What To Pack As A Woman Traveling To South East Asia? I’ve been meaning to do this    post for quite some time now. Right now I’m in Malaysia, which makes this my 3rd time to SEA, and I’ve faced a couple of difficulties that finally gave the the motivation to write this post… So I can hopefully help you prepare better for your up and coming trip to this amazing part of the world!

For me, I have FIVE items I always pack as a woman traveling to South East Asia. I call these  the   Fundamental Five. Here they are:

My Fundamental FIVE: What To Pack As A Woman Traveling To South East Asia

#1 Tampons

Yep I said the ’T’ word. If you’re like me and haven’t jumped on the Diva Cup band wagon, nor have any sort of ‘period halting’ device, then tampons are probably your go-to. They’re like your best friends that you see for a week of every month…However, they’re pretty damn tough to find in certain countries of SEA. Especially the applicator ones (which are the more hygienic option when traveling). I found Thailand to be a bit of a nightmare and couldn’t seem to find tampons anywhere! So this time round before heading to Malaysia, I was sure to pack enough for my trip. I suggest you do the same just to give you peace of mind.

Oh as an extra, pack along some liners as well- they’ll help keep your knickers fresh. Sometimes it’s hard to keep on top of your laundry when traveling, so using liners can stretch out your usage a little longer if need be haha!

#2 Toilet Paper/Tissues

Ever come across a squat toilet with a hose? Yeah… it’s all a part of the fun that is travel! But seriously, how do you use a hose!? And how do you use it without getting water all over yourself?? I’ve never used a hose before. I just opt for the drip dry method if toilet paper isn’t provided. So to avoid either of those situations, pack those little tissue packets with you and always carry one in your handbag/day bag.

#3 Hand Sanitizer

Since we seem to be on the topic of bathroom stuff, I recommend to pack hand sanitiser with you. Because as well as there sometimes not being any toilet paper, there might not actually be a tap to wash your hands either! Or sometimes there is a tap, but it just doesn’t work. Because, well, that would just be too easy for you 😉 In these cases, hand sanitizer is key!

#4 Long Skirt/ Sarong / Scarf

There will no doubt be countless temples and religious sites you want to explore while traveling through South East Asia. And as a visitor to these countries, you owe it to the locals to respect their traditions and rules. That means that when you enter most of these temples, you will need to have your legs covered up (at least to the knee), and sometimes you will also need to cover your shoulders. When I am out sightseeing, I always carry a sarong with me incase we come across a temple. Or I’ll wear a long flowy skirt… Remember it gets damn hot in SEA so jeans will be a bad choice. Hence why light skirts or sarongs to go over top of shorts are a good option.

#5 Face Cloth

You know when you have makeup on and then you’re outside all day in 30 something degree (celsius) heat and all you want to do is go get a face cloth and wash your face? Even if you don’t wear make up, you just want to wipe your face clean… You’ll want to pack your own face cloth then as a lot of accommodations don’t provide a face cloth for you. I’ve forgotten mine this time round… BIG MISTAKE- Malaysia is so hot and humid!

Those were my top 5 things to pack as a woman traveling South East Asia! Be sure to let me know of any of your ‘must packs’ in the comments below 🙂

Save this post by pinning the image below!