You're counting down the days until your vacation, you've booked your beachfront apartment, planned beach trips with your friends... and then you look at your calendar, your period is about to arrive right during your stay. What a shame. No more swimming? Forced to stay under the umbrella while everyone else is having fun in the water? No way. Having your period on vacation isn't an inevitability that condemns you to the Airbnb couch. With the right tips and a little organization, you can make the most of your vacation, period or not.
This article gives you all the practical tips for managing your period while on vacation without it spoiling the fun. From swimming at the beach to relaxing weekends, to teens going to camp, we cover every situation with solutions that really work.
🏖️ The essentials to remember
Swimming on Your Period: Real Tips That Work
Swimming is often the first concern when you're on your period on vacation. There's no question of staying glued to your beach towel while everyone else cools off in the water. The good news: you can definitely swim during your period. You just need to choose the right protection and have the right habits.
The Myth of Water That "Cuts" Periods
Many women believe that water magically stops their periods. This is false. What actually happens: The water pressure slows down your menstrual flow while you're submerged. As soon as you get out of the water, your flow resumes normally. The bottom line: You won't bleed in the water like a hemorrhage, but don't count on water to stop your period either.
Suitable Protection for Swimming
Not all protection is created equal when it comes to swimming. Sanitary pads should be avoided altogether: they'll soak up water like a sponge and become unusable. Here are the options that really work.
💡 Our professional tips for swimming
- Change your protection just before going into the water : empty tampon or cup = maximum security
- Prioritize the last days of your period to bathe if your flow is very heavy the first few days
- Wear a sarong or shorts when leaving the water to go to the toilet, change your protection without stress
- Locate the toilets before going swimming so you can change quickly if necessary
- Avoid long sessions : 1-2 hours max in the water, then change your protection
The Specific Case of the Swimming Pool
At the pool, social pressure is sometimes stronger than at the beach. You may be afraid that someone will notice your tampon or that it might leak. Here are some tips to keep you calm:
- Cut the thread of the tampon if you are too stressed that it is sticking out (but be careful, it is harder to remove afterwards)
- Choose a dark swimsuit on days with a heavy flow to camouflage any possible traces
- The cup is invisible, no one can guess you have it.
- If you use a menstrual shirt, combine it with a tampon or cup for heavy flow.
The Special Holiday Survival Kit
On vacation, you don't always have a pharmacy nearby. Planning ahead for what you'll pack can save you a lot of hassle. Here's the complete checklist of what you need to plan for managing your period with peace of mind, whether you're going away for a weekend or two weeks.
📦 The essentials to slip into your suitcase
🩸 Hygienic protections
- Plan WIDE : calculate 1,5x what you think you will use (you can never be too careful)
- Mix of protections: tampon/cup for the day + pads for the night
- If you use a cup: think about the cleaning brush and the portable sterilizer
- Keep some protection in your beach bag at all times.
💊 Pain medications
- Anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen): the most effective against cramps
- Paracetamol as a backup if you cannot tolerate NSAIDs
- Antispasmodics (like Spasfon) if you are used to them
- Keep your prescription with you if you travel by plane
🧴 Hygiene and comfort
- Intimate wipes to freshen you up (don't overdo it, it can irritate)
- Hydroalcoholic gel to wash your hands before changing your protection
- Opaque bags to discreetly dispose of your used protection
- Spare panties in your bag (just in case)
🔥 Pain Solutions
- Dry hot water bottle (flax seeds): heats up in the microwave in 2 minutes
- Self-heating belly heat patches (useful for outdoor use)
- Essential oils (tarragon, clary sage) if you usually use them
- Soothing herbal teas (fennel, chamomile) in individual bags
⚠️ Mistakes to avoid
- Plan to buy your protections on site: they may be impossible to find or 3x more expensive
- Leaving with only one cup without backup: if you lose it, you're stuck
- Forget the painkillers: in some places, it's impossible to find them quickly.
- Put all your protection in the hold if you are taking the plane: keep some in your cabin baggage
Teen Special: Managing Your Period at Summer Camp
Going to summer camp or scout camp with your period as a teenager adds another level of stress. You want to be discreet, you don't necessarily have private bathrooms, and you might be afraid of being teased by others. Here's how to manage it without it becoming a nightmare.
Preparing Your Kit Discreetly
At camp, you often share a room with other girls. While it's not taboo to have your period, you have the right to want to remain discreet. Here's how to organize your kit for maximum discretion.
🎒 Organizing the kit for the summer camp
Managing Complicated Situations
At summer camp, you'll sometimes find yourself in situations where changing your protection isn't easy. Let's take a look at the most common scenarios.
Hiking or outdoor activity
- Apply fresh protection in the morning before leaving
- Bring 2-3 spare pads + hydroalcoholic gel + garbage bags
- In the forest: find a discreet place, change your protection, bury the bag or bring it back (no waste in nature)
- The cup is great for this kind of situation: it lasts 8-12 hours, less handling
Shared showers or toilets
- Shower with protection (tampon or cup) if you are not comfortable
- Keep a towel around you to change into after showering.
- Use the toilet cubicles to change your protection in peace
- Intimate wipes to freshen you up if you can't shower every day
Group sports or water activities
- Change your protection just before activity to be at ease for 4-8 hours
- For aquatic activities: tampon or cup required (explain to the instructor if necessary)
- Dark swimsuit to camouflage any possible traces
- If you are in too much pain: don't hesitate to talk to the facilitator, no one will force you to participate
Talk to the facilitators if necessary
If you have a problem (extremely painful periods, very heavy flow, out of stock of protection, etc.), you can talk to the activity leaders. They are trained for this and are used to it. They can give you painkillers, help you find protection, or adapt activities if you really don't feel well. It's their job to ensure your well-being.
Painful Periods on Vacation: Managing Pain Away from Home
Having painful periods on vacation is particularly frustrating. You're supposed to relax and enjoy yourself, not double over with cramps. Unfortunately, travel stress can even make the pain worse. Here's how to manage it without it completely ruining your vacation.
Immediate Solutions for Pain
When you're in pain and away from home, you might not have all your usual solutions on hand. Here are the solutions that really work and are easy to find or carry.
💊 Pain relief arsenal on vacation
Anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen)
The most effective against cramps. Take them as soon as pain begins, not after. Standard dose: 400mg every 6-8 hours max. Always with food to protect the stomach.
Heat on the stomach
Hot water bottle, heat pack, or even a warm towel on your lower abdomen. The heat relaxes the uterine muscles and provides instant relief. If you don't have any, take a warm bath/shower.
Gentle movement
Paradoxically, a little movement is soothing. A leisurely walk on the beach, light stretching, gentle yoga. It stimulates circulation and releases endorphins. No need to run a marathon, just move.
Belly massage
Using oil (or just your hands), massage your lower abdomen in clockwise circles. This relaxes the muscles and feels really good.
Adapt Your Activities Without Feeling Guilty
You don't have to go all out if you're really in pain. Adapting your vacation to your condition isn't "ruining" it; it's making it bearable. A few simple adjustments:
- The first two days of your period: favors quiet activities (walking, reading on the beach, spa, restaurant, etc.)
- Avoid long walks or intense physical activities on days of heavy flow if you have pain
- Schedule demanding visits/outings outside of your period if you know it in advance
- Allow yourself breaks : return to the accommodation in the middle of the day to rest
- Swimming can relieve : water and movement help against cramps
🚨 Situations that require consultation
Pain that doesn't go away despite painkillers, fever, vomiting, very heavy bleeding (change your protection every hour), pain that prevents you from walking. In these cases, go see a doctor or go to the emergency room if you are really far from everything.
Holiday Activities: How to Adapt to Your Flow
Not all activities are equal when you're on your period. Some are downright comfortable, while others require a little more planning. Here's how to enjoy your vacation activity by activity, depending on your flow and comfort level.
Postponing Your Period for the Holidays: Is It a Good Idea?
Many women wonder: Can I avoid getting my period altogether while on vacation? The short answer: yes, it's possible if you take hormonal contraception. But it's not a decision to take lightly, and it doesn't work for everyone.
If you take the combined pill (estrogen + progesterone), you can take two packs in a row without taking the usual 7-day break. The result: no artificial bleeding that month. With a progestin-only pill, it's even simpler since there's no break between packs.
💡 Important points to know
- Talk to your doctor or gynecologist first. : it's safe for most women, but it's best to check
- It doesn't work for everyone : some women still have spotting
- Don't do it repeatedly : delaying your period once for an event is OK. Doing it every month without medical advice is less recommended.
- If you don't take the pill : it is impossible to delay your period without hormonal treatment
We have a complete article dedicated to the topic of delayed and stopped periods, with detailed methods, risks, and precautions. If you're interested, you can read it to get all the information you need before making a decision.
Your Period Should Never Ruin Your Vacation
Our Period Swimwears are perfect for stress-free beach and pool fun. Comfortable, washable, and quick-drying, they're the perfect way to avoid leaks on vacation!
Small Problems and Their Express Solutions
While on vacation, unforeseen situations can cause stress. Here are the most common issues and how to get through them quickly without panicking.
Out of stock of protections
It's Sunday, everything is closed, and you're broke.
✅ Solution
- Ask the other girls in your group (at camp, hotel, campsite, etc.)
- Hotel reception: they often have emergency protections
- Pharmacy, supermarket, gas station: even if you're lost, you'll always find something
- As a last resort: toilet paper while waiting to find real protection (not great but it lasts for 1-2 hours)
Leak on your clothes or swimsuit
You just got up from your deck chair and you see THE stain.
✅ Solution
- Rinse with cold water immediately (hot water sets the stain)
- Rub with soap or dish soap
- Tie your sarong/vest around your taille to hide the stain while you wait to change
- Hydrogen peroxide (oxygenated water): extremely effective on blood stains
Severe pain without medication
You had planned a fun day, but you're doubled over in pain.
✅ Solution
- Improvised heat: hot water bottle, towel soaked in hot water on the stomach
- Fetal position or knees to chest: Relieves pressure on the uterus
- Deep, slow breathing: helps manage pain
- Request ibuprofen from reception, the activity leaders, or the nearest pharmacy
No trash cans in the toilets
You have to throw away your tampon/pad but there's nothing.
✅ Solution
- Opaque plastic bag in your pocket or bag: put your used protection in it
- You throw the bag in the first trash can you come across
- NEVER in the toilet: it clogs it (and it's embarrassing if you're the one who causes the flooding)
Your Rules No Longer Dictate Your Vacation
Having your period while on vacation really isn't the end of the world. With a little planning and the right protection, you can enjoy everything: swimming, activities, parties, and relaxing on the beach. Now you have all the tips you need to anticipate the hassles and manage them with peace of mind.
Whether you're going away for a weekend, to camp, or spending two weeks on the other side of the world, your period should never be an excuse to deprive yourself of anything. Pack your kit, choose the protection that works best for you, adapt your activities if it hurts, and enjoy. Your vacation is yours, period or not.
Sources & Scientific References
This article is based on medical recommendations and studies on menstrual management.
Hygienic protection and swimming
- Nonfoux L, et al. (2018). Impact of currently marketed tampons and menstrual cups on Staphylococcus aureus growth and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 production in vitro. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00351-18
- Mitchell MA, et al. (2015). A confirmed case of toxic shock syndrome associated with the use of a menstrual cup. Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology. DOI: 10.1155/2015/560959
Painful periods and natural solutions
- Daley AJ. (2008). Exercise and primary dysmenorrhoea: a comprehensive and critical review of the literature. Sports Medicine. DOI: 10.2165/00007256-200838020-00004
- Akin MD, et al. (2001). Continuous low-level topical heat in the treatment of dysmenorrhea. Obstetrics & Gynecology. DOI: 10.1016/s0029-7844(00)01163-7
Late periods and contraception
- Edelman A, et al. (2014). Continuous or extended cycle vs. cyclic use of combined hormonal contraceptives for contraception. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004695.pub3
Note: The information in this article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you experience severe pain or unusual symptoms, consult a healthcare professional.
Medical Warning: This article is for informational purposes only. For any medical questions or persistent problems, consult a gynecologist, midwife, or physician.
