DIY Taking Your Hookah to the Beach

Bringing a hookah along with you on beach trips is super fun but can be a little tricky. Me and my friends were at the beach nearly every weekend from the minute we graduated high school to the last day of college, and of course we always HAD to bring a hookah with us. It took a few trips to really dial down our mobile, beach-friendly hookah setup.

Depending on the details of your beach trip, missing small details like foil or extra water can either hinder your hookah beach sessions or eliminate them altogether. Before you head out to the waterfront with your hookah, use this guide (and check it twice) to make sure you’re ready for  beach-ready hookah time.

When you’re at your home setting up your hookah it can sort of become an automated process that you can probably do blindly. And there are little to no worries about the parts of your hookah set up or supplies; except when the shisha or charcoal stash runs out, but even then you can most likely run to your local shop. 

On the flip side, when you travel with a hookah, that automated setup process has the potential to become a hindrance when you're packing your gear. If/when it happens it’s almost like forgetting your phone charger. When you’re heading out to the beach with your hookah make sure you have all of the necessary supplies for your setup as well as enough supplies for the amount of hookah bowls you want to smoke.

"Duh" right, but you may want to consider picking and packing up a smaller hookah like the INVI Nano or the Sheeshaya Hazard. Not only does a smaller hookah take up less space when you’ve got other gear, they also use less water to fill the base as well as for cleaning. You can check out our blog on Portable Hookahs or Tabletop Hookahs to get some ideas

Believe it or not there have been times where my friends or myself have forgotten a hose *facepalm*. At that point you’re sort of out of luck and hopefully you didn’t already get the rest of the hookah set up. As always, a washable hose, like the Gladiator, is your best friend for your hookah. You may also consider grabbing some Al Fakher Disposable Hoses that you can toss away after your trip. It is also helpful to bring an extra hookah hose or two just in case those unpredictable accidents happen. Remember, you can’t just go to your hookah closet or run down the street to a shop.

Plural because two bowls are better than one here. Why? If you’re planning on having more than one hookah session at the beach, you can have at least two in a row before you need to use up your water for cleaning. Usually I’ll take a couple of my older Traditional Style bowls with me in the case they get lost or broken. Nowadays you can consider unbreakable bowls like the Shishabucks Sky Bowl, AppleOnTop Bowl, or the silicone bowls from Starbuzz. 

Another ‘duh’ list item but make sure you have enough! AND make sure you have something to keep it protected from drying out, getting wet, or getting sandy. Beach Flavor, yum! Shisha storage containers are perfect for that Azure Tropical Paradise or your Fumari Caribbean Colada.

You’re sort of limited here, depending on a few factors. Quick-lights, like those from Three Kings or CocoNara, are going to be your most probable charcoal choice. No need for a burner to light them, just a lighter or open flame. If you know for sure that you will be able to have a campfire or access to electricity (“At the beach! what?!” We’ll get to that) then you could bring some natural hookah charcoal with you. I would still bring quick-lights though. Plan ahead!

The most important hookah related item on this list. I can’t tell you how many times we forgot foil when going to the beach. Sometimes we got lucky and had a roll of foil for cooking on hand, but most of the time we found ourselves MacGyver-ing some absurd device just so we could smoke. You don’t want to be cutting up a soda can or…wait, I’ll stop because you need to bring foil or an HMD! Pre-cut foil like that from Amira is great and simple to pack. If you have the space you may want to bring a roll of AO Extra Thick Foil.  

The most important non-hookah related item on this list. Not only do you need to have plenty of water on hand to stay hydrated, but you’ll also need water to fill your hookah base as well as for cleaning up later. In a pinch, yes, you could use juice or something similar to smoke with (making for a sticky, sandy clean up later though) but you need water for drinking as well. 

These little buggers often get forgotten or lost. Don’t just bring one set of grommets, bring a few. In the case you get in a pinch you can use paper towels as a substitute. We call this the “Paper Towel Trick”.

You’ll need a pair of Hookah Tongs to hold your quick-light charcoals while lighting them and to move around your coals on top of your bowl. It’s also nice to have a Foil Poker on hand as well if your tongs do not have one attached.

This is optional but I think a part of your hookah setup that you should seriously consider, even if you don’t have one. If you don’t already own a Hookah Wind Cover, I highly recommend getting one. They’re super versatile in their uses. Block the wind, yes of course. However they can be used as a way to move around coals if you’re careful, and they also can extend the last bit of heat from coals that are dying.

Having a dedicated travel bag for all your hookah gear is a bonus, but not necessary. It will however help you keep track of all things. The Fumari Gallivant Backpack is one of, if not the best hookah carrying bags out there. It has a compartment for your main hookah components as well as a separate compartment for your smaller items.

Where are you going? Are you straight up camping on the beach? Are you going to a beachfront rental? Are you staying in a beach side hotel? Not only do each one of these have their own limitations but you’ll also need to consider the rules and regulations for where you will be.

Let’s start with the rules. It is very important to understand and acknowledge the regulations of the environment or facility you will be staying in! Again, it is very important to understand the rules, and follow them! 

• Beach camping is more loose on rules. However, just as some beaches and campsites have rules on alcohol consumption, some may have rules against smoking in public or within certain areas. An important thing to also understand is if any current fire bans are in place at the time you are visiting. Yes, hookah is considered part of “smoking in public” and yes, fire bans do pertain to hookah due to the charcoal.
  
  
• If you are staying at a rental, be mindful of the owner’s rules on smoking. I would bet that 99.999% of the time no smoking will be allowed inside, but double check before you get there if smoking on a porch or deck is allowed.
  
  
• Just like private rentals, hotels will definitely have rules on smoking but they will be a lot more strict. If the rule is straight up “No Smoking”, then walk down to the sand for your hookah session or to an area where smoking is allowed. Don’t spend more money on a violation or get yourself kicked out of your beach destination!

Ok, dad’s done preaching on rules. Let’s discuss possible smoking locations at the beach and which ones are the best.

If you’re camping on the beach there are a few different ways to smoke hookah. If you’re tent camping, awesome, you’re my favorite. I highly recommend not smoking hookah inside your tent. Do I need to elaborate on that? If you’re able to pull up next to your tent on the beach it’s even better. You can store all of your hookah gear easily away from the sand and salty ocean breeze, and you could even use your car as a windshield if it gets extra breezy. Again, I highly recommend not smoking inside your car for obvious reasons. 

Some beach camping facilities have more amenities like picnic tables or pavilions which makes hookah smoking a whole lot more comfortable and easy. In some cases you may have access to an electric outlet and this is where a Hookah Charcoal Heater can be plugged in to light natural hookah charcoal.

Smoking a hookah right in the sand is awesome (minimal tipping!). I would say it’s my favorite way to smoke on the beach. There are times though where taking advantage of any bonus amenities is better however. Having a picnic table or hard surface to put your hookah on is great! Having a pavilion to smoke under is even better because you can stay cool and out of the sun, and if it’s a little windy you may gain some protection as well. 

Water, water, water! You’ve got to stay hydrated but especially when you’re smoking hookah! Sports drinks and snacks are also a fantastic thing to have on hand while smoking. You may already have an ice chest with you as well, so bringing extra ice with you for your hookah base can help cool off your smoke while smoking in the sun. And of course, bring some sunscreen! 

Taking a hookah with you to any destination is absolutely fun and turns up a party like no other. Take in your views and enjoy your favorite shisha with your friends! Being prepared in general makes your vacation all that much more enjoyable. Being prepared when you’re bringing the hookah takes things to a whole other level, and you’ll be happy that you did!

I hope this guide ensures your beach hookah sessions are flavorful and fun. Be mindful of any rules for the place you’re staying and be prepared with your supplies and you’re almost guaranteed to have no issues! With all of the experiences I’ve had while traveling to the beach with a hookah, these two things have made my trips amazing. Just don’t forget a vital part to your hookah setup :)

If you’ve had any beach experiences with a hookah let me know in the comments! Do you have any extra tips or tricks?