Backpacking Essentials
You are probably now gaining knowledge to book your (first) trip, nice! Before you start your journey, you will need to prepare a number of things. We will give you the most important tips/must-haves before you go backpacking!
1. A good backpack (duh!)
2. Vaccinations
Depending on where you are going, you may need to vaccinate yourself. The GGD has one for this Website , where you can enter your destination(s) and you will then see recommended vaccinations. For most destinations, it is not mandatory to vaccinate yourself, but it is highly recommended.
3. Credit cards
If you are going to travel in Europe, it is probably not necessary to fix a credit card. But this is certainly wise for destinations outside the EU. With your credit card you can book hostels, withdraw money and book rides. This can be done cheaply and quickly with one Revolut card . If you do not have a credit card, you can also choose to use your normal bank card. However, make sure that you set the payment profile to “worldwide” in the settings of your app!
4. Slippers
Flip flops can be useful when backpacking. After a long day of walking or traveling, it's nice to give your feet some rest. In addition, slippers are easy to put on and take off, which is useful when you need to get in and out of your accommodation quickly, such as in hostels, campsites or shared bathrooms. In many hostels and budget accommodations you have to share communal shower rooms. It is hygienic to have your own slippers for showering to avoid contact with the floor. Finally, slippers are ideal for the beach and are easy to carry 🙂
5. Towel
Do you need to bring a towel? This is a common question. Joep had brought his own towel with him in Vietnam just to be sure. All the hostels Joep went to could rent or borrow towels cheaply, so it was basically not necessary. It is useful to take a towel with you, just to be sure, if you want to clean your shoes on the road, for example 😉 Or if you come to a place where there are no (good) towels. It is best to buy a microfiber towel, because it dries quickly and takes up much less space than, for example, a bath towel.
6. Sleeping mask
Not all hostels have curtains that are blackout enough. In addition, your roomies may turn on the lights at night. Or you try to sleep on a night bus. In these situations it is very wise to have a sleeping mask. You can buy such a mask for a few euros.
7. Earplugs
This is probably the most important item to have when staying in dorm rooms. Some roomies get up at 5 in the morning to catch their bus, while others come back from a night out. And don't forget the snoring roomies. Good earplugs are therefore a must have.
8. World plug adapter
Depending on your destination, you may not be able to plug your local plugs into the wall. For that reason, it is useful to buy a power adapter, as you can use it at multiple destinations. You can often buy these for a few tens of euros via, for example, bol.com or your local electronics store.
9. Detergent and Clothesline
If you are traveling to places where you do not have immediate access to laundry facilities, it is useful to take detergent with you to wash your clothes by hand. You can then hang it on a clothesline. In my experience in Vietnam, every major hostel has its own laundry facilities.
Of course you also have to bring things like clothing and bathing suits, but since this is 'common sense' I won't mention them here 😉