If you love to travel light and efficiently, you’ll find this tropical holiday packing list ideal. Personally I travel carry-on only which is a pretty minimalist way to travel and just makes life so much easier. No lugging heavy luggage through public transport, up and down stairs, shoving and pushing, it’s been decades since I made those mistakes! Read on to find out what to pack for a tropical holiday – you lucky thing!
I recently spent three weeks of November in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica and let me tell you, while the temperature was in the high 20’s (celsius), it was so. damn. humid. Icky, icky sticky hot. I felt like I was overheating multiple times a day and I was so glad that I packed more than one bikini and flowy dress.
Unfortunately I forgot to pack little cycling shorts to protect me from the horrible “chub rub” which you inevitably will battle if your thighs rub together and you’re hot and sticky!
I’ve linked to items that I either wore on my recent trip or would wear.
Clothing
- flowy dresses, I lived in this one which also comes in a different print
- loose tank tops – you really don’t want anything that is close to your skin
- 1x long sleeve top for rainy days or nights when you may feel a bit chilly
- denim shorts (get longer ones if you suffer from the chub rub)
- cycling type long shorts for the same reason to wear under dresses
- other shorts
- yoga pants – these are super comfy and have a tummy tucking wide elastic band
- full swimsuit – pack this if you’re taking surfing lessons or doing yoga. In the case of surfing lessons, you won’t be fishing your bottoms out of your, well, bottom or worse, lose them in the white wash while falling off for the 12th time in a row! For yoga, it stops you from dripping sweat all over your clothes and mat – you’ll be wearing clothes over the swimsuit if you’re like me and have unsightly belly rolls that show when you’re in downward dog and your top falls around your shoulders!
- towel – ok, I took one of those travel towels that are meant to be super absorbent and quick drying and all I can say is I so, so wish I had brought a regular towel!
- At least three bikinis – you will want different styles and you will have one drying at all times anyway.
Shoes
- flip flops – life is better in flip flops
- smart flat shoes – for going into smart shops and out to dinner
- running shoes (I live in these, they’re stylish and so lightweight) – there might be days when it rains and if you’re flying from a colder climate, it’s nice to have closed and comfortable shoes
Accessories
- a hat, I didn’t take one with me and the humidity messed with my hair so much I really wished I had brought one, they are perfect for taming your wild and salty hair when you’re too chilled out to bother with it
- sunglasses
- a cross body bag
- a coin purse – big enough to carry a couple of cards and notes as well as your coins
- a fold up backpack – perfect for fitting your towel, water, camera, purse and a book for a day on the beach
Toiletries
- face wipes – these were recommended by and I am SO glad I bought a pack because they are amazing! They really clean your skin, refresh it and I don’t even need to put moisturiser on
- sunblock – I bought this natural sunblock in a tin and it worked really well and didn’t wash off easily
- aloe vera gel – so helpful if you get too much sun
- conditioner – humidity and swimming every day can wreak havoc on your hair, either take a jar of coconut oil or as much conditioner as you can get away with! Here’s a great leave in conditioner that is carry-on friendly.
- hair bands
- deodorant – the stronger the better in weather that makes you hot and sticky!
- body wash
- insect repellent – I tried the hard stuff and the natural stuff and the hard stuff really worked while the natural stuff had such an overpowering smell of lemon I left it behind, however, I’ll probably test this one on my next trip.
- vitamins – I highly recommend Vit C and B12
- headache tables
- bandaids
- ear plugs
Tech Stuff
- smart phone – if you’re not going to work while you’re away, just taking your smart phone should be enough, however taking an iPad mini was great for me to watch tv shows and movies and play my games – see my 8 essential travel apps I never leave home without post to make your travels easier
- camera – these days smart phone cameras are really great, but if you would like even better photos, take a great point and shoot or your DSLR
- mini tripod – traveling solo? a mini tripod means you can get great shots of you in the picture, enjoying where you are. I used this grippy one wrapped around the tidal pool rocks to shoot video of me swimming in a secluded tide pool
- waterproof phone case, great for taking pics while swimming or jumping off waterfalls!
- portable charger
- SD cards, bring more than one, especially if you’re gonna be taking video and make sure they’re 10 class so they can handle the work
- headphones, I always travel with two pairs as I often misplace one pair for a while, so I like having a back up until I can find them again. Get some cable tidies to keep them from getting tangled and make it easier to store them. I’ve been using these cheap Sony ones for years because they are very good and last forever.
Would you believe that I pack all of this into a carry on suitcase and an every day backpack? It is so much easier to travel when you’re not dragging around your entire wardrobe!
I hope this list becomes a great point of reference for you, if you click the Pinterest button to the left of the page you will find a Pinnable image to share to your travel boards!
Do you think I missed an essential? Are you going anywhere hot this year? Let us know in the comments!
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