Everything you need for the perfect sun and sea escape — from swimwear to sunscreen, snorkelling to after-sun. Never forget a thing again.
A beach holiday sounds simple — throw some swimwear in a bag and go. But forget your sunscreen, leave behind your after-sun, or pack the wrong shoes and your trip suffers from day one. This checklist covers everything: the essentials you absolutely can't leave without, the optional extras that make life better, and a few things most people forget until they're standing in an overpriced resort pharmacy.
The things experienced beach & sun holiday travellers wish someone had told them before their first trip.
Put your swimwear right at the top of your bag — you'll want it the moment you arrive. Pack at least two sets so one can dry while you wear the other.
Airport and resort sunscreens are marked up 3–4× the normal price. Buy your SPF 30 and SPF 50 at home and decant into travel bottles if flying carry-on.
Rolling lightweight summer clothes saves up to 30% more space than folding, and reduces creasing on thin fabrics like linen and cotton.
A cheap waterproof phone pouch (€5–10) means you can take photos in the water, keep your phone safe on the beach, and stop worrying about waves.
The full beach & sun holiday packing list, broken into categories. Use our free interactive tool to check items off, add your own, and export to any format.
The most frequently asked questions about packing for a beach & sun holiday.
We are working on a beautifully designed printable version of the Beach & Sun packing list. Beach Holiday PDF
Roamers List has personalised packing lists for all 9 trip types.