening.
If you’re planning on bringing a drone or setting up an umbrella during your beach hopping adventure, make sure you know which side of the island you’ll be on. If you don’t Google or research ahead of time, ask a local!
Plan a beach hopping route or direction
While there’s no predetermined beach hopping route you need to follow, it would be wise to have a directional heading or systematic path to follow.
For example: when I was in Puerto Rico, I decided to go beach hopping along the west side of the island. I started in the southwest corner and made my way north, stopping at 4 separate beaches along the way. Once I hit a certain beach on the northwest corner of the island, I circled back to my point of origin.
Go your own way, but it would save you time, energy, and fuel if you didn’t have to criss-cross islands.
Start beach hopping early in the day
To be honest, starting early is probably the most important and time-saving piece of advice I can give you. And for so many reasons.
Sun. Starting your beach hopping adventure early in the day will help save your skin. Literally. You can always tell who the tourists are when visiting sunny locations, because the locals are all huddled in the shade, wearing hats, visors, long sleeves, and are constantly reapplying sun protection. Starting early will delay the start of when your skin will start to bake in the sun.
Plus – watching the sunrise over the ocean is simply magical!
Traffic. I honestly didn’t appreciate this aspect until it was in the heat of the moment. I was beach hopping in St. Thomas and by the end of the day, every location I visited had full parking lots. Starting early almost guarantees you a parking spot for the first few stops, especially if your locations are a little more off-the-beaten-path.
Crowds. Unless you find yourself in the South Pacific in an extremely remote atoll, chances are you won’t have the beach to yourself at any given point of the day during your adventure. Most tour groups and families take a little time getting their stuff together and arrive to beaches (and anywhere, really) a little later in the morning. By starting your beach hopping adventure early, you can avoid the crowds for the better half of your day. And if you’re looking for those awesome shots to fill your social media, having an empty beach in the morning is so amazing!
Go at your own pace
If you’re anything like me, you get bored just laying at the beach. I want to explore. Take pictures. See what lurks just beyond the reef. And then I’m ready to move on. I grew up next to the coast, so I’ve had my fill of just lounging around on the sand.
But maybe that’s your thing? And that’s totally okay. Maybe you want to spend a few hours at each location, or only visit 2 beaches in your beach hopping adventure.
That’s totally okay! DIY adventures are supposed to be what YOU want them to be, not what I tell you. I like to cram a bunch of beaches in at one hit, but that style doesn’t work for everyone.
And there’s nothing wrong with that!
Mix it up
Have you ever heard of “TEMPLE FATIGUE?” It’s a phenomenon that travelers experience in Southeast Asia. After a while, temples all start to look the same to the backpackers and they crave something different to explore.
Don’t let that happen on your beach hopping adventure! If every single beach you plan to visit is remote, with white sand and palm trees, will you get bored too?
Obviously, this is going to be completely dependent upon where you are. But if you can, throw in a beach that is a little more rocky. Or has a ton of shipwrecks. Or a stunning coral reef that is ideal for snorkeling.
Remember – the whole point of planning a beach hopping adventure is to see a variety of locations. You wouldn’t go to a buffet and only eat the mashed potatoes, would you? Even if they’re your favorite food in the world, you’d want to try the grilled asparagus or plump strawberries or fill-in-the-blank-with-another-food-you-enjoy. Otherwise, what’s the point of going to the buffet?
If you plan a beach hopping adventure and only visit the same style of beaches, what’s the point?
Are you ready to beach hopping adventure of your own? What other points would you include?
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