Towels on vacation: sand, sun lounger & more.

Why good towels are important on vacation

On vacation, you want to relax and leave everyday worries behind. In summer, many people from Germany choose a holiday not only within their own country (28.2%) but also in other European countries such as Spain, Italy, or Greece. Turkey is also one of the most popular travel destinations in 2024 (source: Statista). Whether it’s the North Sea or Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, or the mountains: for many, swimming in the sea or pool is an essential part of a holiday. Towels are indispensable both as a comfortable surface and for drying off. In this article, we show you what to consider when packing and which towels you really need on vacation.

Beach towel: these options are available

If you like lying on the beach, that often also means sand. To protect yourself from hot sand and small stones, you should choose a large and tightly woven beach towel as a base. In a comfortable size of 80x200 cm, you can lie comfortably on the towel with your whole body and enjoy a relaxing day. Microfiber towels are lightweight but less comfortable, so you should opt for high-quality, fluffy terry cloth or quick-drying piqué, such as from our Classics collection MÖVE Piquée.

To prevent sand from constantly getting onto your belongings, you should pay attention to the wind direction at the beach and position your towel so that sand kicked up by others does not land on your phone or on you.

Which towel for the sun lounger?

If you prefer lying on a sun lounger instead of the sand, or are spending your vacation by the pool, the typical width of a lounger is about 60–70 cm. Therefore, your towel should not be wider than 80 cm. Beach towels or bath towels are suitable here as well. Both are typically around 80 cm wide, with lengths starting from 150 cm.

Bring your own towels or use those from your accommodation?

In many hotels and vacation rentals, you no longer need to bring your own towels—you can use or rent them on site. While this may seem convenient for air travel with carry-on luggage, it often causes issues in practice: the towels provided are often quite small or there aren’t enough—you may end up needing to take bath towels to the beach or pool. It’s usually better to pack your own towels.

For beach towels, bold and summery colors and patterns are ideal. If you’re traveling as a family, choosing a different color for each person helps avoid mix-ups. Take a look at our MÖVE Beach collection to find your favorite color combination!

Cleaning and caring for vacation towels

Can you wash or replace your towels regularly during your vacation? How often you should change towels depends on their use. If you only use your towel at the beach, you should shake it out thoroughly after each use and hang it up back at your accommodation so it can dry. For a one-week vacation, you can usually avoid washing. If you stay longer, you should use a laundromat or the laundry service provided by your accommodation.

Tip: Folding towels optimally

To ensure that even large beach towels take up as little space as possible in your suitcase, you should fold them efficiently. We explain how to do this here.