FAMILY PACKING LIST FOR VIETNAM + Our Packing Regrets

Xin chào! – Hello!

I’ve just returned from an 18-day trip to Vietnam with two of my boys (ages 7 & 10) and my parents (in their 70s). 

We traveled with a carry-on roller bag each, plus I purchased a duffel bag in Vietnam that we used for transporting souvenirs, dirty clothes, wet swimsuits, etc.

Our trip activities included walking, cycling, swimming, fishing, boat rides, Vespa rides, relaxing, and touring cities and the countryside. 

We flew into Hanoi, out of Ho Chi Minh City, and had two internal flights (Hanoi to Hue, Hue to Ho Chi Minh City).  We checked one bag on each flight because we had large bottles of liquids (sunscreen, mosquito repellent, contact solution) and razors.

If you’re a packing nerd like I am, I hope my packing list below will help you get organized and ready for your trip to Vietnam! 

I’ve included links for some items, and if it’s something we’ve owned for a while, I’ve linked a recent version.

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What to Pack Vietnam – Elementary-Age Kids

I packed the following for my 7- and 10-year-old boys.  They each had their own roller carry-on suitcase (TravelPro, hard-side spinner).

Note:  If I haven’t included a quantity next to the item (for example, ‘x 2’), I just packed one (per child).

Clothing (for each child)

Quick-dry, sporty t-shirts x 4 (plus we purchased a few during the trip)

Linen or cotton button-up short-sleeve shirts x 1 (purchased one each during the trip)

Shorts – sporty and normal x 4 (purchased one pair each during the trip)

Sweatshirt for plane

Light pants for plane

Comfortable sneakers – Adidas and NIKE

Shoes for pool & beach – My boys brought Adidas slides and Crocs.  I think sandals with straps (like Birkenstock EVA) are better, but my boys chose their water shoes.  

Pajamas – they just wore t-shirts and underwear

Underwear & socks x 6

Swim trunks

Rash guard / swim shirt – we swear by these from Hurley

Sunglasses – at the last minute, they decided they didn’t want them

Hat – one of my boys brought a baseball cap (which he rarely wore)

Tip: I tried to pack some bright / neon shirts for my kids. Vietnam is crowded and it was nice to have them in clothes that didn’t blend in.

Toiletries

See below in ‘Mom’s Packing List’ for more toiletries

Kids’ vitamins

Kids’ dental floss – these are the only way I can get my kids to floss

Kids’ face sunscreen stick – I carry this mini stick by Sun Bum

In Their Carry-On Backpacks

Books or Kindle

Nintendo Switch x 2

Noise-cancelling headphones – my 7-year-old uses Puro headphones and my 10-year-old uses Soundcore headphones similar to these

Instant camera + extra film, album, extra batteries – for one of my sons

Snacks

Water

Hand sanitizer wipes

Homework + supplies – pencil, pencil sharpener, eraser, notebook, reading book

Miscellaneous Items

Moon ball (for pool and beach) – We prefer the Water ball, but we couldn’t find it when we were packing

Items I Didn’t Pack for the Boys

Shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc – We used the hotel toiletries

Mom’s Packing List for Vietnam

I am not a fashionista.  I wanted to be comfortable and cute-ish.  I didn’t purchase anything new for the trip, but I did buy a few things in Vietnam (sundress, silk shirt, flowy pants x 2).

Clothing

Sundresses x 2

Linen shorts x 2

Airy capri pants x 2

Tank tops x 2

T-shirt x 1

Comfortable sneakers – Brooks running shoes

Sandals x 2 – Birkenstock Arizona (suede straps, very comfy and worn-in), Birkenstock Arizona EVA (for pool and beach)

Sporty clothing – 1 x shorts, 2 x tank tops, 1 x sporty tee; used for cycling, on walks, and in hotel gyms

Pajamas – shorts/tank set

Underwear x 6

Bras x 3 – lighweight bra-lettes (I think normal bras would be uncomfortable with the heat/sweat/humidity)

Sunhat – my Wallaroo is packable and has an inside tie so it stays on my head even if it’s windy (no chin strap)

Sunglasses – also bought a pair at Hoi An beach

Swimsuit coverup x 2 – they double as sundresses

Toiletries & Medications

Face cleanser & moisturizer

Toothpaste & toothbrush

Dental floss

Brush

Nail clippers (with nail file)

Contact lenses, contact lense solution, & case

Deodorant

Mascara

Lip Balm x 2 (one with sunscreen, one with color tint)

Sunscreen – Sun Bum, Blue Lizard, and Bioré

After-sun cream

Nail polish – For touch ups.  I didn’t bring nail polish remover (I figured I could get my nails done there if needed)

Insect repellant – I brought a ton of bug spray, but we only saw a few mosquitoes during our trip

Feminine products

Mouthguard, cleaning tablets, & case

Hair ties x 3

Tissues – to keep in backpack for bathrooms (never ended up needing them, as there was always toilet paper)

Green drink – individual powder packets, from Japan but similar to A1

Bug bite relief cream & patches

Disposable razor x 2 – all hotels provided them

Prescription medication

Electronics

Kindle

iPad                

Apple watch

iPhone – purchased Airalo ESIM

External charger

Adapter – we didn’t need one, but depending on where you’re coming from, you may need an adapter

Noise-cancelling headphones

Air pods

Chargers – for all items above

Documents

These were all kept in my carry-on backpack while traveling.  If we were out exploring, I had my money, credit cards and phone in my waist pack.

Passports – my name is in their passports, and I also carried a signed letter from my husband with our travel plans and a copy of his passport; I keep the passports in a bright red Le SportSac

E-Visa for me – not all nationalities need a visa for Vietnam

Credit card & ATM card

Cash – Euros

Miscellaneous Items

Games – Waterproof UNO (we take these everywhere), Monopoly Deal card game, Settlers of Catan card game

Trip calendar & itinerary – printed on paper, I’m old-school

Ziploc bags of multiple sizes – small ones for valuables, larger ones for things like damp swimsuits if moving hotels

Packing cubes – My favorites are by Eagle Creek

Cloth laundry bag x 2

Wheeled carry-on x 3 (one per person)

Small backpacks x 3 – used for plane travel

Small cloth bag x 2 – for groceries or if we were out-and-about and I didn’t want to carry a backpack

Waist pack – I have this one

Easter treat for the boys – the Easter bunny brought a few plastic eggs filled with Vietnamese dong (currency), along with a paint-by-sticker book, a Catan card game, and some Vietnamese sweets and old coins.

AirTag – kept with passports

Items I Didn’t Pack

Shampoo, conditioner, body lotion – I used the toiletries at the hotels

Anti-diarrhea medication – My mom brought us adult and kid versions of Pepto-Bismol tablets from the US and some Immodium A-D (the caplets we brought were fine for kids 6+).

USD for tips – My parents brought USD from the US.

In My Backpack (Carry-On)

Vietnam culture book – Vietnam Culture Smart

iPad with keyboard

Pen & notepad

Hand sanitizer

Baby wipes

First-aid kit (band-aids, antiseptic wipes, blister care, anti-diarrhea medication, thermometer, pain and fever medication, Neosporin, etc)

Travel pillow – this one by FlowZoom has me sleeping (and drooling) like a baby, the version I have uses velcro instead of snaps

Noise-cancelling headphones

Light, zip-up sweatshirt – kept me warm on the plane but packed light for our time in Vietnam

Good To Know:  I wear compression socks on all flights.  They’re ugly but help prevent DVT and keep my ankles and calves from swelling. I use these from the brand Compressport. I have also purchased compression socks from Physix Gear.

Packing for Vietnam – What I Was Happy With

Not packing too many clothes.  We just did laundry as needed.  I washed sometimes in the sink and we also used laundry services at the hotel and in the cities.  Laundry was by piece in the hotels and by weight in laundry shops.  We always got it back within 24 hours.  The hotel laundry service was more ‘caring’ and our clothes came back folded well and with less wrinkles than the laundry we sent to the laundry shops.  Still, we were happy with both inexpensive options.  We also bought clothes during the trip.

Velcro sneakers for my younger son.  There’s a lot of taking shoes off and putting them back on in Vietnam, so it was easier to have Velcro sneakers for my son who’s not yet a shoe-tying master.

Not packing many toiletries.  We used hotel shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.  Not all hotels had lotion, but I had small tube of after-sun lotion that we used when needed.

Bringing cloth bags.  Vietnamese businesses still use so many plastic bags, so I was really happy to have our cloth bags to put purchases in.

Not packing a scarf.  I’d read it was necessary to have one to cover my shoulders, but I had plenty of clothing options to cover my shoulders.  And, I figured I could buy a scarf in Vietnam if needed.  I didn’t end up needing to purchase one.

Removing my jewelry.  I kept my wedding band on and small stud earrings.  I didn’t worry about losing or damaging jewelry on the trip.

Not packing ‘just-in-case’ items.  You can find basic items in Vietnamese cities (clothing, toiletries, shoes, over-the-counter medication, etc).  Just remember to bring things like prescription medication and eyeglasses.

Neon clothing. I loved having my 7-year-old in bright shirts so he was extra visible.

Post-Trip Packing Regrets for Vietnam

Not bringing our GoPro. My boys would’ve enjoyed filming in the ocean and the pool. 

Buying a duffel bag in Vietnam.  I wish I’d just brought a duffel bag we already owned instead of purchasing a not-so-well-made duffel bag in Vietnam (although I will use it).