There are still 9 clouds on my recent trip to Southeast Asia.
I spent a month and a little money traveling to Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia, and it was truly an experience of a lifetime. From the amazing connections I made to learning about historical traditions, culture, and food, it was seriously a journey for the book. This trip was such a success from the itinerary to the attire that I had to share my Southeast Asia packing list with you all.
TBH, this trip was exactly what I needed to reclaim myself, reinvigorate my soul, and find my creativity and sense of purpose.
Southeast Asia packing list: Everything I wore during my month-long stay.
This part of the world is truly a paradise, offering the best of both worlds: city life and a secluded, tropical atmosphere. We spent nearly a year planning this trip. From the cities you plan to visit, to finding a stylish hotel, to booking safe and fun excursions for solo travelers, to deciding on the order of your trip, to determining the best time to travel to Southeast Asia, we’ve got you covered. I need to make a list of things to bring to Southeast Asia.
Top (XL) | Pants (XL) | Sandals (TTS): Flower Mountain | Nordstrom | People of Freedom
As you can imagine, the Southeast Asia packing list for Bangkok’s vibrant nightlife, secluded Phi Phi Islands, and a visit to the temples of Ubud was daunting. This is not something I take lightly and I have spent more time than I would like to admit researching different climates and millions of different outfits, shoes and bags that would meet all my travel needs. I tried something that felt like.
Top (XL) | Pants (24) | Bag
And after all this planning, my biggest insight when I finally got back to the States was that I needed to be prepared for the heat and humidity. As someone who lives in a tropical climate in Brazil, travels frequently to Miami, and grew up in the Midwest, nothing compares to the humidity levels in this part of the world.
It’s hot, humid, wet, and sticky…but it’s worth it!
What to wear in Bali and Ubud, Indonesia: Breathable pants, cute tops + breezy dresses
The first stop on our month-long trip was Indonesia. We climbed up and down thousands of stairs to see gorgeous temples, waterfalls, and historic sites. I will tell you all the stairs, the heat and humidity was no joke. While it was true that there were times when it was necessary to hide, it was not always necessary, as most temples and sacred sites require that one wear their distinctive attire.
Top (XL) | Pants (XL) | Sandals (TTS) | Sunglasses
Most days I paired it with super lightweight breathable pants and a cute top. This made getting dressed in the early morning super easy and still made me feel put together and cute for the day. For the pants, I wore a set I bought from Free People a lot. It’s made of cotton gauze-like material, and I like that it’s large and airy. However, a word of caution about these pants is that we do not recommend wearing them in rainy weather. I put them on one night when it was raining and I was soaking wet.
Top (XL) (similar) | Pants (7) | Sandals (tts): Flower Mountain | Nordstrom | Free People | Bags
The MVP of the entire trip were my Good American parachute pants.they were literally cool and It looks beautiful and is one of the easiest items to style. I used to wear this in the prettiest shade of pink, but I’ve worn it so much that I now want white and forest green. These are my favorite pants I’ve purchased all year.
Dress (XL) | Sneakers (tts)
Was it realistic to wear an all-white dress and hike through the jungle? Probably not…did I do it anyway?! I bet it was! To be fair, the day I decided to wear this dress, I had no idea I would be hiking through the Ubud jungle or visiting a rice farm. I was totally fine and comfortable until the point when they asked us to go into the mud to plant rice. I politely declined and decided to take all the videos and photos my best friends wanted. It’s a win-win in my book.
Dresses (similar) | Sandals | Bags
I packed a few mesh tops and dresses for the trip and they were perfect for evening wear. If there’s one thing I recommend bringing for evening wear in the hot tropics, it’s a cute mesh dress. They’re cute, easy to wear, and look great with flip flops or heels.
What to wear in Thailand, Phuket and Bangkok: Beachwear and city looks
Top (XL) | Pants (24) | Bag
Visiting Thailand has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. Thai food is my all time favorite and I wanted to experience Thailand’s vast landscape, history and adventure first hand. It was originally scheduled to go in 2020, but as you might have guessed, it was cancelled. A few years later, I was able to book the trip of a lifetime.
Swimsuit (3x): SSENSE | at Miaou
Our first stop in Thailand was Phuket. We chartered a private boat and visited Phi Phi Islands, went kayaking, climbed caves, visited an amazing elephant sanctuary, rode an ATV through the jungle, and of course visited the iconic Big Buddha. It was a really great part of my trip and ended with a private dinner at the Michelin rated restaurant ‘Nitan’. Best of all, our AirBnB was a showstopper with the best views!
Swimsuit (3x): SSENSE | At Miao | Pants (XL) | Flip flops
In case you didn’t know, one of the iconic James Bond movies was filmed on Koh Phi Phi and it was a fun stop on our day-long boat trip. But my biggest regret of the day was not having prepared my water shoes. Flip flops were great for boating, but terrible for hiking, cliff climbing, and caving. The swimsuit is…spicy margarita level sexy!
Top (XL) | Pants (XL) | Bag | Sandals: Flower Mountain | Nordstrom | People of Freedom
After four wonderful days at the beach, we headed to the bustling city of Bangkok. It was 10 New York Times newspapers, but it was in great shape! On my first night in Bangkok, I took a midnight tuk-tuk tour to see the city at its peak. We sampled Thai food at street markets, visited temples, an Instagrammable flower market, and several other iconic locations. But my biggest mistake was wearing these pants. Because these pants don’t stand up to rain, and it rained hard all night long.
Dress (3x)
Our last night in Bangkok was truly an amazing night! We spent the evening partying and listening to live music. Well, it was actually a dress., off. The dress is very nice and is made from a lightweight mesh material which I also raved about.
Singapore attire (hottest of them): cargo pants, cuter tops, and one nice dress for a solo date.
I know that most people consider Paris to be the city of love, and I think Singapore definitely matches that. There’s something so romantic and magical about Singapore that made me think I might fall in love here. It’s a tropical, lush, yet incredibly large city filled with futuristic buildings, beautiful night light and water shows, and some of the most mouthwateringly delicious restaurants you’ll ever eat.
Top (XL) | Pants (3x) | Bag
I had the best meal of my life in Singapore and may or may not have had a bit of a romance. You can hear more about this interesting story on the podcast, but I digress… The first night we explored the city, I was wearing long pants from her Athleta and another cute mesh top. It’s such an easy yet great outfit combination for me.
Top (sold out) | Pants (24) | Sandals (tts): Flower Mountain | Nordstrom | Free People | Bags
The hotel I stayed in had a great place to pick out outfits, so I took full advantage of that before heading out for the day. His second day of sightseeing in Singapore included lots of shopping, visiting a few museums, and eating at one of his infamous Hawkers markets.
Top (similar) | Skirt (XXL) | Heels (tts)
On my last night in Singapore, I got dressed up and went on the most romantic solo date of my life. It was the best night ever and I loved the outfit I wore. Although this outfit gives the impression of a dress, she was actually wearing a skirt and top from two different brands. ps. If you are visiting Singapore, book here. I promise it will change your life.
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My time in Asia was truly a trip of a lifetime. I have a lot more to share with you in future posts than this Southeast Asia packing list. The only city I didn’t mention, Chiang Mai, was my absolute favorite. I had such a great time that I didn’t take any pictures of my outfit. I’m already dreaming of visiting this region again and feel really lucky to be able to live the way I do and travel all over the world.
Cheers to more adventures to come.
XX – Kat
Hello, hello, friends! If you want to hear more tea from me, listen to my podcast “Big Girls Gone Wild!” please listen! Follow me on Instagram to see more of my daily antics (think Colorado hikes, dog stories, food creations, and lots of celebrity tea). If you’re really curious, check out my YouTube channel, The Katrina Nichole. There, I share everything about plus-size fashion, body positivity combos, and the inclusive movement. bye bye!