Underwear and hand luggage packing for Vietnam

[AnonApril24]

We’re going to Vietnam for 2 weeks in July, hand luggage only. I have a few questions I’m hoping you lovely people can help with….

• what’s the best underwear for quick drying/wicking/dealing with groin and boob sweat (menopausal)
• anyone done hand luggage only and want to share their packing list? 🙏🏻
• am pear shape, top 12-14, bottom 16. Any tips on easy light cool and quick drying clothes??

thank you lovely people in my phone!! :)

Following for tips! My top tip for little packing is you do not need the boxes that the pills come in.

Yes! I have an old lady style pill organiser!

I thought you had to keep all medication in its original packaging when entering foreign countries.

Any reason you can't get more than just hand luggage, or are you hiking/backpacking or travelling super light for some reason? I've been to Thailand/Malaysia/Singapore multiple times, but never just with hand luggage. Lots of 7 eleven type shops sell all sorts, but mainly toiletries, snacks/drinks. If you are going to say a beach side place, they 'might' have flip flops, sarongs, sunglasses etc. Trying to find clothing in anything larger than a size 8 can be a challenge

-I only wear cotton underpants. You could wash and dry in your room or take a bag of washing to a laundrette and collect that afternoon for a few £'s. Usually the cost is based on weight of clothing.
-Also cotton or linen clothing. I normally wear 3/4 capri pants, or loose, linen trousers. I'd be a sweaty mess if I wore polyester.
-I know you are menopausal, but if you use tampons and might need them, take some along! I recall an embarrassing exchange of charades with a male pharmacist trying to explain I wanted tampons! Pads are easily available though.

@bluesatinwhen I went to America they checked the original boxes against the prescription!

This is true, I have had medication checked against the box and had to take copies of the prescription - not something I would scrimp on and risk having confiscated.
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/43/medicines-abroad

It was a long time ago to be fair but what started out as a massive rucksack became a tiny rucksack with..two pairs of knickers, two pairs of shorts,two bras two tea shirts a swimsuit, a towel and a nice dress. I washed one and wore one. Things dry super quick.I also had room for a paint box and drawing pad!

can I ask where you are going/ staying and how you arranged it? Can I just copy your itinerary basically?! We are hoping to have a holiday this year after many years of crap and I would LOVE to do what you are doing. I’m a bit daunted by how you plan and DH or I hasn’t got the headspace. Massive thanks.

Ps obviously were a lot of layers on the plane! I’ve got a friend who wore a
5 pairs of knickers😂

Wow, not the point of the thread, but meds! I knew to keep things in original packaging, but do you carry the prescriptions?

Absolutely terrible advice, I've been checked before at several different airports and if stopped you have to have your prescription name sticker on the packaging

• shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant face wash bars, so much smaller than bottles and last longer. Get little tubs to put them in (lush sells them)
• buy the small single serve sachets of washing powder to hand wash your knickers etc (awful for environment but much better than the travel wash stuff) - buy them in Vietnam, all the corner shops should have them
• might be overkill but I take a travel washing line and wash my underwear and t-shirts etc every night then hang up
• don't take pyjamas tops, sleep in your day t-shirts after you've worn them
• I just take one pair of shoes that I wear - lightweight trainers
• take a sarong - doubles up as head/shoulders covering, blanket on cold buses, beach towel, spare skirt/top if you've ran out if clothes!

You are brave OP going hand luggage only, I've been to SE Asia several times and have tended to be at 20kg hold luggage and end up over on the hand baggage bringing things back but I would so love to do jt your way too.

From our last trip (despite my suitcase!) ... I reckon I could have got away with 5/6 knickers, 2 bras, 3 outfits, 1 black linen dress that could wear anywhere anytime, 1 swimsuit, 1 linen shirt, sandals/flip flops and trainers.

But I would say the humidity can be a pain, in Vietnam our clothes stank by the end of the trip and when we washed things out they didn't always dry out very quick either as is slower if higher humidity and when moving around in Vietnam you likely will but rain at some stage, so I wouldn't skimp on it too much eg not rely on wear one wash one

Clothes to pack and also to travel in

• 2 pairs of thin loose trousers
• 1 shorts
• 4 t-shirts/vest tops etc
• 1 light shirt (preferably not white as it'll get filthy quickly)
• 1 dress for day and/or evening
• 2 swimwear
• 5 knickers
• 5 pairs of socks
• 2 bras (could potentially also use bikini top as a bra)
• 1 thicker hoody/jumper
• lightweight waterproof

Packing cubes too
game changer

Get a 30l backpack- that will fit under the seat.

Compression packing cubes are a must.
Do you have a clothing budget? If so, get yourself to an outdoor store like go outdoors or mountain warehouse. Get the hiking stuff like t shirts and trousers from there. They roll up small, don't crease and dry quickly when washed!
Lastly, not a popular one, but I'd buy cheap underwear and bin them after wearing... firstly I don't like carrying around dirty underwear and secondly you are creating some space for a little souvenir or two.

For prescriptions,yes, but for normal stuff like paracetamol, gaviscon tablets etc. you don't need to because they're not restricted and have the drug name printed on the foil wrapper

This is great. I'd swap out one of the swimwear for a pair of lycra leggings

And I'd wear hiking boots on the plane (if you're walking anywhere) and bring flip flops or crocs

OP, Vietnam is amazing. I hope you have a great time!

It’s very cheap to get stuff washed in Vietnam. As in probably a couple of pounds for everything.

Make sure you go to Hoi An.

@Landofthefair

Although I’m not the O/P I did go on an 11 night tour of Vietnam last year, beginning in Hanoi in the north and ending in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) in the south. We went with the amazing ‘Intrepid Tours’ (an Aussie tour group which has been in business for many years and I highly recommend them).

We went to so many places! We had a night on a house boat in Ha Long Bay and an overnight train in sleeper cabins…and an internal flight too. One of my favourite days was going as a pillion passenger on a motorbike and touring for a day to a local market, temples and lunch at a Buddhist convent.

Hoi An was quite beautiful with so many lanterns lit in the town and on the river. We did an optional side trip and went out into the countryside (with a guide) on bicycles and saw water buffaloes, paddy fields, went into the homes of local people - one lovely guy showed how he made rice based spirits and got out his guitar and sang to us….he had a prosthetic leg as he’d stood on a land mine during the war and his best friend was killed and his song was about his experience.

We had so many experiences (including going on a boat in the Mekong Delta) which we’d never have been able to arrange ourselves. Most of the other people in our group (Kiwis, Australians, Americans and another British couple) were also continuing their trip by going on to Cambodia/Laos/Thailand, but we flew to Singapore and stayed with friends.

Our trip to Vietnam could also be done in reverse, ie. Beginning in HCMC and ending in Hanoi.

Www.intrepidtravel.com

@OP What places in Vietnam do you plan to visit in July?

Interesting! I’ll maybe take the boxes flattened then, with prescription as I’m on a lot of meds post cancer

All we have so far is flights into Hanoi and out of Ho Chi Minh two weeks later. Planning to do Hanoi, Halong Bay (maybe), Hoi An, Hue, na Trang and Ho chi min if time allows all of that!!