It's not always easy to know what's the best travel gear to pack, whether packing for a short vacation or for long-term world travel. Yet after traveling around the world for 6 years to 100 countries, we've developed what we've found to be the best travel packing checklist for value and versatility.
Even though our travels span from luxury cruises across the world's oceans to rugged backpacking trips across South America, our carefully curated packing list remains much the same in order to be prepared for multiple situations and climates around the world. It's taken much trial and error over the years, but we've finally managed to get our travel packing checklist down to a science.
It's our hope that you can use this travel packing checklist, gear recommendations, packing tips, and travel product reviews while preparing for your next trip.
This version of our Ultimate Travel Packing Checklist was last updated in October 2020, reflecting what we packed throughout our last worldly travels through Ecuador, Mexico, cruise travel and a round-the-world-trip spanning 21 countries across Asia, Europe, and Africa! But we've recently added to that, given new travel items that's now necessary to pack in 2020, given pandemic conditions.
Yet during any time, a critical component to packing for world travel is versatility. You'll find versatility constant theme throughout this travel packing list.
But this list of travel gear recommendations also focuses greatly on value. Many of the carefully selected items throughout this travel packing checklist have been chosen because of the value they bring in combination with the practicality they deliver.
We don't like to pick out most expensive travel gear available. If you're looking for the best travel gear at high prices, you won't find it on here. Instead, this travel packing list for 2020 suggests items that provide the best usage for the money spent. This is a travel packing list for those who appreciate excellent value!
This travel packing checklist contains all of the items we roam around the world with and recommend. We personally own every one of these items unless it's otherwise stated that we have a similar item. Most of this travel gear can be easily purchased on Amazon, an affiliate of ours, and is where we do most of our travel gear shopping. Whenever we're back home in the US, we always stock up using the free two-day shipping that's included with Amazon Prime.
You can use this link to get a 30-Day Free Trial to Amazon Prime. If you have no intentions to continue using it, just be sure to cancel before 30 days. It's a nice way to get Prime (and 2-day shipping) for a month completely for free! That will give you an entire month to gear up for travel without having to pay the $12.99 monthly membership fee. So try Prime for free today.
We hope you find this travel pack list and packing tips helpful, whether gearing up for a trip around the world or a quick weekend jaunt!
💡 Electronics Travel Gear to Pack
–📱 Travel Gadgets Every Traveler Needs
–🔌 Necessary Cables, Plugs, and Adapters
–💻 Electronics for Long-Term Travelers
–📷 Photography Travel Gear
🧳 Travel Luggage Recommendations
✏️ Travel Accessories to Remember
😷 Additional Travel Gear to Pack in 2020
👖 Travel Clothes
–👕 Men’s Travel Clothes
–👚 Women’s Travel Clothes
–🧳 Shoes & Footwear
🧴 Toiletries Packing Checklist
❌ What Not to Pack
Outdoor & Adventure Travel Gear to Pack
Although we're constantly adventuring around the world, it's not practical to pack a lot of outdoor adventure gear. We leave behind all the bulky items, as we find that you can typically rent them in most destinations around the world.
Unless you're planning to camp for the majority of a trip, it makes more sense to rent gear such as tents, camp stoves, and climbing harnesses along the way. We've had no problems renting camping gear throughout Africa, New Zealand, South America and more. For us, it's proved to be worth the expense in order not to lug such heavy equipment around the world.
Instead, we recommend limiting your adventure travel packing list to only to the items that you will use regularly and are fairly compact. So here is the outdoor gear on our travel packing list that we regularly use.
Quick-Dry Travel Towel
We're always getting wet on adventures, so towels are key. You don't want to pack a towel that's heavy or bulky. So bringing a lightweight travel towel is a must. "Quick-drying" is likewise an important feature, so it's not damp when you repack it. We like this lightweight, quick-dry travel towel.
Monkey Mats Let You Sit Anywhere in the World
As seen on the TV show Shark Tank, these Monkey Mats always give you a clean & dry place to sit anywhere in the world. It's waterproof, sandproof, and has weighted corners. So it's great to use at the beach, a picnic, a park, or anywhere. We particularly like it because it's compact and lightweight (only 18 oz!). So it never takes up much space or weighs down your luggage. We often toss it in our day pack whenever exploring somewhere new.
Lifestraw to Make Water Drinkable
You never know what situations you may wind up in where you can't drink the water. This is great to have on hand for backcountry trekking to drink out of rivers. But it's not just for use in an emergency in some remote destination. We first used our Lifestraw when arriving to our apartment in Quito in the middle of the night, when all the stores were closed. You can't drink the tap water, but our Lifestraw allowed us to do so. Travel with a Lifestraw and nearly all water around the world then becomes drinkable!
Headlamp for Handsfree Lighting
We couldn't travel without a headlamp. It's not just for caving. This can serve as an everyday flashlight, allow you to read at night when your partner wants the lights out and it gives you the ability to do anything at night hands-free. This was critical for us when we had to cook in the night while touring Africa. Here's a great basic headlamp for under $10.
Waterproof Your Phone
We rarely go out without our phones. But it often becomes susceptible to rain, the ocean, splashes by the pool, the mist of a raging waterfall, and even water fights during Thailand's Songkran festival. Whenever in one of those situations, we're always armed with a waterproof case to keep it dry. This JOTO Waterproof Cell Phone case not only protects phones from splashes but you can even take it snorkeling down to 100 feet!
We can personally vouch for it but if you don't want to take our word, check out the 45,000+ glowing reviews on Amazon. We saw similar products being sold out at local outdoor retailers for $35, so we're impressed that Amazon keeps the price point under $10. It's a small yet wise investment to protect a pricey smartphone during your travels.
Compact Travel Umbrella for Sun & Rain
You can't only waterproof your phone. If traveling anywhere with a chance of rain, it's best to pack a compact travel umbrella like this. It takes up little space in luggage, is lightweight (< 1 lb.), fits in a pocket, holds up to wind, and even has a lifetime replacement policy. It's a great everyday umbrella, but it's perfect for travel. Check prices and reviews.
Travel Photography Gear Pack List
We're travelers, not professional photographers. But we still want to take professional pictures! So we've shopped carefully for photography gear that is easy-to-use, has superior auto-functions, and is good value.
Obviously, as bloggers, we travel with a bit more photography gear than most. Phone cameras are getting really good, so your smartphone alone may suffice, particularly for close-up shots and landscapes. But if you need to zoom, you'll want something more powerful. You may also want to consider an underwater camera or perhaps even a travel drone to capture aerial footage.
Here's all the travel photography gear we use and recommend.
For the Legs
Jeans or No Jeans?
It's a contentious debate among travelers, but we strongly advocate bringing jeans. Sure, they are heavy and can weigh down your pack, but jeans also have a big upside. They can be very versatile as you can dress them up for a night out on the town or wear them hiking across mountains. Yet perhaps the greatest benefit to jeans is that they can sustain many usages without the need to be washed. And jeans tend to hold up extremely well while traveling and can be downright comfy. We recommend dark washes that tend to hold up better against dirt.
A Good Pair of Travel Slacks
2 Pairs Shorts
Be sure to pack a pair or two of shorts, depending on where you're traveling. I recommend a pair with deep pockets to help thwart pickpocketing and prevent your belongings from falling out.
1 Bathing Suit / Hybrid Shorts
If you're gonna get wet, you need some sort of bathing suit or board shorts. To keep up with the versatility that's so important to a smart travel pack list, we suggest hybrid shorts that fuse classic chino pant design with the functionality of a surf trunks. These Volcom Men's Hybrid Shorts accomplishes that. They can function as a bathing suit at the pool or the beach, but can also act as an attractive pair of shorts for simply walking around town.
Breathable Dry-Wicking Underwear: Pack Extra!
Underwear is the one item I recommend bringing more of than necessary. You may be able to get away with wearing shirts, shorts, and pants multiple times between laundry days - but not underwear. Bring extra. They don't take up much space. I strongly recommend dry wicking underwear for any long travel day. I absolutely love these quick-dry, odor-preventing ExOfficio Men's Give-N-Go Boxers and have converted many of my friends. They can be pricey but are so worth it. They're super comfy and even after some lengthy usage, they never smell!
Socks
This is another item that we err on bringing a bit more of since you don't want to wear stinky socks. I travel with about a half-dozen regular white ankle socks and two pairs of wool socks which are great for hiking and/or just keeping your feet warm in colder climates.
Rain Pants
I picked up a pair of rain pants while in New Zealand before trekking through some downpours. These have proved invaluable ever since and I've used them to keep dry in many rainy locations. The pair I have are similar to these rain pants.
1 Belt
Make sure your pants don't fall. I find that a brown leather belt is the most practical and versatile.
Sun Protection: Hat & Sunglasses
This is essential travel gear for most guys and helpful to protect you from the sun. I'm currently using a nice big wide-brimmed sombrero I bought on the side of the road in Mexico. Yet this foldable, moisture wicking hat with UV protection makes a very practical choice for travelers. Bring a baseball cap or whatever suits you best. And don't forget the shades either! 😎
Tops for Women to Pack
A 3-in-1 Jacket
If traveling in cooler climates, a 3-in-1 jacket is a must. You can use just the outer shell as a breathable rain jacket, or just the inner layer for chilly days. Combine the two layers to keep warm during really frigid weather. I love my North Face 3-in-1 jacket that has kept me warm for the past four years. This North Face Thermoball Triclimate Jacket is the successor of my jacket that's currently on the market.
Compressible Vest
A compressible vest is perfect with a sweater, or as extra insulation with a jacket on those below freezing days. I like this Lightweight Down Puffer Vest because it's perfect for travel as it comes with a packable pouch and it's great for the price.
5 Tank Tops: 2 Regular + 2 Quick-Dry + 1 Dressy Tank
I like to bring a few tank tops to use for athletic activities and to use as a base layer for other outfits. Try to stick with tones that will match well with the bottoms you're traveling with. I travel with a few cotton stretch tank tops. But for more active days I wear moisture-wicking tank tops to keep cool and dry in hot climates. I also pack a reversible cami for times that I want to dress up a bit. Since it's reversible, it's like having two tanks in one!
2 T-Shirts + 2 Dry-Wicking T-Shirts
You've gotta pack a few t-shirts for everyday use. In many destinations around the world, tank tops are inappropriate. Instead, you'll need to keep your shoulders covered. These quick dry t-shirts do the trick and also help to keep the sun off your shoulders. I also pack a few regular t-shirts like these.
2 Moisture Wicking Long Sleeve Shirts
These long sleeve shirts are nice to have during athletic activities on chilly days because they pull away the moisture and keep you warm. They're also nice to use for water activities because they protect your skin from the sun and dry quickly. These Under Armour Long Sleeve Shirts are work great in either instance.
2 Long Sleeve Collared Shirts
These are good for dressing up and while traveling through countries with more modest cultural norms. I pack a basic chambray shirt, which is good on its own or layering. I also have a lightweight portofino shirt from Express that's nice to have for going out.
2 Sweaters
Of course a few sweaters are great to have for cooler climates, but take one even if you're traveling through warmer regions. It's these hot climates that I find that buses and shuttles tend to blast the air conditioner, so I'm always thankful to have a sweater.
1 Pashmina
A Must: This may be one of the most practical and adaptable clothing pieces I travel with. It can be used as a scarf or to cover shoulders while entering a historic church. A pashmina like this has been invaluable to help blend in when traveling through Islamic countries and also great to use as a light blanket during long flights.
1 Bathing Suit
I recommend a suit that can pull double duty where you're constantly not adjusting it during active activities, but still stylish enough to hang by the pool or beach. I use a Victoria Secret bathing suit that I've had forever and they no longer make, but I like this Halter Racerback Bikini, which is similar.
1 Bathing Suit Cover-Up
A bathing suit cover-up is nice to have to throw over your bathing suit when hanging out at the pool or the beach, and when not wanting to receive unwanted attention when walking back to your accommodation.
2 Bras
Of course you need to bring a bra or two. I recommend one of them to be a nude convertible bra.
Traveling long term and packing for warm and cold climates? You need space saver travel bags! We’re often transitioning between the two weather extremes but packing for two climates can take up a lot of space in your packs. So what we do is store our winter gear in these compression travel bags when we’re traveling through warm weather climates. Then we reverse that when transitioning to cold weather. It helps so much to save space in our luggage when carrying around clothing that may not be practical all year round.Shoes & Footwear for Travel
Shoes can be a bulky yet necessary travel item to pack. Wear your biggest shoes during travel days and pack the other two. Some people are able to get by traveling with one or two pairs, which is great, but we recommend bringing three pairs: trainers, something that can be dressed up, and sandals.
Shoes for Him
Trail Running Shoes
Although we do lots of hiking, we do NOT travel with proper hiking boots due to the space constraints within luggage. Instead, we use trail running shoes. They provide excellent grip, are lightweight, and very comfortable. They can be worn while walking around a city all day or tackling a challenging hike.
The biggest downside for trekking is the lack of ankle support, but that's never been a problem for us. Hiking shoes like these Merrell and these Salomon trail runners are oft-recommended. But they're usually priced well over $100. While they are indeed great shoes, we usually find trail running shoes closer to the $50 price point that are comfortable and hold up well.
Right now I'm roaming around in these Asics Gel Venture Running Shoes that were designed to tackle rugged terrain. They're a great everyday sneaker to walk around in, yet the extra tread holds up well on the high Andes trails that we're currently hiking.
Fashion Sneakers Are Casual Shoes that Can Dress Up
It's great to have a versatile shoe that you can dress up or wear to walk around town. Boat shoes are nice since the soles usually provide good traction. But I've recently converted to a pair of fashion sneakers which I love. I'm currently walking around in these boat-shoe inspired Clarks that can be worn in so many occasions.
Sturdy Sandals that Can Hold Up
A pair of flip flops are essential for the beach, short jaunts around town, and questionable showers around the world. I live in my flip-flops, so I take it a step further (pun intended) and even occasionally go on short hikes in my flip-flops (not recommended for most). That's why I now travel with (and am in love with) these Columbia flip-flops. Reef-brand sandals seem to be the most popular around the world and I've had a few pair. But I find that Reefs tend to blow very easily for people like me who frequently use and abuse their sandals. (I once blew three pairs of Reefs in the same year). I'm now a huge fan of these Columbia sandals because they're super durable, have soft cushioning, great grip for rocky terrain, and these sandals last!
What Toiletries to Pack for Travel
There are lots of toiletries to remember to bring with you on your trip. Some items you may be able to find wherever you're traveling. Yet we've found many travel destinations where even the most common toiletries can be difficult to come by. Pack your favorites in advance and use this section of the travel packing checklist to ensure you haven't forgotten any of the essentials!
Things Not to Pack
Water bottles - While useful, water bottles are space hogs. Instead we just buy a single bottled water when we land and use it over and over again in places where we can drink the water.
Wedding rings or expensive jewelry - Heather never travels with her engagement ring. Instead, we both wear simple wedding bands. This helps not draw attention to ourselves and prevents what could be a heartbreaking theft. Additionally, when traveling to countries where haggling is the norm, it helps your cause to not have flashy jewelry.
Hiking Boots - Although we're avid hikers, we find hiking boots to be too heavy and bulky to lug around the world. Trail running shoes work well for us instead.
Heels (women) - Unless you're taking a luxury trip with many formal occasions, leave the heels at home. They're impractical, take up too much space, and hell to walk in over all those uneven sidewalks around the world.
Debatable Whether to Pack or Not:
Passport Covers - I say no to passport covers. Heather says yes. The problem with passport covers is that you almost always have to remove them when going through customs and immigration, so it's just a small yet added unnecessary hassle. But they look nice and do serve an actual purpose. My passport is bruised and beaten, while Heather's still looks new since she keeps a cover on hers. So, you decide!
Best Travel Gear to Pack for a Trip?
What Do You Think?
These are all the things we pack and travel with and recommend. But we always come across people who have their own unique travel gear and preferences. What's yours? What do you pack for a trip? We're always changing around our travel pack list.
Also, we'd love to hear if you've used any of our gear recommendations. Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
Be sure to bookmark this page or pin it to your travel Pinterest boards so you can review and use as a checklist before your next trip.
Happy travels!
Hi there! I just read through your ‘womens travel clothing’ section and have a question – how often do you do laundry when you travel? I LOVE the idea of a minimalist approach to packing, but we’re pretty active so if I only had 2 pairs of leggings/shorts, I’d have to do laundry every 2 days. Is there a ‘pro tip’ I’m missing? Thx!
We do laundry, as needed, usually every about every 7-10 days or so. It really depends on the climate, how active we’ve been, etc. As for the 2 pairs of athletic leggings, we’re typically not in situations that she is wearing those every single day. Other bottoms such as jeans, skirts, and other shorts help to supplement in between laundry days. If you find your travels would involve wearing leggings every single day, it sounds like it would certainly prove worthwhile to bring more to tailor to that. 🙂
Wow, very nice information. Learned a lot, Nice information
Usually, I keep a reusable bag with me so I don’t need to buy any plastic bag while traveling. This checklist is gonna be my favorite because it has everything mentioned which I need while traveling. Thanks for such a nice post!
Thanks for sharing this informative article.
Useful travel tips.I have more then 4/5 years traveling experience. I learned so much from your article. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Awesome post! Thanks for sharing the knowledge and keep up the good work
I have made some packing, but after reading this I wondered that I haven’t done anything so many many things to get packed 😀 Thanks for sharing this post <3
I was glad to see that you included earplugs on your list! I can’t even begin to tell you how many times they have saved my sanity while traveling around the country, not to mention, helping me get a good night’s sleep in hotel rooms.
Hey John! This is indeed the best, complete travel packing list! I’m the kind that always forgets something, so this would definitely help me a lot whenever I travel. Thank you for putting this together.
Hey, thanks for this informative post! I’m a travel lover so this guide is very useful for me. A month ago, I’ve gone for an outdoor trip but I forgot to pack water filter it was horrible to drink contaminated water. Next time I’ll recheck my packed gears with this amazing guide. Definitely, I’ll pack all the pieces of stuff perfectly for my upcoming adventurous trips!
Fantastic ideas ….. Seriously I never pack the right things . Thanks for sharing these good ideas … For my next trip I will definitely follow your ideas. Keep Sharing.
These are really helpful tips for long flight travel and I hope people will follow them and get benefits. Thanks
Thanks for sharing this post I saw the monkey mats on Shark Tank and totally forgot about them. After reading this article I’ve gone and ordered some for myself. I do a lot of travelling with the company I work for, GSE Solutions. Thanks! Luke
Thanks for the great list! I ordered the adjustable phone tripod and am looking forward to trying it out. Happy travels!
– Dana
Pittsburgh, PA
http://www.SureFootedTravel.com
That’s a great list, I’ve bookmarked the page for future reference. The lifestraw is excellent. I used it while canoe camping for 3 days around the boundary waters in Minnesota and it worked great. An essential piece of kit to take with you if your doing something like that. Many thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing your packing expertise! I won’t leave home without my dry bag again! A couple of items we’ve added over the years are: a couple of caribiners attached to our day packs (mulptiple uses including clipping our waterproof camera and it’s floating strap to my bathing suit), a flat travel plug (we also take a line and a few clothes pegs – I wash & hang undies etc most evenings & they’re dry by morning), a rubber door stopper (keeps the door secure in a sketchy hotel), and a light weight shopping bag. I also pack a couple of quick dry ‘ skorts ‘ rather than shorts. They can be a bit more modest and I’ve been allowed in to sites that don’t allow shorts. They are comfortable for most activities in a warm climate. Thanks again and safe travels!
Oh yes, that dry bag has become so essential for us on so many occasions. We had actually gone without one for a bit more than the first year of our travels. With all the water activities we pursue, the need was dire yet we didn’t realize until we got one. Thanks so much for the other suggestions! May need to add a few of those onto our next iteration of this post. 🙂 We also do carry a lightweight shopping bag and neglected to include here. I can only imagine how handy careeners can be and now you’ve got me thinking that we should pick some up. And that’s a great idea for a door stopper …just in case! 🙂
While you made your trek around the world, what did you do about the logistics of leaving your home, i.e: getting mail, paying all bills, filing tax returns, etc. Do you have any information about that? Your trip sounds wonderful, but how do you take care of everything you left in the States?
Great question! And it’s a good reminder to us that we really need to write a complete post to detail some of those complicated logistics. But I’ll try to give a short answer here. Mail is sent to a family member. There’s not much since we’ve tried to cancel all mail to do as much as possible electronically. We usually visit the US once per year in which we’ll open a few Christmas cards and trash whatever junk has collected. As for bills, we don’t really have many regular bills since we don’t have a home, cars, etc. We buy prepaid phone plans wherever we travel. We irregularly buy travel insurance. And we have a few reoccurring business expenses to run this blog. That’s about it. All of those bills are paid electrically. Tax returns are also filed through online tax software. We can access most of our needed tax forms electronically too. There are a few forms that are sent snail mail. Those have been collected for us and read over the phone. It’s pretty simple really and we’re fortunate to have a family member to help us out with the mail. There are services that do this too and can even scan and upload every piece of mail into the cloud, but we don’t bother. It’s mostly junk really. 🙂
Hey, I think this is a complete packing list before goes any trip. I am so glad I found you at the right time. Next week we are going on a long trip with my family. I must remember your packing list ideas when I am going for this.
Traveling is something that makes you feel worthy but packing is like a daunting task. The above points really give some idea for an individual what things are necessary when planning to go out for vacation. Thank You
Amazing list. I always carry a backup when it comes to chargers, equipment, storage etc. And I never go on a trip without a good pair of hiking boots and a raincoat. 😀
Anozther travel essential is a small tin of zinc oxide (baby diaper cream). Applied to any cut or abrasion, it creates a barrier which prevents infection – I learned this from a former emergency physician (after struggling with a staph infection I caught in the tropics from a small sore on my foot). I never leave home without it!
That is such a great idea! During our first year of travel, I got a skin infection on my leg from an open sore while in depths of Guatemala. Sounds like the zinc oxide could have prevented it. We update this post regularly and may need to add that to the list! 🙂 Thanks for the great recommendation!
I read THS Tieks ballerina flats were great shoes for traveling. They also fold up.
This is an excellent post. Your travelling cheak list is awesome. All in one. Many people will benefit from the blog. Everything has told about the tour.
Nice and Perfect looking outfit..
Nice tips John Widmer!! When anyone go to travel they should check this list at least once so that they can ensure their easy going journey.
I’ve been on the road for the last 23+ years. I carry a small roll of duct tape (wrapped around a popsicle stick to save room). It’s come in handy many times.
Thanks for providing the detailed packaging list. I will keep this list on my mind for my next trip.
Keep sharing.
This is a complete and perfect packing list. I am delighted with getting your packing list. Next weeks I go on a trip I think this list is beneficial to me. I will share this list my all social activity and my friends. Lovely sharing.
Thanks so much. We’re so glad you found it helpful! 🙂
A very comprehensive and informed packing list.
Will do a checklist to make sure I miss nothing. Printing it out now.
Great work.
Cheers Sharon…
Quite a list of things to pack that you have compiled here. I love the part about electronics because, really! No matter how much I would love to get away from the din, I am certainly not ready to do away with my electronics. I would definitely recommend this list to a beginner traveler.
Thanks! Yes, we agree 100%. They’re almost a necessary evil for us. Yet some of our gadgets help so much to make traveling a breeze! 🙂
Very helpful list. Thank you. Always new things to learn. One comment on my part: I noticed that all the women’s shoes, save the runners, have thin soles. Having traveled alot, both in urban and in more rugged locales, I really experienced the need for thicker soled shoes: not necessarily dumpy. I have found some very hip, light weight and flexible shoes from Germany, Italy, etc. But with bendable cushioned soles to make it thru long days and assorted surfaces. The ballerina shoes really don’t cut it and result in sore, achy, and perhaps damaged feet.
Hope you enjoy your Canada segment.
Linda
Hi Linda, thanks for the comment! When planning long days of being on my feet, I almost always wear my trainers. I agree with you that most ballet flats wouldn’t work if you’re trying to avoid achy feet. I will say that I’m a big fan of my Puma ballet flats. I find that they have a decent cushion insole and an outer grip and flexibility to navigate uneven streets. I like wearing them when trying to dress up a bit when in cities and such, but admit that I couldn’t wear them if on my feet all day. What travel shoes do you prefer? I’d love to hear your recommendations 🙂
Thanks for this very comprehensive and detailed packing list. I am actually going through it to make sure I have several of this items with me on my next trip.
Perfect, I hope it helps! We had actually initially drafted this list when we were packing for Ecuador.
Hi, we are cruising the Baltic with Oceania and would like to know how dressed up you have to be for the dinners? We are in our 60’s? We have never been on a big cruise ship.
Thank you
Denyse
Hi Denyse,
Thanks for the comment. We dress “smart casual” when in the formal dining rooms on cruise ships. I would wear either a light dress or a nice blouse with jeans. John always wears a collared shirt with travel slacks. We don’t travel with suits or formal wear. We’ve never cruised with Oceania Cruises, but they recommend “Country Club Casual” where they ask men to wear a sports jacket to be ready for the Grand Dining Room. Hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise!
I’ve sailed with Oceania and ladies tend to dress up the “Country Club Casual” so I stick to wearing mostly black clothing. In the Baltic, the cool and the A/C also makes the ship cold, so I wear wraps and light sweaters in the evening. This cruise line does not allow jeans at dinner for men.
This is a great help to all travellers. Never seen something this detailed. Will definitely save this. Looking forward to more helpful posts.
Hey Laurel,
Thanks so much for the kind comment. We’re thrilled to hear that you found our packing list and tips to be helpful 🙂
Great & thorough list! I’d add Clorox wipes though, to sanitize surfaces when we first get to our stateroom.
Hey Mandi,
Thanks for the comment and the great suggestion! The sanitizing wipes are perfect for questionable surfaces likes phones and RV remotes.
Hey Guys,
Great site, articles, tips, photos, etc…
Keep up the good work! Wish there was a site like this when I did my world trip back in 2004-2005! Great resource for travelers.
Looks like your having a blast in the Galápagos.
Cheers,
Corey
P.S. Meet you guys hiking up the Quilotoa Crater Lake and day tour, then for a few minutes in Puerto Ayora.
Hey Corey, great to hear from ya! Thanks for the kind words. The Galapagos has been incredible. Best to you and your continued travels, perhaps our paths will cross again 🙂
Thank you for enlisting this preparation tips for us.I like more when you include storing water bottles on your trip.
Thanks for the comment Denise. We’ve found it so much easier to buy a water bottle and reuse it rather than traveling with one that takes up space.
Wooo! I NEEDED this list! Super overwhelmed over here, lol. Do the packing cubes add a lot of weight? We are traveling with our 4 kids and will need to be carrying some of their things too. Space will be tight! And also, do you find a need for a sheet or anything for the places you stay? I’ve seen the sleeping bag style flat sheets used often.
Glad it helped! 🙂 The packing cubes are very lightweight. It’s just thin plastic, so doesn’t contribute to extra weight at all. If anything, we find that it conserves space, as the cubes tend to compress your things a bit as we stuff ours. This year is actually the first time we’ve used them and we now wonder how we ever traveled without them. It is so helpful to organize each of our different belongings as we bounce from one place to the next. Highly recommend!
As for the travel sheet… we had packed one during our first year of travel and never used it. We find most hotels around the world to be very clean (we always vet reviews). Even the hostels we stay have been completely fine. In 3+ years of constant travel, we’ve never had bed bugs (knocks on wood). For long bus/train/plane rides when we’ve wanted a blanket, we just use our big travel towel. Hope that helps! Packing for 4 kids too – wow – that’s awesome! Have a great journey together!
This list is amazing! Amazing post with great Research, Love your site. Thank you
Thank you! Glad you like and we hope it has given you a few new ideas for things to pack on your next adventure!
This is a great list! But you forgot Clorox (or some sort of sanitizing) wipes! Planes and trains are never cleaned enough, if at all. You don’t have to pack the whole package of wipes, just put a few in a plastic Ziplock bag. Nothing worse than getting sick while you’re traveling.
Hey Dianne, thanks for the comment.
Very good point! We mentioned baby wipes, but you really do need some sort of sanitizing wipes or sanitizing hand gel. Especially for those trays on airplanes! Great tip about just taking a few and putting them in the Ziplock bag. Very true, getting sick is the recipe for ruining a vacation!
Wow, what a great tips. It is the most comprehensive packing list I have ever seen. I have most of the items that you carry. I only need to buy a mask and fins for scuba diving
Hey Mansoureh, thanks for the comment! Glad to hear we have a similar travel style 😉
Good call on investing in a mask and fins. Once you factor in how expensive it can be to rent the gear, it practically pays for itself.
Happy Travels!
Wow- this list is amazing! I received a dry bag for my cell phone as a Christmas gift and I see that’s on your list. I went kayaking last year and was afraid to take my phone, due to it getting wet. Anything that has the word “dry” on it- is something I would recommend for the avid traveler.
Hi Sara, thanks for the comment. That’s awesome that you received a dry bag for Christmas. You’re going to find so many uses for it, especially the kayaking. It’s so nice doing adventure sports and not have to worry about belongings getting destroyed.
Happy travels to you in 2017!
Wow. No wonder I never pack the right things. I usually spend my packing time obsessing about the right pairs of shoes! I’ll keep your camera options in mind. I do need an underwater one. And a drone. Thanks for the tips.
Hey Carol, thanks for the comment!
As a fellow lover of shoes, I can relate to the struggle 🙂
Highly recommend some sort of action camera, you’d be surprised with the amount of usage you’ll get out of it!
Wow — You weren’t kidding when you said “ultimate!” I like the baby wipes tip, to leave heels and water bottles at home, and the suggestion to rent certain bulky camping items instead of buying them. And YES to leaving hiking boots at home. The two times I packed them, they made me so angry with their bulk, and I never used them!
I wear my hiking boots on the days that I travel that way I do not have to worry about having to pack them and taking up valuable space in my backpack.
I loved this article most importantly because I have a lot of the items on your packing list. I definitely want to look into some of the luggage you recommended- I am looking for durability and you have some great options.
Hey Steph. That’s awesome that we have a similar travel style 😊
I’ve been very happy with my Eagle Creek and has John with his Osprey. Both bags have been through a lot and I still feel that we will not need to replace either bag anytime soon, giving a testimant to their durability.
The ultimate checklist indeed! The Universal Adapter sounds super helpful–much better than my clunky old adapter kit from 2003. Love the shower caps over shoes too–awesome tip.
Hey Erin, thanks for the comment. We use the universal adapter all the time and cringe when we think about the number of bulky adapters we used to carry.
Isn’t the shower cap idea great? Never thought I’d be so excited to see shower caps included as amenities in hotel rooms.
Super insightful! I have to agree packing is a science and it takes a while to master. Over the years I’ve changed a lot the way I pack and what I bring along for a trip. Definitely traveling lighter these days!
Packing cubes are super useful. Can’t live without them. Versatile clothes are also quite important, and durable as well.
Not sure how you can travel with the drone. I can’t cope with any more electronics! Too much camera stuff.
And I really need to buy my own mask and snorkel. Doing it now… 🙂
Hey Hugo, thanks for the comment!
We are loving the packing cubes and only wish we we discovered them sooner.
Agree that the drone is big and bulky to travel with, so that’s a point to consider. We’re traveling at a relatively slower speed now, so that helps with carrying the drone from place to place.
Great idea to pick up a mask, you’ll be so happy you did!
I travel with a ton of stuff because I need my photography stuff, laptops, tablets etc and soon everything becomes really unwieldy and heavy. I simply cannot pack light but a dry bag is a great idea as is the torch especially for many destinations in Asia where electricity outages can be a common occurrence.
Hey Anne, thanks for the comment. We feel your pain with all the electronics!
Glad you found some of the recommendations helpful. I can’t tell you how many times that dry bag has come in handy.
And yes, very good point about some countries having frequent power outages and needing a torch even if you’re not planning to do outdoor activities.
Wow, the most comprehensive packing list I’ve seen! When I went on my first three month backpacking adventure, I honestly had no idea what to bring – and what to leave behind. This would have been useful. Love the tips – especially the shower caps over the shoes and laundry sheet hack.
The whole world in my bag! 🙂 Seriously, makes you wonder whether we would be able to even survive without technology. Impressive compilation, though.