What to Pack for a Beach Vacation: The 20-Item List

We make swimwear in Bali, which means we spend a lot of time watching people arrive at the beach with the wrong things. Four pairs of shoes and no reef-safe sunscreen. A suitcase of cotton that never dries. One swimsuit for a seven-day trip.

This is the list we actually use. Twenty items, in the order you'll reach for them, plus the things worth leaving at home.

Start Here: How Many Swimsuits Do You Actually Need?

Two minimum. Three if you'll be in the water daily.

The reason is simple and unglamorous: a wet swimsuit takes six to eight hours to dry properly in humid coastal air, and putting on a damp suit two mornings in a row is how you ruin a trip. Two suits means one is always dry.

If you're only bringing two, make them different. One you can swim, surf or paddle in without adjusting, and one you're happy to be seen in at lunch. A long sleeve one piece covers the first job better than anything else, because it stays put and takes the sun off your shoulders. Something from our one piece collection or a bikini covers the second.

The 20-Item Beach Vacation Packing List

Water and Sun (items 1–7)

1. Two to three swimsuits. Covered above. Pack them last, on top, so they're accessible before your bag is unpacked.

2. A long sleeve or high-neck suit. The single most useful thing in a beach bag. Sun protection without reapplying sunscreen every 40 minutes, and warmth on early surf sessions. Ours are UPF50+ and made from ECONYL® regenerated nylon, so they hold their shape through salt water and chlorine. The Luna long sleeve is the one most of our customers travel with.

3. Reef-safe sunscreen, SPF 30+. Non-negotiable in places like Bali, Hawaii and Mexico where oxybenzone-based sunscreen is either banned or actively damaging reefs. Buy it before you fly. It's expensive and hard to find at beach destinations.

4. A wide-brim hat that packs flat. Not a straw hat that gets crushed in transit. Something you can roll.

5. Sunglasses with a strap. You will drop them in the ocean. Everyone does.

6. A quick-dry towel. Microfibre, not cotton. Half the space, a quarter of the drying time.

7. Aloe or after-sun. You will burn on day one regardless of items 3 and 4.

 

Clothing (items 8–13)

8. Two cover-ups you'd wear to dinner. The trick is choosing pieces that work over swimwear and on their own. A slip dress or a light silk piece does both, which is why our dresses and silk and satin pieces travel well.

9. One pair of linen or lightweight trousers. For temples, restaurants, and the flight home.

10. Two tops that aren't cotton. Cotton holds sweat and takes forever to dry in humidity.

11. One long sleeve layer. Air conditioning, evening breeze, mosquitos, sunburn. It earns its space.

12. Activewear for one workout. If you'll do yoga, hike or surf, one set is enough. You'll wash it. Our activewear doubles as swimwear, which halves what you carry.

13. Underwear for the full trip plus two. The one place not to pack light.

 

Feet and Bags (items 14–16)

14. Sandals you can walk 5km in. Not the ones that look best.

15. Water shoes or reef booties. If there's coral, rock or sea urchins where you're going. Ask before you assume there isn't.

16. A dry bag. Boats, scooters, sudden rain. Ten dollars saves a phone.

 

Practical (items 17–20)

17. A universal adapter with USB ports.

18. Basic medical kit. Antihistamines, rehydration salts, plasters, motion sickness tablets, any prescriptions in original packaging.

19. Mosquito repellent with DEET or picaridin. Citronella wristbands do not work.

20. A mesh laundry bag. Wet and sandy things go in it. Everything else in your case stays dry.

 

What to Leave at Home

More than two pairs of shoes. You'll wear sandals for 90% of the trip.

Hairdryers and straighteners. Voltage differences, humidity, and most accommodation has one.

Jeans. Heavy, slow to dry, uncomfortable in heat.

Full-size toiletries. Buy them there, or decant.

A different swimsuit for every day. Two good suits beat seven cheap ones. This is the single most common overpacking mistake we see, and it's why we make swimwear in small batches designed to be worn hard rather than worn once.

 

Packing Tips that Actually Save Space

Roll, don't fold. Roughly 30% more fits in the same case.

Wear your bulkiest items on the plane. Trainers, the long sleeve layer, the heavier trousers.

Pack a swimsuit in your hand luggage. If your checked bag is delayed, you still get in the water on day one.

Leave 20% of your case empty. You will buy things.

Put swimwear in the mesh bag from item 20 on the way home. Salt and sand out of everything else.

 

How to Look After Swimwear While you're Travelling

Swimwear dies from three things: chlorine, sunscreen, and being left balled up wet in a bag.

• Rinse in cold fresh water after every swim. Not hot. Heat destroys elastane.
• Never wring it out. Press the water out flat.
• Dry in shade, not direct sun. UV breaks down elastic fibres faster than salt does.
• Never put it in a washing machine or dryer.

Do those four things and a good suit lasts years. Skip them and it lasts a season. More on how we make ours to survive this in our sustainability notes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many swimsuits should I pack for a week?
Three if you're in the water daily, two if you're not. Suits need a full day to dry properly in humid climates, so rotating two means one is always ready.

What should I pack for a beach vacation in Bali specifically?
Everything above, plus reef-safe sunscreen bought before you fly, a dry bag for scooter journeys, and one long sleeve layer for temple visits. Modest dress is expected at temples: shoulders and knees covered.

Can I wear a regular swimsuit for surfing or paddle boarding?
You can, but you'll spend the session adjusting it. Board rash and shifting straps are the two complaints. A long sleeve or high-neck suit designed for movement solves both. See our surf collection.

What size swimsuit should I order if I'm between sizes?
Check the size chart before ordering, and if you're between sizes and plan to be active in the suit, most customers find sizing up more comfortable.

How do I stop swimwear fading on holiday?
Rinse in cold water immediately after swimming, dry in shade, and keep sunscreen off the fabric where you can. Chemical sunscreens stain and degrade elastane.

 

Before you Book

Two suits, one long sleeve, reef-safe sunscreen, a dry bag and a mesh laundry bag. If you pack nothing else on this list, those five will carry the trip.

Makara Wear is handmade in Bali from ECONYL® regenerated nylon and deadstock fabric, in small batches, by fair-paid makers. If you're building a travel kit, start with the best sellers or see what's new this season.