Backpacking Thailand? This is the ultimate packing list!
- Janne Paar de Kooper
- Mar 30
- 10 min read
Start your travel right with Revs!
Picture this: you're zooming through the mountains on your motorbike, then getting a beer on the beach while watching the sunset, and finally, indulging in the best street food for dinner. This is the dream that awaits you on your backpacking trip in Thailand. But how on earth do you pack for all these epic adventures without breaking your back when you pick up your backpack? You might be starting to get a bit worried about your packing skills… Fear not! We’ve got your back with our ultimate backpacking list. Follow this packing guide, and you’ll remember everything you need while not bringing your entire closet along for the ride…
Travel gear
Before you start packing, you obviously need something to pack your things into. So let’s start with the best travel gear items that make packing a whole lot easier:
Backpack - Let's kick things off with a good backpack. Which backpack suits you the most, depends a lot on what you want. Are you planning to travel light and take a lot of flights? Save money and your back with a carry-on sized backpack of 40 liters. Do you have plans to go camping? Grab a bigger one to fit all your camping gear. Think about what you want in a backpack and go backpack hunting in real life, so you can try them on. Nothing says “I’m ready for adventure” more than awkwardly trying on backpacks in a store!
Small daypack - A small daypack is not only an essential for day trips, but also as a second piece of luggage. It’s a good way to separate your clothes and everything that goes in your big bag from your electronics, travel documents and stuff you want to use on planes and buses.
Small fanny pack - You will carry a small fanny pack everywhere with you. Whether it’s to hold your phone and important documents while travelling, or just to take everything that you need with you on a night out. This fanny pack is your new best friend. Get a fanny pack that you’re comfortable with using every single day.
Tote bag - Yes we know, another bag… But a tote bag doesn’t take up any space in your backpack, and you will use it. It’s the ideal companion for a beach day, ready to carry your snacks, sunscreen, and that questionable book you promised yourself you’d read. Are you in a place where it cools off at night? A tote is perfect for stashing a sweatshirt!
Carabiners - At some point, you will get tired of using your full force every single day to try and close your backpack, and you will care less and less about how you pack. Enter carabiners! These little metal wonders can clip your shoes, water bottle, or even that questionable sweatshirt you haven’t washed since last Tuesday right onto the outside.
Packing cubes - Packing cubes will not only help organising your stuff, but they will also save you tons of space. Some of them even have a compression system, which makes you fit so much more in your backpack.
Toiletry bag - And of course a toiletry back, to keep your toiletries organised and separated from the rest of your stuff. We recommend a toiletry bag with a hook, so that you can hang it on hooks or doors in showers and bathrooms at hostels.
Important travel documents
Got all your gear? Then it’s time for maybe the most boring, but definitely most important part of this packing list: your travel and important documents. You can’t go anywhere without these, so let’s dive in:
Passport - Can’t get very far without this one.
Printed scans of your passport - You might need this when applying for visas, leaving them as deposit at motorbike rental places or hotels/hostels, hospital visits, etc.
Copy of your visa - Did you get an e-visa before your trip? Make sure to bring a copy of your visa.
Bank cards - Make sure to bring at least one bankcard you can use around the world, but preferably more. You might lose a card on your trip and you don’t want to get stuck without any way to get money out. Pro tip: take multiple cards and always keep them in separate places, so that when you lose your bag/wallet, you’ll don’t lose all your cards at once.
Insurance information - Take your health insurance card or a copy of your proof of insurance with you and keep it with you. If something happens to you, others can find this information and hospitals will know you’re insured.
Vaccination information - Same goes for your proof of vaccination. Keep your vaccination passport or a copy of the vaccinations you’ve had with you, so you can always show this at medical centers.
Any other medical information - Do you take certain medication that you need medical clearance for? Or do you have severe allergies? Let your doctor sign a statement and take this with you.
Extra passport photos - You might need these to apply for visas
Electronics
Now let’s move on to electronics, which are smart to pack in your daypack. If you check in your big bag, it might get thrown around from time to time or - worst case scenario don’t worry! - even get lost. And your electronics are, of course, some of the most important and expensive things that you don’t want to get lost or broken. After all, how are going to take selfies while you're floating down the Pai river during Jungle Tubing? Bring these electronics to Thailand:
Phone - It’s 2025, and if you don’t have a phone, you might as well be living in a cave. Transferring money, booking flights and hostels, finding your way through maps; having a phone makes your life 100 times easier.
Laptop - Are you just travelling around? Then you might not even need a laptop, since you can arrange and book everything through your phone. But are you planning to work or edit photos or videos on a big screen? Then you might want to take it with you.
Kindle - Planning on reading a lot during your trip? Leave the paper books at home! Carrying multiple books will cost you a ton of weight (and space) and throwing them out will probably feel like a waste. So, why not invest in a Kindle? It's like having a whole library in your pocket.
Portable charger - A portable charger is an absolute must when travelling. You will be on long buses and trains and sometimes even multiple day trips without an outlet. Getting stuck somewhere without access to your phone is one of the worst things that can happen in 2025, so make sure you’ll always be reachable by carrying around a portable charger.
Photo/video camera - Planning on taking photos or videos on anything other than your phone? Bring your camera!
Speaker - Can’t live without music? Bring a small speaker! Just remember that blasting your favorite tunes at 3 AM in a dorm is not the best way to make friends though... But if you’re hitting the beach or hanging out with friends, a speaker always comes in handy.
Headphones - Once again, you’ll take some loooong journeys, and we all know those are better when listening to music, so don’t forget your headphones. Protip: pack a second pair of string headphones. They’re perfect for when your fancy Bluetooth ones die mid-flight or to plug into those ancient screens on planes and buses.
Universal adapter - In general, most outlets in Thailand work for multiple types of adapters, but a universal adapter might come in handy to make sure your chargers are plugged in right and to be able to charge multiple devices at once.
Chargers - Make sure to double check if you have a charger for every device and the right (universal) adapter that they fit into.
Other travel essentials
Other essential items to bring to Thailand are:
Microfiber towel - Hostels won’t always provide a towel for you, and even if they do, it’s good to have an extra one for beach/pool days. Microfiber towels are small, light and dry quickly. Ideal for travelling!
Sunglasses - Yes, it will - hopefully - be sunny in Thailand.
Drybag/waterproof phone case - Are you planning on doing activities like Jungle Tubing, boat tours or diving? Bring a waterproof phone case or drybag!
First aid kit - You’ll never know when you’re gonna need this one. Whether it’s to clean up a wound, just for bandages or tweezers; a small first aid kid always comes in handy.
Hair ties - You’ll definitely get sweaty at times and you’re going to want to put your hair up.
Eye mask - Whether it’s for buses or hostel dorms, an eye mask will make your sleep a 100 times better.
Earplugs - Same goes for earplugs, which will block out the sound of loud dormmates, snorers in the bunk above you, or people watching movies next you on the bus.
Reusable water bottle - A reusable water bottle will not only save the environment, but also your wallet! Most hostels have free water refills, so you can fill up your own bottle for free. Pro tip: get a reusable water bottle with a filter, and you can drink tap water anywhere, so you'll never be dependent on whether filtered water is provided.
Sarong/scarf - At a lot of tourist attractions, such as temples and palaces, you have to cover your shoulders and knees out of respect. A sarong is the perfect item for this. You can wear your shorts or sleeveless shirt in hot weather, and just put your sarong on quickly whenever you need to cover up.
Diary - Trust us, you’re going to want to document your travels. You will experience a lot and make so many friends that it’s gonna be hard to remember all of it. Don’t wanna forget a single memory of your trip? Write it all down in a diary!
Pen - Besides using it for your diary, a pen will always come in handy. You’ll be in situations where you need to fill out forms, or simply want to do some puzzles on long flights or buses.
Games - There is no better way to make friends at a hostel than by playing some games. So pack a deck of cards, some dice, ar game of uno or some other small games and you'll make friends in no time!
Toiletries
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Shampoo
Conditioner
Bodywash
Deodorant
Moisturiser
Hairbrush
Hair ties
Nail clippers
Tweezers
Razor
Q tips
Sunscreen
Face wash
Insect repellant
Any make up you want to use
Contact lenses + solution if you use these
Pads/tampons/menstrual cup - If you use tampons, be aware that they’re a lot harder to find in Thailand than most western countries, and they’re a lot more expensive here as well. So make sure to pack loads!
Medication
Paracetamol
ORS
Motion sickness pills
Bandaids
Allergy medication
Clothing
When it comes to clothing, we recommend packing as light as possible. Thailand is hot, which makes it easy to pack lightly. And if you forget anything, no worries! It's cheaper to buy clothes here than ut is to get a coffee back home. You'll find thrift stores and markets that will make you question why you brought any clothes in the first place. Believe us, by the end of your trip, your suitcase will be a lot heavier. We recommend starting your trip with the following essentials:
5-8 tops (mix of sleeveless tops and t-shirts) - Thailand is hot and you will wear these every day. Pack some tops that you’re comfortable in and you like wearing throughout the day as well as at night. Make sure to pack at least 2 comfy oversized shirts as well, you can use these as sleepshirts or for comfort on travel days.
1x Long sleeve linen shirt - This shirt is going to be your best friend. Whether it is to cover up when visiting temples or to quickly put over your swimsuit when going for lunch, a linen long sleeve is light, easy to carry around and protects you from the sun.
1-2 dresses - These will be easy to wear on beach days or wear on a night out when you want to look a bit more cute than just wearing a top and shorts.
1x sweatshirt - Depending on the time of the year, it might cool off at night in some places in Thailand. Besides, buses and trains can get quite cold, so make sure to pack a sweatshirt.
1-2x long linen pants - Long linen pants are the best type of long pants to bring to Thailand. They’re light to pack and not too hot. They’re good to wear to temples and on travel days.
1x sports set (long leggings, biker shorts, sports bra) - Do you like wearing sports leggings as your comfortable pair of pants? Pack these for your travel days, hikes, gym days or even as pyjamas!
4x shorts - You will be in shorts almost every single day. Make sure to pack a couple of different styles that you can combine with the tops you’ve packed.
3-5x swimsuits - You will live in swimsuits, especially on the Thai islands. Make sure to pack a couple so you can mix them up and keep them clean enough.
14x underwear - Depending on how often you plan on doing laundry, make sure to pack enough underwear for every day. You’ll end up wearing multiple pairs on some days as well, so we recommend packing enough for about 2 weeks.
5-7x socks - Depending on how often you like to wear sneakers, pack enough socks to last you from laundry to laundry trip.
1x raincoat - Of course we all hope that you’re not gonna need this one, but pack a raincoat! Thailand has a tropical climate, which means heavy rain can come out of nowhere from time to time. Be prepared and bring a raincoat!
Shoes
When it comes to shoes, we recommend bringing 3 pairs for different occasions:
1x pair of sneakers - Wear a pair of sneakers on your flight over to Thailand so that you don’t have to try and fit them in your backpack. Sneakers will come in handy for long hikes and travel days.
1x pair of sandals - Bring a good, comfortable pair of sandals like Tevas. These will be good for shorter hikes, waterfalls and day-to-day wear.
1x pair of flip flops/slides - A light, plastic pair of flip flops or slides to use as shower shoes and wear on beach days or around hostels is an absolute must.
And that’s all you need for your backpacking trip to Thailand! Easy right? And remember: if you don't already own everything on this list or if youforget something, it’s a hundred times cheaper to buy most of these things once you get to Thailand. So, do yourself a favor—don’t stuff your backpack completely full in advance. You’ll end up coming home with a whole new wardrobe that will forever remind you of the adventure of your lifetime!
More travel tips for your Thailand backpacking trip?
So now you know what to bring, but before you set off on your Thailand backpacking adventure, there's a few more things to sort out. Need tips on what to prepare, arrange and how to plan your route? Check out our guide to everything you need to know before your backpack trip to Thailand!
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