Few items are as versatile and functional for the female traveler as the sarong. This lightweight addition to your packing list delivers on its promise for multi-purpose use and adds color, variety, and a touch of femininity to the traveler’s wardrobe.
What is it?
A sarong is a rectangular or square piece of fabric, often found in a variety of colors and prints, and worn as clothing. Depending on your location and travel destination, you can buy a sarong in stores, online, or in a local market.
How many ways can I use a sarong?
A sarong is a multi-purpose item. Travelers have found a number of creative uses for the sarong, and its versatility is not limited by the ideas listed below!
Blanket at the beach or on a picnic. Grab a few new friends from the hostel, plan a day out, and bring your easy-to-carry sarong along.
Blanket on cold transportation. It might not be as warm as a normal blanket, but if you’re stuck on a cold plane, train or bus, every extra layer helps.
Towel (beach or bath). The thin, lightweight material dries quickly and saves you from packing a separate bath and/or beach towel!
>>Looking for alternatives to the sarong? Try Turkish Towels and Pack Towels.
Curtain/divider/wall. When you’re in shared accommodation or camping, sometimes you want a little more privacy than what’s afforded. Hang the sarong from your bunk bed or clothesline or find another creative way to hang the fabric to create a discreet place to change clothes. Your new “wall” may also help avoid overhead lights in the middle of the night or offer more peace during mid-afternoon naps.
Cover knees, shoulders, arms, or head while visiting places of worship. If you don’t have a separate scarf or find yourself needing more coverage, a long sarong can cover bare shoulders or legs in hot weather when you want to visit temples, mosques, and other places of worship.
As a makeshift bag/purse. Picking up a few items at the market? Fold your sarong into a bag or purse to tote your new finds!
Need sheets for your bed or a tablecloth?Unfurl the sarong and it easily covers the mattress or table. You can also use it in place of a questionable pillow case.
Pillows a little flat, lumpy, or non-existent? Fold the sarong for extra support. If you have a packing cube, tuck the sarong inside to maintain a pillow shape throughout the night.
Wearing your sarong as clothing
If you get a little creative, sarongs can be used as clothing. Why not try one of these styles!
Skirt or halter dress. Depending on the length of your sarong, you can play with a variety of lengths and folding techniques to create different skirts or dresses – from beach ready, every-day casual, to ready-for-dinner and drinks.
Belt or scarf. Shorter sarongs can work for either or simply cut some fabric from one end to create a few new accessories!
Wrap/shawl. Need to dress up an outfit for a date or dinner and drinks at a nice restaurant? Cool nights setting in? Use your sarong for function + style.
Beach cover up. Wrap your sarong like a bath towel, around your waist, or cleverly folded in several additional ways to create a cute beach cover up (and protect your skin from the sun!).
The benefits and uses of a sarong are only limited by creativity! How have you used one in your travels? I’d love to hear some of your stylish or functional inventions on the road.
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I love a good sarong, but I can never get mine to stay up well enough to actually function as a peace of clothing, but it does make a great towel/picnic blanket/whatever it needs to be at the time.
Perhaps a good safety pin is in order? Or maybe tucking it into a bra/swimsuit top?
I’m not always savvy at folding and tucking and knotting to make things fabulous 🙂 I’m getting better!
Try a sarong tie. They come in different shapes and materials, like mother of pearl and coconut. I have several to wear with all my sarongs and they stay in place perfectly.
Good idea, Pat!
I’ve never owned a sarong, but have thought about getting one! I’m not so great at folding/draping it the way I’ve seen others do so nicely, so maybe that’s why I’ve avoided it – it does seem like a great multi-purpose item for travel though, so maybe I’ll look for one this (Aussie) spring/summer! 😉
I’ve never taken a sarong with me travelling. The only one I had was a souvenir my parents brought back from Hawaii – which has fishes on it so it’s not really the most versatile sarong. Still everyone says they come in handy. I hate sleeping on flat pillows so the idea of putting a sarong in a packing cube to add padding is genius.
Another way to use sarongs – use one as a skirt and one as a halter top layered over each other. Then top with a big white linen or rayon man’s type shirt left open. LOOKS classy and GREAT!
I often bring a packtowel as my only towel on trips. This works fine for drying myself, but is not particularly great as a coverup in public between shower and dressing areas etc. or after swimming. My sarong gets the most use in this fashion. I also always bring it on planes in my carry on. I can never control my temperature and I rapidly fluctuate between hot and cold and my sarong allows me to cover myself up when needed without having to deal with putting on and taking off sweaters or jackets. It is an indispensable travel item!
Where would be the best place to buy a sarong? The only ones I have found are very expensive and sheer…