In this post we share a toddler’s packing list for a three-week trip to Southeast Asia.
Trip Details
- 18 hour-long haul flight (nonstop, direct to destination)
- Four “commuter” flights (less than five hours) during the trip
- Carry-on style travel (some of the smaller flights have low weight restrictions where this will not be possible)
- Weather: high 80s, low 90s Fahrenheit (mid-20s-low 30s Celsius); high humidity, occasional rain showers
- 1/2 of the trip will be exploring cities (Singapore, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City)
- 1/4 of the trip will be outdoors (no intensive trekking or hiking)
- 1/4 of the trip will be on the beach
- Accommodation: hotels, villas (with access to laundry services)
- Laundry done once mid-way through the trip
Trip Post Mortem Notes:
- We were traveling with our child, and because we all tend to get grubbier due to kid activities (park, exploration, eating) so we packed an extra outfit for day outings.
- Wash/dry/fold laundry services are inexpensive in most parts of Asia. We utilized them three times during the trip. For this reason, we could have packed half the amount of clothes as we did the wash once per week.
- Having a system for packing the night before a flight was effective in keeping us stress-free and not leaving items behind.
- The weather was humid and we tended to select the clothing items that were lightweight and had breathable material. We avoided clothing items that were denim, synthetic, or clingy.
- Make sure that antibacterial wipes are kept on hand; finding hand washing facilities was tricky.
Gear
[Will be packing items inside of Mom’s gear]
- Mom’s Kelty backpack will hold two packing cubes
- A backpack will hold diapers and wipes
- Travel stroller
- Travel safety vest as a car seat replacement
Gear Post Mortem Notes:
- We are pleased with our choice to bring the Mountain Buggy Nano stroller instead of our usual larger UppaBaby Vista. The smaller stroller allowed us to more easily get in and out of all types of transport — long tail boats, ferries, speed boats, trains, mini buses, taxies, tuk-tuks etc.
- The Venture Pal backpack was a surprise – having the ability to collapse the backpack into itself, its malleable nature – this became our flex “catch-all” bag for day outings.
Long Haul Flight Outfit
[Items noted below are all listed in the clothing section and are NOT in addition to what is packed in the backpack]
- Joggers
- Long sleeve shirt
- Zip up jacket
- Sneakers
- Extra outfit in a ziplock bag – onesie, linen harem pants
- Socks
Toddler Outfit Post Mortem Notes:
- The harem pants again prove to be a success; they provide leg coverage but at lightweight where kiddo can move around, be changed in the plane and feel cozy.
- We swapped sneakers for the sandals (with socks).
Long Haul Flight Busy Bag
- Activity & coloring book
- Crayons
- Blocks, Lego, Magna Tiles or other type of lightweight building materials
- Mini lightweight tape measure
- Play-Doh
Busy Bag Post Mortem Notes:
- While Play-Doh is a timeless toy, we found it rather unpleasant to have on the plane. Kiddo placed the Play-Doh in all the nooks and crannies of the plane, I would hold back the Play-Doh until your arrival.
Long Haul Flight Snacks
- Baby carrots
- Sliced cucumber
- Halved grapes
- Pita bread pockets & hummus
- Fried rice
Long Haul Flight Snacks Mortem Notes:
- As always, keeping prepared snacks for in-flight consumption is a necessary step. The snacks offered by the airline were filled with sugar. Select items that don’t have much of an odor and don’t have too much liquid content.
Clothing
Outerwear
Outwear Post Mortem Notes:
- I would ditch the rain shell. Whenever it started sprinkling (or pouring), we went inside instead of braving it outside.
- The zip up jacket was perfect for in-flight use and chilly mornings.
Tops
Tops Post Mortem Notes:
- I would ditch the onesies and add more dresses.
Bottoms
- 1 pair of joggers
- 2 pair of linen harem pants
- 6 pair of shorts
Bottoms Post Mortem Notes:
- We were pleased with the shorts and pants we selected for the trip. The harem were perfect for travel and the shorts were a no-brainer for the hot, humid days.
Underwear
- Dyper diapers (Non-toxic and are free of chlorine, latex, alcohol, perfumes, PVC, lotions, TBT, parabens, sulphates, & phthalates. They are unprinted, unscented, hypoallergenic, and cruelty-free).
- France free baby wipes
Fragrance free diapers and wipes are difficult to find when traveling. We recommend bringing your own and sacrificing some packing room for the comfort of not worrying about where to find diapers that will not irritate your child’s skin.
Underwear Post Mortem Notes:
- Having our preferred diapers and wipes during these travels was once again a huge relief. So many of the small drugstores that we encountered either carried diapers that had fragrance or the sizing was too small or big.
Beach
- 1 one long sleeve rash guard suit with snaps in underwear area
- 1 rashguard
- 1 swimsuit
Beach Post Mortem Notes:
- The rash guard suit proved helpful during days where the unrelenting sun would have otherwise burned kiddo’s shoulders.
Shoes
- 1 pair waterproof sneakers
- 1 pair waterproof sandals
- 1 pair Teva style sandals
- 5 pairs of socks
Shoes Post Mortem Notes:
- Because it was so hot and humid outside, kiddo had zero interest in wearing socks or closed-toed shoes. The socks were helpful for the long-haul flight where her feet swelled up a bit and she wanted to roam around.
Accessories
Toiletries
- Toothbrush + (mini) toothpaste (purchase full sized when you reach)r
- Sunscreen
- Hair elastics
- Nail clippers
Mosquito bite prevention
- Repellant spray or cream
- Repellant bands
- After-bite itch relief cream
Electronics
- Amazon Fire tablet + charger
Electronics Post Mortem Notes:
- Leave this item behind; it took up space and kiddo barely used it. The world beyond a screen was too exciting!
Miscellaneous
Wet Bag Post Mortem Notes:
- Handy tool for catching all damp items (food, clothes, wipes) that we didn’t want interfering with electronics in our bags.
Identity, Health, Banking & Insurance
- Passport (with applicable visas and six months+ of time before expiration)
- Global Entry card (second form of identification)
- World Nomads travel insurance policy and contact information (used as a secondary insurance beyond coverage at home)
Identity, Health, Banking & Insurance Post Mortem Notes:
- While we didn’t need a second form of identification, we still find it valuable to keep on our person in the event a passport is lost or stolen.
- We never travel without travel insurance; it’s a small price to pay upfront in case of a significant health emergency.