The Southeast Asia packing list that fits in a carry-on

Can you do Southeast Asia with only a carry-on?

Yes. Pack five or six days of clothes and do laundry on the way. Laundry services in Thailand, Bali and Vietnam typically charge by the kilo and return your clothes washed and folded the next day, so you never need more than a week of outfits, even on a three-week trip.

The other reason to go light is the weather. It's hot and humid almost everywhere, so you'll sweat through outfits fast, and clothes dry slowly in a bag. A smaller wardrobe of the right fabrics beats a bigger one of the wrong ones.

• Check your cabin limit. Budget carriers in the region are often strict about cabin weight, around 7 kg on many fares, and charge for anything extra. Look at your airline's rules before you leave.
• Keep liquids under 100 ml in your cabin bag, or decant them into small bottles.
• Leave a third of the space empty. You'll buy things.

What clothes and shoes should you pack?

Think light, loose and quick-dry. Linen, rayon and synthetic travel fabrics beat heavy cotton, and loose cuts are cooler and cover you at temples without a second outfit.

Shoes

• Sandals you can walk in all day. You'll take them off at every temple and homestay.
• Light sneakers for hikes, markets and long days on your feet.
• Skip heels and heavy boots. You'll be walking on uneven pavements and wet steps.

What documents and money do you need?

Passport, visa or approval, booking proof and insurance, plus a mix of cash and cards. Keep digital and paper copies somewhere other than your passport.

• Passport with at least six months of validity and blank pages. Many countries insist on this, so check the rule for yours.
• Visa or entry approval. Rules for Indian passport holders change often, so confirm the latest on the official government site or with your airline before you book.
• Printed bookings: flights, first-night hotel and any onward ticket the airline may ask for.
• Travel insurance details. If you plan to rent a scooter, check the policy: many insurers won't cover accidents without the right licence.
• Cash and cards. Carry a little local cash for markets and street food, and use a forex card or a card with low foreign-transaction fees for the rest. Our guides to Thailand and Bali include budgets in rupees.
• A few passport photos, in case a visa on arrival needs them.

What health items and toiletries should you bring?

Pack a small first-aid kit, sunscreen, insect repellent and any prescription medicines in their original packaging. Pharmacies are everywhere, but your usual brand may not be.

• Prescriptions in the original packaging with a doctor's note. Some strong painkillers and sedatives are restricted in these countries, so check before you carry them.
• Basic kit: paracetamol, anti-diarrhoea tablets, oral rehydration salts, antiseptic cream, plasters and any allergy medicine.
• Insect repellent with DEET. Mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue occur in the region, so cover up around dusk and dawn.
• Sunscreen: bring a tube. It's sold everywhere, but your preferred brand may not be.
• Hand sanitiser and tissues. Public toilets often have no soap or paper.

What tech and power gear do you need?

A phone, a power bank, a universal adapter and a waterproof pouch cover nearly everything. Mains voltage in Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam is around 220 to 230 volts, so your Indian chargers work without a converter.

• Universal adapter. Two-round-pin plugs fit most sockets, but an adapter removes the guesswork.
• Power bank in your cabin bag. Lithium batteries aren't allowed in checked luggage.
• Waterproof phone pouch for boat trips, waterfalls and rain.
• Offline maps and a local eSIM. Download maps before you fly. Ask your airline or a trusted provider about eSIM options rather than paying roaming rates.
• Keep your itinerary and photos in one shared place. Lumi in Tripbae can build the itinerary, and the shared album means nobody has to chase photos after the trip.

What should you buy there instead of packing?

Anything bulky, cheap or easy to replace. Southeast Asia's markets and shopping malls cover most of the basics for a few hundred rupees.

• Sarongs and light shirts at the markets. They're souvenirs and packing in one.
• Toiletries in the big supermarkets and 7-Eleven-style convenience stores, which are on nearly every street.
• Rain ponchos from any corner store when it starts pouring.
• Sandals if yours break. Local markets sell them cheaply.
• Laundry. Dropping a bag off beats carrying a second week of clothes.

What should you leave at home?

How do you pack for a group trip?

Share the things only one person needs to carry. One first-aid kit, one speaker, one power strip and one laundry bag between four friends saves several kilos and an argument at the airport.

• Post a shared list in the group chat before packing and assign each item to one person.
• Agree who carries any shared kit, so the same person isn't always the pack mule.
• Check each other's cabin limits. One overweight bag can cost the whole group time at check-in.
• Log shared purchases, like a group first-aid kit or a speaker, in your expense app so they split fairly. Our guide to splitting trip expenses with friends shows how.

Still deciding the trip itself? Start with how to plan a group trip with friends.

The Southeast Asia packing checklist

Tick these off as you pack. Your progress isn't saved, so screenshot the finished list if you want to keep it.

Frequently asked questions