Packing for three weeks in Thailand in October

xoxyx

Hey all

I'm heading to Thailand in October for three weeks. We're going to be doing a fair bit of travel in the north and south, so we won't really have a base and will have to carry all our stuff with us a lot of the time.

I'm a crap packer, but I'm trying to be sensible in this, but I know I'll have to bring shorts/skirts/light tops, maybe one pair of jeans, waterproof rainjacket, two heavy jumpers / jackets?. I probably need my hiking boots, 'cause we are doing a bit of jungle trekking, but they are heavy feckers. I have really comfy flip flops, but will probably need something more durable, which I'm assuming I can buy over there 'cause we'll be doing a lot of walking - can anybody recommend anything?

I always tend to pack way too much (just in case), so I was wondering if anybody could recommend the essentials. I don't want to be carrying around a whole pile of heavy stuff for no reason.

Also, what litre / size backpack would you recommend? I have a weight restriction of 23kg, which should be more than enough on the way over (although, I already have a load of orders of things to bring back!)

Would really appreciate any advice. Particularly if I'll need warm clothes.

Thanks!!

Tipperary animal lover

Bring as little as possible, the jeans you'll be wearing will do no more, a poncho no need for jackets, a good pair of boots and heavy stockings for hiking, bring one hoody for evening in the hills in case it gets cool, it's rainy season but still hot you might get a heavy shower for half hour or two+ hours, Youll be in flip flops al the time, you can buy Everything over there all toiletries cheap light tops shorts, a small backpack will do as you'll be doing a lot of travelling in three weeks no need to be dragging round a big bag. Enjoy your trip.

Stinicker

If you doing the treks up North then Mosquito repellent is a must and malarial tablets too. Bring a small torch for light as you will probably be staying in huts over night with no electricity, or at least that was how I did it. As for Jungle trekking, it is less Robinson Crusoe and more just walking paths up hills and down valleys, I actually hated the trek as I am too unfit and with the heat it was hard going, however the social aspect of it was class and I met alot of other travelers and we helped each other out, exchanged stories etc.

A good pair of durable sneakers would substitute for the heavy boots if you wished. Shorts and T-shirts will be the main clothing but also laundry is on every 2nd street corner and very cheap so you can get them washed and dried, and with the heat and humidity doing laundry is almost inevitable in Thailand unless you have a small trunk of clothes packed or are only staying a few days.

dearg lady

I never carry more than about 11-12 kilograms if I'm goin 'backpacking' I think I have a 60 litre backpack, which is too big really, but it's nice if I want to do some shopping over there. I doubt you'll need jeans, and just one hoody/cardi. How far north are you going? Just bring 1 pair of flip flops, if they fall apart, buy some more! Few pairs of shorts, tops, undies. You can get laundry done over there or rinse out a few bits. Bring small bottles of toiletries, and I would second what Stinicker said, bring mosquito repellant with you! It's grand to buy over there but if you're the type to get bitten you'll need it almost immediately you get off the plane!

xoxyx

Thanks for all the advice! I'm definitely reassured. I just can't get my head around the fact that it won't be freezing at night (a lifetime in Ireland has messed with my mind!).

We're heading up to Chaing Mai initially for our northern trip, and then back south after a week for the Full Moon party. We're doing the islands after that, so, it's really the first week that I need to think about packing for. I've had all my vaccinations, but wasn't planning on taking the Malaria tablets 'cause I've heard they can have pretty bad side effects, and I don't generally get bitten. I don't know if I'm being stupid with that though. I tend to have strong reactions to any tablets (one Disprin gets me high (cheap date )), so I'm worried about having a bad reaction taking the Malaria tabs. Will cover myself in the repellent though.

The torch is a really good idea - I wouldn't have thought of that.

So, would you think a good pair of runners will do instead of hiking boots? I was thinking the hiking boots 'cause they're waterproof, but I would much rather not be carrying them around with me if I didn't need them. Could you hike in good sandals even?

Sorry for all the questions! I just want to make sure I do this right so I can have the best time over there.

dearg lady

xoxyx wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice! I'm definitely reassured. I just can't get my head around the fact that it won't be freezing at night (a lifetime in Ireland has messed with my mind!).

Ha, yeah, it's hard to believe! The only time I've had to wear more than a t shirt in Thailand was in Pai at night, I've been ok in Chiaing Mai, but I've not been in Oct, so not sure if it gets colder.

xoxyx wrote: »

We're heading up to Chaing Mai initially for our northern trip, and then back south after a week for the Full Moon party. We're doing the islands after that, so, it's really the first week that I need to think about packing for. I've had all my vaccinations, but wasn't planning on taking the Malaria tablets 'cause I've heard they can have pretty bad side effects, and I don't generally get bitten. I don't know if I'm being stupid with that though. I tend to have strong reactions to any tablets (one Disprin gets me high (cheap date )), so I'm worried about having a bad reaction taking the Malaria tabs. Will cover myself in the repellent though.

A lot of people don't bother with malaria tablets at all. I started taking them when I arrived but had to stop as I was getting so badly burnt. If you're going on a jungle trek tho, it might be a good idea.

xoxyx wrote: »

So, would you think a good pair of runners will do instead of hiking boots? I was thinking the hiking boots 'cause they're waterproof, but I would much rather not be carrying them around with me if I didn't need them. Could you hike in good sandals even?

I brought hiking sandals which were grand, since we only hiked around fairly open areas, paddy fields and such. In the forest, I dunno, hiking boots might be better to keep keep creep crawlies away? I'm really not sure

Stinicker

Hiking in Sandals is a bad idea and but sturdy sneakers would be fine, I had a cheap pair of runners from Dunnes Stores which had almost disentegrated by the end of the trek and left them behind in the hotel in Chiang Mai after the trek. You can get those shoe-boots sort of thing with grippy soles which would be ideal and sturdy. Some people on my trek last year had doc martens but it was overkill.

I went on a two days 1 night trek north of Chiang Mai, we were collected in the morning at our hotels/hostels and the group of random tourists taken to see a village of the long neck Burmese people whose necks are lengthened by adding gold hoops. Afterwards we went to this pretty lame butterfly place and then we began the trek in the afternoon which lasted 4 or 5 hours of walking up hills and down valleys and through jungle put on paths, we went into underground caves also and later that evening ended up back at camp, the thais made a goulash of thai food, currys and rice etc. but it didn't appetize me too much. Then around 8 or 9 of us slept under mosquito nets in a bamboo hut with blankets which were provided. I got eaten alive by mosquitos that night and didn't sleep a wink, I discovered in the morning that the mozzies had come up through the liberally spaced bamboo boards which formed the floor structure.

The following we were driven to go on elephant back and also afterwards we went rafting down a river and then white water rafting which was the best fun! Conditions weren't 5 class but those two days were the overall highlight of my trip to Thailand last year and I really enjoyed that part of the trip.

Also not knowing what to expect we all bought like 8 litres of water each which was a total pain to haul in the heat, but what was hillarious was when we got to camp we found their little kids running a tuck shop, with chocolates, beer, crisps, water, cokes etc. and there were we hauling a ton of water for nothing over a massive mountain like eejits! Mind you I had half it drank in the heat and the other half nearly spilled over my head!