What to bring on an all-inclusive vacation

The right packing list can mean the difference between seamless and sunny or stressful and scrambled. Here's exactly what to bring for your all-inclusive vacation, so you can skip the overthinking and start counting down the days.

Microfibre towel

Having a good microfibre towel can make all the difference when heading to a hot vacation destination. Tour Republic, an online blog specializing in travel to Cuba, gave the following advice on packing for a beach vacation: “A good microfibre towel is a must for any vacation where you plan to spend some time in the water or under extreme heat. The towel is lightweight, durable and easy to pack, but still essential.”

Cover-ups

The Styled Blonde shared with us her tip about adding cover-ups to your all-inclusive packing list: “I packed a fun dress, a printed romper, and a couple of shawls. Keep in mind that if you are going to run and grab food from a restaurant for lunch, they will probably have a dress code that requires more than a swimsuit. The majority of ours required just a simple cover-up, and all of the options I brought along worked!”

Swimsuits

If you’re planning an all-inclusive resort trip to a beach destination such as Mexico, the most important article of clothing to pack is your swimsuit. The Styled Blonde gave this advice when packing swimsuits: “I would recommend taking 3! You will probably be on the beach for more than three days, but you can easily dry them overnight. Try mixing up the styles you take: A 1 piece with fun cut-outs, a scallop bikini, and a bright 2 piece, for example.”

Daypack

Packing a daypack inside your larger luggage will definitely come in handy for your all-inclusive vacation. Consider bringing a small, easily packable bag that you can fold up into your suitcase such as the Tortuga Setout Packable Daypack. This daypack folds into a 7″ x 5″ x 2.5″ pouch, is water repellent, and also comes with lockable zippers.

Reef-friendly sunscreen

Many common sunscreens contain chemicals that are extremely harmful to coral reefs. In fact, sunscreen is a contributor to bleaching, deformity, and destruction of coral reefs. Before you drop your sunscreen in your bag, check to make sure it’s reef-friendly. If it isn’t, there are a number of sunscreens that are reef safe, such as the Thinksport Safe Sunscreen and Raw Elements Certified Natural Sunscreen. Not only are these sunscreen brands safe and sustainable to use in the ocean, but they also have a high SPF content and are small enough to take in your carry-on bag.

Bluetooth speaker

When you’re relaxing on the private beach behind your all-inclusive resort, why not bring a little music into the mix? Katherine from The Weekend Fox had this advice to give regarding portable bluetooth speakers: “We rarely turn on the television when we’re travelling, but we love listening to music.”

Travel documents

Don’t forget the most important thing to have on your all-inclusive vacation packing list – your essential travel documents, such as your Canadian passport. Your trip will be over before it begins if you forget your passport and other necessary travel documents, so triple-check that these are in your bag before heading out.

Packing basics for an all-inclusive resort

Want to make sure you have everything you need for the resort? Tick everything off this all-inclusive packing list and you're good to go.

Clothing essentials

Your all-inclusive packing list won’t be complete without the following clothing basics:

• Undergarments (underwear, bra)

• Shorts

• Shirts

• Swimsuit(s)

• Sleepwear

• Socks

• Pants

• Light sweater

• Raincoat/waterproof jacket

• Sun hat

• Sneakers

• Flip flops (waterproof)

• Dressy flats/sandals

• Sunglasses

• Nice dress or suit for fancier dinners

Toiletries

The good thing about staying at an all-inclusive resort is that they’ll likely have most of the toiletries you’ll need, but it is still important to pack the essentials. To prevent running around trying to find additional toiletries, remember to put these items on your all-inclusive packing list:

• Toothbrush and toothpaste (if you have a particular preference for your own)

• Floss

• Deodorant

• Facial cleanser

• Sunscreen (reef-friendly)

• Aloe (for sunburns)

• Insect repellent

• Necessary medications

• Pain reliever

• Moisturizer

• Nail clipper/file

• Tweezers

We recommend bringing any essential toiletries that you use back home with you on vacation, especially your medications and pain relievers in case your destination doesn't have an exact match.

Misc. items

• Cash and credit cards (if possible, bring some cash in the local currency of your destination)

• Travel insurance info

• Refillable water bottle

• Phone charger/power bank

• Daypack or purse

• Travel pillow

• Headphones

• Book/journal

• Laptop/tablet (and charger)

• Travel adapter (depending on your destination)

Quick packing tips

This list includes other travel items you can try to make your next all-inclusive getaway a little easier.

• Roll up your stuff: Rolling up your clothing and condensing in your luggage them where possible will make a huge difference. For example, put your socks inside of your shoes and fit a few shirts into your daypack.

• Fill your daypack: Put most of your all-inclusive essentials in your daypack.

• Get packing cubes: Consider investing in some packing cubes – these make all the difference!

• Minimize with multi-purpose clothing: A lot of our all-inclusive travel items listed above can serve you in multiple ways during your resort vacation. Pack with a practical mindset and you will thank yourself for it.

Knowing what to bring to an all-inclusive resort can seem daunting, but now you can rest assured that you have everything you’ll need. Enjoy your well-deserved, all-inclusive beach vacation!