So, you want to travel on a budget but don't know what to bring? This guide is designed to give you a rough idea of how to research what to bring.
Planning & Packing
Know the Region
Are you planning on hiking in the Himalayas or sitting on a beach? Sorting out what you need and what you don't can be a big challenge, but unless your activity requires very high-quality technical gear that you absolutely cannot do without (i.e. mountaineering or scuba diving), you can probably leave the extra stuff. Most anything can be bought during your travels.
Smaller and Lighter is Better
Nothing is worse than lugging around a giant 80L bag full of useless stuff. Some travelers I know have been very successful by going ultra-light. I suggest two pairs of high-quality quick drying zip-off pants, a few shirts, and a hat. For Asia, Africa, and Central America, plan on ditching sneakers for a pair of high-quality sandals (I strongly prefer Chacos) and, depending on the region and activity, a pair of hiking boots (I prefer Lowe for normal trekking and La Sportika for low-grade mountaineering). For Europe, unless your skiing or climbing, I'd say pack like you're traveling in the USA.
Cheap is King
Most stuff can be bought abroad. There is no need to bring soap, shampoo, or deodorant. They can all be bought cheaply abroad. Depending on where you are, you might consider bringing contact lens solution and sunscreen - although I've even seen both of these in very remote places.
Guidebooks
Some are useful, some are not. The Lonely Planet guide to India is literally treated like a Bible by backpackers in that area. It's extremely useful as a reference. But for Malaysia and Singapore I found their guide to be poorly written and somewhat lacking the authority of India.
Cameras
My newest toy is a DSRL camera and it has amazing. During trips to India/Nepal and Central America I've brought with me snap-and-shoot cameras. Both of these worked fine, but by the end of each trip the cameras were virtually ruined. Traveling cheap is harsh and it seems to me DSRL cameras can take the beating better.
Internet & Related
Wifi is also now prevalent at even the cheapest guesthouses, so some internet-capable device might be useful. I only have an iPhone and it seems to work well enough to write this blog from, but iPads now seem to be very popular amongst backpackers. If you want to ditch the expensive electronics, internet cafes are common enough in many countries. Also, if you're traveling in some more countries that are sensitive about certain websites such as Facebook, installing a VPN client on your device before you go can be extremely useful. I recommend this free software: ibVPN.
I currently use a 50+10L Millet mountaineering bag and a cool camera bag I found on Amazon. It's a lot to haul around, but after you get settled into a town it's nice using the big bag as a 'closet' and the small bag as a daypack. I also keep a waterproof 20L bag inside of the bigger bag. I've travelled for six months around India with just a small backpack before, so unless you need some very specialized gear, a bigger bag is optional. Bigger than 60L and you'll probably be suffering.
Money Matters
How Much Should I Bring?
This is a tough question. You can get by in places like Pokhara, Nepal and Langkawi, Malaysia on $7USD a day - and that includes good food and decent hotels. However, places like Singapore, New Delhi, Mumbai, and Shanghai can easily cost upwards of $25USD just for a bed in a dormitory! I would plan on spending $2,500USD for four months in South/Southeast Asia and about the same for Central America. In reality, if you eat locally and travel on the regular busses, you may only need $1,500. For places like East Asia, getting by on $15 is still possible, but with the rise of the reimbi, it's becoming difficult even in China.
What's the Best Way to Bring Money?
The safest way to bring money used to be traveler's cheques. Now, ATM's are the easiest way to avoid carrying a lot of money. I've noticed ATM's also tend to give pretty good exchange rates. Bringing two cards might be a good idea. Before you go, though, make sure you make your bank aware you'll be using your card overseas. If it's a large bank, one warning should suffice. For smaller banks, getting multiple reassurances before you go is a good idea. You should also carry a few-hundred new and unfolded USD with you in your bag separate from your debit/credit card(s). Some places only accept these bills. For Americans, try to bring $50 and $100 bills because in some places the exchange rate is dependent on the denomination of the bill.
Avoiding Theft
Bring Your Own Locks
This is especially true if you're traveling in South or Southeast Asia. Generally, when you stay at guest house you'll be provided a room with a padlock. A padlock made in the United States will be better and stronger than the one you're provided with, and only you have the key.
Theft happens. If you travel a lot, you might get robbed. But there are things you can do to avoid being targeted. The first thing you can do is switch your labeled 'Canon' camera bag for a more generic-looking backpack. As above, I recommend a bag like this because it doesn't look too fancy, but can still hold a lot of stuff. Plus, the inside of the bag has a hanging compartment for your money and passport that would be ridiculously difficult to pickpocket. The bottom camera portion also has a thick insert which provides protection against slash-attacks. The second thing you can do is dirty-up your bag. Thieves aren't generally interested in the roving backpacker because more often than not we are poor and we also don't tend to have many valuables. Plus, it's a signal that you've been around the block a few times and might be a difficult catch. There are exceptions, but if your bag looks worn and old, you'll be less of a target
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