If you don’t have a lot of experience when traveling and in particular SE Asia then this blog is designed to make your packing a little bit easier. I will go over the 10 items I always travel with when going to any country in SE Asia and in particular The Philippines.
Carry On Only – You Will Be Glad You Did!
The first trip I made to the Philippines was to Davao and I remember I had one big piece of luggage and a laptop bag. The extra money spent on checking luggage and lugging around a big piece of luggage all over just wasn’t worth it. I quickly realized that laundry shops are all over The Philippines and it is so inexpensive to drop off a load of laundry in the morning and pick up that afternoon. I find that between my carry on luggage and a hand held bag like a laptop bag or sling bag I can carry all I need for any length of trip. You can purchase any items you might run out of or need in the Philippines and clothes can be very inexpensive. Bottom line Keep it light! So with that let’s get to the 10 must have items.
Item #1 – A Security Bag
I have found this to be my favorite item and most important item that I have purchased and It is essential for every trip I go on now. Now you can buy a smaller sling bag that is just used for carrying your wallet, phone, passport and money or You can buy a full backpack and carry on size to carry everything you need on your trip. The great thing is these are good for deterring thieves and they are extremely durable. I actually have two, one sling bag and one backpack. You can even secure your items and lock it to the bedpost or a chair in your hotel room since not all hotels have a safe. You can get yourself one of the recommended bags from my Amazon store HERE
Item #2 – Water Shoes & A Water Bag
The Philippines is comprised of over 7,000 islands and on those islands are some amazing waterfalls. I have found one of the most useful things when heading to the beach, island hopping, snorkeling or checking out a waterfall are water shoes and a water bag. I have went through quite a few of water shoes and water bags that didn’t hold up really well and the ones I recommend can be found HERE
Item #3 – Comfortable Shoes For Walking
When you come to the Philippines you will see most Filipinos sporting what they call slippers which we tend to call flip flops or sandals. I find that these are ok for the beach but in general a great pair of walking shoes is a must. The ones I have had great luck with are the brand Merrell and the ones I recommend can be found HERE
Item #4 – Hot Weather Clothing
It took me a while to figure this out but eventually I figured out that the best clothing was moisture wicking clothing. Everything I own now from my socks, underwear to my shorts and shirts is moisture wicking clothing and there are a lot of options out there but trust me you will be so much more comfortable out here in the Philippines if you stick to this type of clothing. My recommended list can be found HERE
Item #5 – Electronic Gadgets
Here are some items that I think are really great for traveling in general and being out in the Philippines. I travel with these wherever I go. A universal travel adapter, firestick for entertainment and other items I highly recommend can be found HERE
The other thing I recommend for travel is a VPN, many websites can’t be accessed here and for safety to protect yourself while using public WIFI I recommend a VPN The one I recommend can be found below and is probably the best deal around and the VPN I personally use myself.
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