What to Pack When Going to Thailand: 2 Week Packing List

Paradise beaches, a warm and friendly culture, the amazing metropolis of Bangkok and Thai food all day every day. Planning a trip to Thailand is like the best thing ever!

Here’s the ultimate Thailand packing list, so you know exactly what to bring to Thailand and also what you can leave safely at home.

Should You Take a Backpack or Suitcase for Travelling Thailand

This is one of the most asked questions I get. Having spent a fair amount of time travelling Southeast Asia and with both backpacks and suitcases, I would say it highly depends on how many places you are going and what you have got planned.

If you are only going for a two-week vacation on one of the Thai islands and staying in the same place, it is okay to just take a wheeled suitcase, like this spinner suitcase from Travelpro.

However, if you are planning a big Thailand itinerary with various stops across the north and the south, I definitely think a backpack is the better choice. You can expect the roads to be uneven with holes and patches, sandy paths getting onto boats, narrow flights of stairs and there are usually no sideways to walk on, which makes it challenging and not very enjoyable travelling with a big suitcase.

I love the Osprey Fairpoint 55L Backpack which has a detachable daypack for day adventures and a lockable main compartment. I love the Osprey Fairpoint 55L Backpack which has a detachable daypack for day adventures and a lockable main compartment. Additionally, you can store the carrying straps and harness in a back panel with a zipper, so no ripping off the straps when going through the baggage carousel!

Alternatively, consider a hybrid – a backpack on wheels! And above all, I highly recommend you evaluate closely what you need and how much you should take. Less is often more. You don’t want to travel with any bag or suitcase over 55L as this will immediately allow you to overpack. Trust me, there is nothing worse than walking around with a super heavy backpack in tropical weather and sweating from every pore of your body!

What to Wear in Thailand

Depending on where you are going in Thailand, the clothes you pack may vary, however, there are some general rules:

1. Thailand has a tropical and humid climate during most of the year with some colder periods.
2. In the mountainous north, you’ll find cooler temperatures during November to February. Keep in mind that this is also peak tourist season and things will generally be a bit busier and booking ahead is recommended.
3. The hot season in Thailand is from March to May, followed by the rainy season from June to October. Expect the heaviest and most rainfall during this period, which varies across the country. The northern parts around Chiang Mai usually don’t see as much rain as the rest of the country.
4. In contrast, the south of Thailand has beaches and there are two seasons, wet and dry. What’s unique is that each coast also has its own weather.
5. Rain and heavy storms occur on the west coast around Phuket from April through to October. The east coast with Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao gets most of its rainfall between October and January.

What Clothes to Pack for Thailand

Regardless of the region you’re visiting, if you plan to visit any of the temples, you want to be more conservative, even if you’re not planning to enter any temples (which would be a shame).

In general, good casual attire would be a t-shirt and shorts while avoiding sleeveless shirts or singlets for the guys and short skirts and summer dresses and tops that don’t show off cleavage, your bum or shoulders too much, like spaghetti strap shirts for the ladies and anything that is too revealing.

Lightweight clothing is my favourite for hot climates. Opt for linen, light cotton blends or silk, as those pieces don’t take up much luggage space. Quick-dry fabrics are also great, as they mostly stay wrinkle-free in my experience.

To keep my luggage organised, I use packing cubes, I love these ones here.

Do You Need Warm Clothes for Thailand

When planning a trip to Northern Thailand, I always throw in an extra fleece jacket, just in case I rent a scooter and drive in the mountains as the wind can get very chilly, especially in the cooler months and if you want go trekking in the mountains! It also saves me in highly air-conditioned shopping malls and night bus rides across the country.

Call me crazy, but I also take a scarf, especially if you are travelling to Northern Thailand during the winter months of December and January, you will thank me for this advice. A scarf is not necessary if you are only heading to the southern Thai islands, as it's always hot down there.

I love this travel infinity scarf which has a hidden zipper pocket. Very handyon flights too, keeps you warm and you can easily slip your iPhone or passport in there.

My ultimate tip is packing a wind and waterproof jacket which rolls up nice and small and is a great addition to a warmer jacket.

White Clothes in Thailand

It’s best to not bring white clothes to Thailand, as they may get dirty from the constant sweat and dust when walking around. Also, I find washing machines in Thailand usually don't clean the best and leave your white clothes rather grey. Hold out on washing until you get home if you can!

Type of Shoes to Take to Thailand

Another part of your Thailand outfit is footwear. What to wear in Thailand in terms of footwear can be boiled down to sandals, easy slip-on shoes and sneakers for longer walks or hiking. I also like to wear sneakers when riding a scooter.

I do wear thin socks in sneakers, however, in my TOMS I go barefoot and use a pair of terry insoles instead to keep feet fresh and help them breathe. Get a multipack so you can change them over there if needed. Remember, Thai feet are much smaller than Western feet and it may be hard to find the right size insoles in Thailand. After your trip to Thailand, you can throw the soles out and your shoes are still as good as new inside!

High heels for Thailand

Avoid high heels. I have packed them in the past and never ended up wearing them unless I specifically planned a dinner or occasion with them. Also, heavy hiking boots are not necessary unless you're planning to hike for days. As your everyday walking shoes for sightseeing, comfortable and easy is the way to go!

Sandals and Walking Barefoot

For sandals, just know that the pedestrian walkways around Thailand are not as developed as in Western countries. Many times, city grime may ruin your shoes, best not to opt for white or light colours. For this reason, I also like shoes that you can easily wash off. On my last trip to Thailand I did actually bring white shoes, but they were one of my older pairs which proofed to be the right choice as they did get dirty but I didn't mind.

Water-resistant shoes are a good idea in the rainy season. Or buy a spray to waterproof your current sneakers. On top of that, wearing anything too bulky will surely capture more heat and cause your feet to cook from the general heat of Thailand.

Flip flops are okay, especially rubber ones like Havaianas which are easy to clean. They are also convenient for temple visits as you can take them off and slip them back on easily.

When planning a trip to visit all the incredible Thai islands and you have sensitive feet, you might want to pack some water sports shoes like these. They are pretty light and fit your luggage easily.

Please don’t walk barefoot on the streets of Thailand, you simply don’t know what’s on the streets and bringing dirt into shops or your accommodation is not very friendly and is often considered offensive. I am sure you don't do that at home either!

Toiletries for Thailand

Next on the packing list for Thailand are your toiletries. Be smart and bring your favourite brands for shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, etc. in travel containers and use them throughout your travels.

While you can find many international brands in Thailand, you may have to look around for them. And you surely don't want to spend your precious vacation time hunting down shampoo, right? 7-Eleven is great for a quick shop and can be found on almost every second corner of literally the entire country, but they usually only sell the basics with many products containing skin-whitening ingredients, which I definitely don’t like!

That being said, if space is far too precious for you, you can choose to skip packing toiletries and buy them right in Thailand. The best place to find international brands is in Bangkok, which is convenient as most travellers fly in and out of Bangkok too. Generally, you can expect to pay more for brands than back home.

Below are some of my favourite travel toiletry essentials I recommend taking:

• Reef safe sunscreen
• Deodorant
• A quick-dry travel towel that can be used for showers as well as the beach
• Hand sanitiser or eco-friendly wet wipes and tissues (not all public toilets have toilet paper)
• Mosquito repellent, this one here is 100% natural DEET-free
• Lip balm, my favourite is from Aesop
• Body wash & shampoo
• Body lotion
• Tampons or DivaCup
• And some zip lock bags to keep toiletries from leaking
• A hanging toiletry bag to keep everything organised
• I usually like bringing my own hair dryer as even luxury hotels don't have great ones – you could also get a 2-in-1 Travel Hair Straightener

Tech Gear

Buying an anti-theft backpack is a smart investment. You can easily use it as your carry-on as well as a day pack once you arrive in Thailand.

In terms of actual tech gear, I recommend you bring an international travel adapter so you can charge your gear easily. This one here is an all-in-one adapter and has 4 USB ports and 1 universal AC socket, so you can charge multiple devices at once.

A power bank is something I never leave the house without! I also bring my laptop with me, lucky it’s a 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro.

I use a VPN to watch Netflix or get around blocked websites that you usually cannot access in Thailand.

A portable WiFi hotspot, like this one from Skyroam, will help you get online anywhere you go in Thailand and beyond, in case you are travelling to more than just one country. Also, eSims are invaluable for travelling Asia!

I love my GoPro, always bring a small LED flashlight, a padlock to lock my luggage, and a waterproof case for your phone is a must-take item for any Thailand packing.

What Not To Bring To Thailand

Outside of jeans and clothes that are too revealing, there are a few other things I recommend you avoid bringing on your trip to Thailand.

First, while expensive tech is a fair game, unnecessary valuables and expensive jewellery are not. I promise, most days you will not even wear it as it’s simply too hot. My skin gets sweat rashes when it’s covered with jewellery. Not fun!

The last thing you want is to overpack and fill your luggage with unnecessary things, so if you think you have packed too much, go ahead and half the load and you will be just right. You can always buy anything you forget on the ground in Thailand!

Lastly, with all the rain you might think it’s smart to bring an umbrella, but it might not be necessary as you can find cheap price umbrellas at 7-Eleven, should you really need one.

Travel First Aid Kit for Thailand

Another thing I would put on your Thailand packing list is a first aid kit. My first aid kit for Thailand contains antibiotics, Imodium for travelers diarrhea, disinfectant spray, electrolytes, activated charcoal, paracetamol, motion sickness pills (if going on boats!) and a thermometer.

Last but not least, you definitely want to get travel insurance in case anything goes wrong, you are injured or ill or there is another emergency, which is unforeseeable! I like SafetyWing insurance, which covers both medical expenses as well as lost luggage and travel delays. Plus, it starts from US$45.08 per 4 weeks and you can renew it like a subscription or buy the policy upfront if you have a fixed start and end date for your Thailand trip!

My Ultimate Packing List for What to Pack for 2 Weeks in Thailand

And here’s the exact packing list for my last trip to Thailand:

• 8x light-weight t-shirts
• 2-4x nicer shirts for the evenings
• 1x warm fleece (or similar) jacket for wearing on planes, air-conditioned busses and shopping malls
• 7x pair of socks
• 14x underwear
• 1-2x pair of long light-weight pants
• 3x pairs of short pants
• 2-3x flowy dress
• 3x pair of bikini
• 1x microfiber travel towel
• 1x sarong for the beach and visiting temples
• 1x pairs of sneakers
• 1x slip-on shoes like TOMS
• 1x pair of Havaianas/flip flops
• 1x light rain/windproof jacket that rolls up easily (when visiting Northern Thailand)

No matter if I travel for one, two or three weeks to Thailand, I try not to pack anymore but rather take advantage of the cheap and efficient laundry services that are offered everywhere in Thailand. Last time I also packed from liquid washing powder to wash some essentials by hand.

Lastly, I wouldn’t bring much new or expensive clothing on your Southeast Asia trip, because as I said, you will sweat a lot, the streets are not as clean as back home and yes, the laundry can also destroy your clothes sometimes (hasn't personally happened to me though!), so better safe than sorry!