Sarongs for Travel

Why a Sarong Is the Best Thing You Can Pack

A good travel wardrobe has to do a lot with very little. It has to fit in a carry-on, survive a long flight, work at the beach and at dinner, and still look good on day ten. A sarong does all of that, and it weighs almost nothing.

AllSarongs has made handmade sarongs in Bali since 2005. Most are rayon, with some sheer polyester styles, and every one is light, soft, and quick to dry. At $18.95 retail, it adds five outfits without adding weight. Sarongs are unisex, and everybody can wear them.

Why Sarongs Travel Well

First, weight and size. A sarong folds down to about the size of a paperback book and weighs less than a t-shirt. One sarong can replace a beach cover-up, a skirt, a light scarf, and a spare towel.

Second, fabric. Most AllSarongs sarongs are rayon, a soft fabric that drapes well, feels cool in warm weather, and dries quickly after a swim or a hand wash. Some styles are sheer polyester. There is no cotton or silk in the current range.

Third, a sarong does not wrinkle the way a stiff shirt or a tailored dress does. Fold it, roll it, stuff it in a bag, and it still looks fine when you shake it out. If you do want a crisp look, iron on low heat inside out.

Fourth, versatility. A sarong is not one piece of clothing. It is a piece of cloth you can tie, wrap, drape, and fold into whatever the day needs. That flexibility is why a sarong earns its place in a light bag.

Batik Blue Sarong With Palm Trees worn as a wrap skirt on a beach — Batik Blue Sarong With Palm Trees, worn as a wrap skirt on the beach. A wrap skirt is the easiest sarong style to tie, and it works for the beach, the pool, and a walk into town. Shop this sarong

One Sarong, Five Uses on a Trip

Think of it this way: one piece, five jobs.

1. Beach cover-up and wrap skirt

Wrap the sarong around your waist, tie it at the side or front, and you have a cover-up for the walk from the beach to the pool bar or back to your room. It covers swimwear and dries fast when it gets splashed. Our How to Tie a Sarong guide shows the basic wrap and a few easy variations.

2. An evening dress

The same sarong can become a dress for dinner. Tie it as a strapless or halter-style dress, or wrap it as a long skirt with a plain top you already packed. A dark print or a solid color looks dressy with sandals. See How to Wear a Sarong as a Dress for five dress styles and how to tie each one.

3. A light shawl for air conditioning

Flights, restaurants, and museums can be cold even in a hot place. Draped over your shoulders, a sarong is a light shawl that takes the chill off without the bulk of a sweater. It also works as a light cover for shoulders at a temple or a place with a dress code.

4. A towel, a blanket, or a picnic cloth

A sarong is big enough to sit on at the beach or in a park, to dry off after a swim, or to spread out for a picnic. Rayon dries quickly, so it works as a light towel in a pinch, or as a blanket on a long flight.

5. A privacy screen and a sun shade

Changing at the beach or just wanting a bit of shade are both easier with a large piece of cloth. Hold it up as a screen, hang it from a beach umbrella, or drape it over a chair to make shade. It is not a tent, but it is often just enough.

Five uses, one item, almost no weight. That is the whole case for packing a sarong.

Packing Light With a Sarong

Packing light is not about leaving things behind. It is about packing things that do more than one job. Start with the sarong, then add two or three plain tops in colors that go with it, one pair of shorts or light trousers, swimwear, sandals, and one pair of walking shoes. That is enough for a week in a warm place. Wear it as a skirt one day, a dress the next, and a shawl in the evening.

Roll the sarong instead of folding it. Put it in an outside pocket or on top of the bag so you can reach it easily.

Pick a color that goes with what you already own. A solid color like bright green is easy to match with white, black, or denim. A batik print can hide a splash or a stain better than a plain white cloth. If you are packing for a group, wholesale pricing is up to 50% off retail, and custom sarongs are available with a minimum of 200 per design. For a full checklist, see our Sarong Packing List.

Batik Purple Sarong With Hibiscus laid flat showing the white floral print — Batik Purple Sarong With Hibiscus, laid flat. A bold print like this one pairs with plain tops and hides splashes and stains on the road. Shop this sarong

Washing a Sarong on the Road

A travel piece has to be easy to wash, because you will wash it in a hotel sink, not a laundry room. Hand wash cold with a mild detergent. Wash it gently by hand, rinse in cold water, and press the water out without wringing or twisting the fabric. Do not bleach it. Hang it to line dry or hang dry in the shade. Do not put it in a tumble dryer. It dries quickly, so you can wash it in the evening and wear it again the next morning.

That quick wash and quick dry cycle is what makes one sarong enough for a whole trip. You do not need three cover-ups. You need one that you can wash, dry, and wear again the next day. For the full care details, read our Care Guide.

From the Airport to the Beach to Dinner

At the airport, wear the sarong as a light wrap over your travel clothes or keep it in your personal item as a blanket and a pillow. It is a light cover for a nap on a long flight.

At the beach, it is a cover-up, a towel, and a place to sit. Rinse the salt and sand out in the shower, hang it to dry, and it is ready for the evening.

At dinner, change the tie and change the look. A wrap skirt with a clean top and sandals is fine for a casual restaurant. A dress tie with a solid color sarong works for a nicer dinner. That is the trick to beach-to-dinner dressing: same sarong, different tie, a few small accessories.

Bright Green Sarong worn as a wrap skirt on a beach with palm trees — Bright Green Sarong, worn as a wrap skirt on the beach. A solid color is easy to dress up for dinner with a plain top and simple accessories. Shop this sarong

Which Size and Style to Pack

AllSarongs sarongs come in three sizes. Regular is 66" x 44", Plus is 84" x 44", and Half is 66" x 22". Regular is the best all-round choice for travel: big enough to wear as a skirt or a dress, and still light to pack. Plus gives extra length and width for a longer dress or a fuller wrap. Half is a shorter piece that works as a hip wrap and packs even smaller. See our Size Guide for help choosing.

For style, think about where you are going. A bright solid color is the most flexible for mixing and matching. A batik print is the most forgiving and the most fun, and it photographs well. A sheer polyester style is the lightest of all. Two sarongs still weigh less than one pair of jeans.

A Few Practical Travel Tips

Pack a small bag of mild detergent or a few travel soap leaves, so you can wash your sarong anywhere. Bring a couple of safety pins to hold a dress tie in place in wind. If you are traveling with others, pack a spare: a sarong is the item friends always ask to borrow, and at $18.95 it is an easy gift to bring home.

AllSarongs sarongs ship from San Diego, CA. If you have a question about sizing, fabric, or an order, write to sarongs@gmail.com and we will help.

Pack One, Wear It Five Ways

Travel light is good advice, and a sarong is how you actually do it. One light piece of handmade Bali rayon, five uses, a quick hand wash in the sink, and you are ready for the beach, the flight, and dinner. Pack one on your next trip and see how often you reach for it. Most travelers find it is the first thing out of the bag and the last thing they would leave behind.