The Girly Girl's Guide to Packing for Southeast Asia

When my friend came to me and asked me if I wanted to go to Asia my automatic response was YES! I had already travelled and lived in Osaka for three months and Shanghai for three months so the thought of going back and getting to travel on my own through a new territory sounded amazing to me. For me, travelling is a way to pick up some pieces that may have gotten lost - a chance for me to find some inner meaning and understand what truly makes me happy away from home. The previous times I have gone to Asia I have stayed in model apartments and worked as a model so I was really looking forward to actually getting my hands dirty and truly exploring all the temples, street food, and sight seeing Asia has to offer.

Photo by Country Road

When creating my packing list for Southeast Asia the first thing I thought about was what bag do I want to bring? A carry-on? Legit backpack or suitcase? Well Asia is tough to travel around in a suitcase, especially in Vietnam where we will be spending most of our trip so I opted for my backpack I had used while backpacking in Europe. Selecting the right bag is essential to your packing list. Below is a quick prep list to keep in mind of things you will need and want while away!

Clothes:

• 4 pairs of shorts. Two jean shorts that are different styles and one pair that is presentable for temples and dinners, as well as comfy shorts for bus rides or trains. 
• Couple of t-shirts and two-three tops for dinner
• One comfy day dress and two night time dresses
• I didn't wear any skirts on my trip but always good to go out in
• Don't forget when visiting temples you must show respect by wearing dresses that cover the knees and shoulders. Opt for a loose fit dress or harlem pants to keep cool.
• Rain jacket
• One light sweater for the plane & leggings
• One pair of PJs
• No need to bring pants in the middle of summer, trust me you won't wear them!
• We plan to do some hikes and kayaking so bring two pieces of workout wear
• Bathing suits & cover up
• Three pairs of socks, undies, and bras. I literally just wore bralettes the whole time!

Shoes:

• Flip Flops
• Runners (old ones)
• Dressy sandals
• Heels (kitten heel if you are tall like me)

Accessories:

• Hats (one baseball & one sun hat)
• Sunglasses (2)
• Jewelry (nothing fancy or heavy, keep it light and leave valuables at home)
• Passport!
• Money belt 
• Going out purse & backpack
• Travel wallet (I always switch to a different wallet, leave your giftcards at home)
• Phone, SIM card, chargers
• Plug adapters
• Water bottle (S'well is a really good brand because it keeps your water cold which your body will need in the heat)
• First aid kit - bandaids are a must!
• Granola bars (for any planes, buses, etc)
• Mosquito net (most hostels or hotels have these but I bring one to be safe)
• Laundry detergent sheets (keeps clothes fresh and you can wash them with it as well)
• Eye mask & ear plugs 
• Locks for luggage
• Kobo or one book

Toiletries:

• Travel size shampoo, condition, and shower gel
• Makeup
• Lip balm with SPF
• Sunscreen (high SPF please!)
• Lotion and especially travel size Aloe, in case you get burnt
• Throw away razors
• Deodorant
• Bug repellent (with DEET 30%) *Important to apply sunscreen wait for it to dry then bug repellent
• Dry Shampoo (girls best friend)

Miscellaneous: 

• VISA (if you need it to get into a country)
• Scan two copies of passport
• Vaccines
• Contact your government to let them know where you are going: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/registration
• Let a family member or friend who isn't travelling know your details
• Print out currency guide and language guide ahead of time. Or download apps that help you do this if you will have data. Google Translator and XE currency are great apps.
• Bring any booking printed out as well just in case you don't have access to internet and something goes wrong with your booking... I like to be safe than sorry!

What are your travel must haves?! xo