Packing swimwear well means it arrives in good shape, dries quickly between wears, and takes up as little space as possible. Here is a practical guide.
How many swimwear pieces to pack
The standard advice is one piece per day, but that is overkill for most trips. A more practical approach:
- Weekend trip: 2 bottoms, 2 tops, or 1 one piece and 1 set of separates. Enough to rotate without overpacking.
- 1 to 2 week trip: 3 bottoms, 2 to 3 tops. Mix and match separates give you more combinations from fewer pieces.
- Extended trip (2+ weeks): 3 to 4 bottoms, 3 tops. At this point you will be hand washing regularly so you do not need a piece per day.
The reason mix and match separates are particularly good for travel is the combination maths. Three tops and three bottoms give you nine combinations. Three sets give you three. Same luggage weight, three times the variety.
How to pack swimwear
Roll, do not fold
Rolling swimwear takes up significantly less space than folding and reduces crease lines. For bikini tops with underwire or structured cups, roll carefully around the cup shape rather than flattening it.
Use a waterproof bag
Wet swimwear in a suitcase is a problem -- it transfers moisture to everything around it and, if left long enough, can cause mildew. Pack a small waterproof bag (a silicone zip bag or a dedicated wet bag) for wet pieces. This is especially useful on travel days when you have been at the beach in the morning and need to pack up quickly.
Pack inside shoes
Rolled swimwear pieces fit neatly inside shoes and use space that would otherwise be wasted. Good for smaller pieces like bikini bottoms.
Separate tops and bottoms
Packing tops and bottoms separately rather than as sets makes it easier to grab what you need and mix combinations without unpacking everything.
How to dry swimwear while travelling
Hotel towel rails and bathroom hooks are the standard option. A few things that help:
- Travel clothesline: A bungee-style travel clothesline weighs almost nothing and gives you a drying line anywhere. Genuinely useful for longer trips.
- Lay flat when possible: If you have a balcony or outdoor space, lay swimwear flat in the shade rather than hanging it. Reduces stretch over time.
- Avoid direct sun drying: UV fades colour and degrades fabric. Shade is better even when you are in a rush.
- Press, do not wring: Press excess water out with a clean towel rather than wringing. Wringing distorts the fabric.
How to wash swimwear while travelling
Rinsing in the hotel bathroom sink is enough for most trips. A small amount of gentle liquid detergent (or even a bar of gentle soap) is all you need. Swirl, squeeze gently, rinse thoroughly, press out water, hang or lay flat to dry.
Most hotel shampoo is too harsh for swimwear fabric -- it is formulated to strip oils, which also strips dye and degrades elastane. If you want to travel with a dedicated swimwear wash, small travel-size bottles of Soak or similar gentle wash work well.
What to look for in travel swimwear
The best travel swimwear is quick-drying, packable, and versatile enough to work in different settings -- beach, pool, resort, boat.
Nylon fabrics (including recycled nylon like ECONYL® and REPREVE®) dry faster than polyester and are lighter to pack. The tight weave structure that gives them their UPF50 rating also means they hold their shape well across repeated packing and unpacking cycles.
Versatility matters on a trip where you are limited to what fits in your bag. A bottom that doubles as a beach short, or a one piece that works under a shirt as a bodysuit, gives you more options from the same number of pieces.
Raw X Salt for travel
Raw X Salt swimwear separates are designed for exactly this kind of use. The Aloha Shortie bottom works as a beach short. The mix and match range means you can pack three pieces and have nine combinations. All fabrics are quick-drying recycled nylon, UPF50, and chlorine-resistant.