List of Essentials To Bring When Traveling Abroad
To prepare for the perfect trip abroad, it is important that you plan ahead, research the destination thoroughly, decide whether to opt for a packaged tour or organize your own itinerary, book your flights early for better prices, and finally, create a list of essential items to bring when traveling.
To assist you in preparing the necessary items for your trip and provide tips on organizing your belongings without being too cumbersome or taking up excessive space in your suitcase, SVietnam Travel will compile a complete list of essential items you need to bring when traveling abroad.
Read more: What is a private tour to Vietnam?
Prepare all the necessary documents
Unlike domestic trips, traveling abroad requires a significant amount of time, cost, and preparation.
It is crucial that you thoroughly prepare the items you need to bring when traveling abroad, as well as the necessary documents to ensure a smooth journey without any complications during the airport customs check-in process. Here are some essential documents you must carry with you.
1. Passport
One of the essential documents to bring when traveling abroad is your passport. It is a mandatory requirement for international travel.
Passports typically have a validity period of around 5 years for adults and 3 years for children, depending on the regulations of each country. However, you need to have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months before your departure. Please check your passport to ensure compliance with this requirement.
2. Travel Visa
Another document to consider when traveling abroad is a travel visa. While a passport is necessary for exiting your country, whether or not you require a travel visa depends on the destination country’s requirements. For example, if you plan to visit Vietnam, please check with the embassy or immigration authority in your country to determine if a visa is needed. Alternatively, you can seek advice from our travel consultancy for an accurate answer.
Read more: Visa to Vietnam
3. Airline Tickets
If you are traveling abroad, it is important to plan and book your round-trip airline tickets well in advance, preferably at least 2 months prior to your departure, to secure the best fares.
You can check ticket prices on the websites of various airlines such as Qatar Airways, Air Asia, etc., and make early bookings to benefit from discounted fares.
4. International Driving License (if applicable)
If you have an international driving license, don’t forget to bring it along so that you can rent a motorcycle or car when you arrive in a different country.
5. Travel Insurance (essential)
While not a mandatory document, travel insurance is one of the essential tools to protect you from unexpected medical expenses or unfortunate accidents during your trip.
6. Cash and Credit Cards
Having cash for expenses during your trip abroad is essential. It is advisable to carry a certain amount of cash to cover daily living expenses since not every place accepts credit cards, or if they do, there might be additional transaction fees. Therefore, bringing cash and credit cards is included in the list of important items to bring when traveling abroad.
In addition to carrying foreign currencies such as USD or Euros, it is also recommended to exchange a small amount of money in the country you are visiting for convenience.
Do not forget to bring your credit cards as they are the most useful payment tool when needed in a foreign country.
Items to bring when traveling abroad
In addition to the necessary documents such as passport, visa, cash, and credit cards that we mentioned above, you also need to list the items that you should bring to ensure convenience and compactness for your luggage.
1. Personal hygiene items
Of course, for any travel or business trip, whether domestic or international, don’t forget to prepare the necessary personal hygiene items. It’s important to have all the essential personal hygiene items when traveling abroad to avoid incurring additional expenses for your trip or facing difficulties in purchasing these items in a foreign country.
Toothbrush/toothpaste/razor
These are essential personal items that you should pack in your travel suitcase for daily use. Although the hotel at your destination may provide these items, using your own personal hygiene products is always better.
Facial cleanser, sunscreen, and skincare products
Skincare products are also necessary items and should be included in the list of things to bring when traveling abroad. Particularly, if the climate in Vietnam or any other country you are visiting differs significantly from your place of residence, it may affect your skin condition and lead to allergies. Therefore, choose suitable skincare products for yourself and your family before embarking on the trip.
If you are visiting countries in Indochina such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, etc., it is important to prepare sunscreen to protect your skin whenever you go out or visit outdoor attractions.
Perfume, lip balm
These are personal items that can be customized to your preference, so if you use them frequently, remember to bring them as they are quite compact and lightweight.
2. Clothing and attire when traveling abroad
Depending on the weather and climate at your destination, you can choose and bring along some necessary clothing to ensure comfort and convenience during your travels. The items to bring when traveling abroad should be lightweight, simple, and practical, but it greatly depends on the specific location you’re visiting.
Read more: What to wear in Vietnam – Clothing Tips
Jackets, scarves, hats, sunglasses…
If you’re traveling during the cold season, don’t forget to pack warm clothing such as jackets, scarves, and beanies. If you’re going to a place with frequent sunshine or high temperatures, remember to bring a wide-brimmed hat, a cap, and sunglasses.
T-shirts, jeans, shorts, dresses
Some trendy and versatile clothing items like T-shirts, jeans, shorts, or dresses are also essential when traveling abroad. Depending on your fashion style, you can choose beautiful outfits that are suitable for various weather conditions.
Sports shoes, sneakers, sandals
When traveling abroad, you’ll likely be doing a lot of walking, so don’t forget to bring a pair of comfortable and functional sports shoes to ensure convenient and easy mobility. Also, pack a pair of sandals for water activities or beach visits without worrying about damaging your shoes.
Swimwear
Swimwear is essential if you’re traveling to Vietnam or other Southeast Asian countries with hot climates, beautiful beaches, and many hotels and resorts with swimming pools. So, don’t forget to pack your swimwear.
Remember to consider the weather and activities you’ll be engaging in during your trip to determine the appropriate clothing and attire to bring along.
3. Medications
In long trips like this, if you encounter issues such as pain, illness, cold, fatigue, or chronic conditions, carrying medications is essential. Therefore, when making a list of items to bring when traveling abroad, don’t forget to pack a medication bag with compartments for different types of medicines.
4. Electronic devices and accessories
Another essential item to bring when traveling abroad is electronic devices and accessories, depending on the nature of your work or travel.
Phones, laptops, tablets, and cameras are commonly needed
If you’re only traveling without the need for remote work, it’s sufficient to bring your phone and camera. However, if you still require a laptop for work purposes, consider bringing it despite its weight.
Phone chargers, laptop chargers, camera chargers, power bank
Prepare a power bank to ensure your phone always has battery life wherever you go! Additionally, remember to bring chargers for your electronic devices.
Read more: The types of plugs and electrical sockets in Vietnam
Universal travel adapter
Don’t forget this essential accessory when listing items to bring when traveling abroad. Unlike in your home country, power outlets and plugs can vary in foreign countries. Therefore, when traveling, purchase a universal travel adapter. It’s a solution that allows your electronic devices to be plugged into any power outlet worldwide.
Other travel items to bring when traveling abroad
After preparing all the personal items, medications, clothing, and accessories, you should also consider the following list of items to bring when traveling abroad to make your trip perfect!
1. Travel neck pillow, eye mask
Typically, international trips involve long hours or even overnight journeys. To make your time sitting on the plane more comfortable, don’t forget to bring a U-shaped neck pillow to provide a comfortable headrest on the seat.
Combine it with an eye mask for sleep or earplugs to block out noise so that you can have a deep and energizing sleep after a long flight.
2. Snacks when traveling abroad
You can bring along some dry snacks or packaged snacks that are allowed in the destination country. These can be handy when you’re hungry and unsure where to eat. They can temporarily satisfy your hunger and prevent low blood sugar levels.
Some things to consider when preparing the items to bring when traveling abroad
Here are some important considerations you need to keep in mind when preparing for your international trip.
1. Plan and schedule early
For any trip, especially international travel, it’s important to have a well-planned itinerary, including the destinations, travel dates, budget, departure and arrival times, and a list of essential items to bring.
The travel advice from S Vietnam Travel can help you with this aspect.
2. Pack efficiently
Make sure that your luggage is not too bulky, but also ensure that you don’t forget any necessary items. Pack your personal belongings in an organized and efficient manner. It’s advisable to use a large suitcase instead of multiple small ones to avoid the risk of forgetting any of them.
3. Avoid fragile items
While it’s inevitable to bring some fragile items among the things to bring when traveling abroad, try to minimize the risk by wrapping them securely in paper or soft materials or placing them in between clothes to prevent breakage or damage during transportation.
4. Prepare contingency plans
No one can predict everything that may happen during international travel. Therefore, it’s important to prepare for contingencies such as theft or loss of luggage. Write down contact information on paper for people to reach out to for assistance when needed. This is also a difference when you choose to book a full-package tour through SVietnam Travel or organize the trip yourself. If you book a full-package tour, there will always be someone available to support you 24/7 in case of any issues.
Conclusion
Those are all the things you need to keep in mind as well as the most comprehensive list of items to bring when traveling abroad. Remember, before every trip, you should always do thorough research and prepare all the necessary items to avoid any troubles and additional expenses of buying things in a foreign country. Wishing you enjoyable and fantastic experiences on your upcoming journeys!
