How to pack for an outdoor adventure in northern Thailand
How to pack for tours in northern Thailand depends on the season, activities in your tour package and whether your tour is a one-day or a multi-day adventure. These are the main factors to consider when packing for outdoor adventures in northern Thailand and our guidelines for packing are structured accordingly. First, we cover the general items that you should pack for any kind of outdoor adventure in any season. In the next sections, you can read our advice on packing according to different seasons, activities and tour duration.
First things first: General items that you should pack for an outdoor adventure in northern Thailand
Backpack and excess luggage
You should always pack a light backpack with only the essentials that you need during the activities/tour. Make sure that the backpack is not too heavy and will not slow you down or get in the way of your activities.
Since this adventure in northern Thailand is likely only a small part of your overall vacation in Thailand and beyond, you are probably wondering what to do with the rest of your luggage. This will depend on the type of tour you book and your accommodation before and after the tour.
If you are booking a one-day trip and staying at the same accommodation before and after the trip, the easiest option is to leave your luggage in your hotel room.
If you are booking a one-day trip but need to be dropped off at the airport, bus, or train station after the trip, you can bring all your luggage with you and we will store it in the car for the day. This option is great if you are pressed for time and have to catch your transportation immediately after the tour. If you have a late transportation and some time to spare after the trip, we can store your luggage in our office in the city or you can check with your accommodation if they wouldn’t mind storing your luggage for the day. That way, you can pick up your luggage after the tour and possibly take a shower and freshen up before catching your transportation.
If you book a multi-day tour and stay at the same accommodation before and after the tour, you can first check with your accommodation if the could store your luggage during the tour. If this is not an option, you can take your luggage along for the tour, but only in case that your accommodation is reachable by car. In this case, we can keep your luggage in a car during your daily activities and bring it to your accommodation. However, all accommodation in northern Thailand are not accessible by car, especially remote tribal villages which can only be accessed on a narrow mountain path. If that is the case, you will need to leave any unneeded luggage in the city. If your accommodation can’t store the luggage for you, or if you change accommodation or have transportation to catch after the tour, we can store your luggage in our office in Chiang Mai. If you need us to store the luggage for you, let your guide know at pick up.
Charged camera
Have a camera handy to capture exciting moments on your adventure, but listen to your guide if he tells you to leave it behind for some water adventures. Make sure your camera is fully charged prior to the tour as you won’t have an option to charge it in the countryside.
Mosquito repellent
You can count on running into some mosquitoes in Thailand all year long, especially in the morning and evening, so a mosquito repellent is an item that should always be in your backpack.
Sunscreen
Use a fair amount of sunscreen for outdoor activities in Thailand and make sure to put it in your backpack to reapply during the day.
Hat
Great protection from the sun for outdoor activities. We recommend that you bring it along.
Sunglasses
Protect your eyes from the sun and wear sunglasses.
Water
At the start of each tour, you will stop at a local market (except on Day trip to Chae Son). This is a good place to buy any items you’ll need for the tour and also water. Check with your guide to see when the next chance to buy water will be and buy enough water to last you until then.
Snacks
Main meals are included in your tour package, but if you need snacks for in-between, you should bring them along or buy them at a local market.
Toilet paper
It’s always good to bring toilet paper with you on an outdoor tour.
Towel
Not only for showers but also for any water activities and stops at waterfalls. Our suggestion is to pack a microfiber towel since it’s light, absorbent, dries quickly and doesn’t take up too much space.
Medicine
If you take any medicine daily, make sure you have it with you. You might also want to bring some essential first aid medicine, such as painkillers, diarrhea medicine, etc.
Seasonal items
Northern Thailand has three main seasons: rainy season from May to October, cold season from November to March and hot season from mid-March to mid-May. Depending on when you go on a tour, there are some seasonal items that you should bring with you.
Warm clothes
If you are travelling between December and March, you should pack some warm clothes for the evening and morning and high altitudes.
Clothes that cover your shoulders and knees
This might seem a bit counter-intuitive, but Thai people like to cover themselves as much as possible during the hot season and we also advise our guests to cover their shoulders and knees during the hottest months to avoid sunburn.
Raincoat
Always bring a raincoat on a tour in rainy season. Weather is very unpredictable during this season in northern Thailand and you never know when a shower might catch you. Don’t bring an umbrella though, as it would be highly impractical for all outdoor activities.
Special items for activities
Depending on the activities in your schedule, you might need to pack some additional items. Below are our suggestions on how to pack for different activities.
Bathing suit / Change of clothes
If your tour includes any water activities, such as bamboo rafting, river tubing, canoeing, bathing elephants, or a stop at a waterfall, you can pack either a bathing suit or a change of clothes. And don’t forget to bring the towel.
Thicker trousers that cover your knees
For bareback elephant riding, you should wear long and thick trousers to avoid skin irritation from spiky elephant hair. We suggest light but thick trousers, such as comfortable cotton trousers.
Clothes that cover your shoulders and knees
If you spend some time in a tribal village, a village school or a Buddhist temple, you should consider more modest clothing and cover your shoulders and knees.
Trekking / Hiking shoes
During hot and cold seasons any shoes will do for trekking and hiking as long as they are comfortable and stable. During the rainy season, however, you should pick your shoes more carefully and make sure they aren’t slippery. If they are waterproof, that’s a definite plus.
Multi-day tours
If you spend the night in the countryside, there are some more items that we suggest you bring with you.
Chargers
Most, but not all accommodations have electricity and you will be able to charge your devices.
Toiletries
Only take the essential toiletries with you, such as a toothbrush and toothpaste, shower gel and shampoo. Try to get the items in small sizes and also consider their environmental impact.
Torchlight
To walk around in the early morning and evening, you will need a torch light if you stay in a basic accommodation in the countryside.