The is no one size fits all way to pack but you can learn to be an efficient packer!
Where are you going and what will you be doing?
If you are staying in a smart hotel or going on a cruise where you will be expected to dress for dinner each night you will need lots more luggage than if you are staying in a private villa and have no plans to go any further than your own pool in which case you can survive on sleepwear and swimwear with the occasional throw-on to go to the supermarket! If you're planning lots of sight seeing make sure you pack at least one comfortable pair of shoes
Alternatively if you are planning to spend lots of time in a swimming costume you really won't be wearing clothes for many hours each day and will need less than you might expect.
What laundry facilities are available where you are staying?
This can make a big difference on how much to pack. If you have access to a washing machine you can pack for just a few days and wash clothes as you need them. Alternatively if you are staying in a large hotel it can be really expensive to do laundry as they often charge per item so to launder all your clothes could cost a small fortune. If you're staying near a town it's worth finding out if there is a laundrette or laundry service in the vicinity as this would be the cheapest way to do a larger quantity of washing. When booking accommodation it's definitely worth asking whether there is a washing machine or laundry service so that you can pack accordingly.
What is the weather forecast looking like?
It's so hard to imagine different weather and this makes it really hard to pack appropriately. If you're heading to the sunshine and leaving the cold behind it seems almost too good to be true that when you arrive you will be able to wear flip flops and a sun dress.
Baggage allowances
Before you leave
And remember...
Don't be worried about not having enough clothes to wear. Firstly you're on holiday no-one will care what you're wearing and if they do you are unlikely to ever see them again! If you run out of clean stuff then you can always do some washing - a sink and soap is all you need in an emergency! As a final resort you might just have to splash out on a new outfit or two - in many parts of Asia and Africa tailors will run you up made-to-measure clothes for a bargain price.
Where are you going and what will you be doing?
If you are staying in a smart hotel or going on a cruise where you will be expected to dress for dinner each night you will need lots more luggage than if you are staying in a private villa and have no plans to go any further than your own pool in which case you can survive on sleepwear and swimwear with the occasional throw-on to go to the supermarket! If you're planning lots of sight seeing make sure you pack at least one comfortable pair of shoes
Alternatively if you are planning to spend lots of time in a swimming costume you really won't be wearing clothes for many hours each day and will need less than you might expect.
What laundry facilities are available where you are staying?
This can make a big difference on how much to pack. If you have access to a washing machine you can pack for just a few days and wash clothes as you need them. Alternatively if you are staying in a large hotel it can be really expensive to do laundry as they often charge per item so to launder all your clothes could cost a small fortune. If you're staying near a town it's worth finding out if there is a laundrette or laundry service in the vicinity as this would be the cheapest way to do a larger quantity of washing. When booking accommodation it's definitely worth asking whether there is a washing machine or laundry service so that you can pack accordingly.
What is the weather forecast looking like?
It's so hard to imagine different weather and this makes it really hard to pack appropriately. If you're heading to the sunshine and leaving the cold behind it seems almost too good to be true that when you arrive you will be able to wear flip flops and a sun dress.
Baggage allowances
Before you leave
And remember...
Don't be worried about not having enough clothes to wear. Firstly you're on holiday no-one will care what you're wearing and if they do you are unlikely to ever see them again! If you run out of clean stuff then you can always do some washing - a sink and soap is all you need in an emergency! As a final resort you might just have to splash out on a new outfit or two - in many parts of Asia and Africa tailors will run you up made-to-measure clothes for a bargain price.
