With so many variables to consider (destination, time of year, weather, local culture, personal needs, etc.), packing for your trip often winds up being one of the trickier aspects of travel. So, we’re endeavoring to make packing for our tours easier with our Essential Packing Guides.

This Asia packing guide includes all our best advice – from what type of clothing you should wear to the type of bag you should carry. General lists like The Ultimate Odysseys Unlimited Packing List provide a helpful base, but more specific advice can better guide you in making the best packing decisions for your journey. 

After you’ve read through this guide, head over to our Ultimate Packing List to build the rest of your custom, itemized packing list.

Discover Our Asia Tours: 

Insider’s Japan ● Along Central Asia’s Silk Road ● Journey through Vietnam ●
Southeast Asia Odyssey ● Mystical India ● Legendary Türkiye ● Exploring China

General Packing Advice

With so many variables at play, we can’t tell you exactly what to pack. However, we do have suggestions, based on our own travel experiences and expertise. Therefore, we recommend that you use this as a general guide and choose what advice applies best to you and your trip.

Clothing

Pack for comfort. Our Asia tours average at least two to three miles of walking per day, and the “dress code” is casual. So, focus on your own comfort and bring:

• Comfortable, broken-in walking shoes
  • Ideally, these should be easily removable, as many Asian cultures require you to remove your shoes prior to entering buildings, especially religious institutions.
• Clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate a range of weather conditions
  • Loose, long-sleeved, lightweight clothing will serve you best, as it is most comfortable, keeps you cool, and protects you from sun and insects.
• A few heavier pieces of clothing in case of cooler weather
• Layers (fleece shirts, light jackets, sweaters, etc.) that are easy to remove and store in a day pack, as temperatures can vary and it’s best to be prepared for a range of weather conditions
• Rain jacket and a collapsible umbrella
• Bathing suit (for hotel pools and spas)
• Lightweight scarf (to use as a headscarf, if needed, at religious sites such as mosques)

Check the General Information document in your My Odyssey portal for specific clothing recommendations based on your destination(s).

Be prepared for changing weather conditions. We recommend visiting www.accuweather.com before your departure to check the weather forecast for your trip.

Pack light. Some destinations in Asia, such as Japan, tend to have smaller hotel rooms than Americans may be used to. We recommend prioritizing:

• Items you can easily mix and match
  • Neutral colors (black, white, brown, cream, olive, beige, navy, etc.) are excellent choices for creating many outfits from just a few pieces.
  • Keep in mind bright colors can easily mark you as a tourist, making you an easy target for pickpockets and scammers.
• Only one or two pairs of shoes: broken-in walking shoes and a pair of “dressier” shoes, if desired

Note that many hotels offer laundry service for a fee (if you are reserved on one of our tours, check your Accommodations List in your My Odyssey portal for details).

Research cultural norms. In general, our tours require simple, plain, casual attire, as described above. However, depending on your destination and itinerary, you may wish to keep the following in mind:

• Depending on your destination, you may be required to cover your knees and/or shoulders in order to enter certain religious sites. Additionally, women may be required to cover their hair with a headscarf to enter mosques. So, bring appropriately modest clothing for these instances, if applicable. Note that it may also be appropriate to remove hats, sunglasses, and/or shoes before entering religious institutions.

On Odysseys tours, if we recommend special clothing items for your itinerary, they will be listed in the “What to Pack” section of your General Information document in your My Odyssey portal (available upon making a reservation).

Plan your outfits. Make sure to plan outfits for any activities or events taking place during your free time – whether that be a mountain hike or a fancy dinner.

Bring one or two nicer outfits. Although our dress code is casual, you may want to pack one or two nicer outfits for nights out in cities. In particular, Japanese people tend to be more concerned with fashion than Americans. In many Japanese cities, the norm is to “dress up” when going out in public – even for simple errands. Though you certainly want to feel comfortable during the day, you may want to bring one or two dressier outfits for evenings out in cities like Tokyo and Kyoto. If you wish to blend in, opt for a “smart-casual” style.

Bags & Accessories

Bring a compact, lightweight, comfortable backpack to use as a day pack. A small backpack or sling backpack are great options to store anything you may need while out sightseeing.

Store cash, cards, and IDs in a money belt worn under your clothing. This not only keeps you from dropping or misplacing your credit cards, cash, IDs, etc., but also protects them from potential pickpockets when in cities.

Medical Supplies

Build a mini first-aid kit. We recommend including:

• Antiseptic ointment
• Over-the-counter painkillers
• Hand sanitizer
• Alcohol wipes 
• Antibacterial towelettes
• Bandages
• Pepto-Bismol® or TUMS® and an anti-diarrheal like IMODIUM® in case of stomach issues
• Anti-itch cream in case of bug bites
• Anti-nausea medicine in case of motion sickness
• Protect yourself from insect-born illnesses with 25–30% DEET insect repellant, especially in tropical climates. Long socks can also help reduce bug bites on your ankles and lower legs.

Use broad-spectrum 50+ SPF sunblock all day, every day. Reapply every few hours to ensure maximum protection.

Be aware of medication and/or medical supply regulations. Always check your destination’s regulations on importing controlled substances, prescription medications, and/or medical supplies (such as CPAP machines, syringes, etc.). To be safe, keep prescription and over-the-counter medication in their original packaging. Do not store your medication in an unmarked container or a pill sorter.

Japan in particular has strict rules for bringing both over-the-counter and prescription medications into the country. If you need to bring medicine of any type into Japan, please review the documents on your My Odyssey portal for more information.

What NOT to Pack

Do not travel with CBD or THC products. The legality of cannabis products and enforcement of cannabis-related laws varies depending on location. Laws can also change without notice. It’s safest to leave cannabis products at home.

Do not bring expensive or sentimental items. You don’t want to ruin your vacation by worrying about losing valuable jewelry, watches, camera equipment, or other expensive belongings.

Luggage Restrictions for Odysseys Unlimited Tours

And finally, a word about luggage. 

Handling for one piece of checked luggage is included in your tour price, but s. Several of our Asia tours have strict luggage weight requirements. You must adhere to these weight restrictions regardless of any higher weight limits permitted by any of the other airlines on which you will be traveling. Please note that, for the below tours, paying for excess weight or baggage is not an option. If you are traveling on an Odysseys tour, a Luggage Guidelines document will be available on your My Odyssey guest portal.

Journey through Vietnam: Because we use smaller planes on this tour, the total weight of your luggage cannot exceed:

• Checked luggage: 44 lbs. (20 kgs.) per person 
• Carry-on luggage: 11 lbs. (5 kgs.) per person

Insider’s Japan: Because of limited storage space on the train from Hakone to Takayama, along with the intimate nature of the accommodation, you will only be able to bring your carry-on luggage with you for your stay at the ryokan on Day 5. You will collect your checked luggage again upon arrival at the hotel in Takayama on Day 6. If you will be joining us for the Hiroshima extension, you will also need to use your carry-on bag, as the trains carrying us to/from the extension have limited storage space and short boarding times.

Mystical India: Because of restrictions imposed by the domestic airlines in India, the total weight of your checked luggage cannot exceed:

• Checked luggage: 33 lbs. (15 kgs.) per person
• Carry-on luggage: 15 lbs. (7 kgs.) per person, excluding handbags and/or camera(s) that you wear over your shoulder or on a strap around your neck when boarding

We hope this information is helpful to you as you prepare for your Asian adventure. For more advice, check out our blog posts about packing by clicking here.