Remember the days when you could just spread a towel on the beach and relax? Welcome to 2024, where renting a beach sunbed has become a status symbol, not just a place to sunbathe! Once, a towel was enough, but now renting a sunbed is almost a social shame if you don’t have that perfect, hard plastic chair covered with fabric, positioned at the right angle, with a chilled cocktail in hand and an Instagram-worthy photo. If you’re on the beach without a sunbed, you’re practically a tourist outcast!
Prices? Brace yourself! In Sveti Stefan, Montenegro, renting a sunbed costs about 10 euros per day, in Saint-Tropez and Nikki Beach around 20 euros, and in Mykonos and Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah up to 50 euros daily! Croatia isn’t far behind with prices ranging from 30 to 50 euros, sometimes even more. And it’s not just the price — the fight for a good spot on the beach has led to physical altercations in Italy and Spain, digital sabotage in Turkish hotels, and general tension among tourists.
But it’s not all doom and gloom! In Albania, sunbeds are often free, in Bulgaria they cost around 5 to 10 euros, and in Portugal 10 to 15 euros per day. In Bali, sunbeds are included in the price of a cocktail.
This is part of a bigger shift — since the early 2000s, with the rise of digital culture and tourism, the humble towel has lost the battle. Today, a sunbed is like a balcony on the main city promenade — it shows who you are, how much your vacation is worth, and where you stand on the social ladder. The closer to the sea, the higher your status. And if you think that’s the end, think again — the eternal quest for a free shower is now in vogue!
So next time you plan a vacation, ask yourself — how much will you spend on a sunbed, not on accommodation! In this game, it’s not the richest who win, but those who play smart. What about you? Ready to pay for your beach status or will you stick to your towel like a true tourist outcast? Share your stories, maybe together we can find a way out of this sunbed madness!
