Real Travel Adventures: Part 10 - Deb’s Dos for hot, humid climates

Old Chiang Mai moat (DR, 2024)

I left Debb (with 2 🐝🐝) in Chiang Mai on October 12, 2024 after spending almost 3 weeks together in northern Thailand and Vietnam! It was an incredible experience and we saw and did amazing things in the short time exploring these Southeast Asian countries!  (more to come in another blog on that)

But now that I’m back in Canada, I’ve had a chance to reflect on some of the things that I have learned for future trips to hot and humid destinations that might help others. The following is a list of items to consider:

 Starting out:  

 1.      Always make sure YOUR FULL NAME is on the issued airline ticket so that it exactly matches your passport before purchasing online. This is a strict requirement for all airlines so if you don’t have your full name on the airline ticket, you may not get on the plane.  I had the unpleasant experience where the issued airline ticket was my first name’s initial and my last name only. It took a stressful and challenging time to get this corrected with more money being spent just hours prior to my checking in for the flight! ARGH!

 2.      Always check baggage requirements for weight as well for all flights on your trip (including connecting airlines) so you don’t run into any problems with having to re-pack or check-in and pay for luggage that is over the requirement limit.

 3.      Ensure that you have correct chargers and cable for cell phone and other electronic devices for the country you’re visiting. It might also be advisable to test that your chargers and cables are functioning correctly before you leave your home so you don’t run into the problem, I had with my cell phone. Debb’s devices worked with the electrical sockets in Chiang Mai, for example, but mine did not. After much angst and trying different options, it was discovered that my cell phone cable was defective so I needed to purchase a new one. Voila, all working fine after that. A big relief as I as using my cell phone camera for photos on this trip. Lesson learned to maybe also consider bringing another back up for photos ie. point-and-shoot camera or iPad.

I really liked this smart travel adapter!

 4.      Travelling can cause unexpected discomforts such as constipation so bring special herbal tea or other remedies before you leave home that can be used should this occur. It is a very unpleasant feeling and interrupts the joy of your travel explorations. Also, luckily Debb had brought electrolytes that helped when I was dehydrated and hadn’t drunk enough water throughout the day.

 5.      When packing, “travel light” means clothes that dry fast if they get wet when it rains and also are less weight in carry-on luggage (no jeans or heavy cotton tank tops). 😰

 6. For sunny climates, bring a hat or fan. Debb bought a fan from a beautiful Vietnamese woman and found it to be an invaluable item for walking in hot and humid temperatures on our trip.

7. I also wish I had brought a loose-fitting dress that was lightweight material (cotton or linen) knee length or longer in hot climates as it is easy to wear to stay cool.

8. As we were visiting many temples, for females, you need to bring long skirt/wrap/long shorts to cover knees and wear a top with sleeves that cover your shoulders. We found many tourists had not come prepared so they needed to borrow such items before entering. It is only respectful to the culture to heed these protocols.

 9. Bring insoles if necessary for your shoes as you’ll be doing a lot of walking. Comfort is key!

During the trip:

 1.      DRINK LOTS OF WATER 💧THROUGHOUT THE DAY!

 2.      If taking a local bus or train - make sure you check if you need to book tickets in advance by 2 days or have to only book through a tour company (i.e. train from Hanoi to Ninh Binh)

 3.      Get a Local SIM card for internet access which is good for maps, locations, booking items, etc.

4.      Use Google maps as the hotel's maps may not have all the street names on their map, so it can be very confusing! (for example, in Hanoi, where street names changed from block to block!)

 5.      It is sometimes best to stay at the same hotel/lodgings in the main city you’re visiting (Hanoi) even if you are taking day trips to other parts of the country (e.g. Ha Long Bay or Ninh Binh) so you have a home base and can get familiar with the surrounding streets and don’t have to re-learn. We had limited time, so we found this helped immensely for getting around when we returned to Hanoi.

6.      Use ATMs at a Bank 🏦for security and safety reasons, not other street machines.

7.      Keep personal items (bags, shopping items, etc.) on the sidewalk side of your body when walking in busy and crowded streets like Hanoi as it is easy target for individuals on scooters to snatch if they were carried on the street side.

 8.      Indulge in the hotel’s laundry service as it keeps you feeling refreshed with clean clothes when you’re sweating a lot in a hot and humid climate!  We found that in both Chiang Mai and Hanoi, using this service was very reasonable and a great feature to utilize!

 Share with us any other advice you might have for traveling in tropical climates!