Hi everyone,

My husband and I are excited to be traveling to South East Asia in February (Singapore on our own then continuing on to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam as part of a Gate 1 tour.

We're a bit uncertain about what luggage to bring, especially considering the airline luggage rules between countries. I'm thinking of bringing a 25" roller bag, a small backpack, and a travel purse. Or would we be better off with 21" bags we could carry on? We will be there for 5-weeks, so I'm thinking we'll need the 25" bags.

For those who have traveled to Southeast Asia or been on a Gate 1 tour, could you please share your advice? What worked for you in terms of luggage, and did you encounter any issues with airline rules? Any tips on packing light but efficiently would also be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
Meg

I've traveled for months at a time with a 22 inch two-wheeler and a day bag. I think you would regret the 25 inch bag. For flights I check the bigger bag and put all the electronics and pharmaceuticals plus a change of underwear and socks in the day bag. It fits under the seat in front of me so I don't worry about when I board.

If you want packing tips take a look at Rick Steves' website. His tips are for Europe but will work for SEA too, although you may need different/additional pharmaceuticals.

Thanks for your input. I may try to squeeze into a 21" bag...we'll see. We have been on three Rick Steves tours and they do a great job of providing all the information upfront that you need for tours, including packing tips, Gate 1 not so much. We travel a lot and don't need general packing tips. For Asia I'm going to focus on lightweight clothing, rain gear, insect repellent with 40-50 percent DEET, comfortable shoes, and outfits that can be worn in temples.

We tend to travel on extended trips (3-6months) around Asia and anywhere for that matter. We always travel with carry on only and I use a Osprey Farpoint 40 litre bag and have never been forced to check it in even though I think it probably slightly exceeds the Air Asia limits. Even on trips of that length I have more than enough stuff for the duration. I do of course wash stuff as and when, sometimes in hotel sinks , sometimes laundries (v.cheap in Asia).

I agree with Thursdays - get the smaller size and carry on, not only saves time but it wont get out in transit. If you have lots of flights in the region then you will save a lot of time NOT hanging around baggage carousels, though on a tour, you will presumably have to wait around for those that do check in bags.

Here is a link to my own and my wife's packing list in our blog @ https://accidentalnomads.com/category/travel-tips/ This serves e we'll wherever we go, winter or summer though in Asia , we could clearly leave behind all the warm stuff. SE Asia in Feb is the dry season so I wouldn't bother with rain gear at all . First rain is very unlikely and second, it will be too hot to wear that stuff.

50% repellent is a must, night and day to protect agains all the mozzie borne diseases like dengue, malaria , zika etc. I would also make sure you vaccinations are up to date.I wouldn't worry about bringing stuff to wear in temples as they will provide scarves or sarongs to cover up at the temples or just buy there in a market.

Must takes are;

• high factor sunscreen
• good sunglasses
• wide brimmed hat
• unlocked phone (buy a SIM when there)
• hand sanitiser - street food is great in SEA . Many food borne illnesses come, not from the food but from not washing hands before eating asa there are often no or poor washing facilities
• most of all footwear - there is a lot of walking!

One item that I have found invaluable is a "Kramer" . A large cotton shawl that works as a scarf, head covering, shawl even a towel . I bought mine in a Phnom Penh market 25 years ago and it just gets better with age. It is the red and white striped thing in the first photo in the "how to pack like a man " post in the blog linked above.

I use my umbrella as a sunshade instead of taking a hat. I take a light weight scarf although I don't remember needing it for SEA temples. I wear long trousers and tops with short sleeves so I don't need to cover up - in parts of SEA it is more respectful not to wear shorts. I also take Imodium and an antibiotic in case of intestinal issues, although I very rarely need them. I assume you've checked the CDC travel website for recommended vaccinations and malaria pills.

I use T-Mobile as my cell phone provider, and my monthly plan covers service in most countries, so I don't need an in-country SIM. Apparently these days you can get eSIMs.

I took a Gate1 tour to Egypt a long time ago, and I've taken a few Rick Steves' tours, although not recently. They were rather different experiences.

thursdaysd: Good to hear from you. Thanks for the tip on shorts; I'll stick to skirts, capris, and pants. We have T-Mobile too, so it's good to confirm that we won't need an in-country SIM. Your comment about Gate 1 and Rick Steves makes me curious...

crellston: Thanks so much for all your tips and the link to your packing list. I will use them as guidance and inspiration! I especially appreciate your tip about not bothering with rain gear. I just now researched the average rainfall in February/March for the areas we are visiting, and it is nominal. We are ensuring our vaccinations are up to date.

The Gate1 tour was just five people. The leader was also our guide at sights, but otherwise we were pretty much on our own.