Backpacking Southeast Asia Packing List: everything I brought for 3 months of travel
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I am such a packing nerd. When I made the decision to spend three months backpacking southeast Asia, I obsessively read packing lists. So many of them mentioned things like zip-off pants, quick drying athletic shirts, and hiking boots. If you know anything about me, I am NOT that type of traveler. As much as I hate to admit it, I love having cute outfits that take my travel pictures up a notch, I love feeling sort of cute in the midst of being a crusty dusty backpacker with salty hair, and I know that if I were to bring more practical clothes like most packing lists suggest, I just wouldn’t feel like myself!
So I went rogue. I packed what I felt like I would need (as a very extra person who loves fashion but also only had a 46 liter backpack to work with) and I am happy to report:
I packed the PERFECT backpack.
Sorry to brag but like - so many times, as I was packing up my backpack to move to the next hostel, I thought, “DANG. I could not have packed better.” And it’s true. So I have to share with you what I packed.
Step 1: Choose a backpack
^^ The only two pictures of me and my beloved backpack that I have — solo traveler problems LOL
I love backpacks. I love all the little pockets and features and the colors they come in - If I saw a sick backpack in a hostel dorm room I would make a note of the name and brand in my notes app LOL. I’m such a nerd when it comes to anything involving travel and planning. When I did my initial backpacking trip through Europe, I did loads of research to find the best backpack for my needs , and I have never regretted my decision. I chose to get the Osprey Porter 46 liter and it is truly the perfect backpack! It served its purpose then, and it served it’s purpose on my latest trip through Southeast Asia.
I saw so many girls toppling over trying to get their 80 liter backpack onto their back, so many people who were leaving clothes in hostels just to lighten their load, so many people waiting in check-in lines at the airport, waiting at the baggage claim, and paying lots of money for their baggage on budget airlines. Listen. I KNOW 46 liters seems like no room at all, and trust me, when I started packing, I did have a little bit of a panic moment. But I found one configuration that fit all of my packing cubes, which actually made packing up every 3-4 days a breeze. And everyone was very impressed with my and my little baby backpack which kind of blew up my ego and made me feel way superior to everyone lugging around backpacks as big as their body. Even I got rid of things along the way, so I would say 46 liters is definitely the sweet spot when it comes to backpack size.
Side note: When you have a backpack small enough to carry on, you get to check in to flights on your phone, skip the check-in counter, and - drumroll please - skip having your bag weighed. So I wouldn’t worry too much about how much your bag weighs. The only time I had to check in at the counter was when I was heading to Vietnam and needed to get my visa verified, but they simply asked if I had any bags to check and I just said no! No extra baggage fees the entire time I was in Southeast Asia - and that is a WIN for the budget, let me tell you.
Backpacking Southeast Asia Packing
List: 3 months of travel
Clothes:
I had a total of four packing cubes in my backpack. One was for bikinis, one was for bottoms, one held all of my tops, and the other was for athletic wear, socks, and underwear. This setup worked perfectly for me! PLEASE bring packing cubes, I saw one girls trying to find something in her 75 liter backpack with no packing cubes - it was just a VOID of loose clothes and zero organization. It looked horrible. At first I thought they were finicky, but now i’m a BELIEVER. These are the ones I used - although I only ended up using 4! They key is to buy the compression ones. The compression takes a little while to zip but actually does save a lot of space.
Packing Cube #1
In the first packing cube, I had 6 bikinis. Yep - you heard that right. I brought 6 bikinis. This might seem excessive for some - but knowing that I was going to spend over half of my time at a beach, in a pool, or swimming in a blue lagoon, I figured I might as well bring some variety. I wore every bikini so many times, and on the islands I would pair a bikini top with a mini skirt for a night out of dancing by the ocean! I brought a white bikini, a black bikini, and 4 patterned bikinis - one was high waisted for the days I was feeling a little more bloated. One thing I definitely should’ve brought was a one-piece for those days that you spend jumping off waterfalls or surfing, but I made do with what I had and it was never that big of an issue.
Packing Cube #2
In the next packing cube, I had all of my bottoms and dresses. I honestly think a lot of my packing success comes down to specific items I packed, so I’ll be sure to link some of the exact pieces of clothing I brought.
I brought two pairs of Palazzo pants - one in black, and the other in brown. These flowy pants are super breathable, look adorable paired with a tube top, and kind of just elevate your outfit. I wore these so much in Vietnam, where it was hot but we were mainly in cities and not by the beach.
Additionally, I brought two maxi skirts. One was cheetah print that I wore actually way more than I would care to admit, and a white maxi skirt that got a few wears, but that I definitely could have lived without. Sometimes I see these photos of girls at the top of mountains in flowy dresses and I WANT to be them (hence the flowy pants and maxi skirts) but at the end of the day I hike in leggings and a sports bra and can’t be asked to be that extra. One maxi skirt would probably be best.
I brought two linen dresses that were essentially my chuck-on dresses. One was black, and the other was a natural linen color. These dresses were my saving grace! They’re from Princess Polly - linked HERE . I would throw these over a bathing suit if we were walking down the street to dinner, They were comfy enough for travel days, they flow enough for when I was feeling bloated and needed something comfortable but still cute. I wore them as beach coverups all the time, and wouldn’t go backpacking without them. I’m obsessed!
Also from Princess Polly, I snagged two pairs of Linen shorts, one in white, and one in black. Once again - LIFESAVERS. The fit was so perfect, they were light and airy, and they made my butt look phenomenal. 10/10 recommend. I don’t love jean shorts on my particular body so these came in handy so often. Linked HERE.
^^ picture on the left is from Korea, but thats the dress I have in both colors! Linen shorts on the right - that I Also have in both colors.
That being said, I did bring one pair of jean shorts! I definitely got lots of wear out of these as well. My issue is finding jean shorts that fit me, and I currently only have one good pair! So that’s what I brought, but feel free to bring more if jean shorts are your uniform.
Last but not least - ALSO from Princess Polly - are my white and black mini skirts. I wore these LITERALLY every time I went out. They fit perfectly, look great with tube tops or bikini tops, and go with everything! Linked HERE. I couldn’t find a picture, but trust me when I say I wore these probably 5 times a week.
Packing Cube #3
Packing Cube number 3 was where I kept all of my tops. Thankfully, most tops that you take backpacking are super tiny, so I was able to fit lots in this one!
First, I had 5 tube tops. One was black, one was white, one was light blue, one was olive green, and one was hot pink. All five got lots of use! I wore them with shorts, maxi skirts, mini skirts, and palazzo pants. Neutral colors can get repetitive, but when you’re traveling it’s super important that you can mix and match! It’ll make you feel like you have way more options than if you were to pack things that could only go with one skirt or one top.
I brought 2 trusty bodysuits for going out, obviously one in white and one in black. I could’ve gone without these, but it was really nice to have some variety!
Next, I had 2 XL Comfort Colors T-shirts that I would wear as T-shirt dresses all the time. It might just be me, but I love the look of a black T-shirt dress with lots of gold necklaces and earrings, nice makeup and hair, and white sneakers. It’s the easiest thing to wear, takes absolutely no effort, and you still look cute and carefree. Once again, I had these in white and black. Linked HERE.
I had two pajama T-shirts that I wore with either linen shorts or spandex to bed! Some hostels had curtains on the bed so I could get away with just my T-shirt, but some didn’t so just keep that in mind!
I also packed two graphic T-shirts to wear with my jean shorts or biker shorts for something more casual, a light pink flowy crop top that I wore with biker shorts when I was hiking (I also wore this on the Ha Giang Loop!), and a white ribbed tank top.
The STAR of the show ended up being a little bit of a plot twist for me. I didn’t have any room left in my Tops packing cube, so this little guy floated around loose in my backpack for a while, and I honestly contemplated throwing it out because it was making zipping my backpack just a little bit difficult. Thank god I didn’t, because I ended up wearing this probably every day towards the end of my trip. If you go backpacking Southeast Asia, be sure to bring a …***drumroll please*** …. Oversized Linen Shirt! I honestly got so much use out of mine. I would wear it over tube tops and linen shorts, I used it to cover my shoulders in Angkor Wat, I wore it buttoned as a dress over bikinis, I wore it EVERYWHERE. Examples below: (and in every other picture on my instagram lol)
Packing Cube #4
In my last packing cube, I first packed 4 pairs of socks. Initially, your instinct is to pack as many pairs as possible, but trust me - even two more pairs of socks can take up valuable space in your backpack! And to be honest, you’ll probably be in a pair of flip-flops most of the time anyways. I packed probably about 10 to 11 pairs of underwear, which since they’re so small didn’t take up too much room. A lot of times you spend the whole day in a bikini anyways! The only reason I overpacked on underwear is because I knew that when I ran out of those, I would have to do laundry. And while laundry services aren’t hard to come by when you’re staying in the hostels, it is a bit of an inconvenience and another thing to think about.
The last things I packed in this packing cube were my athletic clothes! I packed one pair of spandex to wear under T-shirt dresses, One pair of biker shorts, one pair of leggings, and two sports bras. I wore every single one of these items enough to be satisfied with packing them.
I think it’s important to note that I also wore another pair of leggings on the plane, as well as a sweatshirt.
PLEASE bring a sweatshirt. Thailand can actually get a little chilly in the evenings, northern Vietnam got down into the 50’s (Fahrenheit) in October, and the overnight busses are FRIGID. I know a few people who didn’t anticipate ever being cold who commented on my sweatshirt wishing that they had brought one too. By far one of the best things I packed for 3 months backpacking Southeast Asia.
Picked up along the way
There are two purchases I made long the way that I thought were worth mentioning - I got two silk scarves in Hanoi that I wore all the time - as temple shoulder cover-ups, or tied around my waist like a sarong. They shoved really easily into the nooks and crannies of my backpack and got tons of use. 100% worth the minimal space they took up. Exhibit A as a skirt, exhibit B as a temple cover up!
Makeup and Toiletries
So I had a little makeup bag and then a big gallon bag of my liquids. I know that airports typically only allow quart sized bags, but I actually never had an issue with my gallon bag LOL. I don’t know if I just got lucky? But I know how stressful it can be packing for 3 months in a carry on because that means no full sized products.
In my makeup bag, I had just about everything for a full beat. I’m just that girl unfortunately haha! I also struggle with acne which is a big insecurity for me, so sometimes I just needed a full face of foundation in order to feel confident. If you’re fine with some waterproof mascara and a little brow pencil, you do you! You’ll have more space in your bag than me.
In my toiletry bag, I had shampoo and conditioner, body wash and lotion, an spf face stick, face wash, oil cleanser for my waterproof mascara, moisturizer, deodorant, toothpaste and a toothbrush, extra birth control, tampons, and my razor. Don’t worry about running out, you can get travel-sized replacements at any old 7/11. Don’t stress too much about forgetting something!
Tucked into the side of my backpack, I also packed my flat iron. I didn’t use it as much as anticipated, but it was nice to be able to curl my bangs when My hair was up in a ponytail, or to just feel like myself when the humidity let up. What I didn’t expect, however, was how handy it would be as an actual iron?! My linen clothes got sooo wrinkly living in my backpack, but it was nothing a quick run through with the flat iron couldn’t fix. Boys were coming to me to iron their shirt collars down, girls borrowed it all the time, and I was truly the MVP.
Medicine
When it comes to medicine, bring whatever you feel like you’ll need! My best choices were the Tylenol PM that knocked me out on overnight busses and trains, allergy medicine, laxatives, and Imodium. Tummy troubles are always a topic of conversation, and you’ll be covered either way if you bring both! Thankfully, I never had to use those, but I came back with almost none because when you’re traveling, sharing is caring.
Shoes
I am so proud of my shoe decisions on this trip. Like I said before, I love fashion and shoes can typically be my downfall. I brought TWO pairs of shoes on this trip. TWO. Muahahha. Once again, I felt so superior to everyone who was lugging around 4 pairs of shoes and hiking boots they wore one time.
I brought my Nike Air Force 1’s and a pair of flimsy foam flipflops. BOOM. That was it. I hiked in my airforces, I always traveled in them (surprisingly, leaving shoes in hostels is actually extremely common! They’re always outside the dorm and not on your mind when you’re packing up, so I always made sure to travel in them), I rode motorbikes in them, and they were awesome! They got pretty beat up, but they did the job and I never found myself wishing that I had brought hiking boots or another pair of sneakers. (Always wear sneakers when on a motorbike! I saw so many people unable to even wear flipflops due to the scrapes on their feet. I came off my bike once, but because I was wearing trainers my feet missed getting as scraped up as the rest of my body, and I was SO grateful that my feet were fully covered.
I accidentally, in my mission to wear my airforces on travel days so I didn’t accidentally leave them at the hostel, ended up leaving my flipflops TWICE, so I wouldn’t recommend bringing anything super nice. Loads of people brought crocs, which was, whether you like them or not, quite a smart shoe choice!
Sidebar: On the few occasions where I traveled in my flipflops (If I was getting on a boat that required you to walk into the water to board, for example) I tied my Nike’s to the outside of my backpack! The Osprey Porter 46 has loops on the outside that are perfect for this.
Daypack
In addition to my 46 liter backpack, I also picked up the Osprey Daylite pack that I carried on the front of my body. This was where I kept my sweatshirt when I wasn’t on an airplane, my super thin raincoat, sunglasses, my water bottle, and my drone + controller. Although I didn’t need this for the storage, I knew that I was going to do the Ha Giang loop in Vietnam which would require me leave my main backpack in the hostel and strap a smaller pack with just the things I would need to complete the loop onto the back of my motorbike. So because I knew that I was going to have this extra bag, I filled it with extra things I might need, and I’m actually so glad I brought it. My particular daypack is only 10 liters, so it was really slim and easy to carry around on my front.
Another thing that I’m SO HAPPY I packed is my travel beach towel. You can get these on Amazon, and they’re sand free, super thing and lightweight, and multi-use. I brought mine to the beach, used mine as a bath towel when I didn’t have cash to rent one at hostels that didn’t provide them, and hung it up to use as a curtain when the hostel beds didn’t have one built in. This I kept in my day pack, but it can also tie onto the outside of your backpack.
My daypack is also where I kept all of my charging cords, my laptop (to “Blog along the way” - clearly that didn’t go well), and my two adaptors.
These adapters are GAME changers. You need to have them. Guaranteed to work wherever you go, you can also plug something in that comes from any country. Like, one time I forgot my adapter and my friend gave me his to use - except it was only UK - Asia, not USA to Asia, so I couldn’t even use it. These adapters from Amazon work with anything, anywhere. and they also have space for a regular plug, and four USB ports as well. I could charge my drone, controller, phone, portable charger, and AirPods, from the same outlet, at the SAME TIME. GAME changer.
BUMBag
The last bag I brought, and arguably the most important, was my Lululemon Belt Bag! Any fanny-pack-bum-bag whatever-you-call-it will do. I’ve had my fair share of being robbed or pickpocketed while traveling, but thanks to this little bumbag I had no incidents during my trip:)
Inside, I had my passport, my AirPods, my wallet and cash, a little tinted lip balm, and my two travel RIDE or DIE items:
1: My motion sickness essential oils. Now listen, I know that essential oils can sound really hippy-dippy, and I thought so to, but as someone who used to STRUGGLE with vomiting in any moving vehicle, these work. They work better than dramamine, better than the pressure point wrist bands, and ensured that I had no issues on the crazy busses, ferries, or overnight trains that you have to deal with in Southeast Asia. This was the #1 thing I was most worried about when it came to this trip, but thanks to these I rarely had any issues. Linked HERE!
2: My power bank. For some reason, especially when I’m taking pictures, my phone dies so quickly. As a solo traveler, there is nothing scarier than being away from the hostel, alone, with a dead phone. You need directions, you need a way to call if you need help, you need to google translate, etc. I used my power bank every day. I left it at a hostel once and LITERALLY went all the way back to get it, it’s that important to me. The one I used (THIS one) was absolutely amazing and could charge my phone probably three times before it needed to be charged itself.
ft. the linen shirt coming in CLUTCH twice more —>
That sums up my backpacking southeast asia packing list! Everything I brought for 3 months of travel.
I truly feel like I packed the perfect backpack. Everything got used so many times, and whenever I was standing in line to board a ferry, I was so grateful I went with the smaller backpack. I had everything I needed, and a little bit of space to pick up some souvenirs along the way.
Have you backpacked southeast Asia? What backpack do you have - and are there any things that I left out that you would’ve brought?
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