South-East Asia is probably the part of the world I’ve visited the most and somewhere I really enjoy being.
You can rely on the weather (for the most part), the food is amazing and very different country to country, just like the cultural identities, and it’s becoming easier to travel to South-East Asia from Europe every day.
Another great thing about going on holiday in Thailand, Vietnam or the Philippines, is the fact that you can definitely travel light; no thick jumpers and long trousers, just shorts, skirts and bikinis.
So what are my essentials that I bring with me, every trip?
1. Reef-Friendly Sunscreen
An absolute must, and sadly not that widely available in South-East Asia when travelling, is Reef-Friendly Sunscreen.
What to look out for in a sunblock is a mineral, non-nano zinc oxide formula. Protecting the reefs and the oceans is a responsibility we all share and need to be conscious of!
The insects in South-East Asia are really no joke and I always struggle to find some good sprays once I’m there. The repel line from Boots is great because it’s a DEET formula and they even have a roll-on tube.
Sometimes, if I remember, I even bring my own citronella spirals to burn by the hotel room. Absolutely worth the packing space it takes because I never see it in shops across Thailand, Vietnam or Malaysia.
Best purchase I did before I ever left for my first long trip across South-East Asia, was an empty first-aid pouch!
I got one on Amazon for cheap, filled it up with my essentials, like Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, but also everything to do with digestion, because more often than not, you will need it. Don’t forget any types of rehydration sachets you like, seasickness candies, travel sickness tablets. Those are also hard to explain at local convenience stores so best to pack them before leaving.
One of the best activities to do in South-East Asia is to go on snorkelling tours. They’re cheap, they’re convenient because the tour organisation is more than likely to come pick you up at your accomodation, and they’re a great way to explore different islands while you’re there.
Unfortunately, the kit that is provided might not always fit you and most likely they won’t provide fins, so better to pack them or buy them once you’re there.
If there’s one thing that will always fit in an Uniqlo Sling Bag (which is another essential you’ll need in South-East Asia, believe you me, you won’t see many people without one!), is a portable battery. Taping your Apple Pay and taking pictures and videos all day will drain your battery faster than you’ll ever expect.
Don’t leave your hotel without one!
Another accessory for your snorkel trip in South-East Asia is going to be a waterproof bag. More often than not, you get dropped at the most beautiful beach you’ll ever see, but about 20-metres from it! Waterproof bags are cheap enough, light enough, that you don’t really have any excuse not to pack one with you before you leace.
In South-East Asia, don’t skip cultural days, put the temples in your itineraries, visit museums, take an interest in the countries you’re visiting. This is the difference that you make chic and cosmopolitan!
But you need to show respect in cultural or religious spaces, so always pack a long shirt that covers your elbows and long trousers that covers your knees. They make you do the same thing in Italy, so it really shouldn’t be a shock!
One thing that I did forget on my first few trips in South-East Asia, is to bring my own coin purse. Of course, those are great souvenirs to get once you’re there but they’re also take no space and you will need it as soon as you land.
With weaker currencies, you end up with a not negligeable amount of coins, and bills too. It’s a mess to organise. Nothing better than an appropriate coin purse to organise yourself and keep everything tidy!
I love to pack a quickdry towel with me when I go to South-East Asia. You can get foldable ones with a velcro side too, so they barely take any space and you don’t have to walk around with a dripping bikini under your clothes.
And again, if you’re doing any sort of snorkeling trip, which you should, you’ll be glad to have something to sit on during the beach time. If you’re traveling solo too, having a cute towel or cool motif is a great conversation starter if you want to make friends!
Littering and plastic waste is a real problem in South-East Asia, and it’s also true that unfortunately, drinking the tap water can make you sick. Luckily, reusable water bottles come with filters now so you have no excuse to keep buying plastic bottles!
And this concludes my essential packing list for any South-East Asia trip, be it Vietnam or the Philippines, you should definitely consider packing these items with you!
Feel free to check out the rest of my South-East Asia tips here.
Really cool!