I made the decision to go to South East Asia smack-bang in the middle of the monsoon season however don’t be fooled, that doesn’t mean that is is cold, wet and miserable 24/7 it just means you have to be prepared to be sweaty and wet. I didn’t know many people that had been to that part of the world, at that time of year or for that amount of time so I didn’t really know what sorts of clothes or belongings to pack. I knew that I needed enough clothes to last me a month in several different climates but I was also acutely aware of the fact that I had to carry my bag and had to rely on there potentially not being anywhere to swap or buy things if I hadn’t packed appropriately. Before I went I read several blog posts, spoke to friends and housemates from that part of the world and asked a local travel agent but a lot of it was simply learning as a I went, seeing what worked and didn’t work and adjusting accordingly. It wasn’t perfect but I learnt some neat tips and tricks to help me out next time.
- Material matters
With maybe the exception of denim and wool I’d had the luxury in the UK of not having to really worry about the material my clothes and shoes were made of. In South East Asia – particularly in wet and humid parts, this was absolutely not at all the case. I think I learnt this within about an hour of arriving to Bangkok in 40˚C heat and nearly 100% humidity. Pretty much anything that wasn’t pure 100% cotton or linen would (as gross as it sounds) be damp and uncomfortable almost as soon as you stepped outside.
Not only was cotton the best at keeping you cool and dry but it was also the most lightweight, easy to wash, quick to dry, hard to crease, hygienic and usually quite affordable. Linen on the other hand could crease quite a bit so if you are packing and re-packing frequently then perhaps it isn’t the best option. The only problem is that if you buy clothes in the UK before you go, it can sometimes be hard to find trousers made of these materials in the typical high-street shops. Luckily in places like Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia there are plenty of markets selling clothes made of cotton and occasionally of linen too.
- Consider local customs
One thing I had barely even considered before setting off on my trip was how conservative the locals and locations were. This is particularly the case if you are visiting less-touristy areas where locals are less used to foreigners and visitors. Although not often as conservative as some Middle Eastern or North African countries, some places in South East Asia are highly spiritual, traditional and/or religious. In the streets of Hanoi or on the beaches in Thailand you could probably go your whole trip without thinking twice about what you wear however religious or culturally significant locations such as Siem Reap, Wat Pho and the Cu Chi tunnels require a much more conservative dress.
To give an example, every temple I visited (which was far too many to count) displayed a strict dress code for men and women at the entrance, if you were to disobey this you were likely to be denied entry. Usually for both men and women this involved covering your shoulders, knees and stomach either with your normal outfit or with a cover-up scarf. Women would sometimes be asked to cover their arms, chest and legs too. It was never too difficult to accommodate, as a rule of thumb you just cover anything you would cover to go to church or school. Most places make you remove your shoes too.
Sometimes though if you were visiting several different places in one day or if it were extremely hot it was much easier to just wear what you were comfortable in and carry a lightweight pashmina or scarf. This is what I did 90% of the time I was away, I carried a beautiful pastel yellow pashmina* that a relative had brought back from Malaysia and I would just tie it to the strap of my bag and drape it either over my shoulders or around my waist when required. The pashmina/shawl type scarves were readily available in Laos however I don’t recall seeing them elsewhere so it might be best to see what you can find before you set off.
*I am aware pashmina is made of wool however this was gifted to me before I went vegan so I will continue using it. Thank you goodbye.
- Multipurpose your belongings
By far the best items of clothing or belongings I took were the items I could use for several different things. It saves you so much luggage weight and space and particularly if it is a pricier or heavier item it makes carrying it so much more worthwhile.
Some examples include:
-The pashmina or scarf/shawl which I used as mentioned above as well as as a blanket on the sleeper trains, hood in the rain or once even as a picnic blanket.
–A cotton tote bag that I used to carry a change of clothes when swimming, as a laundry bag and sometimes even just to carry food back from the shop (however be careful with these as in big cities they would be easy to pickpocket from). Bonus: they pack away to about the size of a toothbrush.
–Aloe vera gel as a moisturiser, after sun, insect repellent (though not scientifically proven-do not quote me on this!), antiseptic for cuts/burns/bites and lip balm.
I met a few people who took a small plastic tupperware box which they used to waterproof their phones or keys in their bags, as an eco-friendly way to package food and keep their little bits and bobs like jewellery, medicine or hair slides organised.
- Be prepared for it to rain .. a lot!
I tried to make sure that whatever I took in terms of a bag/coat/shoes/camera would be the same one I would use regardless of if it were sunny or rainy. This meant I only had to pack one thing rather than having a normal set and a “rainy” set of everything.
My day bag was waterproof – this meant I didn’t have to worry about my passport or my phone getting wet and I could just keep using the same bag for the whole trip (and in fact I’ve used it for 2 years around the world and to work everyday and it’s been amazing – it’s similar to this one from amazon).
My vegan Birkenstock-style sandals were really quick drying, didn’t rub or fall apart if they got wet, could easily be taken off and put back on and still stayed on even if I walked through deep water. The only issue is that one time I packed them away whilst they were a little bit damp and they made my bag smell weird – so maybe don’t do that! I’ve had a synthetic leather pair by this company for just over two years, they were dirt cheap and they too have survived months of walking around Asia, Central America and Europe with no signs of slowing down. I did also take another pair of shoes that could be worn for hiking, walking and for swimming (also for temples which made you cover your feet) which were amazing, comfy (not that ugly) and weighed almost nothing.
I actually just bought my normal work coat which I bought from RAB a few years back, it was perfect as it was thin enough that I could just pack it up to about the size of my phone yet it was also completely waterproof so I knew it wouldn’t get me wet and it wouldn’t get my bag all wet when I put it away. Also it had little zips in the armpits to keep you cool and it was 100x more fashionable than the gross single-use plastic “tampon” coats they sell for 1$ in Asia.
- Weird little things I took that were worth it
–Cheap plastic waterproof phone case. My phone and passport would have died in Vietnam if I didn’t have this.
–Clip-on sunglasses to go over my glasses. I usually take a pair of actual prescription sunglasses but tried little clip-on ones this year and it saved me from having to carry a bulky glasses case everywhere as they fit in my pocket and they didn’t look like grandad-glasses. Plus if they broke it wasn’t my actual glasses that broke. (However I did have to replace this pair after the trip as the heat made the pink tint scratch off which made them blurry – they did replace them for free though!)
-No amount of research gave me a definitive answer about plugs so I just took one of these, it worked everywhere, packed away tiny and allowed me to share a plug with my roommates. (Tape over the light though as it is really really bright!)
-A tiny personalised first aid kit. Although never needed it was always reassuring to know that even if I were in the middle of nowhere I had medicines and a little first aid kit in my bag. Mine contained the usual things like paracetamol, Benadryl, stuff for travel sickness and plasters etc. I took out the stuff I didn’t need and left it at home.
–This suncream is incredible – if you’re allergic to anything chemical then this is ideal, especially as it doesn’t irritate your eyes. Oh and most importantly never once got burnt!
-I use this natural salt deodorant anyway but because it isn’t liquid I can keep it in my hand luggage to feel clean after a long flight and it has lasted me over 6 months. It did get dropped once though and shattered so I recommend you keep the lid on it).
-I didn’t actually take packing cubes as I had (somehow) never seen them before but every person I met raved about them for keeping their bags organised so I will have to get myself a pack.
- Stuff I took but wish I hadn’t
-Flipflops. I hate them and didn’t wear them once. Plus you can literally find them everywhere so you could always buy a pair for 1$ if need be.
-Money belt. There have been times when I’m glad I had this but in this part of the world it was just too hot, it just gets all gross and you end up having to route around in your clothes to find your money which is just awkward.
-Refillable water bottle. I had every intention to use this but you unfortunately can’t rely on water being potable in this part of the world so it sat unused in my bag most of the time. It was handy at keeping bottled water cool though.
-Towel. I took a small absorbent towel but because I couldn’t wash it properly as frequently as I’d like it seemed a bit gross after just a few uses. Plus most hotels and hostels provided them so long as they were returned clean.
thelittleworldofkaty 