Well hello to you my reader chums! Backpacking around Asia was one of the best experiences I've ever had and I wouldn't change it for the world. It allowed me to experience a new culture, taste some of the yummiest foods and visit some of the most beautiful countries ever. The backpacking experience is something that I thought would never be up my street but I fell in love with that way of life and would love to do it again.
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If you're planning a backpacking trip, whether that's around Asia, Europe or America here are a few tips on how to prepare for a backpacking trip.
Pick your location and length
The first step to any trip and any backpacking trip is picking where you're going and how long for. Some backpackers like to travel for a few weeks whilst others go for an entire year. When you've decided on a continent and time length, then you can figure out how many countries you can travel to and how long to spend there.
Write a loose agenda
This brings me to my next point of an agenda. Of course, you don't have to plan things to every detail but it's a good idea to have a rough idea of where you're going and how long for. Then you can research the places and map an outline for your trip. You may arrive in one place, fall in love and want to spend longer or, you may arrive somewhere else and not like it at all. It's all about giving yourself some leeway on the agenda.
Set a budget
Once you know the length and where you're going, you need to set a budget and have finances in mind. Whether that's because you need to start saving or you have some savings ready to spend on your trip. Roughly plan how much you'd like to spend on the entire trip and send an average everyday budget for spending money.
Book your flights and accommodation
Depending on how spontaneous you'd like to be can determine this next step. Once you've booked the flight to the initial location, you can also book the various accommodations and other flights. However, if you want to be fully spontaneous, then you can easily book flights and accommodation along the way. The majority of countries offer hostels, especially renowned backpacking spots like Asia that you won't be short of finding a place to stay. And flights can easily be booked online whilst you're away or at local travel agents.
Purchase your backpack and gear
Once you have a rough plan and a date to go, you need to physically start preparing for the trip. This means firstly going shopping for your backpack. Backpacks come in different sizes and the one I got for a 2-month trip was 65 Litres. It was a really good size and I think it's perfect for those travelling for two months or longer. As well as the backpack, packing cubes are a good investment (the best thing for organisation) - and then you need to sort out which type of clothes you want to bring. For more information, check out my backpacking packing guide and the beauty packing guide.
Write a must-see list
Even though travelling is about being spontaneous and going with the flow, on your trip, there will be things that you certainly want to see. For instance, the Colosseum in Rome or the Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia. Before you go, make a list of things you definitely want to do and put them on your agenda. Then, when you're there, you will hear from locals and other fellow travellers about things to see and do. Travel blogs are also a great insight into what attractions there are as they usually give a more honest opinion to travel agency websites - especially off the beaten track type places.
Vaccinations and visas
This again depends on where you're going as these can fluctuate immensely. Before you visit any new country, especially if it's in a new continent, you need to research if a visa is required and if there are any vaccinations you will need. This will save you time at the airport and be safer for your health.
Money and currencies
One of the other things you need to sort out is money. If you're going to a few countries with a different currency, then your best bet is a travel money card. You can get these at the post office and top them up with a variety of currencies on the app, and then get the cash out from an ATM in the chosen country. It's really handy and saves you carrying around lots of cash all the time.
Pack and have fun
Once everything is planned and you're ready to go, it's time for the fun part -packing. I absolutely love packing, I find the whole concept very exciting as it means the adventure is actually happening. Write yourself a list and try to under pack rather than overpack. I say this as you're easily able to buy clothes and toiletries along the way that you don't need to cram as many things in your backpack as possible. Use packing cubes and stay organised as it'll really help you out along the way from place to place. Once you're packed, get on that plane and have the best time of your life!
I hope you enjoyed this post. When are you going backpacking?
Thank you for reading <3
If you're planning a backpacking trip, whether that's around Asia, Europe or America here are a few tips on how to prepare for a backpacking trip.
Pick your location and length
The first step to any trip and any backpacking trip is picking where you're going and how long for. Some backpackers like to travel for a few weeks whilst others go for an entire year. When you've decided on a continent and time length, then you can figure out how many countries you can travel to and how long to spend there.
Write a loose agenda
This brings me to my next point of an agenda. Of course, you don't have to plan things to every detail but it's a good idea to have a rough idea of where you're going and how long for. Then you can research the places and map an outline for your trip. You may arrive in one place, fall in love and want to spend longer or, you may arrive somewhere else and not like it at all. It's all about giving yourself some leeway on the agenda.
Set a budget
Once you know the length and where you're going, you need to set a budget and have finances in mind. Whether that's because you need to start saving or you have some savings ready to spend on your trip. Roughly plan how much you'd like to spend on the entire trip and send an average everyday budget for spending money.
Book your flights and accommodation
Depending on how spontaneous you'd like to be can determine this next step. Once you've booked the flight to the initial location, you can also book the various accommodations and other flights. However, if you want to be fully spontaneous, then you can easily book flights and accommodation along the way. The majority of countries offer hostels, especially renowned backpacking spots like Asia that you won't be short of finding a place to stay. And flights can easily be booked online whilst you're away or at local travel agents.
Purchase your backpack and gear
Once you have a rough plan and a date to go, you need to physically start preparing for the trip. This means firstly going shopping for your backpack. Backpacks come in different sizes and the one I got for a 2-month trip was 65 Litres. It was a really good size and I think it's perfect for those travelling for two months or longer. As well as the backpack, packing cubes are a good investment (the best thing for organisation) - and then you need to sort out which type of clothes you want to bring. For more information, check out my backpacking packing guide and the beauty packing guide.
Write a must-see list
Even though travelling is about being spontaneous and going with the flow, on your trip, there will be things that you certainly want to see. For instance, the Colosseum in Rome or the Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia. Before you go, make a list of things you definitely want to do and put them on your agenda. Then, when you're there, you will hear from locals and other fellow travellers about things to see and do. Travel blogs are also a great insight into what attractions there are as they usually give a more honest opinion to travel agency websites - especially off the beaten track type places.
Vaccinations and visas
This again depends on where you're going as these can fluctuate immensely. Before you visit any new country, especially if it's in a new continent, you need to research if a visa is required and if there are any vaccinations you will need. This will save you time at the airport and be safer for your health.
Money and currencies
One of the other things you need to sort out is money. If you're going to a few countries with a different currency, then your best bet is a travel money card. You can get these at the post office and top them up with a variety of currencies on the app, and then get the cash out from an ATM in the chosen country. It's really handy and saves you carrying around lots of cash all the time.
Pack and have fun
Once everything is planned and you're ready to go, it's time for the fun part -packing. I absolutely love packing, I find the whole concept very exciting as it means the adventure is actually happening. Write yourself a list and try to under pack rather than overpack. I say this as you're easily able to buy clothes and toiletries along the way that you don't need to cram as many things in your backpack as possible. Use packing cubes and stay organised as it'll really help you out along the way from place to place. Once you're packed, get on that plane and have the best time of your life!
I hope you enjoyed this post. When are you going backpacking?
Thank you for reading <3
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Thanks for sharing, these are good tips to prepare for backpacking, I used a similar list when I went in 2019 :)
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