The Best Turkish Beach Towels for Luxurious Days in the Sun, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Coyuchi Mediterranean Organic Towel

$68 at Nordstrom $12 at Coyuchi.com $68 at Wayfair

This luxuriously soft towel instantly elevated our beach experience. Made from 100 percent Turkish cotton, it features a traditional, textured Turkish flat weave designed to be extra absorbent and fast-drying (check and check!). Truth be told, we actually felt a bit hesitant to test this luxe towel out in the sand and grass lest it get mucked up. Still, we put this towel through the wringer, tossing it down to lounge on riverbanks, grass, and sand, and while the towel did get fairly dirty, after a cycle in the wash it was good as new.

We were impressed with the towel’s size. It’s portable enough to travel with in our suitcase, but large enough to seat three people while lounging and wrap around five people to dry off. Although lightweight and on the thin side, the towel still manages to feel soft and plush to the touch. This is by far the most expensive towel on our list, but we feel it’s worth every penny, if you can swing it. The durability of the towel and its versatile use mean it might be one of the last beach towels you ever buy. 

The Details: 39 x 71 inches | 320 grams per square meter

Best Set

Havluland Turkish Beach Towel

$27 $20 at Amazon View on Havluland.com

The Havland Pack of 2 Beach Towels come oversized and in over 20 vibrant colors that make it a cinch to pick out your spot on a crowded beach. These lightweight towels are tightly woven, so they feel more like T-shirts than towels. There’s no fluffiness to look forward to, and the towel takes longer than expected to air dry (but it's a quick 20 minutes on low in the dryer), but we liked the feeling of drying off with something so soft and lightweight (which also makes them great for packing and traveling). These towels can also be used as blankets or wraps, making them more versatile than most beach towels. Plus, the price for this pair of towels can’t be beat when considering the value. 

The Details: 39 x 71 inches | 25 colors

Best Dual Texture

Kassatex Block Pareo Fouta Beach Towels

$60 at Amazon $50 at Kassatex.com

An updated take on the classic beach towel look, the Kassatex Block Pareo Fouta Beach Towel features a minimalist block design in muted neutral colors that compliment a beachside backdrop. We were fans of the towel’s larger size that works out to be 5 feet, 10 inches long — and how the towel’s soft feel and well-made quality made us feel like we were at a luxurious resort. This dual-texture towel features one side that has a terry cloth feel and another with a peshtemal texture and is soft on both sides. It’s thicker than you’d expect from a Turkish towel while still being able to easily shake out sand. We were particularly impressed with the towel’s ability to quickly dry our hands and absorb a quarter cup of water while still remaining soft to the touch. This is a solid pick for anyone looking for a top-line beach towel or who wants to add a little luxury into their lives, though the fairly pricey cost may be beyond the budget for some.

The Details: 40 x 70 inches | 6 colors

Best for Kids

Cacala Turkish Bath Towel

$25 $20 at Amazon $36 at Walmart View on Cacala.com

The Cacala 100% Pestemal Turkish Bath Towel has a fun and colorful stripe design that comes in a whopping 41 different colors, making it easier for any picky pint-sized beachgoers to find their favorite. These lightweight and airy towels dry in a flash — great for family beach days when you don’t want to load back in the car with wet towels. All-in-all, this towel is priced well and feels like a total bargain when stacked against some of the other towel prices on the list. 

After washing the towel, the colors were actually a bit more vibrant and the overall feel of the towel was softer than before it was washed. We did notice that a few of the knotted tassels on the end came untied after several washes (interestingly, the tassels are on one end). However, we love that this towel just seems to get softer with use, which makes it an ideal pick for a child’s delicate skin, though over time the softening fabric may pile off onto your skin when drying off.  

The Details: 39 x 71 inches | 300 grams per square meter

Most Plush

Matouk Amado Beach Towel

View on Matouk.com $75 at Zola

These large striped towels give off beach-day spirit and can easily shake off any sand that creeps on top. We particularly loved the longer length because it meant we could completely stretch out comfortably without our head or feet getting sandy. Even after washing, the towel seemed to retain its feel, size, and absorbency rate — and the cute fringe at each end was still attached in good condition. This towel comes in four beach-friendly colors that should fade well over time, though it’s worth noting that the towel has two different textures, which may be a dealbreaker for anyone with sensory sensitivities. Stripes alternate between fluffy, terry looped white stripes and flat-woven colored stripes (which we found felt a bit thin and coarse). But again, the towel was fast absorbing, regardless of the two textures, and dried our wet hands in one or two passes and soaked up a quarter cup of water in minutes. Still, the price tag feels a bit high compared to other Turkish beach towel options out there. 

The Details: 39 x 71 inches (towel); 79 x 79 inches (blanket) | 400 grams per square meter