A lot of people are asking me how I travel light or what’s in my backpack. This post answers the question and would definitely give you practical insights on what are the essentials when traveling/backpacking the Philippines (and Southeast Asia).
Listing the things you are bringing helps you too in checking if something is missing in your stuff. It sucks to leave something important in a certain destination, I tell you.
My stuff are divided into 3 categories: Clothes, Gadgets and Extras. Add the Jansport bag and viola, here’s what’s inside my backpack:
I bring all of this.
So if you want to know what I bring with me, its time to take a peek:
Clothes
1 Adidas jacket (Green). For the cold bus rides or during cold nights when there no one available to hug me.
3 T-shirts. So I won’t be naked when touring a place. Duh!
1 Diadora Singlet. For hot weather or running.
1 O’neill board shorts. The most pogi shorts in the world, makes you paddle faster.
1 O’neill rash guard. Protects me and makes me look sexier when I’m out in the water too.
1 Fox board shorts. Not in the photo (I’m using it when I photographed this)
3 boxer briefs. I love my H&M boxers 🙂 (Boxers are sexier than briefs too)
1 Headwear. Lots of uses- facial cover if you look stupid when you’re sleeping.
1 Maong pants. Perfect with my Diadora shirts.
1 Belt. Makes you cool or reminds you that you ate too much when you begin to loosen it.
1 Bonnet (Black). For cold bus rides and sometimes protection for the camera
1 Sarong (Green). Lots of uses- towel, tapis, picnic on the beach and sometimes dress for your date.
1 Sea to Summit Drylite towel (dark blue). To dry you after taking a bath. It dries fast, weighs less compared to a towel and perfect for light packers.
1 Diadora loot bag. I use this when I’m going out and I just need to bring a few things. I leave my main Jansport backpack.
Gadgets
1 Macbook Air 11′ (inside the pink notebook sleeve) and charger. I’m a travel blogger and I need the lightest and most efficient notebook available. No problems ever since I converted to MacAir.
1 Samsung External Flashdrive 500GB. For archiving and back-up files/photos.
1 Lumix LX 5 Camera and charger. To save memories, one of the most important gadget of travel bloggers. This camera is a hybrid of DSLR and Point-and-Shoot, light and not bulky. Has HD video too.
1 GoPro HD Hero 2 (Surf Edition) and cable charger. For underwater photos and surfing shots. Still trying to maximize its use. Perfect for hardcore travelers.
1 Blackberry 9300 and charger. For call, texting, tweeting and alarm clock too. I always write on my notes some important learnings or names or ideas that come to mind while on the road.
1 Memory card reader. You know this is important
1 Ipod shuffle. For boring long bus rides.
1 Smith Optics shades. To cover my eye bugs. Perfect during summer or when I’m out under the sun. A must!
Extras
1 Nathan Stainless water bottle (750ml). I always bring a water bottle with me. Refill it whenever possible to save on travel cost.
1 Zem (barefoot shoes). The shoes on the first photo. This is a barefoot shoes that is good for water activities, running and light trekking. Been using it for a week and I’m loving it. Will make a review soon.
1 Sea to Summit dry bag (small) for the laptop (black). So I will not worry when the rain pours or I’m crossing waters.
1 MSC dry bag (X-Large) for the clothes (gray). This is a must for me, to make sure that all my stuff are dry and clean.
1 Pogi Pack (Summit Ridge small black bag). soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, perfume, lotion, cotton buds, nail cutter and personal emergency kit. No need to explain.
1 Dare to Journey with Henri Nouwen book. I love reading a chapter before I start my day.
1 Moleskin (black). For note-taking.
1 whistle. For emergency purposes.
1 Nautica leather wallet.
1 coin purse.
Bag
I used my new brown Jansport backpack during this particular trip. I’m really a fan of Jansport since my highschool years.
My new light brown Jansport Backpack
Total Weight: 6.5 kilograms
Note: This is what I brought for a week trip to Gubat, Sorsogon. Activities included in the trip: Book Turn-over for Rizal Elementary School, Surfing, Beach Bumming, Sorsogon Tour, Kayaking in Bulusan Lake and many more.
Most of the time I bring my hammock but since someone is accommodating my stay, I left my hammock in my house.
Hope this is helpful!
Oh and before I forget, if you are a girl, then my friend Christine of Jovial Wanderer shared “What’s Inside my Backpack?” which I believe would be of great help for girl travelers.
saving fort that particular bag too! Its the cutest bag that will surely fit my needs.Im still looking for that dri lite towel here in our place :/
i love the bag, ang daming useful pockets, wanna make a review soon.
This will also help us have an idea of what to bring. Your MacAir is so perfect for blogging. I like the ipod shuffle as well. will buy one for my trip to Burma. Thanks for sharing.
yep, i sacrificed a lot for that. but its worth it. sakit sa bulsa
I just can’t pack as light as you do. Kainggit!
Noice one, James.
Been strategizing on slimming down my pack as well. Will be investing on light-as-air clothes – yun lang naman ang nagpapabigat sa mga pack ko eh.
And been thinking about a macbook air din.pero might switch to a pro na lang.
i miss your old nalgene water bottle! tagal din ng binuhay nun.
i guess the PRO is better for you. u still remember my old nalgene bottle ha. i lost it sa negros.
pwede next post paano mo pinagkakasya yan sa backpack?! haha.parang ang dami! may packing style ka ba? hehehe.
i roll my clothes plus my bag does wonder. maluwag oa nga
ayos to James ah. I wonder how u make it packed up in 6.5 kilos in a backpack. Eto ang gusto ko rin mangyari sa next byahe. Darn, I carry too much on back.
maybe because all are light, the laptop is almost weightless
interesting how you were able to pack all those stuff inside one bag. a bit of a challenge for OC girls like me. nwy, learned something from this post. the dry lite towel is a must!
the bag works wonders! plus, you have to categorize the stuff you bring
wow! salute!so organized.
I hope girls could also say 3 undies, 3 shirts etc..but we know it isn’t like that!
🙂
nice list!
why not? you can wash and wear naman. plus panties dry easier compared to boxer briefs
Wow. This is a very helpful post. Bookmarking it!
Thanks for sharing, James!
just change the men’s clothes to women’s
well, i salute you. my packing tricks and backpack for more than a month is the of the same weight more or less (though i have my mb pro), so i give myself a tap on the back.
squeezed my stuffs into 35-40L bag.
how about footwear(s) kuy? just the zem thingy?
im wondering if you would carry less if you will be a girl, given that clothes and bikinis are smaller and lighter than man-stuff.
i guess so.. so i wonder why girls always complain of bringing too much clothes.
I don’t know what kind of backpacking you do or where you go, but you don’t bring any light source (preferably headlamp, at least a flashlight). You bring perfume and lotion, but no emergency/first aid kit. Oh man…
Hi James,
May I know how much did you paid for the Sea To Summit DryLite towel? I bought mine in ROX Ayala Cebu for 790 pesos (ouch) for the small size.
I have found a very cheap version of it here in Iloilo City. Hehehehe, will blog about it soon.
Happy and safe travels to you! 😀
SeatoSummit drylite towel are really expensive, the one i have cost 1,190 available at R.O.X.
but its worth the price right?
Yes, it’s worth it. I’ve already using the Sea to Summit Drylite. But there’s one I’ve bought very very cheap (50 pesos) and have yet to test it. It’s like a carbon copy of the Sea To Summit. 😀
50? what’s that? mahirap atang ipagkatiwala ang important gadgets sa Php50.
> “50? what’s that? mahirap atang ipagkatiwala ang important gadgets sa Php50.”
Hehehe, pang-swipe (pahid) mo lng naman sa pawis/basa ng tubig sa katawan mo James, hinde pang-proteksyon sa gadgets mo. 😀 I’m referring to the towel by the way.
Taglish lng, mahina yung Tagalog k eh.
P.S. Hinde ba nag-notify itong comment mo through email?
ahh okay sir, nalibog nko i thought yung dry bag.
nope, i dont have email notification for readers comments to their email.
naks, di-pa “sir” ka pa.
I’ll try to make a post out of it. If you’re interested I’ll send you the link through email. 😀 Bago pa lng yung blog k eh.
Makapunta ka ng Iloilo at kung nandoon ako, welcome ka. Total nandoon naman tayo sa CS eh.
Halong gd.
yes please..you can share it to my facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/journeyingjamesFB for others to read din.
thanks for the offer sir!
salamat gd Sir!
Hi james,
Where did you get the ZemGear Terra and how much?
Thanks!!!
hi jon-jon! its available at R.O.X. (BHS)
it is also available in select Planet Sports Stores – Power Plant, Shangri La, New Port and Glorietta.
Thanks for sharing this James! I’ve always wondered how backpackers pack. I hope to be able to pack as light as you do in the future!
backpacking rule: if you are unsure to bring it or not, leave it home. 🙂
hi James. the bag does the wonder, you say. so how much is it po? ive been saving for a jansport plain bag (maybe around 2k) but i think it’s better. hehe. thanks!
its not yet available in the market.. this december pa labas nya so i dont know how much.
keep posted on the blog, will make a review really soon