Packing List for Traveling with a Baby to Asia

Traveling to Asia with a baby for the first time is exciting, but as the departure day approaches, the question of the "right and truly essential" luggage for such a trip grows alongside the anticipation. The first time traveling with a baby, thousands of kilometers away from home. A different continent, a different culture, a different climate.
What should go in the suitcase, and what can be left out to ensure that our daughter has everything she needs on the road without overpacking?
These were the questions we asked ourselves before setting off on a several-month journey through Southeast Asia with our then 8-month-old daughter.

The issue of space should not be underestimated. Traveling as a family with as little luggage as possible and packing in a minimalist way is a real challenge—but not an impossible one.

Every child and every family is, of course, different, and needs vary accordingly. During our planning, we found the packing lists of other families helpful for gathering inspiration and tips. Based on these, we created our personal packing list for traveling with a baby through Southeast Asia.
So, in this post, we want to share our packing list for traveling with a baby through Southeast Asia and pass along our tips and experiences.  

One thing to note upfront: We often tend to pack too much. You will likely find, after the first few days, that you don’t need a lot to feel comfortable.
In addition, everything essential for your little one’s well-being is available in Asia, as long as you’re not traveling off the beaten tourist path (which is unlikely with a baby anyway).
So, there’s no need to panic.

(By clicking on the corresponding items, you can go directly to our products)

Incidentally, we have compiled our experiences and tips on the countries we traveled to with our daughter in the following posts:

• Traveling Bali with a Baby - Tips, Essentials & Our Experiences
• Traveling Thailand with a Baby – Tips, Information & Our Experiences
• Traveling Malaysia with a Baby - Tips, Facts & Our Experiences
• Traveling Cambodia with a Baby – Tips, Useful Information & Our Experiences

1. LUGGAGE

All our luggage fit into a large backpack, suitcase, and two small carry-on backpacks. We also had a foldable (travel) bag that we used locally as a beach bag or for shopping.

2. CLOTHING

Especially when it comes to choosing clothes: Don’t overthink it!
Yes, as a mom, you know how quickly a child’s clothes can get dirty for all sorts of reasons, but please don’t stress yourself out over it!

Just as quickly as clothes get dirty, you can hand wash them. Thanks to the high temperatures, the clothes dry quickly and can be reused.
Additionally, there are plenty of laundry services throughout Asia that will wash your clothes quickly and affordably.

These are the clothes we packed for our daughter:

• 2x long-sleeved bodysuits
• 6x short-sleeved bodysuits
• 1x loose, light long-sleeved shirt (for evenings to protect against mosquitoes)
• 1x sweatshirt and 1x vest (used in air-conditioned buildings and on the plane)
• 4x shorts
• 3x leggings
• 2x dresses
• 2x thin pyjamas
• 1x thin sleeping bag
• 1x sandals
• 2x socks (used only on the plane)
• 2x sun hats
• 1x baby sunglasses
• 2x UV swimwear
• 1x swim diaper
• 2x cloth bibs
• 3x muslin cloths (multi-purpose, e.g., as a burp cloth, head covering, sun protection for feet in the carrier…)

Note for longer stays: Don’t worry if your little one changes clothing size during the trip. There are also plenty of babies in Asia who naturally need and wear clothes.
You can really buy anything you need locally.

GOOD TO KNOW

For your trip to Asia, you’ll likely need a power adapter, as plug types A and B are commonly used in certain Asian countries. These plug types differ from those used in Europe and other parts of the world. You can find a suitable adapter here: Asia Travel Adapter.

3. HYGIENE ITEMS

• Spare pacifier
• Baby wash lotion
• Baby cream
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Hairbrush, hair ties & clips
• Nail clippers
• Lanolin wool for healing
• Wipes and diapers (you can buy them almost anywhere, but it’s nice to have some on hand upon arrival)
• Washcloth (we only use wipes when on the go; in accommodations, we prefer to wash our daughter’s diaper area with a washcloth)
• Portable changing mat (we also used it on the plane, to lie down and play on the floor, or in restaurants, cafes, etc.)
• Sun and mosquito protection

If you're traveling to Thailand with your baby, you’ll find additional information in our post "Traveling Thailand with a Baby – Tips, Information & Our Experiences", including tips on items you can also buy locally.

4. TRAVEL FIRST AID KIT

• Thermometer
• Fever medication
• Disinfectant spray/wound spray and plasters
• Saline solution
• RESCURA Creme for Kids
• Bepanthen

The travel first aid kit was prepared in consultation with our pediatrician. His advice was to avoid bringing too many medications from home in advance.
In case of illness, it is often better to consult a local doctor. Since illnesses can be unpredictable, it’s possible that the medications you carry may not be suitable for the specific situation. Additionally, tropical regions may present illnesses that are uncommon in other parts of the world, requiring different medications.
Furthermore, some medications can lose their effectiveness when exposed to high temperatures (above 25°C).

5. FOOD & DRINK

For our daughter’s meals, we packed two small reusable spoons and three different bottles as well as a small thermos bottle. We used a bottle brush and dish soap we brought with us for thorough cleaning. Just like at home, a silicone bib with a food catcher proved to be an absolute must-have on the go.
It’s easy to clean, lightweight, and takes up minimal space in the backpack.
Our tip: Roll the spoon into the food catcher. This way, you have all the utensils your baby needs for meals in one grab.

We also always carried a purchased bottle of still water to thoroughly wash her hands before and after eating.

Note: If your baby still takes the bottle, we share advice on the products (milk powder & baby food products) you can find there in our posts.

• Traveling Bali with a Baby - Tips, Essentials & Our Experiences
• Traveling Thailand with a Baby – Tips, Information & Our Experiences
• Traveling Malaysia with a Baby - Tips, Facts & Our Experiences
• Traveling Cambodia with a Baby – Tips, Useful Information & Our Experiences

6. SLEEPING

At that time, our daughter often slept with us at night. Therefore, we mostly looked for double rooms in accommodations to maximize our options, as baby cots are not standard.
Also, children under 1-2 years old generally stay for free in most cases. We searched for and booked all our accommodations through booking.com.

Nevertheless, it was essential for us to protect our daughter from mosquito bites and any potential diseases they may carry without using mosquito repellent at night.
If our bed didn’t have a mosquito net, the Deryan pop-up bed for toddlers was the ideal solution for us.

When packed, it takes up very little space in the suitcase, and our daughter could sleep mosquito-free in her own little bed.

Not only is it great for the night, but we also found the Deryan pop-up bed perfect for extended beach stays. It provides extra shade, lets fresh air pass through the fine netting, and our daughter was well protected from mosquitoes and other small creatures during her midday naps.

After putting our daughter to bed in the evenings, our video baby monitor allowed us to enjoy a few hours of alone time.
We usually spent these precious hours on the terrace or in the garden of our accommodation.
If the signal reached the restaurant or bar next to or under our accommodation, we could even enjoy a pleasant evening with good food together.

7. TRANSPORTATION

We brought both a light, compact travel stroller and a baby carrier. This decision turned out to be just right for us.

We had purchased the travel stroller specifically for our Southeast Asia trip.
When buying it, we made sure it had all the relevant features for us, such as a reclining position, sunshade, and a spacious storage basket.
It also needed to be affordable, handy, and above all, lightweight. The Hauck sports stroller met all these criteria and proved to be a versatile companion on the road.
In some Asian countries, high chairs for babies aren’t common, so we were often glad to put our daughter in the stroller after she had eaten.
With a toy, she stayed entertained for a few minutes, allowing mom and dad to enjoy a relatively peaceful meal.
Since most airlines allow up to two pieces of baby equipment for free, we could take the stroller to the cabin without any issues.

Despite having the stroller, our Manduca baby carrier was used just as often. In large cities like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, or George Town, we found it nearly impossible to stroll comfortably with the stroller. Additionally, public transportation is so crowded during rush hours that there is simply no room for a stroller.

Another critical point is the overstimulation and lack of security for the baby. In the first few weeks, our then 8-month-old daughter intensely sought physical closeness to us due to the multitude of new visual and auditory stimuli. The carrier had already been a place of security and comfort for her since birth.
This helped her absorb and process the many new impressions stress-free. If it became too much for her, she could easily take a "safe" nap in the carrier.

A significant advantage of the carrier is that it’s very handy and lightweight, takes up little space in the suitcase or backpack, and doesn't add much weight.

8. TOYS

With the few toys we brought along, we made sure they were lightweight, space-saving, and versatile. Here’s the toy selection we packed:

• Mini picture books
• Stacking cups & a shovel (can be used for playing in both sand and water)
• Stuffed animal/small doll
• Rattle
• Fidget spinner
• Small ball
• Inflatable beach ball

These items turned out to be more than enough for our daughter, especially since she loves playing with anything mom and dad have in their hands anyway—be it a spoon, a cream jar, or anything else. Plus, you can always buy additional toys locally if your little one gets bored.

9. MISCELLANEOUS

In addition to the items mentioned earlier, we also brought a few other things that don’t quite fit into the previous categories. That’s why they’re listed here:

• Swim ring with sun canopy
• Life jacket for water – Almost no ferry or boat had a life jacket in this size (for babies/children up to 3 years old) on board. It was important to us to have a suitable life jacket for our daughter with us.
• Teething ring/violet root (iris root)
• Night light

10. IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

• Passport
• Vaccination record
• Copies of the pediatrician’s health booklet
• Hard drive – we stored copies of all essential documents here and used it to save all our travel photos directly.

USEFUL LINKS & RECOMMENDED TRAVEL GUIDES FOR YOU

• Find affordable rental cars at rentalcars.com
• Find affordable flights at skyscanner.com
• Discover the best accommodations
• The best Travel Guides for Thailand

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Note: This blog post contains our personal recommendations in the form of so-called affiliate links. If you book or purchase something through these links, we earn a small commission. There is absolutely no change to the price for you.