I will be honest, I was overwhelmed when I had to pack two months worth of clothes into one backpack. I researched for days, watched countless Youtube videos, and still felt lost. Shorts? Check. Tank tops? Check. T-shirts? Check. Undies? Check. What I packed seemed to be perfect, but knowing what I know now, I would change a couple things.
Here’s my list and advice on what to pack for two months in Thailand.
Contents:
- Miscellaneous (but important) items
- Clothing
- Simple List of all items
Tip: if you are traveling to Bangkok in the beginning of your trip, whatever you don’t bring or may forget to bring you can buy there. Probably for much cheaper than your home country too! There are countless shopping malls in Bangkok, many with wholesale prices selling anything you can think of. Check out my full post on Shopping in Bangkok here. Keep in mind if you are buying clothing from the wholesale malls, cheaper price means cheaper quality. But for short term wear while traveling, it is great.
Misc (important) essentials:
1. Passport (duh) : But seriously, don’t forget this. And make sure it has at least one year of validity. Maybe get a cute passport cover, too?
Passport and Vaccine Card Holder Combo
2. Travel insurance : This is very important. I love SafetyWing for my travel insurance. Check it out here.
3. LifeStraw : Tap water in Thailand is not safe to drink. LifeStraw is a great addition to your packing and prevent you from having to constantly buy water bottles at the store or restaurants. Simply fill it up and it will filter your water so that it is drinkable.
4. Packing Cubes : Game. Changer. Packing cubes will change your life. Get some basic ones here. Also check out some that are able to compress here.
Pro tip: Roll every piece of clothing as tightly as you can, and pack it into the cubes. This will save so much space. Thank me later.
4 Pack High Capacity Luggage Organizers (left) WELL TRAVELED 8-piece Compression Packing Cubes (right)
5. Travel wallet : Amazon has tons of cute, practical travel wallets with RFID blockers. Check my favorite one out here. It comes in many colors.
Zoppen Passport Holder Travel Wallet
6. Mosquito Repellent : Do not forget this! If you are anything like me, the mosquitos are invisible and will eat you alive. Malaria is not prevalent in most areas of Thailand, but still. No one wants to be eaten by mosquitoes.
Sawyer Products 20% Picaridin Insect Repellent
I liked this repellent. It is in a lotion form, so it is easy to apply at the beginning of the day before getting dressed and it does not smell bad.
7. Sunscreen : The UV index in Southeast Asia is intense. And skin cancer is no joke. Don’t forget your SPF. Also make sure its reef safe if you will be swimming in the ocean.
COOLA Organic Sunscreen SPF 50 Sunblock Body Lotion
COOLA is organic, vegan and reef safe.
8. Wet wipes or tissue : Most of the restrooms in Thailand have toilet paper, but there were a few times I wished I had a wet wipe. Every toilet has the “Thailand bidet”, as the standard for Thailand restroom etiquette is rinsing your bum with the hose by the toilet, then drying with the tissue and throwing it in the trash (the Thailand way).
9. Portable power block : This will be a life saver for when you are out and about all day. You can keep it in your bag and use it as needed instead of searching for an outlet when your phone is about to die.
IXNINE High Capacity Phone Charger
10. Outlet cube: This saved my life in hostel dorms with only one outlet. Get one here.
11. Drivers license : If you are planning on renting a motorbike in Thailand, you could get an international drivers license. I did not do this, and was fine renting with just my passport and local drivers license (only one place asked to see my license). More on this in my post Renting a Scooter in Thailand.
12. Raincoat : You could chose to bring a raincoat, or buy a cheap poncho at 7-11 when you arrive. If you are coming in the rainy season, you will be grateful for this. The sudden downpours can come to of nowhere.
This raincoat is great, it comes in many colors and also a bag to pack it and carry it easily.
13. Headphones : I love my Airpods. But there are many, many other options for headphones out there.
14. Camera/GoPro : This is optional, depending on if you want higher quality photos or underwater and/or action shots. If you are not interested in this, you have a great photography tool at your fingertips. Your smartphone. Most of the later models of iPhone and Android take amazing photos.
15. Waterproof bag/waterproof phone bag: This one comes with the dry bag and a waterproof phone bag. And it comes in multiple colors. Win-win.
Clothing to pack (women)
- Shorts : It is going to be hot. But if you have thick thighs like me, bring shorts that cover the inside of your thighs. I got the worst heat rash on the third day of my trip. I did not wear anything that didn’t come past my knees after that.
Tip: wear biker short or mid/knee-length spandex shorts under your skirts/dresses when you are going to be walking a lot.
- T shirts & tank tops : Bring a couple, but again, if you are going to Bangkok and would like to shop just buy them there.
- Loose skirt or pants : Wrap around skirts are a great option. Also, bring some loose fitting pants, linen or light cotton is a great material for the heat.
- Shirt that covers shoulders & bottoms covering knees : If you plan on going to any temples in Thailand, make sure you bring a shirt or cover up that covers shoulders, and pants or skirt that covers knees. Many temples will either sell you a cover up nearby, or even provide one for free that you return upon leaving the temple.
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Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular post! It is the little changes that make the most significant changes. Thanks for sharing!