There is one item that I swear by whenever we are traveling. The Sarong. We always bring 4 Sarongs with us when traveling. Two for Dave and two for Me. Why four do you ask? Well they are the most useful piece of clothing that you could possibly pack.
Here is a list to show you just how versatile a sarong can be and how you can use a sarong in many different ways on your travels.
Sarong Uses for Travel
What is a Sarong?
A Sarong is a long flowing piece of fabric that is typically wrapped around the waste. It is soft and comfortable and often has colourful patterns.
1. Sarongs Can Be Used as Sheets
Some Places don’t supply sheets believe it or not. And other places, well let’s just say that I would rather have something between me and the sheets. Put two sarongs down on the mattress, voila, instant sheets.
2. Use a Sarong to Cover Up at Temples
Be prepared to visit any temple no matter what you are wearing. Always carry a sarong with you when you travel for a quick cover-up. If you happen to be in shorts and spaghetti straps, you can use a sarong as a shawl to cover your shoulders or wrap it around your waist to cover your bare legs. It is very versatile.
How to Tie a Sarong
- There is really no wrong way to tie a sarong.
- You can wrap it, tie it in a knot or wear it loose with just one fold.
- Don’t be shy when wearing a sarong, put it on any way you want.
3. Wear a Sarong as a Headscarf
In Countries that Require a lady to have her head covered, you don’t have to go out and buy a headscarf, use your sarong. If you have a neutral colour, it will look almost like the real deal. You will be showing respect for the culture without having to buy a new piece of clothing.
4. Use a Sarong After You Shower
If you are staying in a place with a shared shower, you don’t have to walk to the bathroom fully clothed, just wear your sarong. You not only use it as a towel but a robe as well.
5. Sunburn Protection – Sarong Dress
There have been times when my sunburn has been so bad, that I can’t get anything on. Sarongs are soft and comfortable and I can wear a couple of them as clothing until I heal. Twisting it around my neck turns it into a halter top and as usual, wrapping it around my waste to use it as a skirt. I can use another as a shawl to drape over my shoulders and I am instantly covered to visit temples.
6. Use them for Privacy
You may need this more than you think, but if you are ever in a place where you have to go to the bathroom in a public area, you can have your friend or loved one hold up the sarong.
When we were cycling Africa, there were few options for bathroom breaks on the road. It seemed that even if there was nobody in sight, the moment you started to “do your business, a crowd of kids would turn up from out of nowhere!
Use your sarong to shield in an emergency. I have Dave hold it up like a curtain for those “just in case moments.”
Or if you have to change in a not so private area, it can be used for the same thing.
7. Skirt
Buy a sarong with a nice neutral pattern or better yet, one solid colour and you can wrap it around and wear it as a nice skirt for an evening out.
8. Shawl
Nights can sometimes get a bit breezy in tropical climates, but you don’t want to be packing sweaters. Many sarongs have beautiful patterns that look just like a designer silk scarf. Wear your Sarong as around your shoulders as a shawl. You will instantly warm yourself up in the night air. Or like I said earlier, use it to cover your bare shoulders when visiting a temple or to be more conservative.
9. Towel
You are traveling to a hot climate. Do you really need to bring a thick and heavy towel with you? Use a sarong instead, it works great to dry yourself off and it dries quickly.
10. Sarongs at the Beach
Put a couple of sarongs down on the sand and you can lay comfortably on the beach. Give it a shake after use, and it is instantly clean. What you just used as a beach towel is now your wardrobe back to your bungalow.
Sarong Uses Wrap Up
So there you have it. There are our many sarong uses for this simple piece of fabric. This is why I make sure to bring sarongs with me whenever I go away.
You can buy them at any market for cheap, cheap, cheap. I have several sarongs and I buy them wherever I go. I use them for anything I can imagine and I am always finding new ways to use my beloved sarong.
Do you have some other sarong uses? I would love to hear them. How have you used a sarong on your travels?
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