Things I forget to pack for my trip to Thailand
 

Hi all - Following up on my post "10 days in Thailand in Feb - BGK, CM and Krabi" I wanted to let you know we narrowed down our hotels:

Bangkok - Peninsula
Chiang Mai - 137 Pillars
Krabi - Rayavadee

We are first-timers to Thailand and very excited - we leave Boston in 11 days! That said, have any of you had an 'I wish I brought (insert item) with me...." moment when in Thailand? Any and all advice welcome!

Thanks!
Sue

ps: 10 days in Thailand, 14 days of travel - 2 days of travel on either end

Almost anything you have forgotten can be bought in Thailand, and in some cases cheaper than home. Don't worry, just go and enjoy.

If you enjoy wine then BYO (bring your own) perhaps a couple of bottles each from the Staes. Wine are very expensive in Thailand.

I always make sure I have a travel size roll of toilet paper in my purse. I think I get them at Target? I've needed to use it when shopping in the remote markets around Chiang Mai, and also at the weekend market. Sometimes I forget to grab a handful of TP from the big roll (by the sinks) before stepping into the stall at some malls and other venues in Bangkok. Not all toilets have TP rolls!

Hanuman is right about the wine price. But, your "legal limit" is really ONE bottle each. Granted, we've brought more, and we even brought a double magnum once, as our ONE bottle... lol.

leave your snow shovel at home..

sun screen

light weight cover up

atm card--note there is a 150B ($5) charge for each withdrawal, so I always take out big amounts to last several days..

Spare pair of specs (or prescription). I found the lens on the bed in Hua-Hin just after returning from the beach. I could have lost it completely.
It kept dropping out then for the next two weeks when we hired a car and I realised how difficult it would have been without them

These are great suggestions! Thanks all.

Snow shovel will stay here in Boston FOR SURE!! :)

Be VERY interested on you take on Rayavadee. We stayed there in 2006.

The germaphobe in me says to pack plenty of Purell as well as wipes (to use on the bottom of your bare feet after you visit the temples). Definitely don't forget the sunscreen, although you can always pick some up at Boots, or maybe even 7-11.

Greetings to the OP and warm congrats on booking the Peninsula for your initial Bangkok sojourn; well done, indeed. Have so loved that property, from her earliest days to rather recent times (Loi Krathong, last November; special riverside Pen celebration holiday, fine as ever).

As for those travelling forget me nots, will give the ongoing suggestion for, well, exercise clothing and foot ware. (Seriously; am presently obliged to be on the road a fair amount for work and the daily exertion always beneficial.) If nothing else, take in a massage or two at the Peninsula's rather refined spa. Enjoy.

[And for what it's worth, enjoyed another extremely brief (and completely serene) BKK business travel stay last month. As noted on other Bangkok travel threads, stay 'up to date' with esteemed Bangkok local's reports and various 'twitter' accounts. For me on this recent working trip (and others), a fine friend and manager at the Four Seasons; lovely and rather well-connected woman.]

Very happy for the OP; savour your last minute planning. Should you ever desire suggestions regarding our fine home of Singapore (and even next week's Singapore Air Show), honoured to assist. Good flights and travels to you and all,

macintosh (robert)


... Singapore Airlines, You're a Great Way to Fly ...

Thank you all!

Robert, Singapore is on our list so we'll be sure to reach out when we decide to go there.

I'll definitely do a trip report during our trip.

Kind regards,
Sue

If you'll be in any places long enough to have clothes made, a few days, bring a favorite garment or 3 to have copied. Some of my favorite summer clothes are things I've had copied. They seem to turn out much better than others that were made from measurements, I think because they fit the way I like them rather than how the tailor thinks they should fit.

We loved Rayavadee years ago. Having them take us snorkeling in the islands was a very special trip. Everything there was special.

Great idea, MmePerdu! Elainee, glad to hear you liked Rayavadee. Thank you!

Bring a small folding umbrella for the occasional rain shower and the intense heat/sunshine. Also bring a backpack to carry water and other things as you walk about. For the weekend market bring a small carry on suitcase because if you like to shop you will fill it up and its a lot easier to roll that around then to deal with shopping bags full of stuff.

This is a great thread. We leave for Bangkok in 6 days! Just starting to amass all the stuff we need. Siem Reap, Luang Prabang, Mekong River trip and Chiang Rai as well.

How about first aid? I always take polysporin, and some kind of itch cream for bites, and a few bandaids.

But I'm trying to do just carry-on. We'll be gone for a month, but I figure getting laundry done will be really cheap.

i always bring large size bandaids. Hard to find everywhere and needed for bottom of feet cuts or other problems. Once had to get them at a hospital when I had small but painful cut on my foot. With big bandaid that stayed on..no problem, without I could not walk.

We just returned today from our fabulous 3-week trip. The one thing my husband would've liked was another long-sleeved shirt. We arrived during an unusual cold wave, so this may not be so applicable now, but being prepared with layers can't hurt. I noticed that the a/c can be pretty cold in places, so make sure you have something to throw on, like a shawl or thin sweater.

Rubber flip-flops for pool/beach is useful.

As BillT says, bring bag or extra space for shopping!

Really, just about everything you might want is available, so don't worry about forgetting anything.

WWanderer- just returned from visiting all the places you mentioned! You're doing the 2-day boat trip down the Mekong to Luang Prabang? It can get very cool in the morning so make sure you have something warm. We loved the boat trip, by the way!

Paule

scoyne999:

One carry on- wow you must be a believer in the Rick Steves school of travel. But seriously what if you can't find a convenient laundry- hotel services are expensive. What about shopping? You might find a lot of things to buy and then where will you put them? You could always buy another luggage while there but why do that when you can just take one checked bag with no charge. I suggest you do the following. Take a regular size luggage and inside of that put your carry on roll away along with your clothes and other items keeping in mind the 50 lb limit. Now you can board the plane without the luggage and you have space when you need it should you find many things to buy.

BillT's suggestions aside, no need to haul purchases around in a second suitcase. All over Asia there are reliable post offices to pack things up and mail them home. I learned this early on in my travels and what a pleasure to be able to shop and still travel with just a carry-on size bag (which I check). Every box I've ever mailed has arrived home safe & sound, LOTS of boxes by inexpensive surface mail. And if you bring the right clothes laundry is never an issue. Rinse them out yourself.