Best board games for the beach

Summer is finally here, and many of us will be jetting off abroad for some sun or driving to the local seaside. After a busy academic year, a beach getaway is the perfect way to rest and recharge. However, as the days go by, a sense of boredom may begin to creep in. Sunbathing has lost its appeal as you’re starting to burn despite using factor 50. You’ve finished your book, and all the other books in the hotel are either in another language or just not taking your fancy. Or, you’re a humanities student and simply fed up with reading. Bat and ball could be fun, but the pesky wind keeps blowing the ball into the sea. The same sea which is making you cold after swimming for a while. The well-intentioned screen break isn’t going well as you find yourself doomscrolling on social media.

If these problems sound familiar, might I suggest a board game to occupy the mind? A concept which at first may seem wholly impractical, with uneven surfaces, sand, and water waiting to destroy the pieces, not to mention the wind blowing it away. Worry no more, as there are plenty of great games out there to bring the fun back to your seaside escape. Besides, what’s a holiday without at least one argument, and a board game is a sure-fire way to get there.

1. Mancala
One of the oldest board games in existence, Mancala can be played anywhere and won’t take up any of your precious luggage space, as the beach itself becomes the board. To create your board, in wet sand away from the tide, dig two parallel rows of six holes with two larger holes at each end. For your playing pieces, gather 48 pieces of small circular beach material like pebbles and seashells. Then, place four playing pieces in each of the 12 smaller holes and then you’re ready to begin.

Two players sit at opposite sides of the board, and the larger bowl on the right-hand side is your Mancala. To begin, one player picks up all the pieces from one hole on their side and deposits one piece in each hole, moving anticlockwise until they run out. If you reach your Mancala, drop one in, if it’s your opponent’s, skip it. If the final piece is dropped into your Mancala, you get another go. The game ends when all six holes on one side are empty, and the player with the most pieces in their Mancala wins.

The game sounds more complicated than it is, and it’s easy to pick up. If you want to stretch the mind further, there are lots of other Mancala-style games to learn, such as Bohnenspiel, where each hole starts with six pieces. One downside is that you will be hunting on the beach for material a little while longer. Congkak uses a 2×7 board with seven pieces per hole. Don’t forget to fill the holes back up once you finish playing, especially if you opt for this version.

2. UNO
Though technically not a board game, UNO is a card game with one objective: to discard all of your cards. This is done by matching colours or numbers and using action cards, which could cause your opponent to miss a turn or pick up more cards. When your penultimate card is placed, you shout UNO. So, if you’re in Spain or another Spanish-speaking country, even better. Let’s face it, Brits are notoriously bad at practising the local lingo, so this can help you get started, one word at a time.

If the games start to become stale, the rules can be switched up. Classic variations include everyone passing their hand to the left when a seven is laid or stacking draw cards, in which one unlucky player may end up with half the deck. You can also get creative with your own rules and the beach setting. If someone lays a nine, then they don’t get another go until they run into the sea, or perhaps laying a three requires you to build three sandcastles before you lay your next card.

UNO H2O To Go comes with water-resistant cards, perfect for being by the sea, and it comes with a handy travel clip to keep the cards together and attach to a beach bag. Just be mindful of the wind, which may try to blow the cards away. If it becomes too problematic, a couple of beach pebbles should do the trick and weigh the stack down.

3. Magnetic Chess
Chess has been entertaining people for 1,500 years. If you are part of the 30% of the adult population (US, UK, Germany, Russia, India) who have not played chess before, chess is the ultimate strategy game. Played between two people on an 8×8 grid, in which each player controls 16 pieces, each moving in a certain way, with the aim of capturing their opponent’s king, checkmate.

Magnetic Chess is small, lightweight, and easy to transport. There’s no need to worry about something getting knocked over by the wind, as the magnets will keep everything firmly in place. The pieces are durable, so no need to fret about water damage. It isn’t quite the same playing this all-time classic on your phone. Instead, there are no tips, no do-overs, and an opponent right in front of you to connect with, but most importantly, to psyche out.

A group size larger than two? Not a problem. Team up into larger groups or play speed chess and set up a tournament-style bracket to see who wins the converted Grandmaster title. Chess is a super flexible game, so no matter how many of you there are, or how much time you have, it can work for you. Chess also comes with lots of other benefits: improved memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills, and it can help mental wellbeing by reducing stress and anxiety.

4. Chartae
The ocean is a perfect backdrop for this nautical-themed game. Chartae is a quick and easy two-player game which involves placing just nine tiles to form a 3×3 grid, which represents an ancient map. Each player takes it in turns to either place a tile or rotate any tile 90 degrees clockwise. The aim is to have the most connected tiles for your terrain, either land or water. In the event of a tie, the person who places the last tile loses. It sounds simple, but there is still plenty of strategy involved – when to rotate and when to place.

The game is short, so it probably won’t entertain you for hours, but it works well if you have lots of other holiday activities planned. Since there are only nine tiles, it’s easy to transport, and there are hardly any components to keep track of. The tiles are also a larger size, so they won’t get lost.

5. Hive
Hive is a board game without a board. Just a drawstring bag with hexagonal insect tokens, this two-player game is ideal for travel. No set-up time is needed, although a flat surface is a must, which makes it perfect for a sandy beach where the ground is mouldable. Like chess, Hive is completely strategy-based. It is easy to pick up and relatively short to play, but you’ll be spending a while mastering the nuances of the game.

Each player takes it in turns to either place a new token, forming the Hive, or move a token which has already been placed. Each insect has its own specific movement – for instance, spiders move three spaces, the queen moves only one space (like the chess king), and ants can slide to any part of the Hive. The aim is to be the first to capture the opposing Queen Bee by surrounding her with either your or your opponent’s pieces.

There’s also a pocket edition of the game, which comes with smaller tiles. If you’re travelling light, this may be the better option, but it does increase the risk of losing your insect to the elements. This edition also includes two new bugs – mosquito and ladybug – to switch up gameplay.

This is just a small selection of board games to get you started on your beach holiday. Remember that games with plastic pieces are your best friend, as they are both durable and water-resistant. Bright colours also help you keep track of components. And bonus points if you buy these games second-hand, in case something does inevitably get lost or buried.