If you want to spend time at one of Bali’s beach clubs, there’s a good chance that you’re going to swim in the pool or the sea and that you’ll want to shower afterwards.
But how do towels work at beach clubs? Do you need to bring your own or are they provided for you? Will you have to pay for your towel or is it free?
Our basic guide to beach club towels should make it easy for you to go to a beach club with confidence and get the towel you need.
A Rule Of Thumb: No Outside Towels
There are a few very small beach clubs, usually without pools, where this rule doesn’t apply but they’re few and far between.
In most beach clubs, you cannot bring in an outside towel. If you can avoid it, don’t pack a towel if the club has a ban on outside towels.
While, in theory, you can usually leave things like towels at security and collect them on your way out of the beach club, if the club is short of room at security – it might insist you take them back to your vehicle or discard them permanently.
Given that good towels aren’t cheap, we’d just leave them at home and avoid risking them.
However, always check the towel policy at your preferred beach club before you leave, just in case, you’ve picked one of the very small handful where you need to take your own towels.
How Do Towels Work In Beach Clubs?
Each beach club is a unique place and they all set their own rules and regulations, and while there are trends in these rules, they’re not consistent between all beach clubs.
So, we’d advise you to check what the policy on towels is before you visit as it can make a difference to how much you’re going to spend, particularly if you in a large group and everybody needs a towel.
Free Of Charge Towels In Beach Clubs In Bali
There are a few beach clubs that provide a free of charge towel for use in the beach club for every visitor.
They don’t expect you to spend anything more than you would on food and drink.
But, these are exceptionally rare cases and we suspect that this practice will eventually disappear.
Towels cost money, laundry costs money and so on, giving them away entirely for free could really hurt a beach club’s bottom line.
There are two other “free towel” standards on the island:
- A “free” towel included with an entrance fee – most beach clubs don’t charge entrance fees and what’s included with the entrance fee of those that do can vary widely. However, one common inclusion is a towel rental. So, if you pay the entry fee (which typically ranges from 150,000 to 600,000 IDR in clubs that charge entry fees) you get a towel and occasionally some other perks such as a “free” drink. But be warned an entrance fee doesn’t guarantee a free towel, there are several clubs in Bali where the entrance fee is simply a fee to get inside and it comes with no benefits.
- A “free” towel included with a minimum spend seat – the most common arrangement, by far, is for beach clubs to provide a free towel as long as you agree to a minimum spend seat. This is the fairest arrangement for customers and the clubs. When you agree to a minimum spend in a beach club, you’re guaranteeing to be a profitable customer and that means the club can give you perks in return. However, be warned there are still beach clubs out there that don’t even give you a free towel after paying an entrance fee and agreeing to a minimum spend! So, check before you leave if getting a towel is important to you.
How Much Is A Beach Club Towel If You Have To Pay For One?
Beach club towels are available for rent rather than to buy (though you may also be able to buy a branded towel in the gift shop(s) inside your favourite beach club on the way out).
We’ve found that rental fees can be as little as 10,000 IDR ($0.66 USD and $1 AUD) and as much as 100,000 IDR ($6 USD and $10 AUD) which means they might be a trivial expense or they might set you back an appreciable amount.
We’d say that the average cost was 50,000 IDR ($3 USD or $5 AUD) and we think that’s about fair. In general, the beach club towels tend to be big and strong towels that are far higher grade than those used inside hotels or in your home.
These towels require daily cleaning and thus, they wear out regularly and need to be replaced on a regular basis.
You should note that if you buy a towel in the gift shop, you still will not be allowed to take it into the venue or use it inside, so make sure you buy one on the way out.
Is A Towel All You Need To Swim At A Bali Beach Club?
There are two other things you must have to swim at Bali’s beach clubs:
Appropriate Swimwear
No, firstly, you must bring appropriate swimwear, the beach clubs won’t let you jump in the pool in your underpants and a t-shirt.
This isn’t because the beach clubs are being overly fussy or trying to impose an archaic dress code, it’s because swimwear tends to shed less fibre and is less likely to get caught in the pool filters.
You really don’t want the pool filters to get blocked or broken as the water colour will swiftly cloud up and become unsafe to swim in.
So, make sure to bring your swimming clothes or purchase some if the beach club has a shop (or shops) to get some from.
The Right Seat Or A Locker
Secondly, some beach clubs may also require you to have a seat near the pool if you want to leave your valuables and bags, etc. by your seat.
If you don’t have a seat where you can keep an eye on your stuff, they will ask you to rent a locker for a small fee and pay a deposit on the locker key – the deposit is always refunded if you return the key.
This is for your benefit, even if it feels like an annoying additional expense, despite all the security and CCTV in Bali’s venues, some customers are still happy to steal from other customers.
The staff at the bar or restaurant can’t guarantee that they can keep an eye on your things constantly while you are away and the beach club won’t be held liable for anything that goes missing.
So, it really is best to get a locker and keep your possessions out of the reach of any ne’er do wells that might be around.
FAQs
Are Towels Free In Bali’s Beach Clubs?
Sometimes, they’re free, sometimes, they’re included with an entrance fee and/or minimum spend, sometimes you have to pay and sometimes, you have to bring your own.
It’s important to research the beach club you’re visiting and find out their exact towel policy.
You don’t want to have to take a towel and end up throwing it out and you also don’t want to spend 100,000 IDR per person on towels if there are 20 of you going out for the day.
As a rule of thumb, you will usually get one free with a minimum spend or entrance fee, and otherwise, need to pay 50,000 IDR to rent a towel. But this is only a rule regarding trends not any specific beach club.
Can You Buy A Beach Towel In A Beach Club?
You can often buy a beach towel in the beach club’s shop (or shops) but we can’t guarantee that they will have stock on the day that you visit.
It’s important to remember that you cannot use a purchased towel inside the beach club itself and it’s best to buy them as you leave the venue rather than on the way in.
Why Do Beach Clubs Charge For Towels?
Towels cost money and while you may only be borrowing a towel, it has to be purchased, washed regularly and then replaced when it wears out.
Final Thoughts On Towels At Beach Clubs In Bali
The towel policy for each beach club is unique and we can’t stress how important it is to visit their website and find out what the deal is (you can also check our full reviews on this site, many of the reviews include the towel policy) at the beach club you will visit.
However, the cost of renting a beach towel is not usually so prohibitive that it’s going to ruin your day out.
Bargain hunters can even find the occasional beach club with free entry, no minimum spend and a free towel! But you may have to travel long distances and put up with lower quality facilities for this perk. Everything in life is a trade off, after all.
We’ve found that renting a towel means we have a great day out and keeps us loving our time in the infinity pools of Bali watching the glorious sunset.
