Get your packing list together before you start your trip and stop buying low quality stuff!
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Welcome my dear travelers!
While you may have seen many blog posts about what you should bring with you, I can only shake my head what things some bloggers are promoting! Besides proper travel insurance and credit cards to stay liquid, the next most important is your gear. Especially if you want to travel long term like me digital nomad style, doing working holiday in Australia or a typical backpacker monthly trip in sunny destinations around the world.
In this post I will show you what you really need for your trip to sunny destinations! Everything I tell you I use 100% myself as you will see in the photos as well. So get ready and buy all the things on Amazon before your trip and enjoy travelling much more ;))
1. Carry on backpack, check-in baggage & daily use backpack
Let’s start with the most important, your backpack! While it’s the most obvious backpacker still make the beginner mistake taking a too small backpack, uncomfortable and/or low quality backpack! Moreover you must be able bring your backpack into the airplane! That means keep a close look at the measures! In this way you will save tons of money as one of the most expensive things while booking a short distance flight abroad is the check-in luggage.
1.1 Classic backpackers dilemma: Big backpack VS. suitcase :))
Think about it. When you arrive at your destination in the hostel the first thing you do is it to get rid of the big backpack, get your smaller one and go discover the area. On the way to the hostel you want to be as comfortable as possible and just roll your luggage instead of carrying two backpacks – one in front and one in the back. I know it looks a little bit snobby like your on vacation with a suitcase, but don’t mind what people think about you!
About the way to the hostel. My rule of thumb is that I walk until 1 km. Is the Hostel further away I take a transport like bus, metro, tuktuk etc. if possible.
The advantages are quite clear: You will, sweat much less (It’s usually very hot in sunny destinations), have more space, find things much easier and faster, and it’s much easier to just roll instead of carry heavy backpacks (especially for girls).
The only time it would have been be better of to have a big backpack, was when I had to reach a hostel in Nicaragua in the jungle and walk on very uneven ground upwards (there was no other way). But this situations are very rare!
1.2 Best Carry on backpack for little money
The Inateck 40L backpack is one of the best and cheapest in it’s niche and I use it myself! Therefore I can highly recommend it! You can put tons of stuff inside and it has a laptop store for a a 17” laptop (I always have my 15” laptop with me!). The Inateck backpack got front backs and hidden bags right at the back. Inside you will find many little bags where you can put the stuff you need the most once you open it (umbrella, sleep pillow etc.). Due it it’s measures and flexibility you can bring it into the airplane of any low cost carrier like Ryanair, Spirit Airlines, Air Asia, Tiger Air etc.! Moreover it’s very robust (I’m not known to treat my stuff lightly) have tons of inside bags and includes a rain protection cover as well. It’s definitely one of the best in it’s niche for little money!
I always have at least 12-15kg with me even though 8-10kg is allowed with low cost airlines, but they never check the weight 😉 and due to it’s flexibility unlike carry on suitcases it always fits the demanded measures from the airlines. Bring all your stuff and never pay for check-in luggage again!
1.3 Check in baggage
If you decide to choose a suitcase, I recommend to just use the one you have already! There’s no need to buy a new one! Usually travelers doing working holiday in Australia use suitcases as they stay longer in one place to work in Sydney or Melbourne.
If you decide to travel with a backpack instead. I recommend to use a branded one for example from Deuter. These are well known and proven in the backpacker scene and have tons of pockets inside! Furthermore you will need at least 70L backpack to make sure you can bring all your stuff and things you gonna buy along the way!
Get the one from Deuter, the reviews are incredible and you will get your 70L!
1.4 Light Travel backpacks for daily use
Similar to the suitcase I recommend you to use the backpack you have already! Either it’s an old backpack from Eastpack or any other you use for sports. The most important here is that it should be much lighter and smaller than your carry on backpack (ideally the Inateck backpack) you take with you in the airplane. So just in case you can put the small backpack in the Inateck and your suitcase/bigger backpack by rolling it together or folding it (must be flexible).
If you really want to buy a new one I recommend to go for branded one with side backs, where you can put your sun creams, after sun cream, glasses, mosquito sprays and other stuff in (see my backpack in the picture above!)
1.5 High quality lockers for your backpack and storage case in hostels!
Additionally to your backpack you need appropriate high quality lockers to protect your stuff from thefts!
PRO TIP! Make sure to have different types and sizes, because with too small padlocks you cannot close all storage cases in the hostels! Every hostel has different size of storage. Contrary with too big padlocks you cannot close your backpack because it doesn’t fit in the zipper!
As you can see below, I can only close the storage with the big padlock, contrary the big padlock doesn’t fit to lock my Inateck backpack (usually the big lock doesn’t fit any backpack).
I have at least 3 padlocks myself. One big and two small and different types of locking mechanism (keys and number locks).
2. Stainless steel water bottles + Lemon fruit infuser bottle
No more plastic! Yes guys, help out the environment and finally buy stainless steel or aluminum water bottles for you trip, so you will never again use and refill your water with these disgusting plastic bottles. Myself I always bring two stainless steel water bottles, one bigger (1L) and a smaller one (0.5L) for my travels. I use them in any occasion really: Sport, beach, trip etc. It’s definitely a must have in any packing list! By the way it’s a perfect fit with the Inateck 40L backpack I recommend above ;).
PRO TIP: Also always make sure that your hostel provides free water to refill your stainless steel water bottles. It’s very hot in sunny destinations and I refill my two bottles three times a day! For me It’s one of the most important things choosing a hostel. You will also save tons of money over time! FREE WATER is a must!
The idea is to keep it simple! I use the one in the photo above with no frills! Buy two of them and use it a lifetime! I bought mine 3 years ago in Australia and still use it. The bottles felt down like 1000 times as you can see, but no problem! They never break! Another huge advantage is that you will never experience heated-up water in sunny and hot destinations (due to triple and vaccum insulation). And we love cold water in hot places!
Moreover I also highly recommend a lemon fruit infuser bottle for travelling or home! You can drink fresh lemon water everyday! Open it, squeeze your lemon and enjoy! For extra refreshing taste put it in the fridge!
Besides being refreshing and healthy, it’s a perfect icebreaker as everybody in the hostel or while travelling will ask you about this bottle! Make sure it’s high quality, leak-proof and does have an even cap/lid! Same for the water bottles!
3. Electronical gadgets & devices
Nowadays good quality electronical devices are more important than ever when travelling. Don’t forget to get them before your trip, as in non-western countries they tend to be more expensive.
3.1 Universal international travel adapter
You just can’t miss out on this one! Especially when I was just starting my working holiday in Australia I regretted so much that I didn’t bring with me a high quality travel adopter. I had to buy a cheap one for the short term and they really suck and are very expensive in Australia (between 5-10 Australian Dollars).
I use the international travel adaptor above, which has already USB-C! As said before I don’t treat my stuff light hearted, that means this adapter felt down probably 10 times already and didn’t break in 1000 pieces. Good stuff! Buy one or two and don’t worry anymore about charging your devices abroad!
3.2 Power bank
Of course guys, once you travel into the jungle of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia or when suddenly the electricity stops working, you would wish to have a energy source. I recommend a power bank which loads up your phone at least two times! Usually that means the power bank should have at least 10000mAh, as a smartphone needs around 4000mAh!
The important thing here is you want it to be as light and compact as possible! You you don’t have one already I recommend tANKER powerbank, which already has the relatively new USB-C for faster loading. Moreover it’s on of the slimmest and fastest in it’s niche!
3.3 Power extension cable!
Another problem is when you are at the top of the bunkbed (always ask for the bottom once you are in the hostel!!!!) sometimes the sockets are below or other weird places. Chances are that you charging cable isn’t long enough or just suddenly disconnects from the socket.
That’s why I recommend you alongside the universal adaptor and power bank a at least 3 meter power extension cable! Depending where you are from get one with the local socket form and USB charging slots (newer ones)!
3.4 Universal E-book reader
I know you probably still prefer real books because you can “feel” it, “smell” it and “touch” it. The truth is once you get used to a e-book reader there’s no way back. It’s much more lighter, the quality of reading is like in a real book + you can read in the dark through the integrated light and you can bring all the books in the world!
Definitely get an water and sand proof e-book reader as you want to read at the beach and don’t worry if the e-book reader gets wet.
IMPORTANT: Don’t buy an e-book reader from Kindle, because than you can just use their format. You want to use any formats in your e-book including the most common: PDF, epub and mobi among many others.
4. Thermometer for your medical stuff
Besides your obligatory medical box including Paracetamol, Ibuprufen, anti-diarrheal medicine, prescribed drugs among other drugs you need, I highly recommend to bring an thermometer with you.
There was just so many times when I wished to have one to measure my temperature quickly and decide whether to go to the doctor or not! During this covid-19 pandemic we’ve witnessed dozens of times that our body temperature should be around 36 degrees. Get a cheap thermometer and never doubt again if your hot because of too much sun or real fever.
Just get one in your local pharmacy!
BONUS TIP: Get small little zipper bags to organize your medication properly and find it quickly once you need it. I use these bags to separate literarily everything (basic medications, prescribed drugs (I have thyroid issues), Shampoo and soaps, sunscreens and after sun (have at least three you will need it in sunny destinations!) and other small things you want to bring with you!
5. Light full body rain protection poncho
In sunny destinations closer to the equator like in Mexico, North Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil just to name a few, you distinguish in most regions between dry and wet season instead of 4 different seasons like in Europa. That means every ones in a while it gonna rain very short and strong, if you travel in the raining season. Once it does you would wish you have an full body poncho to protect yourself and your backpack from heavy rain. Get a cheap pack of rain ponchos like this one hear and put it in your backpack ideally from Inateck, to pull it out fast once it started pouring down at you.
