10 beach-ready Cool Cabana alternatives to get around (and under) this summer

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In years past, umbrellas and cabanas may have been considered a lavish beach or poolside accessory. But as we’ve become more enlightened to the realities of sun-damage, sun protection has become much more than simply ‘slip, slop, slap’, and beach cabanas and umbrellas have become a holiday essential.

But, as the debate around beach turf war heats up, headed up by local internet personality Nic Salerno of @gunclediaries, more and more Aussies are finding themselves sitting squarely on either side of the divisive debate around responsible cabana usage.

Some tout sun safety: “Australia is leading the world on skin cancer rates. Anything we can do to protect ourselves is a good thing”; while others protest, “They’re un-Australian. Should be banned.”

“They should only be towards the back of the beach,” suggests this commenter. “I’m all for sun safety but they do take up a lot of space.”

Responding to complaints that people are using their cabanas to ‘reserve’ the prime position on the sand early with plans to return to them later in the day, Anthony Albanese went on record to set the record straight: being a beach hog is, “not on”.

“[The beach] is a place where every Australian is equal and that’s a breach of that principle, really, to think that you can reserve a little spot as just yours.”

No matter what side of the debate you sit on, we can all agree that the sun protection beach umbrellas and cabanas offer is unmatched. And boy, are these sun shades fun. Decorated with tassles, stripes, and scallop edging, these portable awnings are what summer dreams are made of. Not only will these spectacular shades provide plenty of sun protection during those long days on the sand, but you’ll definitely be getting some admiring stares from the other sun-bakers.

So if you’re finding yourself looking for more beach shades when you’re not frolicking in the waves or dipping your toes in the water, laze in shade and style under one of these 10 stylish beach umbrellas and cabanas.

Best for: solo swimmers

Created for chic, solo beachgoers, the Swim Shady is a compact beach awning-for-one, designed to mirror the natural shape of the body, and offer an unobtrusive, ultra-portable alternative to sprawling beach furniture.

Size: 140cm x 100cm

Colours: Soothe, Fresh, Tranquil, Heat, Sanctuary

Material: Recycled material canopy (RPET), aluminium frame

Key features:

• Designed to withstand coastal breezes
• Quick and easy set up
• Ultra-lightweight and portable