Have you listed essentials for your post-COVID-19 trip? If yes, it is a good time to add some more proper items to your packing list. Let’s check the 11 travel packing tips below to ensure you get everything in need.

1. Make a travel packing checklist

Making a checklist is the first travel packing tip for you. Creating the best checklist of travel items depends on your travel purpose and the length of your trip. Spending a bit of time upfront on creating a list will take far less time than alternatives. It also helps you to make sure there are not any essentials left at home. 

You should write down all the stuff on paper then excluding things one by one once it’s packed in your lug. On your phone, you can use Notes, To-do-list, Trello, or Notion to create a list easily. That way, all you need to do is to create a checklist then put a “tick” in the check box.

You can even create multiple lists for other trips, such as “Beach trips packing list”, “Camping packing list”, or “Natural experience in the COVID-19 era packing list”. You can reference again and again then decide to narrow or add to the list when you pack.

2. Plan out your outfits

The key is just to bring what you KNOW that you are going to wear, not to bring everything you MIGHT possibly wear. Here are some tips to prepare your luggage: 

• Bring pieces that can be mixed and matched to others. One of the easiest ways to do this is to pick a palette to stick with.
• Follow the formula 2 tops : 1 bottom because shirts are easier to get dirty than bottoms.
• Pack travel-friendly fabrics that won’t stink, wrinkle and crease easily.
• Choose multi-purpose items like a scarf. You can use it as a towel, a jacket, or a blanket.
• Roll your clothes, not fold. Learn the method here.

Shoes are about to contribute the most to both space and weight in luggage so this is a good point to be extra vigilant about.

• Choose a suitable pair of shoes depending on the type of trip you are going on. For instance, pick out one comfortable pair of sneakers for easy walking and getting active when you go camping. This could also look like sandals or flip-flops for a beach trip. 
• Place your shoes into dust bags or shower caps before packing to prevent other items from getting dirty.
• Capitalize on empty spaces inside your shoes for socks or other fragile items.

3. Buy travel insurance

Travel insurance is popular in developed countries but it still sounds so strange in Vietnam. Guided tours always include travel insurance for their travelers in total cost. However, if you choose to have an independent trip, you need to buy the insurance yourself. You should consider a travel insurance contract, especially in this COVID-19-related situation.

Accidents might happen in unexpected ways. It may be lost luggage, lost passports, delayed flights, or food poisoning. Travel insurance is a protection from financial loss and for your health.

Several prestigious insurance companies in Vietnam you can get some advice and buy travel insurance online are Bao Viet, Bao Minh, PTI-Corporation, and AAA.

4. Use packing cubes

Here’s a tip for keeping your stuff orderly inside the valise: use packing cubes for separated types of items.

• Electronics should be placed in a specialized bag. Put charging cables in another pouch that should be fit and waterproof.
• Small items might make a little fuss so organize all of them in a separate packing cube.
• Prepare some zip-lock bags for wet or dirty clothes.
• Your underwear also needs a private space inside another packing cube. It can help in case you have to open your valise in the airport.

All your items should be placed inside packing cubes/pouches so they can be separately classified. Hence, you can take out needed items easily without getting things messed up. 

5. Keep your liquids separate

Don’t forget that you can only carry liquids in individual containers with a capacity not greater than 100ml. If you have a full-size bottle, pour them into small bottles then close the cover tightly before packing them. Stick a note outside the bottle with its name to identify them easily later. 

Pack your toiletries in a plastic resealable ziplock bag to protect your carry-on from its leaks and spills. In this way, you can also find them easily.

6. Organize the heavy and bulky

Unless heavy items like tripods are placed closest to the wheel, it might damage other stuff. Moreover, when things are kept in that way, weight is distributed evenly so your valise can remain stable. 

Do you want to save space in your luggage? Here is another travel packing tip you can do: wear your bulkiest items of clothes such as jackets, sneakers, or scarves on the plane. Also, it might be cool on the plane and you will need something warm to wear.

7. Don’t put all eggs in one place

You should bring some cash along with your credit cards because the ATMs and payment by cards are not accessible in some travel spots. The tip is to keep your valuable property separate in different places for plan B in case unexpected events happen.

Other important personal papers, passports, flight tickets, emergency contacts, and trip information should be kept carefully. Those things should also be printed on paper and kept a record in your phone for a backup plan. If you travel in small groups, it is better for everyone to carry their own belongings.

8. Bring a First Aid Kit (FAK)

One of the post-COVID-19 travel trends is to experience nature and outdoor activities so a FAK is necessary for your trip. Apart from some basic medical devices such as band-aids and salt water for cleaning wounds, you should add some devices below to your checklist:

• A box of disposable facemasks. You can change a new one every time you go out.
• A face shield.
• Sanitizer.
• Antibacterial spray.
• Multi-purpose alcohol wipes.
• Thermometer.
• COVID-19 rapid test kit: now available for purchase. In Vietnam, the Humasis COVID ag test kit can provide results onsite in only 15 minutes.

9. Pack an empty bag

Another travel packing tip is bringing an empty bag. It could be a small backpack or a tote. Traveling during the pandemic requires you to always bring lots of essentials (mentioned in section 8) in order to keep you safe from infection. So, a tote can help you with that. Furthermore, you can also utilize it for packing souvenirs. 

10. Install necessary apps

There are lots of helpful apps you should install on your phone in this pandemic situation. These apps are not only necessary for traveling but also useful in your daily life. Here are some popular apps you can consider when in Vietnam:

• Bluezone – Contact detection: A Bluetooth-based app that helps you determine if you are in infectious areas or not. This app is also to alert if you had close contact with people infected with COVID-19.

• So suc khoe dien tu: A useful app that helps you update your health conditions including the latest result of the COVID-19 test and vaccination history. This app is expected to become a “vaccine passport” in Vietnam in the post-pandemic era. 
• VssID – Social Insurance: This app might not directly assist in COVID-19 prevention. However, it is an alternative to the Social Insurance Book, facilitating your examination and healthcare, especially when you travel.

11. Other items

• A pen: You should bring a pen to sign the bills and fill the forms during your trip. This is to avoid direct contact with others in the public spaces.
• Electronic accessories: PowerBanks and Universal travel multi-adapters are two essential items for your trip. You can find some other convenient items here.
• Tracking devices: A useful item named Airtag has just been launched by Apple in 2021, designed to act as a key finder, helping you find your personal objects by sending you alerts. Apart from Airtag, there are many other devices with similar functions such as Tile Pro, Tile Mate, Chipolo, and Smartag.
• If you travel with babies, just bring a baby pram and a little baby stuff because you can buy all of those at the travel destinations.

While no one knows when the COVID-19 pandemic will end, we still need to adapt ourselves to this circumstance and hope for a better future. Let’s create a travel packing list and wait for the day that we can get away from it all.