Getting one of the best beach towels, whether that's the most stylish or the most practical, is a must for the perfect summer set up.
You may be heading to sunny Santorini or you might not be travelling abroad this year at all. Even if you've only got a cute weekend break planned in the UK (think cosy holiday cottages with hot tubs and house boat Airbnbs), or you're just heading to your local park, a cute new towel in tow will be the perfect treat to mark the occasion. Perhaps your sun lounger or garden furniture needs brightening? Enter: the chic beach towel is a must - you can even coordinate your bikini or one-piece swimsuit with one.
Believe it or not, not all towels are created equal. They may all be designed to dry you off, but while the best bath towels are soft and fluffy, that just won’t cut it when it comes to picking the best beach towel. Unlike your other towels, the best beach towels are designed to handle a lot of wear and tear as they’re exposed to the sun, sand, salt water, chlorine, sun cream and more.
The best beach towels at a glance:
- Best overall - Desert Palm Beach Towel, £15, John Lewis
- Best Turkish cotton - Cotton Turkish Towel, £12.95, Etsy
- Best sand-free towel - Pure Cotton Sand Resistant Striped Beach Towel, £17.50, M&S
- Best round towel - WYZDQ Round Beach Towel, £33.20, Amazon
- Best towel design - ARKET Jacquard Woven Bath Towel, £17, H&M
What is the best type of beach towel?
It’s worth noting what fabric the beach towel is made from. Cotton is one of the most common materials as it’s soft yet absorbent, like this Joules towel. Meanwhile, terry cloth is made from cotton but is woven in loops, meaning there’s more surface area to absorb water but this can result in the towel taking longer to dry itself, like this SoLife towel. Because…carrying a soggy towel home from the beach is far from ideal. There's also microfibre towels, which are a popular choice as they’re fast drying, like the Lululemon towel Some even repel sand, perfect if you hate finding tiny grains at the bottom of your bag weeks later - take this Amazon pick, for instance.
Joules Botanical Bee Cotton Beach Towel Blue
SoLife Beach Towel with Inflatable Pillow
Whale Flotilla Microfiber Oversized Beach Towel
Arguably the most important read: most fun part in picking the best beach towels is the design. Coming in bright colours and fun patterns, you can’t go wrong with classic deck chair stripes like Dock & Bay’s striped poncho, or opt for something bold like M&S' flamingo number so you can spot your sunbed a mile away.
Whatever your style and wherever you’re headed, here are the most Instagram-worthy beach towels to take on holiday for summer 2023.
After more outdoor essentials? See our collection of the best picnic blankets, picnic baskets, melamine plates and picnic sets. Elsewhere, we've got round ups of the best garden parasols, best outdoor rugs, best hanging egg chairs and even deck chairs, to bring that beach aesthetic into your back garden.
For more from GLAMOUR UK Commerce Writer Lucy Smith, follow her on Instagram @luceeeeesmith.
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