Southeast Asia Packing List: Backpacker’s Edition

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A backpacking trip around Southeast Asia is one of the best things you can do. I backpacked Southeast Asia for 6 months in 2024, and the first question I asked myself was: what do I pack??

After spending months packing my bag and re-packing my bag, I’ve become an expert on packing lists for Southeast Asia. 

I read so many packing lists before I left on my trip and picked out a ton of tips, but there are a few things I wish I knew before my trip. Today, I’ll share everything you need to know about what you should bring (and what you should not bring) to Southeast Asia.

The volume of items you should bring might vary a little between if you’re traveling for 1-3 months versus 4-6 months (or longer), but there are a few rules that apply to every journey length.

I know, I know, you’ve got some questions. What size backpack should I get? How much clothing should I bring? Is sunscreen really that expensive in Southeast Asia?

Let’s get into the Southeast Asia packing list!

What Backpack Should You Bring?

The most important decision you’ll make regarding packing is your backpack. You need a high quality, reliable backpack to survive the (sometimes) rough terrain of Southeast Asia.

There are 3 things you should consider when you choose your backpack:

1. Size: Aim for a backpack between 40-60 liters. This size is large enough to fit your essentials without being too cumbersome. Remember: you have to carry this EVERYWHERE. 
2. Fit: Ensure the backpack fits your torso length and has adjustable straps for better support and comfort.
3. Features: Look for features like multiple compartments, a padded hip belt, and a rain cover. These will help with organization and protection from the elements.

I’ve seen so many girls nearly topple over with their 80 liter backpack. Generally, the more space you have in your bag, the more stuff you’ll bring. 

In fact, I’m going to encourage you to not fill up your backpack. Why? Souvenirs! 

My Backpack: Osprey Fairview 40 Travel Pack

Would I recommend this backpack?

Yes! It’s extremely sturdy and survived being thrown around for six months. I loved the blue color. 

I’m 5’3, and I found this backpack to be very comfortable. The straps were adjustable and the middle strap helped take the weight off my shoulder. 

The biggest pro with this backpack was that (for the most part) it can be used as a carry-on bag. I say for the most part because there budget airlines in Southeast Asia might ask you to check it depending on the day 🙂 

But…

If I could do it again, I would change and get this backpack: Osprey Fairview 55 Travel Pack. 

It’s essentially the 40 liter bag + a 15 liter detachable day pack that you wear on your front. I had a small day pack that I ended up upgrading a few months into my trip. So, I should have started with the 55 liter in the first place.

The above backpacks are catered for the female body. They also offer the Farpoint line of backpacks, which are very similar except they are tailored to the male body. 

Packing Tips for Southeast Asia

If I could give you only one tip for a Southeast Asia packing list, it would be this: use packing cubes.

Addition: use compression packing cubes.

I saved SO much space and got SO organized by using packing cubes. These are the exact packing cubes I used from Amazon. I got them in pink, so they had the additional perk of being cute.

Organize your clothes by type within each packing cube. This way, you know what to pull out if you need to get dressed real quick.

Here’s how I organized my packing cubes: one for tops, one for bottoms, one for underwear/bras/socks and one for bikinis. 

I’ll go into more detail on how much of each I brought below. 

My second top packing tip is to use a hanging toiletry bag. 

If you’re backpacking Southeast Asia, chances are you will be staying in hostels, guest houses or even small hotels. Many times, you use communal bathrooms.

A hanging toiletry bag like this bag from Amazon will make things so much easier. Plus, it has different pockets so you can organize your toiletries.

Here are my other top packing tips:

Pack Light: Less is more. Start off with setting aside how much you think you need, then divide in half. You’ll spend more time than you think walking around (in the heat) with your backpack. 

Versatility: Choose items that you can wear in different combinations. Neutral colors are best so you can mix and match. 

Layering: Southeast Asia’s climate can vary, so bring layers that you can add or remove as needed.

Laundry: Plan to do laundry on the go. Many hostels and hotels offer laundry services. Make sure you bring clothes that don’t need special care when laundered, because chances are, they’ll get thrown in with a bunch of clothes. 

Pack Lightweight Clothing: Pack breathable, quick-drying clothes. Cotton and linen are great options.

Bring a Sweater: I know, I know: Why would I bring a sweater when it’s so hot in Southeast Asia? Believe me, some buses and trains can get really cold. 

Clothing Items to Pack

When you’re deciding which clothing items to pack, remember that they will not come home in the same state. They will get stained, dirty or lose their color. And that’s okay!

Prioritize packing high-quality clothing. Aka, clothing that won’t easily rip or get ruined in a washing machine. 

To help you decide how much to bring, I’ll walk you through what I brought for my six-month backpacking journey:

Packing Cube 1: Tops

I brought 7 tops in total. These were all tank tops and crop tops, so they were able to roll up super small and fit into a tiny compression cube.

What I wish I brought? A t-shirt. Thankfully, it was easy to get one in Southeast Asia.

Something I’m SO glad I brought? A button-up shirt. This was perfect for throwing over a bathing suit, covering my shoulders to enter a religious site or using when I got cold on a bus. 

During my time in Southeast Asia, I picked up 3 additional shirts (and left behind 1 of my original shirts): a t-shirt after the Ha Giang Loop, a tank top in Bali and a custom-made crop top in Hoi An. This is why you need to leave space in your bag!

Packing Cube 2: Bottoms, dress and pajamas

My second packing cube fit my 5 bottoms, a dress and my pajama set. 

When it comes to bottoms, I recommend bringing a mix of shorts and light, linen pants. I picked up 2 pairs of lightweight pants in Southeast Asia and wore them frequently. They’re great to beat the heat and also to be appropriately dressed for religious sites. 

Personally, I don’t wear maxi skirts, but these are also a great option. However, I brought a dress, which is perfect for the days when I don’t know what to wear and still want to look cute.

Some people say don’t bring denim to Southeast Asia, but honestly, I love a good pair of denim shorts! I probably didn’t wear them as much as I did my linen shorts, but I’m glad I brought them.

I also recommend bringing a pair of biker shorts, especially if you plan to ride motorbikes or participate in an activity like the Ha Giang Loop. 

As for pajamas, bring whatever you’re most comfortable in! For me, that was a t-shirt and shorts.

Packing Cube 3: Bikinis

In this small packing cube, I brought 3 pairs of bikinis. For me, this was a good amount of bathing suits. They didn’t take up too much space in my bag but having 3 allowed me to consistently wear a bathing suit while washing another two. 

Packing Cube 4: Underwear, bras and socks

For curious minds: I brought 3 pairs of socks, 10 pairs of underwear, 3 sports bras and 1 regular bra. Because of the heat (and being a constant sweaty mess), I almost exclusively wore sports bras. 

As I mentioned, laundry services are easy to come by. I pretty much used the content of this cube to figure out when I needed to get laundry done. 

What about footwear?

A good pair of sandals are a MUST in Southeast Asia.

If I had a dollar for every pair of Birkenstocks in Southeast Asia….I’d never need to work again.

Seriously, Birkenstocks are a great option. Personally, I brought Tevas, and they treated me well.

In addition, you’ll need a good sneaker for activities like light hiking, motorbiking and just general unexpected fun. I also recommend a pair of flip flops for showers and beaches. 

Toiletries to Pack

Toiletry items and hygiene products may vary based on your skincare routine and preferences. My general advice is to find a balance between what you need and what you want to carry.

There are some toiletries that are easily found in Southeast Asia, and some that can be more challenging.

Easy to find:

• Soap
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Face wash
• Deodorant 
• Hand sanitizer

All of these can be found at 7/11!

That being said, if there are any particular brands you are attached to, you’ll want to bring extra of those products. There’s no guarantee you’ll find the exact match in stores.

Something that worked great for me was switching to bar versions of shampoo, conditioner, soap and face wash. To those who have never used solid bar versions of these products, it might sound a little crazy, but they work just as well, I promise!

If you plan to only take a carry on, then solid versions of these products will be a lifesaver when it comes to staying below the liquid requirements. 

I didn’t bring any makeup, but my advice is to bring what you think you’ll wear. If you do wear makeup everyday, you’ll want to make sure they’re long-lasting, sweat-resistant products.

Finally, I’ll touch on feminine products. It’s quite difficult to find tampons in Southeast Asia, so if you prefer to use these, bring as many as you can and stock up when you find them. Alternatively, products like a menstrual cup are perfect for backpacking. 

Medicine to Pack

On a similar note, I highly recommend bringing a small medicine bag. A few wise medications are essentials for your Southeast Asia packing list. Besides any prescription medication you may require, here’s what you should bring:

• Painkiller: For the unexpected headache, etc.
• Allergy medicine: Just in case you find out you have an allergy that you weren’t aware of before.
• Imodium: Food poisoning can happen in Southeast Asia (or, if you’re me, it can happen multiple times). If you find yourself in a pickle, Imodium can help.
• Nausea medicine: Generally, I don’t get sick in cars or boats, but I’m glad I brought this. I took a 3-night sailing trip in Indonesia, and the waves got a bit rocky one night.
• Bandages: For small cuts.
• Birth control: If relevant to you, bring enough for your journey.

Electronics to Pack

Everyone’s favorite topic: electronics and entertainment. 

When you’re backpacking Southeast Asia, you’ll inevitably be on long bus rides, flights, trains, etc. Entertainment is usually not provided, so you’ll want to bring a few things to keep you occupied.

Below is everything I brought in my electronics bag:

• International adapter: Different countries use different plugs, so one adapter can save a ton of space in your bag.
• Portable charger: The amount of times my phone would have died without a portable charger is embarrassingly high. 
• Laptop: Not necessary for everyone, but as a writer, I wanted to bring mine
• Kindle: I love reading, so this was perfect on the go. 
• Cell phone: Duh!
• Headphones: Wireless, Bluetooth enabled…pick your poison.
• All relevant chargers

Other things you may want to add to your list are a camera/SD card or GoPro.

Personal Items to Pack

I couldn’t make a Southeast Asia packing list without including the must-have personal items.

This includes:

• Passport: Make sure to take pictures of your passport, too. Juuuust in case.
• Debit cards/Emergency cash: I recommend always having a few hundred dollars just in case something happens, like you lose all your debit cards or there’s suddenly no working ATMs.
• Extra passport photos: I wouldn’t say this is a MUST have, but it can be convenient to have these on hand for visas. 

Miscellaneous Items to Pack

There are, of course, a few more items I recommend packing for your Southeast Asia backpacking journey. 

When it comes to safety, you’ll want to bring a lock. This will come in handy for locking your bag in a hostel locker. Tip: get a bendy lock so it will fit in different locker shapes. 

You’ll need a small bag for everyday use. The best bag (and the one I used) for everyday use is the Uniqlo crossbody bag. Like Birkenstocks, this is an item I saw everywhere in Southeast Asia because of how great it is. 

Towels are a great thing to have in your bag. You can get microfiber towels that fold up compactly and dry fast. I brought two of these towels and am glad I did! Plus you save money on not renting them from hostels and guesthouses. 

It can rain a lot in Southeast Asia (make sure to research if you’re traveling during the rainy season), so you’ll want to be prepared. A rain cover for your backpack is great to have for traveling during stormy days. 

I traveled during the dry season, so I didn’t bring a raincoat. If you’re traveling during the rainy season, however, you may want to consider this.

Can I Buy ___ in Southeast Asia?

As I was packing for my trip, I caught myself often asking: can I buy ___ in Southeast Asia? Or, better yet, should I buy in Southeast Asia?

Here’s a list of products people question if they should bring or buy, and what I think you should do.

• Dry bag: This is easily found in Southeast Asia, especially when you’re in water-centric places like south Thailand or the Philippines. It can take up a lot of space in your bag, so if you don’t think you’ll use it much, I advocate to get it there.
• Sunscreen: Depending where you are in Southeast Asia, sunscreen without whitening can be hard to find. When you do find it, trust that it’ll cost as much as it does back home. I recommend bringing – if you need to restock there, you can. 
• Bug spray: It’s no secret there are many mosquitoes in Southeast Asia. You can get great quality bug spray for cheap at 7/11 there!
• Sunglasses: You definitely can, but the UV protection might not be as high.

Complete Southeast Asia Packing List Checklist

Last, but not least, here is the complete Southeast Asia packing list for backpackers. Adjust the volume range based on how long you’ll be traveling. 

Clothing

• 5-8 Tops (mix of tank tops, t-shirt, button down)
• Sweater
• 3-6 Bottoms (mix of shorts, pants, leggings/biker shorts)
• 1-2 Dresses
• 2-4 Socks
• 3-5 Bras (mix of sports and regular)
• 2-4 Bathing suits
• 10 Pairs of underwear
• Pajama set
• Hat
• Sandals
• Sneakers
• Flip flops/shower shoes

Toiletries

• Feminine products
• Toothbrush, paste, floss
• Contact lenses solution and extra contacts, and glasses
• Face wash
• Moisturizer
• Lotion
• Soap
• Deodorant
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Qtips
• Makeup
• Razor and spare blades
• Tweezers
• Nail clipper and file
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellant

Medicine

• Imodium
• Painkiller
• Bandaids
• Allergy medicine 
• Nausea medicine

Electronics

• Portable charger/power bank
• Universal adapter
• Kindle and charger
• Phone and charger
• Laptop and charger, if needed
• Headphones

Personal Items

• Passport
• Debit card/Extra cash
• Passport photos

Miscellaneous 

• Everyday bag/purse
• Carabiners 
• Small ziplock bags
• Hair ties/scrunchies/bobby pins/elastics
• Sunglasses
• Eye mask
• Ear plugs
• Microfiber towels
• Pen
• Rain cover for backpack
• Reusable water bottle

Fill out the below form for your FREE Southeast Asia packing checklist!

If you’re trying to figure out where to start your backpacking journey, I highly recommend starting in Bangkok. For budget backpackers, there’s plenty of free things to do in Bangkok!

Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments below!

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