*The more I travel the more I realize what I never should’ve brought and what I wish I had. After many trial and errors, I have curated a list to help you pack so you can be as prepared as possible. Below you will find the 15 items that come along with me on every trip because they are the tried and true must-haves. A lot of this list caters to women since well… I am one*
1. Day Pack
Everyone has different variations of the day pack. Some have their main backpack where the top part detaches and thats what they take out with them. Others, like me, have a completely separate mini backpack (like the ones from school) that serve as a day pack. How does one carry 2 backpacks? One on the back and one on the front…true fashion. You will look like a mule but so does everyone else so who cares! Since you are constantly hopping around to different cities, having the day pack is necessary so you can leave your big backpack at the hostel. In total I bring my big backpack with all my clothes, my mini backpack (which serves as my plane carry-on), and my fanny pack for nights out. I stuff my fanny pack into my mini pack so when i’m in transport I just have 2 bags.
2. GoPro
I meannnn did you even travel if you don’t have the pics to prove it? I love making post-trip travel videos with all of the crazy footage I filmed with my GoPro. Obviously you can take pics/videos on your phone but I prefer to use the GoPro since I can bring it in water (for those dope underwater shots) and it’s very durable in case you are doing something adventurous where you don’t want your phone to break. The GoPro has an app where you can get all your footage downloaded right to your phone so worse case if you lose the GoPro you can still keep your footage. I got my GoPro as a college graduation present from my lovely parents but if you want a cheaper option I would buy one of the older versions or a used one! I have the GoPro Hero 6 Black and it takes amazing wide shots, crystal clear videos, and is easy to use. I did buy a lot of the extra gadgets but honestly didn’t really use any of them other than the floaty handle so if you drop it in water it won’t sink. Pro tip: GoPros don’t float!!
3. Neck Pillow
This is arguably the most important one. It will save your poor neck over and over and over. I bought a nice memory foam one at TJMax and hooked it around my day pack. It’s perfect for long flights/ bus rides or even for the hostel when the pillow provided is a flat cardboard piece of garbage. On my most recent trip I forgot my neck pillow at a hostel and I spent 2 weeks without one until I could find a store that sold them… my neck still hasn’t recovered. Lol jk I’m being dramatic but in all seriousness get yourself a pillow. You will not regret it.
4. Portable Charger
This little guy will save you time and time again. Long bus rides, cheap airlines with no outlets, or a broken socket at your hostel…your portable charger will save the day! The outlet situation is iffy so having a portable charger is the safest bet to ensure your phone never dies at the most inopportune time. It’s also great when there is only one outlet available and you need to charge your other devices (GoPro). I’ve also mastered the art of charging the portable charger while the portable charger charges your phone….and that my friends is how you use charge 4 times in a sentence.
5. Quick Dry Towel
Oh microfiber, you angel. A quick dry towel is a necessity when you sneak in a quick shower before check out at your hostel. Nobody likes having a wet towel smelling up your pack. If you have never had the displeasure of carrying around a wet towel…it smells like a dirty damp dog. Microfiber towels are thin and lightweight so it makes for easy packing. Some people will hang their towels off the back of their pack but that is just plain unsanitary. If you don’t want to carry around a towel you can rent one at the hostel but that gets expensive if you are traveling for more than a few weeks. Some places give you one for free but it’s not a guarantee. I got mine at REI in a pretty ocean blue color in case you were just DYING to know.
6. Tevas
Truly the best travel shoe I could ever ask for. You can wear them in water, on a hike, in the city…you name it. Tevas have a back-strap and are velcro (sexy, I know) which makes for easy slip-on/slip off-ness; which is necessary when going temple hopping and you have to constantly remove your shoes. Having to sit down and take off your sneakers just to sit back down again to tie them up is a hassle. So having Tevas (or really any non-lace shoe) saves you time. It also saves space in your pack because you don’t have to bring separate water/shower shoes. (You need a shower shoe because the shower is free-game for all sorts of nastiness that accompanies hostel life)
7. Shampoo Bar
For the ladies, this is a great way to save space in your backpack. I got mine from Lush and brought them in a reusable tin holder they sell there. They are a bit more expensive but last quadruple the time and are sustainable/vegan/cruelty free! If you travel for a while then the constant buying of shampoo and conditioner bottles gets annoying, expensive, and wasteful (especially if you have long hair). The travel size bottles don’t make sense given their size, so you are forced to buy normal bottles; which if you’re an overpacker like me, you have 0 space for. The tin holders are the perfect size and the shampoo bar lasted me the full 10 months of my trip and I still had some left coming home. I promise they clean your hair just the same and they smell lovely too. For the men, you all use 5 in 1 body wash, shampoo, after shave, cologne, toothpaste etc so just disregard this one.
So cute n compact!
8. Fanny Pack
Coming from someone who has had more stuff stolen than I’d like to admit, bringing the right type of purse can help prevent theft. I prefer the fanny pack that has the capability to be a cross body purse. It keeps your shit closest to your body and therefore less likely to be pickpocketed. On nights out, you need a small purse because you don’t want anything in your pockets…easy target. You will see a lot of the men also carrying fanny packs…mainly the Europeans as it’s a staple in their fashion style. So Americans we gotta hop on the fanny train because it’s the safest bet!
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9. A Good Book
Nothin like sipping on a Vietnamese coffee while enjoying a page turner overlooking the Hoi An canals. During the moments when you actually do spend time alone, a book is the perfect companion. Sharpens the brain and the soul. Pick a goodie you haven’t read yet and add it to your pack. A lot of hostels have free book exchanges where you can leave your book when finished and pick up a different one that someone else left behind. I always make sure to write a little note in the books I leave with a small blurb about me and where I’m from. Then others follow suit and you can see all the different people and nationalities the book has been passed to. Pretty neat. Something Kindles just can’t compete with.
10. Headphones
Do I even need to say it? If you don’t bring headphones I question your sanity. You need them for long bus rides, planes, walking around, and every other moment you don’t want the deafening silence of your own thoughts…ha…ha. I’d recommend cheapy headphones with the string (Don’t mean to sound like a friggen boomer) but airpods or beats are very expensive and can be stolen/ lost too easily. If an airpod falls out of the ear while you are on the go…you’re never getting that back. You do you, but I suggest bringing the cheap kind and leaving your precious beats at home.
11. Journal
I know not everybody enjoys writing in a journal but for those that do, don’t forget yours! I love going to a cafe or a beautiful view and journaling my thoughts and memories. Looking back on old journal entries is so enjoyable because I write down the small details of my trip that I would have easily forgotten otherwise. Traveling can be very fast paced sometimes so it’s nice to take time out of your day to be mindful. I used to hate the idea of journaling and could never get into it but one day I forced myself to journal everyday for 30 days…fast forward to 4 years later and I have never stopped. If you have never tried it, I highly encourage buying a little journal for your trip.
12. Temple Pants
If you are not a total alcoholic and actually plan to do some ~cultural~ activities while in Asia, then you will most likely be visiting some temples. SE Asia is hot and humid as heck so long pants are a rarity. I’m always wearing shorts, a dress, or the least amount of clothing that’s still deemed appropriate. This is all good and kosher until you want to go into a temple and they won’t let you in because your knees are showing. Due to the religious policies and modesty culture you have to be wearing pants or a long skirt to enter. Some temples have rentals which you have to pay for ( a total rip-off because you are wearing them for less than 10 minutes). Thus, come temple pants! The classic temple go-tos are the $5 elephant pants seen on every corner. They are cheap and do the job. They are also a tad embarrassing and make you look like a complete tourist. But I do admit on my first round of backpacking I did indeed buy the elephant pants. It’s a right of passage of sorts. Nowadays I just have cute flowy pants that I bring in my day pack so if I stumble upon a temple I can throw them on over my shorts. You also have to have your shoulders covered so unless you’re wearing a shirt with sleeves (talk about sweat pits), you should also pack a different shirt or a shawl/ scarf.
13. Cards
My handy dandy deck of cards. Hostel life is a whole lot of playing cards. Drinking games or not, cards are always a perfect go-to when you’re just hanging around. If you don’t bring your own I can guarantee someone else will always have them but I like having my own just in case I need to whip out a magic trick on the fly.
14. Mini First Aid Kit
Pretty self explanatory here. My kit was used way too often since I’m somehow always getting hurt; I had to refill it a few times at local pharmacies. Make sure your kit has bandaides (plasters for you Brits), gauze, alcohol wipes, antibiotic cream, and pillzzzz (advil, anti-diarrheal, motion sickness etc). The more you bring with you the more you don’t have to buy when you’re actually injured. Even if you don’t get hurt, you will most likely get a few bumps and scrapes so it’s important you have the supplies necessary to patch yourself up.