The Ultimate Guide to Travel Essentials: Pack Smart, Travel Easy

Traveling is a wonderful experience that allows us to explore new places, cultures, and cuisines. But we understand that packing for your travels can be a pain, especially with the anxiety that you might forget something essential. We have put together a list of travel essentials that can help make your journey more comfortable, organized, and enjoyable.

Download packing list

Travel Documents

Before you even start thinking about what to pack, make sure you have all your essential travel documents in order. These include:

• Passport and visa (if required)
• Driver's license or ID card
• Travel insurance documents
• Booking documents: Hotels / Car Rentals
• Vaccination records (if needed)
• Emergency contact information

Always make copies of these documents and keep them in a separate bag or digitally stored in a secure location. It's also a good idea to have a digital backup on your smartphone or cloud storage.

As these are important documents, it is recommended to keep them with you at all times in your travel backpack. Do not keep these documents in your check-in luggage in case it goes missing.

What to pack, and where to pack

Now that you have decided on your luggages, let's take a look at what to pack, how much to pack, and where to pack them.

Clothings

The best place to pack your clothings would be in your checked-in luggage (if you have one). However, consider also keeping one set of clothes with you in your carry-on bag, in case your luggage gets lost or delayed.

In determining what to pack and how much to pack, consider a few factors:

• How are the weather conditions going to be like?
• How long will you be there for?
• Will you be planning to do laundry while traveling?

As a guideline, assuming you wouldn't be able to do any laundry, plan to pack:

• One set of underwear for each day you will be traveling
• One shirt per day that you will be traveling
• One less set of bottoms than the number of tops
• One to two sets of sleepwear
• A bath towel, if your accommodation isn't going to provide you with one

Of course, if you would be doing laundry, you can reduce the amount of clothes you will have to bring. If the weather would be cooling, you can also reduce the number of shirts and bottoms since you probably wouldn't be perspiring much and you can choose to re-wear some of your clothes.

Packing tips to maximise your luggage space and weight:

• Pack versatile clothing that can be mixed and matched.
• Check the weather forecast for your destination and pack accordingly.
• Roll your clothes to save space and reduce wrinkles.
• Use packing cubes to keep items organized and separate dirty laundry.
• Include a lightweight jacket or sweater for unexpected changes in weather.
• Consider packing a pair of slippers/sandals or another pair of shoes, but only if your luggage allows for it.

Toiletries

Having a well-organized toiletry bag will keep your personal care items easily accessible. Here's a list of essential toiletries.

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Soap or body wash
• Face wash
• Moisturiser and body cream
• Razor and shaving cream
• Deodorant
• Hairbrush or comb
• Sunscreen

We recommend that you pack your toiletries in your checked-in luggage, although you can consider bringing your toothbrush and toothpaste on board so that you can brush your teeth on your flight after your meals. If you will be staying in a hotel, most hotels also provide toiletries — so you could consider using those instead of bringing your own.

Remember to pack travel-sized toiletries to comply with airline regulations if you will be bringing them on board. You can also invest in reusable silicone toiletry bottles to reduce plastic waste.

If you will be putting on make-up or if you wear contacts, remember to also bring along:

• Contact Lens Solution
• Make-up remover
• Make-up kit

Electronics

In the digital age, electronics are crucial travel essentials. You'd likely bring most of these items onto the plane with you.

• Smartphone charger and cables
• Power bank
• Universal adapter
• Laptop or tablet (if needed)
• Headphones or earbuds
• Camera and accessories
• E-reader (for book lovers)

Keep all your chargers and cables in a dedicated pouch or organizer to prevent tangles and ensure you can recharge your devices on the go. Remember that power banks are not allowed in checked-in luggages.

Travel Accessories

A few handy accessories can significantly enhance your travel experience:

• Travel-sized laundry detergent for washing clothes on the go.
• Laundry bag to keep your dirty clothes.
• Travel-sized umbrella or raincoat for unexpected showers.
• A cap and/or sunglasses
• Reusable water bottle to stay hydrated and reduce plastic waste.

Other travel essentials

Other travel essentials include:

• Cash, including your home currency in case you need to change more money
• ATM card
• Credit card that is approved for overseas spend
• A Nomad eSIM so that you can stay connected as you travel

What to bring on your flight

Now that you have got your items packed for your trip, let's take a look at what you would want to bring on board with you. Long journeys can become tedious, so consider packing items to keep yourself entertained and comfortable:

• Books, magazines, or e-readers for reading.
• Charging cable for your phone, in case your phone runs out of battery mid-flight.
• Neck pillow for in-flight comfort.
• Eye mask for better rest during your flight.
• Compression socks, especially for longer flights
• Refillable water bottle — remember to refill it at the airport before you board!

Staying connected as you travel

Now that you have packed all your essentials, the last piece of your travel preparation would be to ensure that you can stay connected when you travel.

Remember to get an international travel eSIM from Nomad! Nomad offers data plans in over 165 countries, and you can be sure to find one that is suitable for your travel needs. And if you will be traveling across multiple countries, there are also regional plans available so you can stay seamlessly connected as you hop between countries. Data plans are available from as low as $1.50/GB.

How to get a Nomad eSIM?

Getting a Nomad eSIM is very easy. Simply create an account on the Nomad website, select the plan that you want, and check out! Or, download the iOS or Android app and you can easily purchase and manage your data on the go!

After you purchase your eSIM, you will receive an email containing information on how to install and activate your eSIM. Remember that you will need a stable internet connection to install your eSIM, but activation starts only upon use. It is recommended to install your eSIM when you are at home so that you can start using your data once you arrive at your destination.

And in the event that you run out of data, don't worry! Some of Nomad's plans come with the option to purchase add-ons. The purchase of add-ons will add more data to your existing eSIM, so you won't need to install a brand-new eSIM.