Packing for Cambodia: clothes

October 25th, 2008 by Karin Holzknecht

This was my biggest worry when packing for Cambodia – what on earth should I take to wear?! Here are my tips. Don’t bother bringing a jumper unless you need one for the plane. Don’t bother bringing more than two pairs of socks – thongs (by that I mean flip-flops) and sandals are the order of the day here. It’s worth bringing some sneakers but I wouldn’t worry about dress shoes. I know this isn’t clothing but don’t bring a sleeping bag or a mosquito net! You don’t need them. Do bring swimmers/bathers/togs/swimsuit/boardies – whatever you call them! One of the guys here recommends bringing long pants – most men here wear them. Otherwise I recommend shorts and skirts for the girls. Make sure most of these come below the knees so you can wear them in the classroom. Also bring t-shirts that cover your shoulders and aren’t too low-cut so you can wear them to school. Singlets and shorter shorts and skirts are fine for around the city and around the house. The more cotton the better – and try to avoid bringing dark clothing because it attracts mosquitos like nothing else.

Having said this, if you are particularly attached to any item of clothing, I wouldn’t bring it. It won’t last more than a month what with all the sweat, dirt, suncream and insect repellent. There is a washing machine in the house but some things will become dirty beyond redemption. Clothing is cheap here so it might be better just to budget for buying clothes and not bother bringing many with you. It is difficult to find singlets here so bring some of those. Another of the volunteers is currently craving wearing high heels and dressing up – and it might be worth bringing along something smarter for a classy night out if you have room. Raincoats and hats are also good things to pack. I think that’s about it!

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This entry was posted on Saturday, October 25th, 2008 at 5:05 pm and is filed under Cambodia.

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