What Should You Pack for 3 Months in Asia?

Friend: 3 monthes!!!!! 3 Countries! Are you bringing the whole closet?

When I packed for 75 days in Southeast Asia—with plans for an Indian and Thai summer plus trekking in Nepal—my goal was to bring a solid foundation of quality items I could build on with local purchases. The idea was to stay adaptable across climates, cultures, and chaos.

After sifting through a mountain of packing advice online, I figured I’d add my own to the pile—with a twist: what I’d bring if I had to do it all over again from $0 and a blank slate. Check out that post here.

My travel style = Light and Flexible

I usually book two nights in each city and extend if it feels right. I plan transportation just a day or two ahead, which means I have to be nimble. That also means everything I carry needs to fit in one backpack. One bag makes airport life easier, hostel-hopping smoother, and daily life lighter. Keeping everything organized in travel cubes means I can quickly remove and store them at a hostel, and my daypack is ready to go.

Since I tend to obsess over cost, I’ve added the original price I paid for each item, and a link to the current item. The costs will not necessarily match.

☀️ Weather Snapshot

You’d be remiss to not consider time of year when packing. From mid-March to June, I experienced three very different climates.

Rajasthan (March–April) was hot and dry, with temps soaring into the 90s°F (35°C+).
Nepal (April–May) was emperate in Kathmandu, but colder (40 F) and windy in the Himalaya.
Thailand (May) I am expecting humid, hot, and rainy, with near-daily downpours.

Need to figure out your daily costs in India? Check out my full budget breakdown.

🗂️ Backpack / Storage

45L carry-on backpack – Patagonia Black Hole MLC ($240) ⭐
- This Cotopaxi bag was my runner up choice.
Travel Cubes x2 ($15)
Packable cloth shopping tote ($10, Amazon)
Shoe bag ($20, REI)
Fanny pack – Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole ($24) ⭐

💡 Total: ~$300

⭐ Starred items were absolute workhorses I’d bring again without hesitation.

👕 Clothing

4 shirts
- Kanji running shirt (polyester, $20)
- Patagonia t-shirt (polyester, $20)
- Smartwool t-shirt (merino wool, $70) ⭐
- Long-sleeve sun shirt with hood (Rab, $70)
1 pair hiking pants (polyester, Target, $15)
1 pair leggings (Smartwool Classic Thermal Bottom, REI, $115)
1 rain jacket (Rab Downpour Jacket, $125)
1 sweater (Patagonia R1 Air, $180)
1 synthetic puffy jacket (Patagonia Nano Puff, $240)
3 pairs of underwear (polyester, Under Armour, ~$15)
3 pairs of socks
- Thick merino wool, calf-high (Darn Tough, $20)
- Midweight merino wool (Darn Tough, $12)
- Low-cut cotton (Ross Dress for Less, $2)
1 pair of running shorts / swimsuit (Roark, ~$40)
2 lightweight shawls / towels (~$15, Amazon)
1 baseball cap ($15, Target)

💡 Total: ~$975

👟 Footwear

1 pair of sturdy sandals – Bedrock Cairn Evo, REI ($115) ⭐
1 pair of running shoes – Altra Lone Peak 7 (already worn, REI, $90)

💡 Total: ~$225
The sandals lived on my feet. I barely used the runners, but appreciated having them for longer hikes.

🧴 Toiletries & Health

Dr. Bronner’s soap ($5)
Sunscreen ($10)
Electrolyte packets ($5)
Baby wipes ($5)
Hand sanitizer ($3)
Medications (~$50 total):
- Imodium
- Pepto-Bismol tabs
- Tums
- 2 courses of antibiotics (can also buy locally)
Basic first aid kit ($20):
- 4 x sterile gauze pads
- 2 x gauze rolls
- Medical tape
- Gloves

💡 Total: ~$100

Grand Total: $1,600

Note: Most of this gear, I already had, and I totalled the cost here largely for my own interest. If you are at Gear Zero, check out my Ideal Packing List, what I’d bring if I had to do it all over again from $0 and a blank slate.

🛑 Closing Thoughts

Packing for 75 days in Asia taught me this: You don’t need much. What you do need is flexibility, curiosity, and clothes that dry fast. Everything else? You’ll find it along the way—or discover you never needed it in the first place.

💡 Lesson: You can buy most basics for cheap. You can rent what you need for trekking. Bring what makes you feel well, not what fills a drawer.

Thanks for stopping by, friends!

and Happy travels!

<3 Colin