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Original poster

What do you do about beach towels etc when only taking hand luggage on the plane?

31 replies

tiedupumbrella · 03/04/2023 15:08

I have one of those small holdall things and can fit all of my clothes in very easily (we're only going for 3 days) but what to do about a beach bag, beach towels etc?

The local beach doesn't seem to rent them, there's no mention of it in the description of the flat we're renting, and it seems a terrible waste to buy them and just bin them.

OP posts:
AgentProvocateur · 03/04/2023 15:10

Buy them out a second hand shop and resonate them when you leave.

MafaldaHopkirk · 03/04/2023 15:11

Microfibre towels

Teapleasemilknosugar · 03/04/2023 15:11

Contact the place you are renting from and ask? Are you taking regular towels or will they be provided? Just use those?

Teapleasemilknosugar · 03/04/2023 15:13

Or use a sarong, they pack up very small (assuming it's hot if you're going on a beach holiday)...

inininsomnia · 03/04/2023 15:13

Agree re microfibre towels - presumably available from Amazon etc, but I've had a compact travel towel for years that came from an adventure travel shop

Ursualesther · 03/04/2023 15:15

If i was only bringing hand luggage, I wouldn’t book somewhere that didn’t provide towels

In fact thinking about it - I only book places that provide towels irrespective of what size luggage I am taking

drop the flat owner a line to ask

pink1173 · 03/04/2023 15:15

The Dock and Bay towels are excellent and fold up into a small pouch. They often have sales on there so you can pick them up relatively cheaply. I bought two for £20 and we have used them
loads

Original poster
tiedupumbrella · 03/04/2023 15:16

Towels are provided in the flat but I just assumed it was bad form to take them to the beach! They look lovely and white.

Amazon and Mumsnet to the rescue as usual!

OP posts:
Fifthtimelucky · 03/04/2023 15:17

I second Dock and Bay. Even the biggest towels take up little room and they are very light!

Ursualesther · 03/04/2023 15:17

tiedupumbrella · 03/04/2023 15:16

Towels are provided in the flat but I just assumed it was bad form to take them to the beach! They look lovely and white.

Amazon and Mumsnet to the rescue as usual!

Drop owner a line to ask about beach towels

any seaside owner in their right mind would provide lovely white towels and not Beach towels.

as they would know guests would use the lovely white ones for the beach

faffadoodledo · 03/04/2023 15:19

ooo microfibre towels set my teeth on edge. I know. that makes me weird. bu they do!
We use cotton hamman towels which also make great sarongs, and dry super fast. We use them at home (live in Cornwall) when we go to the beach too - so much easier to flick sand out of, wash and dry than a machine full of beach towels

Teapleasemilknosugar · 03/04/2023 15:21

faffadoodledo · 03/04/2023 15:19

ooo microfibre towels set my teeth on edge. I know. that makes me weird. bu they do!
We use cotton hamman towels which also make great sarongs, and dry super fast. We use them at home (live in Cornwall) when we go to the beach too - so much easier to flick sand out of, wash and dry than a machine full of beach towels

I'm the same with microfiber towels, it's the texture I think that gets me. I think it's weird that some people actually like them!

mast0650 · 03/04/2023 15:24

We tend to take the microfibre towels. They are not ideal, but OK for a quick dry off. But we are not generally big beach holiday people. If we were planning a holiday that had a lot of beach time, then that would be a reason to book one larger case between us and pack towels.

mast0650 · 03/04/2023 15:25

Can't you use your holdall as your beach bag?

BarbaraofSeville · 03/04/2023 15:30

Another vote for a Dock and Bay towel.

Beach bags, exactly what luggage do you have available? If you only have one small holdall, I'd take and use a foldable shopping bag as a beach bag, or if you have more hand luggage available, I'd make sure my smaller hand luggage bag can double as a beach bag.

Cheshiremamalife · 03/04/2023 15:34

We tend to buy towels when we get there... Cheap ones that can be used for a couple of weeks. Depending on where you're going, you can normally pick them up for around €5. Having said that, we've not been abroad since before Covid so they probably cost more now 🫣🫣🫣

NannyGythaOgg · 03/04/2023 15:35

It is cheaper to buy out there and leave than to pay for even one bag of hold luggage (which also holds you up at the airport). Depending who I'm flying with and how tight the hand luggage rules I either take the hamman towels suggested or microfibre, but, if very tight for space, buy out there and give them to the cleaner at the end.

Original poster
tiedupumbrella · 03/04/2023 15:37

I usually take one of the hard canvas-y type beach bags with food, water, books, sun cream etc.

OP posts:
nancy75 · 03/04/2023 15:40

Hammam (spelt properly) blow up pillow & a cotton tote bag - that’s all you need

SilverGlitterBaubles · 03/04/2023 15:40

Micro fibre towels and use a beach bag as my handbag

Greydogs123 · 03/04/2023 15:42

Hamam towels - just thin cotton towels. Pack really small and dry really quickly.

Grimchmas · 03/04/2023 15:44

Use your holdall as a beach bag and as your handbag, or take one of those shopping bags that folds up really tiny. Oxfam ones from Sari silk are lovely.

RedToothBrush · 03/04/2023 15:46

You are going for 3 days. You can easily fit clothes, beach bag and thin normal beach towel (not a fluffy thick towel nor a microfibre) in hang luggage.

If you can't, you are talking too much stuff.

Even having a change of clothes for each day, swimming stuff and lightweight 'going out' clothes it's easily doable if you pack your clothes properly.

The problem isn't your beach towel. The problem is you aren't planning and just packing what you need. You are putting in multiple things you don't need.

Go back and REALLY eliminate everything you don't NEED.

We have travelled hand luggage only for years, and the whole WANT to take v NEED to take is your issue here.

Original poster
tiedupumbrella · 03/04/2023 15:47

I definitely have cotton tote bags, and I'm going to bring my Kindle rather than books. Ordered two Dock and Bay towels and feeling very excited.

Thanks everyone.

OP posts:
Ginmonkeyagain · 03/04/2023 16:00

We use a Turkish cottom Hammam towel to take abroad as we are not big beach people so just tend to need something after a swim in the sea. As a bonsu it can also be used as a sarong, throw, shoulder wrap on chiller evenings.