Questions on saving space: 1 month in SE Asia with a carry-on.

Travel

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone had tips regarding what to pack vs. what to purchase in SE asia when I have just a carrier on for space. I have spent significant time abroad (mostly Latin America) but I have never bounced from place to place. Ill be spending 2-5 day stints in Vietnam, Cambodia, thailand, and indonesia. Here are the specific questions:

Should I pack toiletrees (shampoo, etc) or just buy it everytime I get to a new location? Most the places I will be staying don't provide it. Would this get too expensive?

Towels. I really don't want to pack a towel. I know there are microfiber/quick drying versions you can get on amazon. Do I purchase one of those, or will a towel be relatively easy to find in stores in an urban area.

Clothes: What have you guys done about clothes in the past? Is it common for hostels in the region to have machines or do you use laundromats? Let me know.

in backpackingby lilpookey

75%

13d

imasonamedici

13d

4 pairs of shorts

1 pair of light long patns for the flight

1 bathing suit

7 t-shirts

one pair of shoes (preferably Keens)

0/1 pair socks

6/7 underwear

1 light windbreaker

1 sarong if you have one, or buy one

NEVER pack a towel. NEVER.

Travel size shampoo/toothpaste/soap

You will find places that wash your clothes for you

wanderdugg

12d

I love my microfiber towel. It barely takes up space and it comes in handy frequently. I can hand wash it in the shower when it gets funky, wring it out and then immediately dry off with it. I’m going with the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy on this one and say never leave home without your towel.

ETA: Otherwise pretty good run-down.

Kananaskis_Country

13d

A carry-on sized travel backpack is definitely the way to go, it's super easy to do in SE Asia with lots of room left over.

I bring 100ml liquid toiletries and a bar of soap. They last a long time. You'll also find that many Asian airports don't care about liquids anymore. Humangear GoToob+ has never let me down.

I've never bothered with a towel.

There's cheap wash & fold laundry services everywhere.

Happy travels.

go_outside99

13d

this is what i packed, im in thailand atm

2 pair of shorts that can get wet and youre comfortable wearing commando

3 pair of underwear (i dont end up wearing these much, they get swampy fast and dont dry as fast as commando shorts)

2 pair long pants (both lightweight, 1 indoor 1 outdoor)

1 lightweight fleece jacket with hood (it can get cold indoors and during flights/buses with all the AC)

5 pairs ankle socks

1 pair shoes

3 t shirts

3 microfiber quickdry towels (L, M and hand towel)

i ended up buying 4 more t shirts here, but could cut back to 4. i think its worth bringing the towels, its nice to have a clean dry towel and its not much more weight. the hand towel is great to wipe sweat during the day. when it rains i just get wet, walk under awnings, or wait indoors. walking around barefoot indoors hasnt been an issue. they keep the floors clean indoors.

laundry: pieces can be washed and spot cleaned in bathroom sinks then hung to dry. or laundry services everywhere for about 100 baht/kg

wanderdugg

12d

I’m currently in Korea with just a carry-on backpack. I’ve streamlined a bit since my Thailand trip. I’m pretty low maintenance and personally have found it fairly easy to get down to that size. If you can, it will save you mountains of hassle and make mobility much easier.

What I have:

-eyemask

-earplugs

-sunscreen - very important but can be bought there

-7 T-shirts (plus the one I’m wearing)

-7 pairs of underwear (plus the one I’m wearing)

-2 pairs of jeans (plus the one I’m wearing) Jeans take up a lot of room, and shorts probably would be much more practical, both in terms of space and SE Asian weather. I personally just don’t see a lot of local people wearing them, so the jeans are kind of my When in Rome philosophy.

-7 pairs of socks (plus the ones I’m wearing)

-microfiber towel (love it. I put it in a ziplock if I have to travel while it’s damp then hang it up when I settle in at the next place)

-small string backpack to use as a day pack (a backpack with a detachable daypack would be cool, but this is working well enough)

-small sewing kit (not needed in a low cost country with cheap tailors)

-meds

-1 pair compression stockings for long flights

-a few squares of emergency toilet paper

-backpack cover

-cash

-backup credit and debit cards

-nail clippers

-windbreaker that can be strapped to the outside if needs be.

-a small bag of peanuts or other snacks

-charging cables

-high capacity battery to charge phone from

-electrical outlet adapter

-earbuds

-goggles for looking at the fishies

-waterproof phone case for taking pictures of the fishies

-a few paper napkins stolen from restaurants

-plastic knife, fork, and spoon

-a stash of ziploc bags

-small bottle of hand sanitizer

-small pack of diarrhea meds

-small bottle of migraine meds

-toiletries (hotel size shampoo and soap, razor, razor cartridges, small mirror, small shaving cream, toothpaste, deodorant, toothbrush,styling gel,floss). My toiletries bag is kind of big but it still fits fine.

-paper clips and binder clips

-umbrella

-plastic poncho

-2 pairs athletic shorts to sleep in

-flip flops 1 pair

-swimsuit

-Shout wipes

-sunglasses

-padlock

-small gifts for my spouse

-(pair of shoes and leather belt that never go in the backpack because I’m wearing them if I’m on the move)

If you like to shop for clothes while traveling (I don’t) then you might take a little less to save room for your purchases.

I’m surprised I have this much stuff with me but as you can see the vast majority of items are small and light. The gifts and jacket make packing a little tricky, but without those I’d have extra room even.

ETA: thanks Reddit for making me have to redo the formatting