(And what to pack for any other adventurous beach vacation)

I’m not sure who I am, but I watched a video the other day, detailing what Colleen Ballinger was taking on vacation, and the Pandora’s box was opened as soon as she mentioned that “packing videos” are a thing. Like, people watch videos detailing what total strangers pack for their vacations. Where was this when I went to Bali?

(On the internet, Emily, where it’s always been.)

Anywho, now that airlines are getting pretty strict with their luggage weight limits, and traveling to countries where wheeled bags don’t stand a chance is becoming more popular by the minute (I welcome this phase of exploration, btw), every piece of clothing in your suitcase matters. I’m on board to get all of the packing tips and luggage wisdom the world has to offer. But I’m also here to give it. Because in all honesty, I think I basically nailed my packing for three weeks in Indonesia, with the exception of a few things which you’ll find below. Full disclosure, this was a pretty rustic trip, with a focus on surfing and adventure. This was not a glamorous, insta-worthy voyage to Uluwatu’s famous Sunset Point every evening.

So are you headed to southeast Asia?

Here’s your ultimate packing guide for Bali, Vietnam, and Thailand.

First Thing's First: SHOES

I’m a big runner and workout fiend, but I accepted that when I went to Bali, I would focus on the yoga, and leave the running shoes behind (finding a continuous trail to run on can be a bit difficult.) Shoe-wise I packed:

1. Sturdy flip flops

2. Birkenstock sandals

3. (Somewhat) nicer, black leather slip-on sandals

This is the least amount of shoes I’ve ever packed for a vacation, and I never once missed a pair that didn’t make the cut. And yes, Birkenstocks are ugly, but my feet were so happy in them. Now accepting suggestions for cuter alternatives…

Swimsuits

I packed 3 swimsuits, and basically wore the higher quality one the entire time. I ordered bikinis from Shein for the first time this year, and it’s safe to say I won’t do it again. Y’all, the quality is BAD. I should’ve been wiser, and not given into wasteful, cheap, fast fashion, but I did. And there were things hanging out, tugging, and poking on these suits that is NOT normal. Opt for the better bikinis. And pack 2-3 of them, as you’ll basically live in them and always want to have a dry option.

Workout Gear

The line in Bali was blurred between workout gear and regular clothes some days, especially when I was at Mana Yoga Retreat. I recommend packing stuff that dries quickly, so after a sweaty yoga class you can wash it in your sink, hang it up, and have it dry by the next class. I packed:

1. 3 quick-drying sports bras

2. 2 pairs of stretchy sport shorts

3. 1 pair of yoga leggings

4. 4 workout tops and tanks (don’t bother with sleeves on anything)

Dresses and Skirts

I definitely could’ve packed one less dress. But the two that I packed (two were cut from the above photo) were long and versatile for beach days, evening Bintangs (Indonesia’s beer of choice) and exploring temples. I packed one skirt and never wore it because it was a material that didn’t breathe. Rookie mistake.

Shorts and Bottoms

My golden rule when it came to packing shorts and bottoms for Bali was flowy flowy flowy! Almost everything I wore was linen or cotton, and drenched in sweat by the end of the day, regardless. Leave the denim at home, you definitely won’t need it. I did pack one pair of white denim shorts which I wore several times, but they were on the looser side and very comfy. I packed:

1. 1 pair gray linen shorts

2. Striped linen pants (these proved very handy when I had an unexpected overnight stay in a SUPER conservative Muslim town)

3. 1 pair of white denim shorts (you can skip the denim)

4. 1 pair of cotton-y comfy striped shorts to pull on over swim suits, etc

Tops

The flowy rule applies here too. I only packed tops that breathe, and most of them were sleeveless. It’s great to have something with sleeves for whenever you want to go inside temples, but I also found that carrying a lightweight scarf with me solved that problem. I packed:

1. 3 white, lightweight tops with sleeves

2. 3 sleeveless/tank top-like shirts (2 black and 1 light blue) to be dressed up or down. I rarely dressed up.

3. Lightweight scarf for temples, etc

Miscellaneous

Here are the random things I threw in my suitcase that served a purpose

1. Crushable hat for the beach

2. Sunscreen duh.

3. Westuit and reef booties because I’m a professional surfer, also duh ;)

4. A quick-drying towel (this came in VERY handy!)

5. Camera tripod

And that’s honestly it.

Das ist alles.

What did I feel I was missing? Some sweatpants and a pullover for the evenings when Bali got surprisingly breezy. I wasn’t planning for chilly temps at all, so I was left feeling a bit “fresh,” as Germans would say, at night. The next time, I’ll probably wear some lounge pants and layers on the plane ride and then have a warmer option ready to go. But all in all, everything above was more than I needed for my three weeks in Indonesia and better yet, it all fit in a rolling duffel bag/backpack that was easy to carry on gravel roads.

As a person who generally cares about their appearance, I found Indonesia to be a beautifully carefree place, where I rarely wore makeup and threw on the same linen pieces every morning after yoga. So my advice would be to keep it simple. Because in this stunning country, there’s so much to see and explore that every minute you spend worrying about your outfit is a minute you could’ve spent eating gado gado or catching another sunset. Shhhhh! Don’t tell the influencers at Sunset Point…

The Ultimate Bali Packing Guide