Are you the type who makes do with a regular bath towel? Or have you been using the same old brittle beach towel for far too long? Either way, it's probably time to upgrade, and trust us – you'll be glad you did.
Whether you're looking for a thick, luxury towel, a cheap yet fun pick for kids or a lightweight microfibre towel for travel, our guide is here to help you choose. We've included our favourite products on sale at Amazon and John Lewis featuring large and round designs as well as sets of classic Turkish towels. It's time for some sun, sea and sand!
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive selection of the 10 best, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of beach towel available and understand how our ranking was determined.
This article's chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Image | 1 ![]() John Lewis & Partners | 2 ![]() Dock & Bay | 3 ![]() Solife | 4 ![]() aztex | 5 ![]() Dock & Bay | 6 ![]() John Lewis & Partners | 7 ![]() Owl's-Yard | 8 ![]() Nicola Spring | 9 ![]() Go Travel | 10 ![]() 4Monster |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Block Stripe Beach Towel | Cabana Quick Dry Beach Towel | Striped Beach Towel | Personalised Striped Cabana Style Beach Towel | Cabana Quick Dry Beach Towel | Whale Beach Towel | Microfibre Beach Towel | Turkish Cotton Towels | 260 Beach Towel | Microfibre Travel Towel |
Features | Bring Warmth and Colour With Gorgeous Sunset Hues | Daydream of a Tropical Island With This Palm Print Option | A Practical And Sustainable Cotton Towel | A Personalised Lightweight And Absorbent Microfibre Towel | A Clever Sand-Free Towel With a Matching Case | A Cute Design Made From BCI Cotton | Up Your Sunbathing Game With a Circular Beach Towel | A Peshtemal Fouta-Style Towel Set in Four Colours | Lightweight and Compact but Still Impressively Absorbent | Super Portable and Comes in a Wide Range of Colours |
Price | £17.00 | £19.99 | £50.65 | £17.95 | £19.99 | £15.00 | £14.99 | £17.99 | £14.99 | £8.99 |
Material | 100% BCI cotton | 83% polyester, 17% polyamide | Cotton | Microfibre | 83% polyester, 17% polyamide | 100% BCI cotton | Microfibre | 100% cotton | 100% polyester | Polyester, polyamide |
GSM | 420 gsm | 220 gsm | 300 gsm | 200 gsm | 220 gsm | 410 gsm | - | - | - | - |
Carry Case Included | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | EVA case |
Colours Available | Pink, blue | - | Yellow | Pink, blue | Available in 24 colours | - | Pink, geen | Red, grey, navy, sky blue | - | Available in 11 colours |
Quantity | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
Dimensions | 160 x 86 cm | 160 x 90 cm | 170 x 100 cm | 150 x 75 cm | 160 x 90 cm | 160 x 86 cm | Diameter 150 cm | 170 x 90 cm | 160 x 70 cm | 100 x 50 cm |
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A natural material traditionally used for towelling throughout the world, there's no doubt that cotton is the best choice. Soft, fluffy, and absorbent, it also dries relatively quickly, which is handy for sitting on your towel after swimming or when packing it away in a bag.
However, cotton does fray over time and a cotton beach towel may become slightly stiffer after multiple washes. It can also be more expensive than synthetic materials like polyester or polyamide, but being a natural fabric, it is more environmentally friendly and more breathable on the skin.
Consider opting for sustainably sourced or BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) cotton, as this has more stringent regulations in place to ensure better conditions for cotton producers and more protection for the environment and community it's produced in.
A newer, and sometimes more affordable alternative to cotton is the microfibre beach towel. Manufactured from man-made fibres, often a blend of polyester and polyamide, the ends are split making them extremely absorbent and capable of drying much faster than other types of towels.
Microfibre is even more durable than natural fibres, very lightweight and able to be packed down very small – perfect for beach camping, travelling or even the gym. However, it has to be said that although microfibre creates a soft beach towel, it doesn't feel quite as luxurious or comfortable as cotton and tends to look a little cheaper.
Some beach towels are not described as microfibre but are made from polyester and polyamide or recycled post-consumer plastic. These towels will have the same quality and texture as microfibre even if it's not mentioned, so it's always a good idea to check the materials list if you specifically want a certain one.
Not all beach towels have a specific GSM in the product description, but it's a sign of quality when they do. GSM (standing for grams per square inch) is a measure of weight and thickness, and in terms of beach towels, you'll want to pick a medium thickness that goes from around 400 to 600 GSM.
Towels with a medium GSM are soft and absorbent without being too thick or heavy, ideal for a beach or summer bath towel. If you're looking for a beach towel that's also suitable for camping or travelling, you'll probably want to choose the most lightweight and compact option possible, but bear in mind that many travel towels don't state a GSM.
As mentioned, microfibre towels can be very lightweight and compact which makes them easier to pack away in a bag. Due to this benefit, many synthetic or microfibre beach towels actually come with a bag or pouch, so keep an eye out for these.
Even some decorative beach towels come with a handy pouch in the same print, perfect for some seaside accessorising. If you're going for a multipurpose towel that's more about function than style, choose one that comes with its own bag or portable case, which is really handy for travelling or longer walks to those hidden beach spots.
On the subject of travelling and packing check out our guide on the 10 best large suitcases to take on your next holiday.
mybest UK product recommendations are reviewed and curated by our writers in-house. We focus on in-depth research and analysis of product reviews to carefully select the best products available for the best prices.
£17.00
Material | 100% BCI cotton |
---|---|
GSM | 420 gsm |
Carry Case Included | No |
Colours Available | Pink, blue |
Quantity | 1 |
Dimensions | 160 x 86 cm |
£19.99
Material | 83% polyester, 17% polyamide |
---|---|
GSM | 220 gsm |
Carry Case Included | Yes |
Colours Available | - |
Quantity | 1 |
Dimensions | 160 x 90 cm |
£50.65
Material | Cotton |
---|---|
GSM | 300 gsm |
Carry Case Included | No |
Colours Available | Yellow |
Quantity | 1 |
Dimensions | 170 x 100 cm |
£17.95
Material | Microfibre |
---|---|
GSM | 200 gsm |
Carry Case Included | No |
Colours Available | Pink, blue |
Quantity | 1 |
Dimensions | 150 x 75 cm |
£19.99
Material | 83% polyester, 17% polyamide |
---|---|
GSM | 220 gsm |
Carry Case Included | Yes |
Colours Available | Available in 24 colours |
Quantity | 1 |
Dimensions | 160 x 90 cm |
£15.00
Material | 100% BCI cotton |
---|---|
GSM | 410 gsm |
Carry Case Included | No |
Colours Available | - |
Quantity | 1 |
Dimensions | 160 x 86 cm |
£14.99
Material | Microfibre |
---|---|
GSM | - |
Carry Case Included | No |
Colours Available | Pink, geen |
Quantity | 1 |
Dimensions | Diameter 150 cm |
Set of 4
£17.99
Material | 100% cotton |
---|---|
GSM | - |
Carry Case Included | No |
Colours Available | Red, grey, navy, sky blue |
Quantity | 4 |
Dimensions | 170 x 90 cm |
£14.99
Material | 100% polyester |
---|---|
GSM | - |
Carry Case Included | No |
Colours Available | - |
Quantity | 1 |
Dimensions | 160 x 70 cm |
£8.99
Material | Polyester, polyamide |
---|---|
GSM | - |
Carry Case Included | EVA case |
Colours Available | Available in 11 colours |
Quantity | 1 |
Dimensions | 100 x 50 cm |
Written and researched by Melanie McPhail
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