A Perfect Year Abroad: What I Wish I Knew
With little prep work and a lot of bravery (or lack of thinking), I quit my job, packed my bags and had a one-way booked for Asia just two weeks later. I had no return date and no real plan, but honestly - this trip was my greatest decision yet. Having spent a year traveling a number of countries in Southeast Asia, I learned a thing or two about backpacking and solo female travel. Here’s a few tips I wish I had known!
Clothing
Most ladies biggest concern! With just a backpack to your name, what you choose to put in it can make a huge difference. So here goes:
Dresses - I didn't bring any maxi dresses with me on my first trip abroad and I sure wish I had. On days where appearances don’t matter or you can’t be bothered to open up your pack again, it’s nice to have something to throw on. Pro tip - we often forget maxi dresses are easy to layer! Throw a shirt on over top or add a belt around the waist and pull it up a bit to change the length. Even better, bring a scarf and use it as your go-to temple look. Holy places require ankles and shoulders to be covered!
Underwear - Bring more than you think and save the pretty options for another trip. If you’re not familiar, most of Asia offers the same laundry system. Little hole in the wall laundry services are offered on nearly every corner of big cities. While practical and priced per kilo making it very affordable, the service isn’t entirely foolproof. Often times, things go missing or delicate clothing returns with holes and tears. Especially lacey items! So skip the delicates and pack with the idea of losing a pair of two in the process.
Another great trip - pack a laundry bar! If you do require some delicates, or like the ease in being able to spot clean whenever needed, the bar proved to be incredibly useful!
White Clothes - I was told to avoid white due to the above reasons - the laundry system isn’t always reliable and clothing may come back stained. I expected my clothes to grow dim quickly, but still opted for a primarily white and neutral color scheme to ensure optimal outfit combinations. I have to say - I am so happy I did! I never had issue with my whites losing their brightness and even found a man on Koh Tao that returned them whiter than when I purchased them! White t-shirts and crop tops along with some loose white cotton trousers were my lifesavers. It helped with the intense heat and ensured everything I owned could be updated for multiple looks.
Jeans - Unless you truly love your jeans, I’d say pass. This was a tough choice for me, as I couldn’t dream of not having such a staple. Plus, they match everything! This may be true, but they’re also bulky and tend to keep you pretty warm. With mostly beach and jungle environments, you probably won’t get as much use out of them as you anticipated.
Swimsuits - PACK THEM! I knew Thailand island hopping and Bali waterfall exploring were on the schedule, but I didn’t plan for a ton of hostels offering pools. Despite not being much of a pool person, my ways quickly changed as I learned it was the easiest option to make friends. Learn from me - I was in a swimsuit for more often than I anticipated and regret only packing one bikini. Especially considering they take up little space!
Exercise Clothing - One good thing to have as you’ll be off adventuring far more often than your daily life allows is a good pair of sneakers, biker shorts and a sweat-wicking top or sports bra. I thought I could get away with a pair of cotton shorts and camisole for outdoor experiences but I definitely felt out of place in cutesy clothes while hiking a mountain.
Toiletries
Carrying liquids is not ideal, especially if you plan on using flights (I typically stuck with land travel, but did need a domestic flight in Vietnam and another to get to Bali!). With just carry on luggage, it’s not fun trying to rely on travel sized shampoos which would need to be replaced constantly. Below is a list of things that can pack instead of the more normalized liquid version. These ended up being perfect options for backpacking!
Shampoo and Conditioner Bars - WOW do I love these as a concept, I've always used liquid options but these bars lather just the same and leave you feeling clean. I purchased mine from Lush just before I left and they lasted by entire trip. So worth the price!
Toothy tabs - Another purchase from Lush but I’m sure you can buy them easily on Amazon, these tabs replace traditional toothpaste and mouthwash. I’ll be honest and say the mouthwash tabs weren’t as great as the normal liquid version but did a well enough job. The toothpaste alternative left me feeling just as clean as paste does!
Bar soap - I’m usually a fan of body wash, but carrying four bars didn’t take up much space and I didn’t need to worry about soap my entire trip!
Baggage
I was terrified of bringing just a carry-on backpack with me for such a long trip, but I primarily did it to avoid baggage fees during flight transport. That being said, most of my trip ended up being done via land crossing (and if you’re doing the standard backpacker trail, yours will be too!) With that in mind, I would consider the bigger backpack option. This size is what most people had, and the added space for a few more clothing options seemed nice. I would consider it primarily for the potential in carrying a DSLR with me. But overall, I don’t have any real regrets. People were definitely jealous of me when we were walking to hostels to save money, and I still had enough clothing to get me through the year. All in all, the 40L and 70L are both solid options, just think carefully with how much of a minimalist you are and how often you’ll be moving around.
Transportation
Scooters - Plan on learning how to ride a scooter. I can’t even ride a bike, so I didn’t truly attempt this feat. Walking is manageable, but is definitely not ideal and there are some places where it is actually very unsafe (IE Bali!) I did attempt to learn in my last few weeks and crashed. It won’t be easy, but my biggest regret is not trying to learn before I left. A few cuts and bruises would have been worth it if I could get myself around. A year relying on other people for something as basic as transportation is not fun.
Night buses - Don’t be scared of the phrase night bus, it was actually one of my favorite experiences! When traveling Asia, buses are cheap and safe. It’s very exciting when you wake up in a brand new city! Be smart and keep your items close by, but don’t be alarmed with the concept.
The list of what I learned while traveling is endless, but these were the biggest things I wish I had known. At the end of the day, everyone is different and you learn your own personal needs versus wants pretty quickly. Let me know if you’re considering solo backpacking and what you’re most nervous about!