A British expat living in Benidorm has urged people to make sure they pack one important item in their luggage if they’re getting ready to come for a holiday in the Spanish holiday destination

A British expat living in Benidorm has urged all tourists to make sure they pack one item in their suitcases, or risk devastating consequences. Summer is just around the corner, and many people will be planning on jetting off on holiday across the world in the hopes of getting some sunshine and enjoying the heat.

However, if you’re planning to go abroad soon, it’s important to make sure you have all the items you want to bring with you at hand. To help, one British expat named Harry, who is now living in Benidorm in Spain, has urged all tourists to make sure they pack one important item with them.

“This is a warning for anyone who’s planning a holiday to Benidorm,” Harry said at the start the TikTok video. He continued: “To be honest, the weather is getting really, really, really good at the moment. Warm, blue skies, finally. I’m hoping the rain has gone.”

While the Spanish holiday hotspot has seen several days of rain and grey skies in the past month, this now seems to have changed, with temperatures now around the mid-20s. Even the evenings are not dipping below 18 degrees.

Meanwhile, the UK has experienced a colder May, with temperatures of around 10-15 degrees, although it is slowly climbing to a comfortable 20 degrees in some areas.

Harry went on to show a thermometer outside a pharmacy in Benidorm, which showed that the temperature was a nice 23 degrees. The clip was filmed at 8pm on a Friday.

“You’re not gonna get much better than that,” Harry said. “That is absolutely fantastic.”

But he then urged people to make sure they pack one important item to help get ready for the sun. He wrote in the overlay text of the video that you need to make sure you pack sunscreen with you, to protect yourself from the high UV levels and sunshine.

Why is sunscreen important?

The NHS says you should wear sunscreen every day, even when indoors or on cloudy days, as up to 80 per cent of UV rays pass through clouds, and UVA rays penetrate glass. This will help to protect your skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which helps prevent painful sunburns, lowers your risk of skin cancer, and stops premature ageing like fine lines and dark spots.

If you use active skincare ingredients like retinoids or AHAs, your skin will be significantly more sensitive to the sun. Some medications will also make you more sensitive to the sun and heat.

But the NHS also recommends not solely relying on sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun. The organisation also urges people to wear suitable clothing, such as light layers that add more protection, and to spend time in the shade when the sun’s at its hottest, usually in the early afternoon.

How to apply sunscreen

Most people don’t wear enough sunscreen, the NHS claims. As a guide, adults should aim to apply around six to eight teaspoons of sunscreen if you’re covering your entire body. If sunscreen is applied too thinly, the amount of protection it gives is reduced.

If you plan to be out in the sun long enough to risk burning, sunscreen needs to be applied twice; both 30 minutes before going out, and then again just before going out.

You should apply it 30 minutes before going outside, and then reapply every two hours, and immediately after sweating, swimming, or towel-drying. It should be a minimum of SPF 30, but preferably SPF 50 if the UV is higher.