Thailand Packing List: What To Pack For Thailand In 2020

A few things you need to know about Thailand

Before you really know what to pack for Thailand, you need to consider a few important things.

These are ...

1. Religion in Thailand

The dominant religion in Thailand is Buddhism. Which is great because the Buddhist temples across Thailand are some of the very best things to see! 

In fact, I even had my own Sak Yant done at a temple just outside Bangkok which was a truly unforgettable experience (literally, because I now have a permanent tattoo to remember it!)

But why is this important?

Well, Buddhist traditions and beliefs are a lot more reserved than those in most western countries.

So if you plan on visiting temples and other religious sites, then you need to be respectful and cover up.

For us, Cazzy took a light long dress and a shawl to Thailand which she then used to cover up her shoulders and legs without getting too hot.

For guys, you’ll also need to slip something over your legs when visiting temples; and it’s best to put on a t-shirt instead of just a vest top.

When you’re on popular tourist beaches, you are typically okay with what you would wear back home.

2. Geography of Thailand

Thailand is actually pretty darn big!

As a very (VERY) rough rule of thumb, the most northern towns and cities, like Chiang Rai, Pai and Chiang Mai, are a bit cooler as they are higher up in the mountains.

Then, the islands in the south of Thailand tend to be a little hotter.

However, this is not to say that it’s cold up north; in fact at all times of the year you can expect average daily temperatures in the high 20’s and low 30’s.

So, if you plan on visiting some of the towns and cities located up in the mountains, then you will want to take with you some slightly warmer weather clothes for the nighttime and early mornings.

However, if you plan on spending much of your time in the south, in the hottest part of the year, relaxing on beaches and drinking cocktails, then you needn’t bother!

3. Seasons in Thailand

Nowhere in the country experiences “winters” as we in the UK might know them.

Instead, they experience a tropical climate which means heavy rainfall and monsoons rip through different parts of the country at different parts of the year.

I don’t know enough about all of the different climates in the various parts of Thailand, so instead here’s a couple of really useful links that should help you with understanding what the weather will be like in the areas you plan to visit:

• Seasons In Thailand
• Weather In Thailand

Choosing the right bag for Thailand

Before you even get started packing for Thailand, you first need to know what bags you plan to take with you.

This is important if you are backpacking, not just Thailand, but also other countries through Southeast Asia.

Choosing a larger backpack

The most common issue we see is other backpackers taking bags that are far too big for them.

It’s no use taking a big 70 litre bag with you, because then you end up packing it full of a whole bunch of unnecessary things that will just weigh you down and cause you to pay more on luggage fees.

Below I’ll show you mine and Cazzy’s top recommendations when backpacking Thailand; but first up; here’s a few things to consider when deciding with rucksack is best for you ...

• How long do you plan on travelling?
• How many of you will be going to Thailand?
• What do you actually plan on doing when in Thailand?

For example, our second trip to Thailand was a part of our 3 month backpacking adventure which also included Bali, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos.

We each took with us one larger rucksack (50-65 litres) as well as a smaller day bag each (more on that below).

For two people backpacking for this length of time, it was actually too much space!

And as you will soon see, it’s likely that we take a lot more travel gear abroad with us than you; largely because we work whilst travelling.

In terms of brands; from experience our number 1 recommendation has to be Osprey.

They are the go-to choice for the majority of backpackers, and it really is hard to see why.

They’re affordable, incredibly durable, comfortable and they offer a massive range of both men’s and women's rucksacks.

Here are our 2 top recommendations for backpacking in Thailand:

Choosing the perfect day bag

A day bag is a key piece of travel gear for Thailand and it will get alot of use.

When you’re out and about exploring towns, cities, beaches and forests; you will be leaving your big rucksack back at the hostel or hotel.

Your day bag should be big enough that it can hold everything you need for a day away; and also be comfy in the meantime.

Once again, the best day bag I can recommend through experience is Osprey.

They are designed with adventure in mind and are built to be lightweight yet durable for exploring for days at a time.

Between us, Cazzy and I take one Osprey day bag (that’s now lasted me for more than 4 years of travelling) as well as a slightly larger day bag that we use for carrying our gadgets.

Our day bag recommendations for Thailand:

Final thoughts on picking bags for travel to Thailand

Nowadays, when we backpack for 2 or 3 months at a time, we only take one 70 litre rucksack between us.

This offers up so many benefits, such as:

• We have less bags to worry about
• It costs us less in luggage fees when flying
• It forces us to only take what we need

This last point is important.

Far too many travellers to Thailand, and other backpacking countries, take a massive rucksack that's far too big; and then needlessly fill it with things they actually don’t need.

You needn’t be worried about taking everything with you and forgetting something as Thailand is a very modern country and you’ll be able to pick up anything you need when out there.

What to pack for Thailand: Travel Essentials

Now you’ve got your bag sorted, it’s time to start filling it!

It makes sense to start with all the essential things you’ll need to pack for Thailand.

Afterwards, I’m going to delve a bit deeper into other things we took with us to Thailand: namely our photography gear and other cool items to help make your trip awesome!

First up ...

Top tips when packing for Thailand

Remember, you can buy almost everything out there!

If you look on the labels of a lot of your clothes, then you’ll probably find that they were made in Thailand anyway! 

It’s easy to pick up cheap clothes in Thailand, and most of them are very good quality.

Don’t panic and overpack, as you can always pick up any forgotten items along the way.

Think carefully about where you’ll actually be visiting

You may want to revisit the top of this post where I gave a quick overview of the geography of Thailand.

Depending on which times of the year you visit and also where you visit, you could need some very different stuff!

Try to be respectful

All across Thailand, it is important to cover up in public, especially at religious sites; so take some light, long clothes with you.

Well, I hope that you found this guide useful and have a better idea of what to pack for Thailand!

Of course, everyone’s tastes will be different so think carefully about anything else you might wish to take with you.

Either way, Thailand is an incredibly beautiful country that is well worth visiting for any passionate backpacker.

For more help planning your trip to Thailand, then here’s some other posts we’ve written that you might find useful:

• Itinerary Planning - Our 3 Week Thailand Travel Itinerary
• Bangkok - Best Things To Do In Bangkok
• Island Hopping - Complete Guide To Island Hopping In Thailand
• Full Moon Party - 10 Tips For Visiting The Full Moon Party In Thailand