Quick answer: For a week at the beach take two or three swimsuits, five light tops, two bottoms, one cover-up and one evening outfit. The packing problem is not the clothes, it is sand, wet swimwear and sun cream, and all three need their own sealed bag.
What this guide covers
Beach packing is deceptively easy on the way out and genuinely difficult on the way home. Everything you take is small and light. Everything you bring back is damp, sandy or both.
The list for a week
- Two or three swimsuits – so one is always dry
- Five light tops and two bottoms, in colours that mix
- One cover-up or kaftan that works over swimwear
- One evening outfit, and one only
- Flip-flops plus one pair of proper shoes
- Sun hat, sunglasses, and more sun cream than you think
- A light layer for evenings and over-air-conditioned restaurants
That is a small bag. Beach clothes are the least bulky clothes there are, which is why most people arrive with a case half full of things they never wear. The trip-type guide has the same list for other holidays.
Three swimsuits, not one
This is the single most useful beach packing rule. A wet swimsuit takes most of a day to dry properly in humidity, so with one you are putting on something cold and damp every morning.
Two is the minimum and three is comfortable. They weigh nothing and take almost no space, so it is the cheapest upgrade to a week available.
Sand, water and sun cream
Every beach holiday has the same three enemies, and each wants its own container:
- Sand gets into everything and does not dry out. Flip-flops and beach shoes go in a shoe bag, always.
- Wet swimwear needs a wipe-clean bag that seals. A waterproof bag is what stops a case smelling of chlorine for a fortnight after you get home.
- Sun cream leaks. Screw caps, upright, inside a clear zipped bag – and that bag doubles as your airport liquids bag.
Packing the way home
Leave genuine slack. You are coming back with damp towels, sandy shoes, a swimsuit that never quite dried and whatever you bought. A case that was exactly full on the way out will not close.
The simplest fix is one empty cube on the outbound leg that becomes the laundry cube, or a compression cube you only use on the return. See the mistakes post for the rest.
The short version
- Take two or three swimsuits – one is never dry in time, and they weigh almost nothing.
- Beach clothes are the least bulky clothes there are, so the bag should be small, not large.
- Sand, wet swimwear and sun cream each need their own sealed bag, not a corner of the case.
- Take one evening outfit. On a beach holiday you will wear it twice at most.
- Leave real slack for the journey home – damp towels and sandy shoes take more room than they did.
Frequently asked questions
How many swimsuits should I take for a week?
Two at minimum, three if you swim daily. A wet swimsuit takes most of a day to dry in humid weather, so with only one you spend the week putting on something cold and damp.
How do you keep sand out of a suitcase?
Give it somewhere to live. Flip-flops and beach shoes go in their own shoe bag every time, not loose in the case. Sand does not evaporate the way water does, so once it is in with your clothes it stays there.
What is the best way to pack wet swimwear to come home?
In a sealed, wipe-clean bag kept separate from everything else - ideally the same bag every trip, so it is never a decision. Wringing it out first helps, but the bag is what stops the whole case smelling.
How much sun cream can I take in hand luggage?
Only in containers of 100ml or less, inside your one clear resealable litre bag, like any other liquid. Larger bottles must go in the hold, or be bought when you arrive - which is usually cheaper anyway.
What should I pack for beach evenings?
One light layer and one evening outfit. Coastal evenings are cooler than the day, and restaurants are often heavily air-conditioned, but you genuinely will not wear more than one smart outfit in a week.
