Travel Essentials for Women: Anne’s Packing List

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Anne

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When Brandon mentioned the idea of only taking carry-on size backpacks for our trip, I thought he was crazy. It was difficult for me to imagine how to pack for an indefinite amount of time into such a small amount of space! But I did it! While it took quite a while to decide which tops, toiletries and shoes to bring, I was happy I was able to make it work.

Here are my travel essentials for women!

Travel Essentials for Women

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Travel Essentials for Women

Backpack for women travelers: Osprey Farpoint 40ir?t=theyoganomads 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B006P5Q02Q                           osprey 2

Main motivator: Carry-on size.

One of the best carry on sized backpacks for women. This pack fits perfectly in an overhead compartment even when it’s completely stuffed full. The hip pads and shoulder straps are comfortable and I enjoy the layout on the inside. The inside pockets fit my laptop safely and keep my other valuables hidden. The addition of my packing cube and stuff sacs help save on space in the main compartment. Fellow long-term traveler, Erin from Never Ending Voyage, also agrees that it’s a great backpack for women!

Changes I’d make: Add pockets to the hip pads for easy and quick access to things like cash, chapstick, etc.

 

Daypack for girl travelers: REI Stuff Sack 22L

REI

daypackMain motivator: Small enough size to fit inside my Osprey without taking up too much space.

I scored this daypack on sale for $13. It must have been an off season color (I got a dark berry colored one, not listed on the site). Pretty comfortable and stuffs into itself for easy packing into my Osprey when I’m not using it. It easily fits my 11″ Macbook Air along with other items. It surprisingly fits more than I think, every time I fill it up. I use a carabiner to attach it to my backpack.

Here is a list of our top 5 daypacks for traveling.

Changes I’d make: More comfortable straps. Not great for long hikes as the straps dig into your shoulders.

 

Travel purse for women: eBags Piazza Day Bagir?t=theyoganomads 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0013KIJWC

eBags

Main motivator: Cross-body and not hideous.

It was hard for me to choose a purse without seeing it in person first, but the reviews on Amazon were great so I pulled the trigger. It has TONS of pockets so I always felt as though my things were safe and secure inside. Even more spacious than it appears in the pictures; I was able to fit both my iPad and Kindle inside at the time and still zip it up. It’s no Marc Jacobs, but it is pretty cute!

Changes I’d make: Smaller. The more I used the purse, the less I felt like I needed all the space it provided. And then I’d complain about feeling like a “traveler” because of it’s appearance. Ha!

Travel shoes for women: New Balance Minimus Zeroir?t=theyoganomads 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00R7952ZK

New Balance

Main motivator: Comfortable and lightweight/dry fast

These shoes have been amazing. Super lightweight and flexible so they pack up easy. It’s like I’m wearing nothing on my feet. They also dry quickly which was also a motivator. Equally as comfortable with or without socks which is great in a tropical climate, to have the option.

Changes I’d make: NONE! I absolutely love everything about these shoes.

Travel Toiletries for Women:

Electronics for long term travel

Travel Clothes for women

  •  2 v-neck t-shirts from Target
  •  1 running t-shirt
  •  1 long-sleeved athletic shirt
  •  1 gray cardigan
  •  5 tank tops (3 loose fitting, 2 racer-back)
  •  1 maxi dress – can dress up, dress down, and wear all around ๐Ÿ™‚
  •  2 maxi skirts
  •  1 pair of leggings
  •  2 pairs of shorts (one denim, one black athletic)
  •  1 pair of cropped leggings for practicing yoga
  •  1 pair of loose fitting lululemon capris (Step Lively Crop)
  •  2 lululemon sports bras (Flow Y IV Bra)
  •  1 regular bra
  •  8 pairs of underwear (my fave are the mulabandha lululemon ones)
  •  1 bikini swimsuit bottom with 3 different tops
  •  3 pairs of ankle socks

Misc

  • Yoga Mat – Manduka eKO Superlite Travel Matir?t=theyoganomads 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B005DX1XRI or our new favorite the YOGO!
  • 2 stud earrings, 2 necklaces
  • 1 pair of sunglasses
  • 1 Batik large lightweight scarf for multi-purpose uses
  • Travel Yoga Towelir?t=theyoganomads 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00GDGHUCQ made by Manduka
  • 2 stuff sacs and 1 packing cube to help with packing down my items

Don’t leave home without your traveling yoga mat!

MVPs for Female Travelers

essentials-packing-list-for-women-travelers

Travel Insurance (from World Nomads)

I didn’t think I would ever need travel insurance and even though it’s not very expensive I still didn’t want to buy it. I decided to get travel insurance to please my mom and to have a little extra peace of mind. Fast forward a few months and I’m in the hospital in Bali after getting hit by a motorbike! Thank god I had travel insurance. Learn more about World Nomads here.

New Balance Minimus trainer shoes

These have been amazing. Instantly comfortable with no break in needed. Fit snug to my foot and I can wear with or without socks. I am so happy I did my research and ended up with this pair!

Scarf

India and most of SE Asia are fairly conservative making this lightweight scarf perfect to use as a cover-up without being too warm. It has also come in handy for use as a bed sheet, blanket and skirt.  I highly recommend any woman traveler to get one!

Stuff sacs

I got one dry sac and one regular one. The dry ones are for my electronics and the other is for clothing. I had no idea how much easier packing can be with these! You can fit a lot into them and save room in whatever backpack or suitcase you use. I will always use these moving forward. (The other one I use is a eBags Packing Cubeir?t=theyoganomads 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0013KGEJW that has been equally as helpful!)

Updates to the packing list:

Replaced my purse about half way through and gave it to Brandon’s mom. I purchased a cute cross-body one at a market in Bangkok. Although the one I had had a bunch of pockets and was practical, I ended up wanting one that was a bit smaller.

Swapped out my iPad2 for a new MacBook Air 11″ir?t=theyoganomads 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00UGE8RXC. The iPad was not easy to work on for extended periods of time. Extremely happy with the Macbook Air.

Final thoughts

Packing for long-term travel takes A LOT of thoughtful consideration. For me, I prioritized comfort, utility and versatility over style. That was hard coming from a girl who loves fashion and style in general. I found that wearing the same thing day in and day out left me with one less decision to make. When I got tired of something, there were endless markets selling clothing so we could swap pieces out.

What are your tips for women packing light while traveling?

Love,
Anne

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About Anne

Anne is a passionate yogi who loves to be active outdoors. When she's not traveling to destinations near the equator to practice yoga and eat tropical fruit, you can find her in the kitchen cooking up nourishing meals with her partner, Brandon. A music junkie at heart, she is currently spinning: Tor, Hiatus, Friend. and Giyo.

6 thoughts on “Travel Essentials for Women: Anne’s Packing List”

    • That’s great that you use the same bag! I actually don’t fit the mat in my bag, we strap it on the outside of Brandon’s! BUT! I think his travel mat would definitely fit on the outside strapped in. How do you like your yoga paws? I’m intrigued….!

      Reply
  1. Apologies for the unnecessary first comment. Got a little excited. Anyway, I was just looking for packing lists to send to my girlfriend. Glad I came by this, maybe now she will realize which things are worth bringing. So thanks a lot posting necessary lists. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • I’m so glad this could potentially be of use for your girlfriend’s packing list! Please feel free to reach out to me at anytime with more questions. You can find our contact info on the Contact Us page of our site, or send a FB message, too! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  2. Thank you so much for sharing, Anne! This list and website is incredibly helpful, and am so grateful that you created this and I stumbled upon this. I’m planning to quit my job in January to do some solo travel for 3-4 months in India and other Southeast Asian countries to get in some good meditation, yoga, and general introspective time before I figure out what’s next. I’m a bit terrified being a solo female traveler and this being my first solo trip, but feel much better after finding your website! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Are there any other updates you would’ve made to your list regarding backpack size, the amount of clothes you brought, or types of clothes you brought?

    Reply
    • Hey Grace!! Thanks for reading my list and commenting! First of all – congrats for taking the leap of faith, come January. I know all the emotions that ensue once the decision is made and your departure date approaches…So, please reach out at any time, with anything! ([email protected]). In terms of what I would change for this list as it relates to packs and clothes: I wouldn’t bring that daypack and would opt for a more suitable one for hikes. The straps on that one weren’t very comfortable and I usually put a lot of weight in it! If you’re doing India and SE Asia, bring loose breathable clothing. I ditched my cardigan in India and wore my Batik Sarong all over the place, over my tanks and loose pants. I definitely would have loved a pair of Teva/Keen/Chaco sandals too. Not the most fashionable, but super comfy and versatile. That being said, I LOVED those New Balance shoes!! Hands down the most comfortable pair of “runners” I’ve owned! The Osprey Farpoint though is the perfect size so long as you have some packing cubes!! It got easier and easier just rotating tanks and tops and it was so hot and humid all the time, I just wanted to be comfy. Oh! And why I brought a travel size hair dryer… I don’t know! Lol. Ditched that right away too. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply

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