Curious about travelling to Asia with just a carry on backpack and staying under the 7kg limit? I’ve been doing this for years, so keep reading to discover how you can do it too!
In this packing list, you’ll be visiting warm/hot countries, not swimming, focusing on museums, temples, mosques, art galleries….exploring the culture, cities, rural places and going off the beaten path using public transport. Plan on doing clothes washing every 4 days and wear heavy items on the plane.
If you pack correctly, you’ll be able to get everything listed below to equal 5.5kgs (that’s including the bag!) so there will be room left for some small souvenirs!
This packing list is primarily for women who dress modestly and cover up their skin. I do this as a Muslim woman. But you’ll be able to tweak this list for your own clothes as it gives you a base idea on how to pack.
BONUS: Keep on scrolling down for a complete packing list for Asia JPEG you can save on your phone!
IMPORTANT TIPS
Work out your backpack first. It needs to be as light as possible. Mine is just a 30L Caribee backpack that weighs around 800grams. For most carry on luggage limits, a 40L backpack will be the maximum you can use. A lot of people rave about the Osprey 40L as a Carry on bag but that’s 1.5kg just for the bag and is nearly double the weight of my 30L so please prioritise weight if you want to travel only with a carry on.
Do not take denim! You won’t need it. It gets too hot so focus on light flowy clothing.
Pack mainly solid toiletries. Work out what liquids you will prioritise. I always prioritise my insect repellent when visiting Asia.
CLOTHING
Long Sleeve Shirts x 2 – wear 1 on plane
Long Flowy Pants x 5 – wear 1 on plane
Tshirts x 5 – wear 1 on plane
Nightgown x 1
Undies x 7
Bras x 2
Socks x 4
Travel Compression Socks x 1 – wear these on plane
Sneakers/Walking Shoes x 1 – wear on plane
Sandals x 1 – pack at the very bottom of your bag. I always wrap mine in a small garbage bag (like a tiny kitchen rubbish bag) to keep any dirt off the rest of my clothes
TOILETRIES
Small piece of body soap bar
Small piece of shampoo bar
Small piece of conditioner bar
Toothpaste tablets
Mouthwash tablets
Toothbrush
Travel Hair Brush
Disposable Razor – yes you’re allowed to bring this in your carry on
Hair ties
(Put below items in liquid bag)
Roll On Deodorant
Face Moisturiser Cream – I use a 50ml Sukin cream. There are also solid face creams out there too
Insect Repellent – one of the most important things. Put it on before you leave your accommodation in the morning, reapply during the day if you’ve sweated
Sunscreen
Hair Gel – a personal thing I prioritise because if I don’t use hair gel, my hair will turn into a big ball of frizz haha
Hand Sanitiser
ELECTRONICS
iPhone and Charging Cord
Power Bank/Portable Charger – I use this every single day that I travel. Charge it overnight while you sleep so you’ve got a full charge the next day.
Universal Plug Adapter – if you take one of these, you’ll always be fine wherever you go
Earphones/Earbuds – needed to listen to music, movies, podcasts on the plane to your destination
Travel Scale – this is important to always weigh your bag before getting on a plane so you can make sure it’s still under 7kgs
MISCELLANEOUS
Sunglasses
Hat
Laundry Bag – this is a must to keep your used clothes separate from your fresh clothes. You can also just hand your laundry over to laundromats in Asia in this bag and they will give it back to you on pick up
Fold up Backpack – take a fold up backpack or an ultralight day bag for you to use when out and about exploring during the day
Pen – there are still some countries who have paper immigration cards that you need to fill out on the plane before you land (hello Australia!) so having a pen is always a good idea
ESSENTIALS
Passport – your most important document! I actually keep my passport on me at all times. I will never leave it in a hotel safe or anywhere else. For example: you could be out and a fire could go through your hotel….or you could be out and there could be a major political situation or a natural disaster and you need to get out of the country ASAP and you can’t get back to your hotel to get your passport. I will always have my passport on me.
Licence/Proof of Age Card – if you’re hiring a bicycle or a motorbike you can usually hand this over to them instead of your passport
Credit Cards and Cash – take a Visa card, a Mastercard and cash with you. There are many places that will accept a Visa but not a Mastercard (and vice versa) so I make sure I’m covered all round.
House Keys – I only take my front and back door keys and remove any other unnecessary keys I won’t need until I’m back home.
Paperwork of all Plane Tickets, Visas, Hotels, Insurance, Vaccinations – sometimes immigration machines are down or hotel computers, so always have hard copy print outs of everything
Travel Wallet with RFID Blocking – if you can’t get a travel wallet with RFID, atleast use credit card RFID sleeves so no one can wave a machine against your bag and steal your card information (I’ve heard of this happening often at certain airports so just be aware)
MUSLIM
Hijabs x 2 – two different neutral colours that go with your clothes
Travel Prayer Mat
Foldable Water Bottle – to use when doing Wudu before prayers (and you can also take the water bottle out and about with you during the day when you’re exploring)
PACKING LIST FOR ASIA – IMAGE TO SAVE
(Click on image below to save on your phone or computer)
