Packing for Paradise

My thrifty therapist friend Kristen came over the other day to crush a cup of wine…

Kristen is a thrift-fashionista and a spirited personality like me someone else I know.

Kristen traveled to South East Asia last summer and was kind enough to share her expertise on packing for adventure in a guest post.  If you’re lucky to be planning a tropical trip anytime soon, read on for some great advice on packing for paradise!

In recent months, I have had several friends and acquaintances ask me about backpacking in South East Asia. Having travelled there abundantly over the last 5 years, most recently for friends’ Thai destination wedding last August, I have developed a decent system (i.e., it now takes me ~2 hours instead of 2 weeks) when packing for paradise. Because you will most likely be traveling on a lot of ferries and smaller, local-style boats–and often walking through shallow water to get to dream-like, white sand beaches–my number one rule is to only pack what you can carry on your back. Suitcases are nice, but if you’re traveling even slightly off the beaten, touristy, concrete-jungle path, your suitcase wheels are not going to function very well when faced with sand. And being a Speech-Language Pathologist by day, I am ALL ABOUT [that bass] FUNCTIONALITY.

1. Buy your clothing there.

While there are a few essentials that I like to pack, I find it exciting to arrive with a mostly empty backpack and head out to a market for some shopping! I’m a bit of a bikini snob, so I like to pack a few (and by “few” I mean “approximately 7”) bathing suits to take with me. I have found a few neat ones in my travels, but they usually aren’t the same quality as the brand name ones I’ve bought at home. If you are traveling to a destination where you know you’ll be surfing, you may want to consider packing at least one swim suit that you know can stand the test of ferocious ocean waves eager to unveil your lady bits to the world. For example, this is my latest favourite suit, by Rip Curl:

Related to surfing, I usually pack my own pair of board shorts and rash guard shirt to prevent nasty board rash. If you’re trying surfing for the first time and taking lessons, some surf schools will provide you with these items and it won’t be necessary to pack them. If you want your own, these are more Rip Curl items I am fond of:

2. Booty shorts

While we are on the lovely topic of rashes, I always pack my Lululemon “booty” shorts (I know they aren’t called that in the store, but that’s how they are known in my style lexicon). On my first trip to Asia, when I just wanted to wear all the pretty sundresses all day, ‘er day (including travel days), it was handy to toss a pair of booty shorts on underneath to, again, prevent the world from seeing my lady bits (I’m sensing a theme here). And since we all know Beyonce doesn’t have a thigh gap [and so neither should we], a pair of spandex shorts under dresses helps to prevent the formidable chaff that tends to plague people in hot and sweaty destinations.

3. Sarongs

If you don’t already have some, it is easy to buy a couple handy-dandy sarongs at most markets in SE Asia. They are useful for…ALL.THE.PRACTICAL. (Read about many of them here: The Many Uses of the Simple Sarong.)

I usually travel with at least 2. One is my “bed sarong” and I use it to sleep with in fan rooms where it is TOO HOT to cover yourself with anything else. ‘Cause if you’re a weirdo like me, you find it hard to fall asleep if you’re not covered by *something*.  I know many backpackers will travel with a “sleep sheet”, but the same purpose can be served using 2 sarongs and you will save space in your backpack. I use my second sarong to take to the beach, and since I’m a worshipper of the sun (not formally, but you know, I’m all about those rays), that sarong gets plenty of use (i.e., it often gets stinky and has to be washed frequently). Other purposes sarongs can be used for include drying off after a shower (if your guest house doesn’t provide towels), covering yourself or wrapping around your legs in a freezing cold mini-bus or airport (trust me, those SE Asians LOVE their A/C), covering a nasty sunburn if you forgot to apply your sunscreen (but please, wear sunscreen), making forts in your room (I’m real mature like that), and MORE. Since this is a style blog, I will mention how you can style a sarong a trillion ways to stretch your wardrobe, including wearing it as a scarf. You can read more here: How to Tie a Sarong.

4. A/C outfit

I wasn’t joking when I mentioned that SE Asians are VERY liberal with their use of A/C. I have learned to keep an outfit in my day bag that I can easily slip on if I end up riding for 8 hours in a mini-bus colder than Siberia. I always recommend my friends pack a thin, light cardigan to cover your shoulders and arms. It is also nice to have if you’re wearing a dress to dinner and are wanting to layer and utilize Nicole’s nifty “Rule of 3”. Additionally, it is important to cover your shoulders and knees when entering local temples. I have (and love) this black The Limited one, and really like how lightweight it is:

The other half of my A/C outfit consists of a lightweight, and highly practical pair of Thai pants. I pack a pair very similar to these ones found on Etsy:

I like the elastics around the ankles, as they make travel days and little less, uh, messy. Why? Because “squatters”:

5. Less is More

This past trip, I embraced the ability of accessories to stretch a wardrobe. Overall, I packed less clothing than I usually do, but additional accessories. The pieces I did pack were neutral “basics”, with my favourite being my chambray sundress, similar to this one:

It’s amazing how different jewelry, a lightweight scarf, a colourful bandeau, or a headband can drastically change the look of a “basic” piece of clothing. I discovered swapping out my accessories each day was a great way to prevent getting bored wearing the same clothes over and over.

6. Shoes

Depending on what type of activities you have planned for your trip, you can probably get away with packing 1 or 2 pairs of shoes. This past trip I knew we wouldn’t be doing much hiking, so I packed a pair of comfy leather sandals I purchased in Nicaragua, and also bought a pair of knock-off Havaiana flip-flops while shopping on Khao San Road. In the past I have also packed these, as they are a good substitute for runners when hiking in the tropics:

7. The Vessel

With the wardrobe for your trip taken care of, you now need something to transport it in. I thought it might be nice to share my favourite travel backpack for those possibly searching for one. Because, you know, you could spend hours researching and shopping, while trying on a myriad of styles somewhere like Mountain Equipment Co-op or Atmosphere (with semi-knowledgeable staff to assist you)…OR you could just listen to me and buy this one – comes fitted for men and women:

These backpacks open up into one big compartment, just like a suitcase would. If you’re not doing any hardcore, multi-day camping treks, this is a better option, as most hiking packs load from the top with a drawstring pull, and you will quickly tire of dumping out your bag to find hidden items. I usually recommend buying the bigger bag (70 or 80 litres) and just leaving the small, detachable daypack at home while you take a favourite bag/backpack as your daypack.  I also recommend investing in some organizing pouches. They help keep your clothing at least semi-organized within your bag. You can purchase stuff-type, drawstring ones like the ones pictured below but I prefer those with zippers:

Then again, organizing your clothing using Ziploc bags can be just as effective, and also significantly cheaper.

Packing can be a stressful experience, especially when preparing to venture into foreign lands, climates, and cultures. I hope these tips provide some direction when you are packing your bags for South East Asia, and possibly even make it a fun part of the adventure. While packing for paradise, just remember…