If you’re anything like me, you know the struggle and hardship that is packing. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, if anything it’s quite therapeutic, but remembering everything that I need to take with me is a challenge. We are not just talking general clothes and suncream, but all the different chargers for equipment, the SD cards (and have they been wiped?!), all of my toiletries and, most crucially of all, a nice outfit for each day of the trip. I often have to write myself a big long list including everything that I will need. I thought that I would share my struggle with you guys, and write you an ‘essentials’ guide of what to take to Thailand or the Far East. There are definitely things I would have taken with me if I had my time again, but also some things that we were so grateful to have when we got there.
What to Take to Thailand
Thank Goodness we Brought…
Insect Repellents – I cannot praise Boots and their anti-mosquito bracelets enough. They were a haven for us, and meant that we didn’t get bitten once whilst wearing them. We also bought some normal spray (make sure it contains Deet) as well as insect-repellent suncream. Safe to say we went a tad OTT, but on the plus side we didn’t really get bitten and didn’t get malaria! Hooray!
Hydration Tablets – The flight over to Thailand is a killer. One thing I’m sure you know well is that feeling of thirst after a long flight. These tablets helped us a lot, and also meant we were prepared for the infamous Bangkok Belly – which thankfully we avoided!
Light Clothing – Primark is the best place to get clothes for a trip to Thailand for men; literally all of Jack’s clothes for this trip were from there. Not only are they cheap and cheerful, but also when they got dirty, sweaty or even damaged, we could throw them away and not feel too guilty. They were also really light and actually rather baggy! I also joined Jack on the Primark front, but also went into Marks and Spencers where I found some amazing items – not too expensive, light and great quality. Would certainly recommend.
Factor 50 – Rather obvious one really! But still didn’t stop us from getting burnt and looking like 2 lobsters!
Quick-Drying Swimsuit – When you are travelling around a bit, having a swimsuit that dries quick helps a lot. I was lucky enough to have been gifted this one from Hunkemoller and it was absolutely amazing. It was stylish, comfortable and dried so quickly, meaning that none of my other stuff got wet. Check them out!
Travel Adapters – We were really struggling with this one as we had never been to Asia before. We eventually found a dual-adapter at John Lewis for £8, which also works in Europe. We bought 3 of these, and for £24, we now have adapters that we can use anywhere apart from the USA… It also saves you spending £40+ on a universal adapter!
GoPro Filters – If you don’t like snorkelling/diving, move on to the next one, but if you do then definitely invest in some filters. We have 3 different colours which allows the footage we capture to have lots of colour in them, and stops the pictures looking just very blue/green.
Talcum Powder – in Thailand, you are going to sweat. A LOT. A friend recommended me to bring talcum powder and it genuinely worked wonders.
Water Purification Tablets – In Thailand it is not safe to drink the tap water. If you are going for a long excursion, you may run out of water quickly, and so these tablets could come in handy. Fortunately, we didn’t need to use them, but better safe than sorry!
Post Office Travel Card – Our Post Office Travel Card came in very handy, and meant that we didn’t have to take thousands of Baht around with us in Bangkok. It did have a few limitations as not all places take card out there, but you just have to be sensible and take a few thousand Baht with you in cash. It also has a useful app which helped us with budgeting etc. whilst we were out there.
We Definitely Regret Not Taking…
More Than 2 Bottles of Suncream – Our last day in Thailand was spent snorkelling around the South of Thailand, and we essentially had run out of suncream by this point. This meant that we got VERY burnt, to the extent where we were peeling for about a week after we got back. Be sensible, take ample sun protection!
Aloe Vera – Goes with the last one; if we had had a nice big bottle of Aloe Vera, we would have been able to treat our burning skin to reduce damage, pain and peeling.
An Eyemask – Sleeping on a plane is difficult at the best of times, and on our journey there a lot of people kept on their reading lights, making it quite difficult to fall asleep.
A Few Pairs of Trousers – Some temples are really strict with trousers, which meant that Jack had to wear the same pair of chinos for a good few days, meaning that they actually got quite dirty by the end of our trip. Either take a few pairs if you are a man, or buy yourself a pair of the classic gap-year elephant trousers. They’re super comfy (actually wearing them as I write this) and allow you to get into temples!
A Decent Hat – Again, it gets really hot out and a good-quality hat will help provide protection from the sun.
A Mini-Umbrella – In some places in Thailand you can expect sudden downpours. If you have room in your luggage, definitely take a small umbrella with you so that you don’t get caught out. We actually had to wait underneath a shelter for 45 minutes as we were on the beach in the middle of a random tropical storm. It wasn’t all bad though as it meant we just had to order another cocktail whilst we waited!
Here’s a sneak peek at what else we got up to in Thailand:
My Travel Tips and Recommendations
Flights
My usual go-to for booking flights is Skyscanner, the flight search engine. What I love about Skycanner is that you have various options depending on your situation. If you know where you want to go it’s easy – all you need is to search for your destination and dates, and you are provided with all flight options to choose from. If you haven’t decided on your next trip yet, you can use the Everywhere tool for inspiration and to find the cheapest places to fly to.
Accommodation
Whenever I plan my travels Booking.com is my best friend. The website is super easy to use and provides a whole range of accommodation from fancy resorts to budget hotels. Jack and I also regularly use Airbnb – in particular, for staycations in the UK.
Things I can’t travel without
As a travel blogger and keen photographer I never travel without my trusty technology. Always packed are my
- Canon EOS M3
- GoPro Hero5 Black
- I’m also saving for a DJI Mavic Pro
Travel Insurance
It is so important to be prepared for all possibilities when travelling and you simply shouldn’t travel without insurance. When looking for cover I would personally recommend World Nomads or the Post Office – both are affordable and certainly won’t break the bank.
You can also find me on social media: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Other posts that may help you:
- Visiting Ayutthaya: the Ancient capital
- Exploring the Bangkok Temples & Shopping Centres
- Have you seen my new Travel Series?
- James Bond Island and a visit to Phang-Nga Bay
- Reasons to visit Chiang Mai
Did you know that I also vlog my travel adventures? I would love you to subscribe to my YouTube channel so that you never miss an episode… SUBSCRIBE HERE
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed my post on what to take to Thailand. Have you been to Thailand before? Is there anything missing from my list? Do let me know in the comments below. And if you have any questions about the destination please do get in touch in the comments below.
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Love Victoria x
