Why a Turkish Towel Is the Best Travel Towel

For most trips, the best travel towel is a flat-woven Turkish cotton towel, also called a peshtemal. It folds down small, dries quickly between uses, and doubles as a beach blanket, scarf, sarong or airplane wrap, so one towel does the work of several things in your bag. At The Riviera Towel Company in Santa Barbara, it is the towel we reach for whenever a suitcase is involved.

Microfiber towels have their place, and a plush terry towel is lovely at home. But if you want something that feels like real cotton, looks good on a hotel balcony and still fits in a carry-on, a Turkish towel is hard to beat. Here is how to choose one and get the most out of it.

What makes a good travel towel?

A good travel towel is light, packable, absorbent and quick to dry, and ideally it does more than one job. Use this checklist when you shop:

• Packs flat. It should fold small enough to slide into a carry-on or day bag without crowding everything else.
• Dries fast. You will often pack up before a towel has a full day to dry, so less fabric to stay damp is a big plus.
• Absorbs well. It should actually dry you off after a swim or a shower, not just push water around.
• Sheds sand. Beach days are easier when sand shakes right off.
• Feels good on skin. Natural cotton is comfortable against the face and body.
• Works as something else. Bonus points if it is also a wrap, scarf, picnic cloth or blanket.
• Holds up to washing. Sink washes, hotel laundry and line drying should not wear it out.

Is a Turkish towel better than a microfiber travel towel?

For most travelers, yes: a Turkish towel feels like real cotton, looks good enough to use as a wrap or throw, and still packs small and dries quickly. Microfiber is usually lighter and dries a bit faster, but many people find it clingy or synthetic feeling on skin.

Here is how the three common choices typically compare:

Feature	Turkish cotton towel	Microfiber travel towel	Terry bath towel
Material	Flat-woven cotton	Synthetic fibers (polyester/nylon blends)	Looped cotton pile
Feel	Smooth, natural, softens with washing	Thin, can feel slick or grabby	Thick and plush
Packability	Folds flat and small	Very compact	Bulky
Drying time	Fast	Very fast	Slow
Sand	Shakes off easily	Can cling	Gets trapped in loops
Other uses	Wrap, scarf, sarong, blanket, picnic cloth	Mostly just a towel	Mostly just a towel
Looks	Stripes, patterns, fringe	Usually plain or sporty	Solid colors

If you are backpacking and counting every gram, microfiber may still win. For city trips, beach vacations, road trips and weekends away, cotton is the more pleasant all-rounder. For a deeper comparison, see Turkish towels vs. regular towels.

How small does a Turkish towel pack?

A typical Turkish beach towel folds down to roughly the size of a paperback book. Most beach-size Turkish towels are about 36 to 40 inches wide and around 70 inches long, which is generous for lying on the sand, yet the thin flat weave takes up a fraction of the space of a terry towel that size.

Rolling it tightly works well in a carry-on. You can also fold it flat and lay it along the back of a suitcase, where it doubles as a little padding. If you want the specifics on dimensions and weights, our guide to Turkish towel sizes and weights breaks it all down.

How fast does a Turkish towel dry?

A Turkish towel usually dries much faster than a terry towel because there is simply less fabric to hold moisture. Drape it over a chair, a balcony rail or a shower rod and it is typically ready again well before a plush towel would be.

That matters when you are checking out of a hotel in the morning, packing up after a swim, or moving between rentals every few days. A towel that dries quickly is also less likely to come home smelling musty.

What else can you use a travel towel for?

A Turkish towel is one of the most versatile things you can pack. On a single trip it might be:

• A beach or pool towel that is larger and nicer than the ones handed out at the hotel.
• An airplane or train blanket when the cabin gets chilly.
• A scarf or shoulder wrap for cool evenings or visiting churches and other sites that ask for covered shoulders.
• A sarong or cover-up for the walk from the beach to lunch. Our beach cover-ups guide has ideas for tying one.
• A picnic cloth for a park lunch or a wine stop.
• A privacy curtain or shade in a pinch.

For more ways to wear and use one, see how to style a Turkish towel.

Which Riviera towel is best for travel?

For most travelers, a lightweight flat weave from our Classic collection is the best place to start, because it is the easiest to pack and the quickest to dry. Choose a heavier or more textured weave if you want a towel that feels a little more substantial.

• Essential Turkish Towel (from $29.98): our everyday lightweight flat weave and a natural travel towel. Browse the full Classic collection.
• Amalfi Coast Turkish Towel (from $28.98) and Biarritz Turkish Towel (from $28.98): striped styles that look right on any Riviera, ours included.
• St. Tropez Bamboo Scarf Wrap Towel (from $48.98): made to be worn as a scarf or wrap as much as used as a towel.
• Turkish Cotton Waffle Towel (from $38.98): a textured option if you like a bit more grip and body.

Traveling as a pair? "Buy 2, save 10%" applies automatically on Riviera towels, blankets and robes. A roomy bag like the Essential Beach Tote - Large (from $48) makes a handy beach-day carryall once you arrive.

How do you care for a Turkish towel on the road?

Rinse out salt water and sunscreen when you can, hang it to dry in the air, and give it a proper wash when you get home. A Turkish towel handles sink washes and line drying well, and it tends to get softer the more it is washed.

Skip fabric softener, which can coat cotton fibers and reduce absorbency. Our full guide on how to care for Turkish towels covers washing, drying and fringe care.

Where can I buy a travel towel in Santa Barbara?

You can find Turkish travel towels at The Riviera Towel Company, 17 W. Gutierrez St., just off State Street in downtown Santa Barbara, or shop online at rivieratowel.com. Our towels are hand-loomed from Turkish cotton in Turkey, with colorways designed here in Santa Barbara.

Stopping by before a trip lets you feel the different weights in person. Online orders over $95 ship free nationwide, and you can add gift wrap with a handwritten card for $10 if the towel is a bon voyage present.

FAQ

What is the best travel towel?

For most trips, the best travel towel is a flat-woven Turkish cotton towel. It packs flat, dries quickly, feels like natural cotton and doubles as a scarf, wrap, blanket or picnic cloth.

Is a Turkish towel better than a microfiber towel for travel?

For most travelers, yes. Microfiber is usually lighter and dries slightly faster, but a Turkish towel feels like real cotton, sheds sand easily and is attractive enough to use as a wrap or throw.

Will a Turkish towel fit in a carry-on?

Yes. A typical beach-size Turkish towel folds or rolls down to roughly the size of a paperback book, so it fits easily in a carry-on or day bag.

How big is a Turkish travel towel?

Most beach-size Turkish towels are typically about 36 to 40 inches wide and around 70 inches long. Check each product page for the exact dimensions of a specific towel.

How do I wash a Turkish towel while traveling?

Rinse it in a sink with a little mild soap, gently squeeze out the water and hang it to dry. Avoid fabric softener, and give it a regular machine wash when you get home.

Packing for your next getaway? Visit our shop at 17 W. Gutierrez St. in Santa Barbara or call 805-560-1571. We offer free shipping on orders over $95, and 5% of our net profits go to organizations that heal and protect the ocean we all love, with $76,439.30 donated so far.