No doubt you’re getting excited about your trip to South East Asia already and there is such a lot to consider. After all the things you need to do, from passport to visa, shots to dollars, perhaps you’re beginning to think about what kind of things you should take. The most important thing to always remember is that you will be able to buy most of the things that you need when you arrive and that they will cost a lot less than if you buy them before you leave. However there are a couple of things that would be useful to take with you backpacking around south east Asia.
Get a really good backpack! One that is made from high quality materials, that is lightweight and with lots of useful pockets to allow you to store different items. You should also ensure it has padded shoulders and is very comfortable to carry. This is the basis of your trip and everything will go in that backpack, so it is not really comfortable it will affect your trip every day. Add to that backpack your own sleeping bag- not because you will be cold, but so that you always have personal sheets that you know are reasonably clean.
A good quality pair of boots can be useful for walking out of the city and will protect your feet, although they are also going to be quite heavy, so if they are not going to be that useful to you just buy flip flops when you arrive; they are what everyone wears. One good thing you can get from home will be a microfiber towel. They are light, rinse out in a sink and dry in a half hour; just buy one that is big enough to wrap around you.
A few light clothes and a couple of bits to start you off will be more than enough to get you going. Now forget about the packing and focus on having a great time! Just forget those hairdryers and hair straighteners – the boho look is in!