Before you go: pack proper sun protection — Otra’s trend-led sunglasses pack flat and hold up on any trip.
AWIN · BloqUVUPF 50+ sun protection
Blocks 98% of UV — built for beach and tropical trips like Beach Holiday.
Get BloqUV ›As an Amazon Associate, CJ Affiliate publisher and AWIN publisher, we earn from qualifying purchases. Links below are affiliate links. Full disclosure.
🛒 Top picks for this trip
✅ Essentials Checklist
👕 Clothing Checklist
⭐ Nice to Have
🚫 What to leave at home
Structured or tailored clothing that needs ironing — it creases in the case and you won't wear it on a beach trip. A hairdryer or styling tools — most hotels provide one, and beach hair rarely wants styling anyway. Full-size toiletry bottles when travel-size or a destination purchase does the job for less weight. A second pair of jeans — one is already one too many. And a stack of "just in case" paperbacks — one book plus a phone or e-reader covers any reading mood.
Flights — SUMMER50 deal
Search 500+ airlines. Save up to $50 with code SUMMER50.
Search flights › AWIN · AirparksUK airport parking
Gatwick, Luton, Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle — book ahead and save.
Compare parking › AWIN · Priceino HolidayBook your accommodation
Compare hotels, apartments and holiday lets for this trip before you lock in dates.
Compare stays ›Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Disclosure
Frequently Asked Questions
How much sunscreen should I pack for a beach holiday?
Far more than you expect. The recommended application is 2mg per cm² of skin — roughly a full shot glass (35ml) per full-body application. For a week in the sun applying twice daily, one person needs approximately 500ml of sunscreen. Most people underapply and underestimate how much they use. Buy some at the destination if needed, but check prices — resort areas charge a premium.
Should I buy a travel towel or use a regular towel for a beach holiday?
Depends on the trip. For resort hotels that provide towels, a microfibre travel towel is useful as a backup beach towel. For hostels, guesthouses or anything involving moving between accommodations, a microfibre towel is essential — quick-drying, compact, and doesn't go mildewy in a bag. For luxury all-inclusive resorts, hotel towels are usually excellent and a travel towel is unnecessary.
What is the best way to protect electronics on a beach holiday?
A waterproof phone pouch is the minimum — they cost under £10 and protect against sand and water. Don't leave electronics on the beach unattended. A lockable beach bag or hotel room safe is better than bag-watching stress. Sand is more damaging to electronics than water in many cases — keep phones and cameras in a dry bag or pouch when not in use.
How many swimsuits do you actually need for a week-long beach holiday?
Two to three is the practical sweet spot for a 7-night trip. Any fewer and you're wearing a damp swimsuit on day two; any more and you're carrying dead weight. Rotate them so each one has a full day to dry between wears — swimwear that goes straight from wet to packed starts to smell and degrade the elastic faster. If you're doing water sports daily, three lets you always have a dry one ready.
What should you leave at home for a beach holiday?
Structured or tailored clothing that needs ironing — it will crease in the case and you won't wear it. A hairdryer, straighteners or any other bulky styling tool — most hotels provide a hairdryer, and beach hair rarely wants styling anyway. A full-size bottle of anything (shampoo, sunscreen, aftersun) when a travel-size or destination purchase does the same job for less weight. A second pair of jeans — one is already one too many for most beach trips. And a stack of paperback books "just in case" — one book plus an e-reader or phone covers any reading mood.
Do beach resorts provide towels, or should you bring your own?
Most resorts and hotels provide pool and beach towels — check your specific booking, but assume yes for anything 3-star and above. Self-catering apartments and budget accommodation are the main exception; check the listing specifically. Bringing one lightweight microfibre travel towel as a backup is still worth it regardless — for day trips away from the resort, or on the flight home if you want a shower before boarding.
What is the single most forgotten item on a beach packing list?
Aftersun or aloe vera gel — sunscreen gets remembered because it's applied before you're already burnt, but aftersun is the thing people realise they need on the evening of day one, when the shops are shut and the burn has already set in. Buy it before you travel, not after.
Is it worth bringing snorkelling gear or renting it there?
If snorkelling is a genuine priority for the trip (not just a maybe), bringing your own mask is worth it for fit and hygiene reasons — rental masks are shared between hundreds of people and rarely fit perfectly. For a casual one-off snorkel, hotel or beach-shack rental is fine and saves the packing space. Bringing your own fins is rarely worth it — they're bulky and rental fins are usually adequate.
What extra should you pack for a beach holiday with kids?
A UV rash vest or full-coverage swimsuit cuts down how often you're reapplying sunscreen to a wriggling child, and covers the shoulders and back that get missed most. A mineral sunscreen stick (rather than lotion) is faster to apply and less likely to end up in eyes. Pack more swimwear than you think you need for kids specifically — two is rarely enough once sand, sunscreen and pool chlorine are involved, so three to four is more realistic. A pop-up shade tent earns its space in the case on any beach without natural shade, especially for babies and toddlers who can't regulate heat as well as adults. Water shoes or aqua socks protect against hot sand, sharp shells and rocks, and are worth packing even for a resort beach. Finally, a dry bag for wet swimwear on the journey home saves the rest of the case from a soggy corner.
Check the weather and best time to visit before you finalise your Beach Holiday packing list — and see country facts and travel info for entry requirements and local tips.
Not sure which suitcase size or clothing sizes you need? Check 247Sizing's luggage and clothing size guides before you pack.