Southeast Asia Packing List - 6 Month Starter Kit

09 Nov Southeast Asia Packing List – 6 Month Starter Kit

Posted at 05:20h in Blog, Travel by Mallory 0 Comments

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Well… Let’s get this show on the road.

T-minus one week before my departure date, and it’s time to double check my packing list. In reality I’ve already been packed for …two weeks. Ahem. That should say something about my style. I’ve always been just slightly over-prepared. In fact, one of the major things I’m working on during this trip is how to travel WITHOUT A PLAN (dun-dun-duuuun). But traveling without a distinct plan has nothing to do with packing (and planning for packing doesn’t count, still winning!), so I’ll cover that in another post.

Here’s the deal – I’ve never been to Asia. And I’m going to several different countries and areas. No matter how much fancy junk I have in my bag or how much I’ve researched, I’m still kind of taking a shot in the dark. So let’s use this as a learning tool, and we can return back to it after my trip and see what I’ve learned! Now, I’ve researched a TON of articles on packing for Southeast Asia…Packing lists for women, 6 months of backpacking, packing for the adventurer, packing for beaches, packing for mountains, what to take for epic photography. GAH! The list of lists is endless.

So of course I’m going to write another one, since they are so popular and I’m obviously all about popularity. MY personal packing list. To hopefully help you solidify the aqueous edges of YOUR personal packing list. Because no matter how many blogs you look at, only you can decide how many pair of underwear you really need.

…But I know you all still want to know how many panties I’m packing, so here we go. Check out the links for specific items I’m carrying.

PACKING TIPS

I mention in a couple of spots below why I’m using less optimal items for my trip. BECAUSE I ALREADY HAVE THEM! Yes, this is a trip of a lifetime (it will be every time you go 😉 ), but tickets are already expensive. You are definitely going to have to buy a few things specifically for this type of travel, why waste extra money on a slightly smaller backpack, or a new 500$ camera or something?? Unless photos are your priority or you’re a badass photographer, of course. If you have money to blow, and are willing to rent or buy gear for anything outside the norm that you want to try, that’s amazing and I’m super strawberry jelly. But the majority of us are on a budget (I know I am!), and it just isn’t worth the struggle of cutting corners while traveling to pay for inessential gear.

Packing cubes! I read about people using these and I thought they were a silly investment. I mean, you can just use any bag to organize, right? But I decided to give it a shot anyways. I love to be overly organized, and top loading backpacks are always a pain. When I was at Burning Man I dumped out my pack and reorganized it every day. Let me tell you, the packing cubes are a frickin’ god-send. I got these. They are slightly big, and I wish I had one less large and one more small pack, but they were the cheapest and I didnt’ know if I would like them yet. I used the small one for all my toiletries, a medium one for underwear and such and placed that inside the large one with my other clothes, and my climbing gear went in the other medium. I’m bringing the other large bag along just in case I need it on the way home. They fit perfectly in my bag and have handles on the side to make them easy to grab. Extra tips on this: roll your clothes for more space, and when you put the cubes in your bag, have the fabric sides face each other and the mesh on the outside to make them easier to slide in and out.

CLOTHING

I happen to be of the adventurous sort, so while the temperatures will be high in most areas, I also want to be prepared for mountainous regions and hikes. Obviously, prepare for your own agenda. If you only plan on hitting the beaches, you may not need the warmer stuff. However, I have heard that the buses are absolutely frigid.

4 tank tops
3 t-shirts
3 pair shorts (one for sleeping, one workout pair, one jean)
1 pair pants, plus one pair ‘hippie’ pants
1 long sleeve shirt
6 pair underwear
2 sports bras
3 pair socks, two very thin and one slightly thicker for warmth; Smartwool
1 warm jacket
1 rain coat
2 bathing suits
1 sarong (to wear as a skirt, dress, or shawl for temples)
Hat, Handkerchief (I’ve always found these unusually useful)
1 pair sneakers
1 pair flip-flops
1 pair chacos (all day, e’ry day)

All right, a few more notes on this. I hate shopping. A lot of my clothes are second hand from friends or my sister, most of my clothes I still have from highschool, and my technical gear has been thoroughly researched (because $$$), or bought off clearance. So I threw in a couple extra shirts because I figure they’ll all be replaced by the time I get back. Not all of my things are super packable, like my Patagonia fleece, which is pretty bulky. But I’m not going to go out and spend a ton of money to buy new super small packable things right before my trip when I may lose or ruin most of it anyways. I can build up to that over time. I’m on a budget, people! It all fits, don’t worry. Nobody really cares how you dress there, anyways, as long as you’re dressed modestly.

I would have forgone the sneakers, but it was highly recommended to me to bring one pair of closed toe shoes. These are lighter than hiking boots, but still have tread and I never wear these anyways so who cares if they get beat to hell? Two bathing suits, since I’ll be at the beach for quite a while and won’t always want to wear a wet suit. Also, I’m bringing my really good rain coat. I have travel insurance if my things get stolen, right?? Mine is a simple Black Diamond Goretex shell, because Goretex is the shit. Super light weight, waterproof, durable, with zippers for breathability. Welcome to the jungle, me! I also splurged on three things for this trip – one is an Icebreaker merino wool longsleeve shirt. So soft, so warm, so light. Worth every penny.

P.S., if you clicked on the link for my pants – I really do wear the men’s version. They give me a slight crotch bulge, but the full use of POCKETS makes it so worth it. These really are the best pants ever, in my opinion. And while the women’s version makes my butt look really good, I can’t even fit my cell phone in my front pocket. Come on, Prana, I love you, but step up your game. You’re an active wear company.

TOILETRIES

Jojoba oil, toner
Solid conditioner
Comb, hair ties
Deodorant
Soap
Pack towel
DIVA cup, pads
Toothbrush/floss, tooth-tabs (see below)
Pee funnel
Toilet paper
Mascara, powder, eye-liner
Lip balm/chapstick
Tweezers
Cotton swabs
Hand mirror

I don’t use face soap or shampoo, just jojoba oil and conditioner sometimes. I brought my small, thin pack towel for this trip against my own wishes. In the van I use the super deluxe huge beach ‘luxe’ bath towel. It’s one of the best things in the world. Who doesn’t love stepping out of any shower, especially after an especially grimy experience while traveling or camping, and wrapping up in a big, soft towel? Unfortunately, while it is way smaller than a normal towel, it’s still about as large as a small frying pan when packed. It seems like a lot of unnecessary space being used, even though I have plenty of room in my bag. We shall see if I change my mind for the next trip… The tooth-tabs are little mint-sized things you chew up and they foam up in your mouth like toothpaste. I got a couple at LUSH as a sample and decided to hold on to two of them for this trip. Don’t have to buy toothpaste until I get there, but can still brush my teeth when I get that grody ‘sleeping on a plane’ taste in my mouth after a 24 hour flight path. It was also highly recommended to me to bring my own lip balm as the stuff there is apparently not the best quality.

On the feminine products – I did not bring any make-up on my 3 week trip to Ecuador a couple years ago. I was volunteering, so basically getting muddy and dirty every day and thought I would have no use for it. But even in that environment I had one or two nights that there were parties or when I went out in the city before my flight out that I wished I had a few basics just to feel ‘spruced up’, so now I always make room at least for some mascara. Diva cups are the best thing since toasted marshmallows, and they’re super sustainable – my concern while traveling will be keeping it sanitary during use, so we’ll see how that goes. And my PEE FUNNEL! I got this before I moved into my van in 2016, and it is my favorite thing ever. I can pee outside like a boy or stay well away from the porta-potty seat! Or, if bathrooms in Asia are anything like those in Ghana, I can avoid squatting over a ditch with walls around it. Still haven’t learned how to write my name in the snow, though.

ELECTRONICS

Headphones – Even if I don’t listen to anything, I can pretend like I am. Noise cancelling would be better. I have bluetooth, but I brought an extra pair of plug-ins just in case.
Cell phone/i-phone – I have a lot of audio books and kindle books downloaded on here so it’s convenient for that as well.
Life-proof case – because I’m a clumsy SOB
Camera + memory card – I just have a little point and click Canon
Flexible tripod – This is new for me, but I have been in so many situations where I needed one in the past
Headlamp
Portable pocket charger
Plug adaptor – All in one! I hear outlets can vary widely sometimes
Batteries and chargers for all!
SPOT GEN3

A brief word on the SPOT – My friend’s parents recommended this to me. She was backpacking in the Appalacians, and they knew she wouldn’t have service at all times so they got her this nifty thing. It’s basically a very basic satellite phone. You pay for the product, then buy a monthly or yearly plan that allows you so many pre-programmed messages you can send to your friends or family back home. It also has an SOS button in case you get into some major trouble that goes out to GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination, and a HELP button if there’s something less life-threatening going on. Your friends and family can also pop online and check your location via the tracker for when you’re out of cell phone range. My parents got it mostly for their peace of mind, but it’s pretty nifty.

TIDBITS

Day pack
‘PacSafe’ bag
Padlocks
Sleeping bag liner
Camping pillow
Journal, Vagabonding book, Poetry book
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
First Aid Kit
Camelbak
GRAYL water filter/bottle and GRAYL Replacement filter
Steripen Adventurer Opti
Electrolytes
Medications
Proof of vaccinations
Passport, extra photos, copies
Driver’s license (I’m hoping to buy a motorbike in Vietnam)
Copy of travel insurance
Credit card and US $$ (some places prefer the dollar, or one dollar bills can make good gifts. Seems silly, but I know I love foreign money. It seems others do too.)
Climbing shoes, harness, chalk bag, and ATC

Remember me, Miss Over-prepared? I have a day pack for hiking, but I have a separate ‘Pacsafe’ bag for walking around cities. I hate looking like a tourist, but I also want to protect my things. Since I’m white and female, I’m an obvious target in bigger cities for simple bag snatchers and slashers. Pacsafe is pretty awesome because their bags are slash-proof, and even the zippers hook to prevent someone from opening it easily while walking behind you. Check them out. They are pricey, but this was the second thing I treated myself to. I also have some small padlocks for my main bag to deter opportunistic thieves when I leave it somewhere during the day.

I want to climb. Hopefully a lot. I thought that was worth bringing my own basic gear so if someone else has a rope and draws I won’t need to find a place to rent gear. I made my own first aid kit and keep it in a plastic bag for emergencies. I also have a large supply of Malarone for malaria prevention, and a variety of antibiotics if necessary. I used to be a pharmacist, so I made sure I am fully prepared with all medications and vaccinations, and have my records with me. I have a few copies of my passport in case it gets lost or stolen, and several extra visa photos for crossing borders.

The last thing I spent a lot of money on was my water purification options. I drink a lot of water, and there are a lot of scary or just plain uncomfortable things you can get from drinking contaminated water. I settled on the Steri-pen Adventurer Opti, and the GRAYL water filter/purifier bottle. I feel justified, since I know I’ll still use them often at home when hiking or backpacking. I decided on GRAYL over lifestraw bottles because I want to be able to filter the water and pour it into my camelbak so I’ll have fresh water for longer. See the video below of me trying out the GRAYL bottle. I also have a ‘blooper’ version and a beautiful view from Astoria on my YouTube channel >.< Always read instructions BEFORE you put your face on social media! But it was kind of funny, so..

And just kidding at the end there, you’re all super awesome and probably way cooler than me.

GET ON ARRIVAL

Last, but not least! A few things I don’t plan to pick up until I get there:

Tigerbalm – necessary for the first aid kit, but wayyy cheaper there. And they have the extra extra strong kind!
Insect repellent – just don’t want that floating around in my bag during a flight. Gross.
Mosquito net – cheaper in asia
Shaving razor – I’m probably not checking my bag
Toothpaste – as previously discussed 😉 Plus foreign countries sometimes have really weird or awesome toothpaste flavors I like to try 🙂

THAT’S ALL, FOLKS!

Amazingly, this does all fit into ONE PACK. My very over-sized Camppack backpacking bag. I have no idea what size it is, and the brand apparently isn’t around anymore so I can’t learn anything about it. It is actually much bigger than I need, as I have a lot of space left-over, but I’d rather have extra space for souvenirs than have a sausage-bag on my back. Plus, I already have it! Why bother buying a new one? I DID, however, get some packing cubes, as mentioned up top. Fricking amazing for a top-loading bag! There are even handles on the side, so I can grab whatever I need easily. What a concept! The photos below show the bag with EVERYTHING in it, including day packs, but I will obviously be using or wearing some items. You can also see that while it looks very full on my back, there is much more space left over than you would think.

And that is my FULL BLOWN PACKING LIST. I hope this helps with your traveling plans! As mentioned before, I will revisit this at a later point in time to see if I brought more or less than what I needed, or if I found any must-add items to share! I have also linked several items on this page so you can see exactly what I’m taking along. It’s like you’re looking directly into my bag. Kind of creepy, super awesome. Follow along as I start my travels!