The 8 Best Bikinis of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
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These are the highest-scoring bikinis, according to rigorous testing.
Travel + Leisure / David Hattan
When it comes to having freedom of movement while swimming, the right bikini will provide a full range of motion and comfort for any waterside activity. While there are tons of styles out there, we tested 20 bikinis from dependable swimwear brands like Andie, Athleta, and Everything But Water to uncover the best options for your next warm weather excursion.
After thoughtfully researching and choosing a range of bikini styles for all types of bodies, we sent two testers the same style of bikini to get in-depth insight into the fit, comfort, coverage, quality, and design of each bikini. Whether the bikinis were worn while swimming laps, deep-sea diving, poolside lounging, or simply bobbing in the water, we’ve highlighted the swimsuits that earned the highest praise for any water activity.
Best Overall: Becca By Rebecca Virtue Jolene Halter Bikini Top
Why We Love It
The criss-cross back tie straps provide comfortable support for both leisurely and more rigorous water activities.
What to Consider
The hipster bikini bottoms have cheeky coverage.
Everything But Water’s triangle Jolene Halter bikini top and hipster bottoms have a versatile design that combines style and functionality for being in the water. The top offers plenty of support due to the adjustable criss-cross tie back and the padded cups are removable so you can customize your desired level of support. Made with two-layer nylon and spandex material, the top and bottom have just the right amount of compression in and out of the water. The premium feel and stitching of the fabric lead us to believe that the bikini has a long life ahead of it, whether you’re surfing in the ocean or relaxing on the beach. Despite the thicker feel of the fabric, it dries exceptionally fast, so you’ll be able to toss on shorts or a cover-up without getting your clothes wet.
Price at time of publish: $78
The Details: Sizes S to D | Adjustable straps | Removable cups | Nylon, spandex
Best String: Wild Fable Women's Triangle Bikini Top and Women's Side-tie Extra Cheeky Bikini Bottom
Why We Love It
The bikini top and bottom have ties so you can adjust the fit for more or less coverage.
What to Consider
The fabric bunches in the front of the bottoms.
Target has a variety of wallet-friendly swimsuits including this Wild Fable string bikini. Although the price is on the lower end, the material has a high-quality feel to it and the design is versatile to fit a variety of coverage preferences. The bikini top has neck and back ties and the matching string bottoms have side ties so you can easily slide the fabric around for minimal or maximum coverage on the chest and backside. One thing to note is that the fabric will bunch up a bit if you’re styling the top and bottom for less coverage. Well under $50, it’s hard to beat the price for this simple and stylish swimsuit.
Price at time of publish: $15
The Details: Sizes XXS to XL | Adjustable back and top ties | Removable cups | Polyester, spandex
Best Plunge Neckline: Boden Ithaca Halter Bikini Top and Panelled Bikini Bottoms
Why We Love It
The deep V-neckline is similar to a triangle bikini but it offers better security and coverage.
What to Consider
The top could be a bit more supportive for larger busts.
If you’re looking for a triangle-shaped bikini top that offers a bit more coverage and support than the typical style, look no further than Boden’s Ithaca Halter Top Bikini. Made with polyamide and polyester, the elastic fabric is very lightweight with the perfect amount of compression in the top and mid-rise bottoms. The plunging V-neck top has a thick tie-top and clasp back that feels very secure while swimming or lounging. However, those with larger busts may find that the top doesn’t have as much support compared to the bikinis we tried with adjustable shoulder straps. That said, we did find that the bottoms fit securely and comfortably for swimming in big waves or getting in and out of a pool frequently, so as a whole, the bikini set has a solid balance of security and style.
Price at time of publish: $55
The Details: Sizes 2 to 16-18 | Adjustable top tie | Removable cups | Polyamide, polyester
Related: The 18 Best Swimsuit Cover-ups of 2023
Best Color Options: Left on Friday Sunday Top and Hi Hi Bottom
Why We Love It
The deep V-neck top complements the retro high-waisted bottoms.
What to Consider
The top doesn’t have adjustable straps or padded cups.
The Left on Friday Sunday top and Hi Hi Bottoms come in an impressive 35 colors so you can mix and match your top and bottom, or go for a sleek single-color style. For a high-waisted bikini, the seamless design makes the bottoms exceptionally comfortable and the high-leg cut allows swimmers to have a full range of motion for both rigorous and relaxing activity. With a slight V-neck plunging neckline, the top is very compressive (like a sports bra) and it runs slightly small so we recommend sizing up for more security. The nylon fabric is on the thinner side so dries quickly whether you’re wearing the swimsuit or hanging it up to dry.
Price at time of publish: $85
The Details: Sizes S to XXL | Non-adjustable straps | No cups | Nylon, polyester, lycra
Best High-waisted: Tempt Me Retro High-waist Two-piece Swimsuit
Why We Love It
The top provides ample support for those with larger busts and the high-waisted bottoms have the perfect balance of compression and stretch.
What to Consider
The top and bottom come in a set of the same size so you can’t mix and match.
This low-key brand on Amazon offers a size-inclusive bikini set that blew us away for comfort and support. We love the timeless sweetheart bikini top with push-up padding that matches the ruched high-waisted bottoms with tummy control in the bodice. The sizes range from XXS to 22 Plus and while the swimsuit runs mostly true to size, the top and bottom come in the same size, which is a bit inconvenient for those with differing top and bottom sizes. With push-up padding in the cups, the top may run slightly small so we recommend sizing up. If you need extra support, the halter top has adjustable ties in addition to the two back clasps for a secure fit. The full-coverage high-waisted bottoms have a ruched compression bodice that doesn’t squeeze or feel restricting, so you’ll still have a full range of motion for swimming. Because the bikini has extra fabric in the bottoms and non-removable padding in the top, it’ll take a bit longer to dry.
Price at time of publish: $36
The Details: Sizes XXS to 22 Plus | Full coverage, high-waisted bottoms | Adjustable tie top, clasp back | Nylon, spandex
Related: The 13 Best Swimsuits for Women of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Best Athletic: Athleta Triangle Bikini Top and Clean Full Swim Bottom
Why We Love It
The top fits like a sports bra with a deeper V-neckline for style.
What to Consider
The suit felt a little heavy while swimming.
Designed for water activities like paddle boarding and surfing, the Athleta Triangle bikini top and full-coverage bottoms offer the best support and sporty style out of all of the bikinis we tried. Made with thick and compressive recycled nylon fabric, the top feels like a sports bra and the bottoms have a full-coverage secure fit. It has built-in UPF 50+ sun protection, but although the brand says the fabric is quick-drying, it still takes several hours to air dry. The criss-cross back tie makes it easy to adjust the tightness of the top for extra support when needed and the padded cups are removable, too. Athleta has an exceptional reputation for making quality athletic gear at moderate prices and we have to agree that the premium and durable feel of the swimsuit matches our expectations. We feel confident this bikini will last for years to come.
Price at time of publish: $59
The Details: Sizes XXS to XL | Adjustable back tie | Removable cups | Recycled nylon, lycra
Related: The 15 Best Sarongs of 2023
Best Coverage: Robin Piccone Ava RP Bikini Tee and Ava High Waist Bikini Bottom
Why We Love It
The bikini top resembles a cropped T-shirt so it covers the shoulders and chest.
What to Consider
The bikini set has more fabric so it might take it a little longer to dry.
Robin Piccone’s Ava top and matching bottoms offer a unique alternative to the typical less-coverage bikini style. With a short-sleeve T-shirt top and slightly high-waisted bottoms, this bikini is stylish while still boasting full coverage in the bust and bottoms. There is a small cut-out hole in the front of the top with a front tie which adds an edgy detail. It comes with removable padding for extra support but the top already boasts enough compression for a secure and comfortable fit no matter the level of activity. Plus, the micro nylon material is extremely lightweight even when it’s wet, and the fabric has moisture-wicking properties making it ideal to wear out of the water, too. Since this bikini set has more coverage (and therefore more fabric), it might take the top and bottom longer to dry, as it took about 6 hours for it to fully dry in the bathroom during testing.
Price at time of publish: $104
The Details: Sizes XS to L | Removable cups | Micro nylon, spandex
Best Underwire: Zonarch Grace Top and Grace Bottom
Why We Love It
The recycled fabric is silky soft and the balconette top has sturdy underwire for support.
What to Consider
The top would be more supportive if the shoulder straps were adjustable.
This balconette top and full-coverage bottom from Zonarch are made with silky recycled nylon and compressive spandex material. The retro-style top paired with secure bottoms make this bikini ideal for a variety of water activities, and it comes in classic colors like black, red, and a stunning lilac shade. When it comes to support, the underwire and adjustable back tie are helpful, but we wish the shoulder straps were adjustable. The back tie can be adjusted for a tighter or looser fit and the swimsuit is unpadded. While the material is very lightweight, it does feel a bit heavier when worn in the water and you may also notice the underwire. However, the swimsuit dries in under an hour so it’s great for putting clothes back on after a day of swimming.
Price at time of publish: $82
The Details: Sizes XS to XL | Padded, nonremovable cups | Tie-back | Non-adjustable straps | Recycled nylon, spandex
Other Bikinis We Liked
Two of the most important traits of a high-quality bikini are that it’s made with comfortable and long-lasting fabric and that it runs true to size. While we still recommend the two options below, we ran into slight issues with design and fit that are important to note.
Solid & Striped The Iris Top and The Iris Bottom: Both the top and bottom have adjustable straps and soft fabric for a comfortable fit, but we are wary of the higher price point for such a simple string bikini.
Skims Tank Bikini Top and Dipped Tie Bottoms: The material is very soft and stretchy and the top is impressively supportive, but the bottoms have far less coverage than what is advertised. The bottoms are actually very cheeky and thong-like.
Our Testing Process
After researching the best swimsuit brands on the market, we narrowed our list down to 20 bikinis from trusted brands like Aerie, Everything But Water, and Andie. We sent two testers the same style of bikini to compare based on the fit, comfort, quality, performance, coverage, and value. With a total of 40 bikinis tested by beachgoers, pool loungers, and deep-sea divers, we sifted through all of the notes to recommend the very best bikinis for a variety of water activities. In the end, our favorite options are made with durable and comfortable fabrics like soft nylon and spandex and have thoughtful designs like adjustable straps, removable cups, and built-in bra shelves.
Tips for Buying a Bikini
Adjustable features are key for comfort and fit
When it comes to support and comfort, adjustable straps and removable padding are ideal for versatility. Depending on the water activity, you may want a tighter fit for more support, so adjustable top and back straps can help greatly with increasing or decreasing the tightness for security and comfort. Additionally, removable padding in the cups is something to look out for to match your preferences.
Utilize sizing charts
The brand’s size guide and specifications section can be a great tool to use to get the best fit. The sizing chart will often list out specific measurements so you can gauge your swimsuit size based on the sizes of your everyday clothing. Also, be sure to check the specification and description sections, as sometimes brands will recommend sizing up or down.
Consider the return policy
Shopping for swimsuits online can be difficult since sizes can vary greatly between brands. If you’re on the fence about sizing or style, double-check the brand’s return policy to ensure you can return the swimsuit in the event it doesn’t fit. Larger online retailers like Amazon, Nordstrom, and Target have generous return policies for online or in-store returns which can be super helpful for swimsuit shopping.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I wash a bikini?
We always recommend washing your swimsuit according to the instructions, as the fabric and color of a swimsuit can be impacted if you wash the suit incorrectly. In the off chance that instructions were not provided, you can hand wash the swimsuit with cold water or throw it in the washing machine on a gentle cycle with cold water to be safe.
What are the different types of bikinis?
There are so many different types of bikinis on the market but some of the most popular top styles are triangle, tankini, bandeau, halter, string, and plunge. Depending on the top style you opt for, the typical bottoms you’ll see to match include high-waisted, low-rise, thong, and hipster.
Why Trust Travel + Leisure
Travel + Leisure Commerce Writer Anna Popp reviews travel products and writes almost all of the team’s tested content. She participated in this test by trying out a bikini and a one-piece swimsuit while swimming in rivers, lakes, and pools on a recent vacation. Anna sifted through 40 sets of thorough testing notes to recommend the best swimsuits for women.
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