Packing Tips for a Family Journey to Asia

SKIP AHEAD

Quick Facts
Consider the time of year
Consider your travel duration
Individual needs
Limiting luggage to the essentials
Enjoy packing as a family

Your trip is planned and you're excited to go, but one question still remains, what should you pack? Luckily, Asia Highlights has helped all kinds of families to travel in Asia, so we have some advice to share with you.

The key things to consider are the time of year you travel, the type of traveling you will be doing, and some must-have things for individual needs when making your packing list. Everyone is a little different, so you will need to use your best judgment when it comes to your family.

Some of the most important things to pack are your passports, daily medication, suitable clothing, a raincoat or umbrella, and of course a camera. Sunscreen, bug spray and a basic first-aid kit are always good things to carry with you, but can also be purchased upon arrival.

Quick Facts

Check to make sure your hotel has a laundry service, so you can bring less clothes and just have your laundry done while on vacation.
When traveling with a child under five, we highly recommend bringing your own stroller. Usually yours will be more comfortable than ones found overseas.
Rolling your clothes instead of folding them when packing is a great way to save space.
Always have your carry-on stocked with all your essentials just in case your luggage goes missing.
Keep copies of all your important documents in more than one place.

Consider the time of year

When thinking about what to pack, you will need to do a little research about the typical weather in that area at that time of year. We always recommend packing at least a few layers of long-sleaved clothing (even if you are going during the hot season), especially for children to use as sun protection.

Always be aware that the weather can change rapidly anywhere. An umbrella or a waterproof backpack can be a camera-protecting or cold-preventing item for unseasonable rain. Anything you forget at home can usually be easily replaced while traveling and turn into a lasting souvenir.

China Highlights, Asia Highlights, and Global Highlights collaborate to provide families and couples with personalized and stress-free experiences in diverse destinations.

Great Experience

WOW! I’ve traveled Asia some & I must say Sharon & Asia Highlights made this trip so much more enjoyable and easy

Stephen Hollis, Aug 2023

Alisa has has been great to work with

Alisa with Asia Highlights has has been great to work with. Very friendly and responsive.

Ana Rausch, Aug 2023

Using Sharon right now to book our…

Using Sharon right now to book our upcoming trip to Thailand. She has booked everything that we asked for. Has answered all of my inquiries, which has been many! Looking forward to having a great girls trip in Thailand

Tracy, Aug 2023

Thailand, Singapore, Bali

In Thailand, Tanny and Nori(Suparp), were both incredible! They were both fun, funny, and full of knowledge and made sure we got the full experience. They went the extra mile and always made sure we had cold bottled water and towels to cleanse our hands. In Singapore, Nicole was an absolute gem. She was so kind and knowledgeable and guided us in the right direction to make our day as enjoyable as possible. She helped us choose a top notch local lunch and coffee spot in China Town and taught us so much about the country! In Bali, Emon was an absolute joy. He was very knowledgeable and kind and absolutely made sure we were feeling comfortable and was willing to be flexible with us. He was fun to converse with and made our time traveling between destinations so enjoyable! I cannot recommend Asia Highlights enough! Accommodations, travel arrangements and guided tours were all a breeze.

Cassi Thunker, Jul 2023

Very supportive

Very supportive ! I have received eticket for Sky Lattern Festival very fast

Chi?n Nguy?n Ng?c, Jul 2023

My experience in Chang Mai with Asia Highlights

I greatly enjoyed my experience with Asia Highlights for a trip I booked to Thailand.All of my interests were catered too. My guide in Chang Mai Gemma was excellent.I truly felt the soul of Thailand culture and Buddhism.

Richard, Jul 2023

A pleasure to plan with

Well, this has been a painless and pleasurable process to find such a wonderful company. I had specific dates and places to be and Sharon worked with me diligently to refine the schedule and costs to suit my travel needs and budget. She informed me of a special tour on the dates I am to be in Thailand and I added that to my previous plans.

Chris Williams, Jul 2023

Large multi-generational holiday in Thailand

The holiday was wonderful. Our guides, Mr Monchai (Bangkok), and Ms Tipagorn (Tippy) (Chiang Mai) were exceptional. Travelling in a large multigenerational group with many children requires patience and our guides truly understood that. Mr Monchai and Ms Tippy shared their extensive knowledge of the many wonderful places we visited, and were flexible to take us to additional places along the way based on discussions. While everyday was busy, having them greet us with patience and a smile truly made this a memorable holiday. The hotels we stayed at were equally wonderful and went above and beyond to celebrate not only my parents 50th anniversary but also celebrate 2 milestone birthdays that occurred. We will cherish this holiday for many years to come. We hope to use Asia Highlights again.

CL, Jul 2023

I never used a travel agent in my life

I never used a travel agent in my life, but Sharon for Asia Highlights did a phenomenal job helping planning and coordination a family vacation. The best part of working with Sharon was that she maintained an open line of communication and provided answers to my question well within 12-24 hours. Additionally, Sharon was flexible and customized our vacation to my families needs. Overall great experience.

Antione Barry, Jul 2023

Great company to plan a trip to Southeast Asia!

Sharon Haung has been wonderful to work with! Very patient and accommodating. Responds immediately given time change and is prepared, prompt, and professional.

Debi Hinerfeld, Jul 2023

We took a 15 days trip (10 days Vietnam and 5 days Thailand …

It was an amazing experience the guides and drivers were there awaiting for us at each airoport for a transfer to the hotels also on time for all the tours all the guides were so lovely , very experienced and spoke very good English , one of the days on tour in Thailand I lost my phone in a temple in Bangkok mr chai went out of his way in a middle of thousands of visitors and managed to find an bring it back to me I found that amazing , also while on a trip I contacted Jason li out tour organizer few time via whatup and he replied and helped on the spot I recommend asiahilights 150% The quality of the service hotels the guides the drivers outstanding From start to finish ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT ????

SIMO el ghobar, Jun 2023

Wonderful Guides and Experience

Our large group arrived in Bangkok with Tanni as our guide. She was wonderful! An absolute joy to spend time with. She is knowledgeable, kind, and extremely funny. I don’t know what we would have done without her! After Bangkok, we traveled to Chang Mai, where Indy was our tour guide. She was a delight! She is kind, knowledgeable, and so patient. Our trip to Thailand was an adventure of a lifetime and these two women helped make it memorable. I would definitely use Asia Highlights for any future travel in Asia.

Jessica Bennett, Jun 2023

Guide - Chai

We travelled from Vietnam to Bangkok and were blessed to have a guide named Chai. He was a superb guide and it is a pity we couldn't bottle him and take him home. He was very knowledgeable and an absolute gentleman. He could not have done enough to facilitate us and imparted so much knowledge about the Temples, Buddism and the History of Thailand in general. Not only did he give us a great overview of the past and current ways of living in Thailand but I also feel I came away a much better person having interacting with him. I will carry many of his teachings with me for the rest of my life and know that having met him was a very special blessing in my life.

Customer, Jun 2023

Our guide Tanni was kind

Our guide Tanni was kind, knowledgeable, funny and beyond accommodating for our group. We felt like we'd made a friend and it enhanced our trip in the most positive way. Everything was coordinated perfectly which is not easy to do in a large traveling group. Excellent experience!

Marissa Manson, Jun 2023

We are only on day 5 of our 15 day trip…

Our first stop so far was in Hanoi where our guide Trong was just so awesome! He shared about his culture and family life which showing us sites through a city tour. He was so funny making lots of jokes and always made sure we were having fun while learning about everything! He checked on us frequently even when we were no longer with him since we then went on a cruise in Halong Bay! Halong Bay and the cruise on Paradise Elegance went way above anything I expected. The scenery was breathtaking, the ship was so beautiful and clean with such fresh, good food! And I can’t sing enough praise for the staff who took care of us- especially Anna and Belle! They went above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed every aspect from eating meals with Anna to every other detail with Belle! I highly recommend Asian Highlights to help plan these extraordinary trips! This already has been a trip of a lifetime and we still have so much more to see all thanks to Cathy!!

Diane Creitz, Jun 2023

Tanni for the win!

14 of my closest friends and family descended upon Bangkok ready to see the town. Asia highlights and Tanni took us on a tour that changed our lives. We experienced so much everyday. Tanni was amazing! She did all the thinking for us, so we all could just be present and enjoy the moment. I can’t recommend this company, and especially Tanni enough.

Megan McGlynn, Jun 2023

This isn't my first trip with Asia…

This isn't my first trip with Asia Highlights. They are great at helping me plan, working my requests into the itinerary, and booking it all. We travel with friends and just got back from a trip to Thailand and Vietnam. Albee did a great job with all the details and we had a wonderful time. We will use them for our next adventure!

Katie Potesta, Jun 2023

Amazing service

Although we have not been our trip yet I wanted to still write a review based on customer service and the ease of booking. Alisa has been extremely prompt and responsive with planning our trip to Thailand. She has had great recommendations and guidance to add to our custom itinerary. Highly recommend using Asia highlights! -Alex

Alex, May 2023

I have never hear of this company…

I have never hear of this company before , and after reading all these reviews ,I decided to give it a try . The professionalism and communicative skill received by one of the agent , Sharon of Asia Highlights , convince me that She was the right travel agent for my trip in Asia . Very quickly she communicated with me and got all the detail of my desire vacation . Sharon made me a great itinerary with great experiences that I am dreaming to experience and I am looking forward to it . Thanks Sharon for been so great and crafting me a dream vacation with great suggestions.

orge alvarez, May 2023

Coco Yang worked tirelessly to…

From the moment I landed in Bangkok, Ms Noi Ying was there to welcome me and get me settled into my hotel. We enjoyed several days together touring Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. In Chiang Mai, Mr Ekachai took my son snd I on an amazing trip to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and to visit a community Lanna home, gardens and a hands-on cooking class preparing an authentic Thai meal. Lisa arranged a last-minute speedboat tour of 5 breathtaking islands in Phuket. From start to finish, the guides exceeded my expectations!! Thank you, Asia Highlight!! Debbie Woods

Debbie Woods, May 2023

Consider your travel duration

Lugging around a heavy bag is the last thing you are going to want to do after a day of taking in the sights. So, for most people traveling two weeks or less, we highly recommend packing as light as possible. This makes crossing boarders and moving from place to place that much easier.

One way to optimize the space in your suitcase is to consider bringing clothes that dry fast. You can always find places to get your clothes washed as you go, this can help you bring far less clothes. Getting your clothes washed in Asia is usually very cheap.

For longer journeys you can consider leaving certain items behind throughout your journey. This might also be a great method for those that end up buying too many souvenirs. You can always leave behind a towel or shoes that have seen better days.

Individual needs

When traveling with young children you need to make sure that you have everything they will need to be entertained and comfortable on the long journey, especially utensils for eating that might be difficult to find in Asia.

Diapers and other dispensable items (like baby wipes and baby powder) can be purchased once at your destination, but the selection might not be what you are used to. So we recommend at least bringing enough to last a few days longer than the time it will take to get there.

For older children this is a great opportunity to learn how to pack. You can even let them have some freedom to pack for themselves. We do encourage parents to limit how many things they can bring, and not to pack too many electronics otherwise they might miss out on this great opportunity to really experience your destination.

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Limiting luggage to the essentials

One of the best ways to help yourself limit your luggage is to make a checklist and stick to it. Only pack the most important stuff and cross off the things that can be substituted and done without.

One thing that you can't do without when traveling with a toddler or child under five, is a stroller. These can be used right until you board a plane. When you are checking in your flight at the gate, the airline can help you add a tag to your stroller so that it can be stored during the flight and retuned to you when you land.

When traveling with aging parents or people with mobility restrictions, please consult with us about their specific needs and we will let you know all your options, based on your desired travel destinations. Most of the time, private cars and taxis can be arranged to avoid any inconveniences.

Your carry on can be your life saver if your luggage somehow goes missing. This is why we highly recommend packing most of your essentials in there, as well as a change of clothes, so you will be able to survive with just your carry on for a few days.

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Enjoy packing as a family

Packing doesn't have to be a chore; instead it can be turned into quality family time. One way to get the kids involved is to let them create their own packing list. This gives them some freedom over what they want to bring, but parents will need to help guide them and make sure they aren't packing too many toys.

The best way to be prepared is to start packing early. You can even do a practice pack a couple of weeks before. By doing a practice pack you will see how heavy your luggage will be or how much space everything will take. This is a great technique for cutting down and re-evaluating what you are packing.

While at the airport or anywhere in transit, put someone (maybe one of the children) in charge of watching the luggage. This will give them an important job, while not asking too much of them. Be sure to keep all the important documents with one of the parents, and a copy of everything somewhere else.

Travel with Asia Highlights

When you choose to travel with Asia Highlights, we always take into account your personalized needs and wants. We have been helping individuals and families travel in Asia for more than 20 years and can't wait to share our experience with you.

For more information please contact us directly or have a closer look at our tour packages here.

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Unique experiences tailored to your interests: Enjoy a premium trip that goes beyond the typical tourist attractions.
Hassle-free travel and peace of mind: Every aspect of your trip will be carefully planned and organized by your 1:1 travel consultant.
Experienced and knowledgeable guides: Your guides will be local and love to work for travelers' smiles.

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