Packing tips when traveling to Southeast Asia

Find the ride you need in

Travel isn’t just about listing destinations; it’s also about understanding what is essential and what you’d actually use while you’re on a trip.

Suitcase at a train station

Southeast Asia is such a gem for backpackers – it’s home to cheap yet unbelievably delicious dishes, beautiful nature, and friendly locals. While the travel itself is exciting, the planning and packing stages might be a little daunting. It’s not just about listing destinations and throwing all your clothes in a bag; it’s also about understanding what is essential and what you’d use while you’re on a trip. Whether you are planning to stay for a week or to go backpacking for a month, we’ve come up with some travel packing tips to help you go through this challenge.

Traveler

Get yourself a reliable backpack

It’s called backpacking for a reason. Seriously, though, most countries in this region are not the most luggage friendly. Most of them are still considered as developing countries, and some of the roads are not the best for moving around suitcases. If you also have plans on going to the beach or moving through buses and boats, it would be so much easier if you opt to get a backpack. Depending on the duration of your trip and how light you can pack, you can get something between a 40L to 60L pack.

Prepare light and airy clothes

Southeast Asia is generally characterized as monsoonal, meaning that their seasons are just wet and dry periods. The climate is mostly warm and humid. More than snow or cold weather, what you would need to prepare for is the occasional rain and the heat. Consider bringing light and breathable clothing for most of your trip, as this would make your days and travels much more bearable. So long, sweaters and sweatpants. Hello, shorts, t-shirts, and tank tops.

Bring a lightweight waterproof jacket

Rains can get crazy on this side of the world, so having a waterproof jacket would be helpful. Get one that you can easily pack on your carry on, or you can lug with you as you go from one place to another. Alternatively, you can opt to buy a foldable umbrella or a plastic poncho, which are usually available in convenience stores.

Flip flops are your best friend

Whether you plan to visit the beach or just explore the streets and alleyways of your destination of choice, flip flops would be something that could be of use. Staying in a hostel? Wear flip flops as you lounge around. Getting street food in a nearby night market? Grab your flip flops and eat away. This comfortable footwear is a staple to locals and travelers, so no need to fret – you’ll easily fit right in. If you don’t have flip flops at home, you can buy a pair for less than 10 bucks when you get to your destination.

Bring your favorite swimwear

Honestly, no trip to Southeast Asia is ever complete without a visit to the beach. Bring your favorite bikini or your most comfortable beach shorts for a quick plunge in the region’s crystal clear waters. You can also beat the heat in pools (most hotels have it) or just enjoy some time in the sun by the shore. In this region’s hot and humid weather, there’s no better way to cool off than lounge in your swimwear.

Prepare some temple friendly clothes

If you plan on exploring temples in and out of the city, it is best to prepare yourself with some comfortable yet modest clothes. Some temples would require women to wear shirts with sleeves, while others would ask men to at least wear pants. If this is something that you are planning to do, it would always be best to have these clothes with you. Alternatively, you can also buy one of those loose printed pants from night markets as well as some souvenir t-shirts before getting into the temple.

Pack sunscreen

As we’ve mentioned earlier, the weather in Southeast Asia can be extremely hot and humid, so it is always a good idea to bring sunscreen with you. Just imagine the damage that it can do to your skin when you navigate around under the scorching sun! Additionally, depending on the country that you’re visiting, sunscreens can come steep, and you might find yourself shelling out over $15 for just a small bottle.

For girls, bring your tampons

Feminine hygiene can be tricky when traveling, so it’s always best to have something in your bag! If you don’t like using pads, it is highly recommended to bring tampons as those things can be hard to find in some countries. Alternatively, you can also get a menstrual cup which you can easily wash and reuse wherever you go.

Find a stable mobile connection

Connectivity is an important part of traveling.  There may be free wifi available in hotels and airports, but having something reliable on-the-go is always best. It makes communication, navigation, and last-minute bookings so much easier. There are a lot of resources online that shares the best providers for pocket wifi and local sim cards, so make sure to check on that before flying in.

Get an adaptor

Electrical voltage in Southeast Asia usually ranges from 220-240 V. While you can always check if that’s compatible with your gadgets and other travel accessories, it is still best to bring an adaptor just in case. Get yourself a universal adaptor, which will not only be useful for your Southeast Asia trip but to your travels pretty much anywhere. You can easily get one from a nearby supermarket or just have one shipped through Amazon before you leave.

Bring a padlock

If you plan on staying in dorms, it would be helpful if you have your padlock. While some hostels’ lockers have safety locks, others would require you to use your own or borrow a padlock from reception. You can always rent or just leave your stuff as is, but it’s also nice to know that you are the only one who has the key to your things. You know, just for safety.

Get a dry bag

Sure you can bring a purse or a small bag, but a dry bag is definitely something that you should get when you explore Southeast Asia. Going to the beach? That dry bag would keep your things safe from the sand. Raining hard? Put your stuff in the dry bag. Planning an island-hopping tour? Dry bag. Smelly laundry? Get. that. dry. bag. We promise it’s worth it.

We hope that this Southeast Asia packing list was helpful as you prepare for your trip to this beautiful region. If you’ve been to the area and you have other recommendations, feel free to share it in our comments section! We’d love to hear from you. 🙂

Posted December 11, 2019
image of blog writer James and Lee
James and Lee of The Travel Scribes
James and Lee of The Travel Scribes are two wandering writers, who love traveling, writing and everything social media. A married couple in their thirties, when they’re not quenching their thirst for wanderlust, they’re most often found behind their laptops, bashing out their latest blog posts.
image of blog writer James and Lee