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As I was reflecting on all of the crazy and amazing things that happened in 2025, I realized just how much I was able to travel this year. My 2025 trip with my fiance-turned-husband to Vietnam and Thailand just before our wedding was absolutely incredible. As I thought about my last few years’ worth of travel plans, I realized that I’m so incredibly lucky to say that this has been my third trip to Asia in five years.
My first trip in 2020 to Thailand was squeezed in just before the world shut down for Covid. My second time to Asia, we went to Japan and Taiwan. Then, in 2025, we went back to Thailand for a wedding, and snuck in a trip to Vietnam before.
Realizing that I’ve been able to do this has been kind of a pinch-me moment. As a kid, the most traveling I ever did was up and down I-75 through Kentucky, Tennessee and sometimes Georgia. I craved seeing how other people in different corners of the world lived. All I wanted was to travel the world and write about my thoughts and experiences.
Maybe dreams do come true.
But before I start waxing poetic, I wanted to share with you a few of the things that have made trips to this corner of the world easier. I’ve curated a collection of things that are pretty much the first things in my bag for trips to Asia.
Your exact packing list will look very different if you’re hitting the streets of Tokyo, Kyoto or Seoul than it will if you’re heading for the Phi Phi Islands, Railay Beach or Koh Samui, but there are some things that crossover.
Here’s my list of the essentials.
My essential packing list for Asia travel
- A phone data plan from Ubigi
- Local currency
- The right bag
- Printed visas, if required
An e-sim phone data plan from Ubigi
We never buy international data from our U.S. based phone plan — the cost is usually pretty high. Instead, we love using Ubigi for affordable, temporary data plans for traveling.
Before we left the states, we both bought the 3 GB Best Asia plan for $14 for this trip. It gave us up to 30 days to use the data, and we found that this was the perfect amount for our phone usage during our entire 12 day trip.
Ubigi’s Best Asia plan works in Thailand as well as about 14 other countries, so it was a perfect fit for our itinerary.
We previously bought the Best Asia Ubigi plan for travel to Taiwan and Japan in 2024 and loved it. As long as your phone has an e-sim capability (even my trusty old iPhone 12 Pro has it!), you can switch plans in just a few minutes. You simply turn off your U.S.-based plan when you land and turn the Ubigi plan on in your phone settings. By the time your plane taxis to the gate, you’ve got service. We really love this, and it’s so much more affordable than our normal phone plan would be for international service.
Local currency
Getting cash in advance serves two purposes. Firstly, when you get there, you’re ready to buy train tickets, tip a driver or grab a snack without having to worry about an exchange rate after a long flight. Secondly, we use cash as a way to budget when we’re traveling.
Since our 2024 trip to Taiwan and Japan, we’ve been getting cash in advance using AAA‘s Foreign Currency service. Since I already have a AAA membership, it’s pretty easy. And, you can order cash completely online and get it delivered to your door in a few days. (Note that there is a $100 minimum and $2,999 maximum, but that should be enough for most people).
I can’t recommend this service enough if you’re a AAA member. If you’re not and you travel frequently (or have a car in the States!) it could be worth joining. We’ve now ordered Thai Baht, Vietnamese Dong, New Taiwanese Dollars, and Japanese Yen from this service.
The right bag
If you’re planning to take an inter-Asia flight, you’ll find out quickly that overhead baggage limits are a bit smaller than what we’re used to in the US or Europe. It may also be cheaper to check the bag than it is to carry it on with some budget Asian airlines.
Because of this, having a bag that can be checked on inter-Asia flights while still being a carry-on for long-hauls is perfect.
Opt for a backpack vs. a rolling suitcase
I never pack a “real” suitcase when visiting SEA. To me, traveling means hopping on and off trains, taking stairs to and from train stations, and lots of walking around cities. A backpack format makes this so much easier.
That said, my 55-liter Patagonia Black Hole is pretty much my go-to.
It looks like a duffel, but also has removable backpack straps that make it super easy to carry. These backpack straps can be taken off. I also like the fact that it’s not structured, so it can be easily crammed into tiny trunks or overhead bins.
I’ve had mine for about 5 years and used it countless times and it’s held up extraordinarily well, so I can’t recommend it enough.
Packing cubes
If you’re going the route of the Black Hole, however, you’ll want to be warned that its name is apt. I did one trip with this bag before I realized packing cubes were essential for this bag.
I’ve had my eye on some from Baggu for a while: they’re so cute and in my experience their material washes well and lasts forever. I’ve also been lusting after this dopp kit in an adorable orange tree print. I also think their small cosmetic case would be so ideal for the little bit of makeup I do pack for trips.
I already have a few from Calpak that I really like. I found this 5 piece set at T.J. Maxx in the States and have been using it for a while! The zippers have been sturdy and the mesh is perfect for seeing what’s inside.
Bring the right clothing
Across every country I’ve been to in Asia, people tend to dress very modestly. Even in Southeast Asia where temperatures can be quite high this is true. When I visit, I really strive to respect that, even when I’m not quite as used to the heat as the locals.
To me, one of the keys for packing clothing for Asia is to strike a balance between comfortable, cool and classy.
I have a few things I pack for every trip:
A lightweight cardigan
If you’re planning on visiting temples (and you should!) bring a lightweight cardigan. If you’re female, you’ll need to wear long sleeves to enter. A lightweight cardigan like this one from Quince is an excellent solution. Plus, it’s good for layering when you need some extra warmth. You could also opt for a wrap like this cotton cashmere one, which is the same fabric as my cardigan, but less structured.
A button-down shirt (or two!)
When visiting Southeast Asia, I love bringing a few button down shirts. These are so versatile. An oversized one is great to throw over swimsuit if you’re heading to or from a beach. Or, pop it in your bag to throw on before entering a temple. Running low on clean shirts? Button it up and roll up the sleeves. It’s smart but not overly dressy. A cotton poplin or linen blend is perfect — I’ve loved one like this in the past.
Long dresses
Similarly, both men and women need to wear bottoms that cover your knees to visit temples.
That’s never been an issue for me — I love wearing long dresses in SEA. Typically, I pop on a pair of bike shorts underneath for a little bit of extra comfort.
Wearing a dress makes mornings 100 times easier. This dress also from Quince is one of my favorites for its midi length (i.e. past knee length), and the tencel material is really breathable. I have another similar one from Aritzia that I packed on my last trip, but I only used it for putzing around resorts — the slit at about knee-height would have been not good for temple visits.
I also love linen for SEA trips — I think this dress would be perfect with a cardigan for a temple visiting day. I would totally pick this up for my next trip!
Skirts
Midi and maxi skirts are a staple for me too when I’m visiting this part of the world. They’re cool, modest enough for temples and also cute for photos. Once again, I wear bike shorts underneath.
I think this is adorable and I would totally pick this up before our next trip. A gauzy cotton skirt would also be fantastic!
Printed visas, if required
If you’re heading to another country, you should always check any visas or other entry requirements after booking a flight.
We had to get visas to enter Vietnam, and we should have started the process earlier than we did. Nevertheless, we got what we needed, but I was a bit stressed about it.
If you’re heading to Vietnam, specifically, make sure you apply for your visa as soon as you book your flight. For other countries, look up the visa requirements shortly after, too. You don’t want to be stressing about visas the night before your trip like I was!
Once you’ve got it in hand, print it out, too. It’s just so much easier than relying on an email on your phone. I printed ours at an airport lounge in Taiwan, but I don’t recommend this.
Get your visas, print them out, and your life will be so much easier.
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