A friend of mine gave me one of these Turkish towels years ago and I have never looked back, gone are the bulky terrycloth towels that take up so much room in a beach bag.  Turkish towels, also known as peshtemal, fouta, or hammam towels, have been around a long time. Originating in 17th century Turkey, these towels are made of a mix of high-quality Turkish cotton and/or linen.

They are incredibly lightweight & can be used at the beach or in bathroom.  Simple, practical and beautiful.