Avoid being “that” beach person: 5 summer etiquette rules from sunscreen to saving sunloungers
Heading to the beach this summer? Review these 5 overlooked etiquette rules first, from sunscreen manners to sunlounger saving, and keep your holiday drama-free.
Summary
- Once you leave the beach or hotel pool area, slip on a cover-up. Don’t walk around town in just your swimsuit or wrapped only in a towel.
- For hygiene and basic courtesy, never secretly relieve yourself in the sea. Take a few extra steps and use the nearest restroom instead.
- Unless you already know each other well, don’t casually ask a stranger to lend you sunscreen, and definitely don’t ask them to rub it on your back.
- Claiming hotel sun loungers with a towel hours in advance and then disappearing is one of the most annoying habits on vacation; if it happens, ask the staff to help handle it.
Once July arrives, planning a beach getaway with your closest girlfriends is always a vacation highlight. With the blue water and sunshine in front of you and an ice-cold sparkling water in hand, it’s easy to feel instantly relaxed. Still, we’ve all encountered the kind of awkward behavior that prompts an immediate eye roll on an otherwise lovely beach day. A trip to the shore may mean fewer rules and less restraint, but that doesn’t mean leaving good manners behind. Drawing on advice from several international etiquette experts, we’ve rounded up 5 often-overlooked rules of summer beach etiquette.
- Related reading: A beauty insider’s hydration list: 6 skincare serums to buy at Sephora for summer 2026
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1. Cover up once you leave the beach or pool
After a fun day by the water, plenty of people simply wrap themselves in a damp towel or walk into a nearby supermarket in nothing but a bikini to buy a drink.
Jo Bryant, director of etiquette training company The English Manner, cautions that unless you’re by the water, on the beach, or beside a hotel pool, this isn’t really appropriate. Once you’re out on public streets, throw on a cover-up or a lightweight dress. It’s a matter of manners, and of showing respect for local residents.
2. Sneaking a pee in the ocean? Absolutely not!
The vast ocean can create the illusion that no one will notice, and the fact that fish live there can seem like an excuse. Still, former British royal butler Grant Harrold stresses that it concerns not only basic hygiene, but respect for everyone else in the water. If you need to pee, take a few extra steps to the nearest public restroom.
3. The boundaries around borrowing sunscreen and asking someone to apply it to your back
You’re lying on the hot sand when you suddenly realize your sunscreen has expired or run out. Is it okay to ask the stranger beside you to borrow some? It really depends on whether the two of you have already established some rapport.
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If you’ve exchanged a few nods or greetings around the resort, it may be okay to ask. If they’re a complete stranger, though, approaching them out of the blue to borrow sunscreen spray may make them uncomfortable. Myka Meier, author of Modern Etiquette Made Easy, also says you should never ask someone you don’t know well to apply sunscreen to your back. Rubbing in a rich, moisturizing sunscreen involves very intimate physical contact, so it’s best to ask a friend traveling with you instead.
4. Thinking of becoming the beach’s personal DJ? Think twice
Bringing a great-sounding Bluetooth speaker and playing your summer playlist in the ocean breeze may sound lovely, right? In reality, turning up the music on a crowded public beach can seriously disturb people hoping to listen to the waves or rest with their eyes closed. If you really want to listen to music, consider wearing headphones and let everyone enjoy the beach’s peace and quiet.
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5. The unspoken rules of “reserving” loungers with a towel
Few things draw more side-eye at a resort than heading down at 6 a.m. with hotel towels to claim the best poolside loungers, then disappearing until noon.
In this situation, rather than moving someone’s belongings yourself and risking an argument, the smartest approach is to ask the staff responsible for the pool area to handle it. Instead of fixating on who got the better spot first, it can be more rewarding to shift your focus to actually relaxing. After all, the most important part of traveling abroad isn’t which chair you’re lying on, but the people beside you and the good mood of the moment.
As you confirm your flights and accommodations, don’t forget these thoughtful details. On your next island getaway, which beach faux pas would you hate to encounter most?
Join POPBEE Circle and subscribe to the POPBEE newsletter to stay up to date on the latest news and get early access to special member perks and discounts. Beyond this story, here are a few recent articles worth checking out:
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