What I Packed: Phuket, Thailand

(black tank, striped skirt, gold necklace, purse, chambray tank, black shorts, floral tank, white shorts, flip flops, turquoise necklace, swimsuit, dress)

I used to be an over-packer. I used to bring 5 – 10 extra outfits any time I went somewhere, but as I got used to traveling and packing my life in a suitcase, I realized I couldn’t do that anymore. Taking budget airlines really restricts the amount of stuff you can bring because of their strict baggage rules, and the last thing I want to do is regret what I brought with me. Those travel pictures will be around forever, and I don’t want to look back and remember how uncomfortable I was in that cringe-worthy outfit I haphazardly packed.

Now every time I’m preparing for a trip, I take some time to pick out and try on outfits – accessories and all – to make sure that I won’t have a dressing crisis when I’m there. I usually pack one extra outfit or an alternative piece or two – just in case I’m not in the mood to wear what I planned. Sometimes I search the web for suggestions on what to bring to a certain location and use those guides as a jumping off point for packing my own suitcase.

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Shop this look:

• Geometric Dress: Forever 21 (similar, similar)
• Necklace: Alex Woo (similar)
• Purse: Target (exact) – used with this camera insert

I wore this outfit on our first day. This is one of my favorite dresses because it’s so comfortable. It was great for sightseeing in Patong and dinner. I also wore it to breakfast the next morning, which is when the picture was taken. I originally wore it with my favorite green pendant necklaces, but I accidentally left it in the dressing room of the Patong mall while we were doing some quick shopping (ugh).

Shop this look:

• Black tie tank (exact, similar)
• Striped skirt: Forever 21 (similar)
• Long necklace: Loft (similar)
• Bow necklace: Aldo (similar)
• Bracelets: Charlotte Russe (similar)
• Tan sandals: Target (similar)

I had originally planned to wear something fancier for New Year’s Eve, but since we were just staying at our resort, I decided to go for something a little more comfortable. I’m glad I did because we ended up just hanging out on the beach.

Shop this look:

• Floral tank: Kohls (similar, similar)
• White shorts: Urban Planet (similar, similar)
• Necklace: Icing (similar)

I wore this outfit when we ventured out to Phuket town. It was perfect for wandering around the city and having dinner at a casual restaurant.

Shop this look:

• Chambray tank: JCPenney (similar, similar)
• Black shorts: Urban Planet (similar, similar)
• Nude flip flips (exact)

This is what I ended up wearing on our boat tour with my swimsuit underneath. I love that I had the option to keep my chest covered when we were in the sun since it’s where I normally burn first. The black shorts did show dirt or water. I also brought my sarong for wearing while my suit was wet. We were asked to remove our shoes before getting on the boat (its considered rude to wear shoes inside in Thailand, so I’m guessing that carries over to boats as well.)

Thoughts:

Since I kept the colors mostly neutral, I could have easily remixed these items to make a few more outfits and worn the other items that I packed but didn’t wear (2 dresses, a second striped skirt and a few more necklaces). Add another swimsuit, and you’ve got a whole week’s worth of outfits!

If I had to do it again, I would pack a more practical swimsuit coverup since my sarong didn’t really work for our boat trip – maybe one like this or this.

Want to see the rest of our trip? Check out these posts:

• 4 Days in Phuket, Thailand: Part 1
• New Year’s in Phuket, Thailand
• 4 Days in Phuket, Thailand: Part 2
• Phang Nga Bay Boat Tour
• What I Packed: Phuket, Thailand

Published: January 30, 2014. Updated: April 7, 2022.

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