Tips for Building the Perfect Sandcastle

Building a sandcastle during your Nassau Paradise Island vacation is a must!

Whether you’re a kid or a kid at heart, it’s fun to create a masterpiece in the sand. And with the beautiful white sand beaches in The Bahamas, your sandcastle will be exceptionally stunning!

Here are our tried-and-true tricks for building your most impressive sandcastle yet.

1. Assemble your tools. You’ll need a shovel and pail, or improvise with objects that can easily be found at your hotel or resort, such as plastic cups and glasses. To carve intricate details, like doors and windows, bring along a plastic knife and spoon or a straw. Of course, the most important tools when it comes to building a sandcastle are your hands! 
2. Decide where you’ll build your sandcastle and how big to make it. Sketch an outline in the sand of where you want your sandcastle to be placed, then start digging! Starting from the outside, dig the sand within the outline into a big heap in the middle. 
3. Just add water! Use your bucket to dump water onto the pile of sand so that it’s nice and wet. Dry sand won’t stick together or hold a shape, but damp sand is much easier to work with. Once it’s drained a little, use your hands to pack it into a solid, sturdy mound. 
4. Start carving! Begin by using your hands to pat the damp sand into place, then use your knife to create straight, flat “walls”. Be sure to smooth walls from top to bottom to keep your sandcastle from collapsing. 
5. Add architectural elements. To build towers and turrets, fill a small bucket with wet sand, flip it upside down, tap the bottom of the bucket to help the sand settle, and then quickly remove the bucket. 
6. Carve windows, doors, and more. Once you’ve got the structure of your sandcastle built, carve in some finishing touches using your plastic knife and fork. Scoop out spoonfuls of sand to create round windows, or use your knife for straight edges. 
7. Decorate it! Add extra embellishments, such as shells or flowers, if you like. 
8. Don’t forget to snap a photo. After all your hard work, be sure to photograph your masterpiece for the perfect memento of your Bahamas vacation!

If building sandcastles isn’t your thing, don’t worry! There are plenty of other activities to keep you busy on the beaches of The Bahamas.