Things to pack for Southeast Asia
 

We will be travelling from Vietnam to Cambodia to Thailand and then fly down to Bali and back home from there next summer. We need to be mobile with no check in luggage until we go home.I was thinking carry-on and backpack. Will I need an electrical converter or just the 2 or 3 prong adapters? I was thinking a currency converter, any recommendation? Security pouches that are not too hot? Any other ideas you thought was great for this part of the world??? Thanks!!!

What do you expect to be plugging in? For recharging camera batteries, ipods, etc, you only need an adapter. If you are thinking of taking things like hair dryers - don't. Hotels supply them, and the one you use at home won't work well with a converter. I don't carry the adapters any more, as hotels always have ones I can borrow, though you might need them for budget places.

Do take mosquito repellant, sunscreen, etc. Also carry any urgent-use medications: immodium, rehydration salts, a recommended antibiotic just in case. Are your immunizations up to date?

Very light clothing that covers your upper arms, some long, light pants. Shorts are generally beach wear, but long shorts are increasingly acceptable in cities in SE Asia, but of course, not in temples. Carry a light wrap or sweater for places that have overly enthusiastic air conditioning.

I've never found a need for a currency converter it's just something else to carry. I do have a tiny calculator if needed. If you are taking along a ipod touch or similar, just use the calculator on that.

Thanks Kathie!!

What about pants that hit mid calf? Is that acceptable for women fot going into temples?

Maybe. The sign at the Grand Palace/Emerald Buddha specifically forbids crop pants or capris. Nonetheless, some people do get by with it. Note that the GP/EB has the strictest dress code of any temples in Thailand. Laos, Cambodia, VN.

The most useful travel product I bought recently was the "Eagle Creek Hidden Travel pocket" ;

http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Creek-Tr...910315&sr=8-19

It loops over your belt and hangs inside your pants - much cooler and more comfortable than the money belt I used to use.

"I was thinking carry-on and backpack" - make sure that whatever you take complies with the size stipulations of the airlines you will (or are likely to) travel with. Some, notably the budget carriers can be strict on size and weight and may insist that the bag goes in the hold at a fee!

Remember the clear plastic zip lock for all carry on liquids which must be no more than 100ml.

Fisherman's trousers can be bought very cheaply at any market and can be worn over shorts at temples and are great for the beach.

Take a wide brimmed foldable hat. Great if you get stuck out in the sun, using as a fan, putting over your face if you want to sleep on buses etc..

Thailand,Lao and Vietnam are ~220v so if you have 110v equipment that wont switch automatically you will need a power convertor otherwise you will just need a plug adapter. Most equipment will take dual voltages but check your equipment.

I usually take a power board that gives me 4 outlets with plugs for my equipment. You then only need one adapter to give you four outlets which is great since most hotels are short on outlets. Power boards are so cheap you can throw it away if space becomes a problem.

Instead of taking a currency converter, before I go I print out the currency converter Cheat Sheet on oanda.com for each country. Look under Currency Tools, then Travel Exchange Rates. You can set it for the Interbank rate, the typical credit card rate (+2%) or any other margin you want. It then gives you a small chart that you can print out and trim to wallet size. I find that's all I really need...

In Hanoi (because it was cool) and everywhere in the evening, I wore lightweight pants and a nice t-shirt, or sometimes a tank top. In Hue, HoiAn and Siem Reap, I wore those slacks at night, but during the day I wore shorts. We went to several "working" temples and were <I>invited in</I> despite the fact that we were wearing shorts.

If you plan to stay for any lenght of time in Thailand or Cambodia, I've found a good rule of thumb is to pack all the clothes you think you'll need and then take half of them out of your bag. Laundries are everywhere and very inexpensive. Also, if you happen to run out of, say, socks, items like that are also dirt-cheap in-country.