Packing for Muslimah Solo Travelers can be a challenge. You’ll want to take everything, such as your entire Hijab collection, multiple pieces of jewelry, and maybe a pack of Halal instant food from home, to ensure you have it all on your trip.
But when it comes to solo traveling, packing light is key. And we know just how difficult this can be for the Muslim woman.
With that said, here is the entire list of Packing essentials for Muslim Solo Travelers!
Of course, no packing list is complete without a printed and downloadable copy of the PDF checklist! Get the FREE PDF to ensure you have everything on one page before going to that destination!
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Why is packing light difficult but possible for Muslimah Solo travelers?
Before we cover the overview of Packing essentials for Muslim Solo Travelers, let’s first demystify why packing light is challenging but doable for solo Muslim travelers who are hijabi…
The Modest long dresses, clothes, and scarves take up a lot of room! That is, if you compare to solo travelers who do not wear Hijab — think about it.
But that doesn’t mean packing light for Hijabis is impossible. There are ways to go around this! Especially if you do not want to pay for check-in luggage!
Minimalist Packing Tips for Solo Muslim Female Travelers
To have a one-bag travel packing list, some tips and tricks that you should consider are:
Plan Your Outfits Earlier
Depending on the days you’re going, you won’t need an entire wardrobe of multiple clothing pieces, with a specific one-time-wear outfit only.
Mix and match. Have a reasonable amount of plains and prints so you can combine different types of clothes. When styling well, no one will know you’ve worn them before!
And if you are going to a tropical, hot country, go with loose and lighter materials!
Wear a Jacket/Coat at The Airport
Jackets / coats can be bulky and would take off a massive chunk of space in your luggage.
But you need them to keep you cool and comfortable!
Wearing a jacket/coat at the airport also makes it much easier to store your travel documents in the side pockets for quick access.
How to Pack Headscarves & Have a Minimalist Luggage
You have to be creative in this. But in essence, here are some ways:
(1) Either roll them in between your clothes to fill in the gaps in the luggage.
(2) Have it all packed up in a dedicated travel cube so they’re neat and tidy and you know where your scarves are.
or
(3) Have another scarf as an accessory besides your headscarf! Wrap it around your neck—you know how it is!
If you need ideas on how to pack on your solo trip, or would like to share your own packing experiences, do so in the Muslimah Solo Travelers Community Group with fellow like-minded ladies!
Take Advantage of Travel Sizes, Foldable and Portable Items!
Be it toiletries, jackets, power banks, or day packs, having better travel-suited options of them makes your travel a lot lighter and easier!
Research Before Going On Your Solo Trip
All types of solo trips are unique in their own way. Some are clearly for nature excursions, some are just sightseeing.
Plan accordingly to the motive of your solo travels, so you don’t overpack!
Take note of what you didn’t use when you get back and don’t pack it again!
Packing Essentials for Muslimah Solo Travelers
Here are some packing list ideas that you should be aware of before you start packing!
Essential Documents & Paperwork
- All your travel paperwork + copies. Save everything in your iCloud, Dropbox or Drive (make sure they’re also downloaded to your devices) and take paper copies as backup!
- Agoda, HostelWorld, Booking.com are the portal to go for when booking accomodation
- Passport (at least 6 months validity) & visa
- Flight tickets
- Bus tickets
- Viator, KLOOK and GetYourGuide for day tours and activties
- Train tickets from Eurail, or other train services like JR Pass
- Car rental confirmation
- Travel Insurance
- Folder to organize your travel documents
- Credit & debit cards (best if you have a multi-currency card and one with no/minimum foreign transaction fee)
- Cash – Local currency & one other easily converted currency (USD/GBP/EUR)
- VPN – To browse from your home country’s server
- Sim cards – for ease of connectivity
Clothes, Hijab & Accessories
Depending on what type of a traveler you usually are, what activities you’ll be doing (or considering), and the destination’s climate, these all matter when strategizing your outfit.
If you have an open itinerary, you may end up on a long train journey, go inside the jungle for a camping trip, or just an urban hike!
At the end of the day, it all boils down to your personal preference and the type of solo traveler that you are.
#MSTtip: Play around with some clothes laid out on your bed, and visualize your trip. You’ll get a gist of what you need and what you won’t need!
Here are some ideas on Your Clothes & Hijab Packing essentials for Muslim Solo Travelers
- Packing cubes to sort the different clothes (sort according to days, events, destinations, or clothing type)
- Scarves & hijab pins- make sure you pack many ironless or instant ones if you do not want to wear pins. These days the instant hijabs are stylish, making it easy peasy for you to just dash off looking good
- Clothes — Day outfit, short-sleeve t-shirt, cardigan
- Trousers, jeans
- Sarong, skirt – sarong can be your beach attire!
- Muslim-friendly swimsuit (burkini), sports clothes
- Hat (Foldable brimmed hat)
- Pocket-friendly Prayer mat & garments
- Foldable Windbreaker / Coat / Jacket – I love this because they’re super handy in all types of situations.
- Comfortable Sandals/trainers / flip flops/water shoes – Bring comfortable shoes! Despite how fancy some footwear is, they might ruin your mood — especially if you’re walking on cobblestone or hilly streets!
- Sunglasses, accessories, jewelry — A reminder, if you can’t afford to lose something, don’t bring it in the first place!
✈️ Share your packing experiences when solo traveling in the ? Community Facebook Group ? to help fellow Muslimah Solo Travelers!
Toiletries
So now that you’re set on your clothes, what are the toiletries you need?
If you can, only carry mini and travel-sized toiletries so you won’t have to take large chunks of bottles. You’ll be surprised how the travel sizes can last for a month!
Here are some ideas that are important on the Muslim-friendly solo travel packing list.
- Transfer liquids / travel-size containers
- Portable Istinja (bidet bottle) – to pray or for washroom purposes in countries where the WC does not have water.
- Toothpaste
- Travel robes
- Mini scissors/nail clippers — this depends on the status of your luggage. Carry-ons would not allow scissors or sharp objects inside, but you can have them in checked-in baggage. I find having nail clippers a lot easier in scenarios I need to cut a tag or remove a thread!
- Antibacterial wipes & tissues
- Menstruation essentials
- Travel-sized laundry detergent, shower foams, gels, shampoos
- Skincare, makeup, perfume rollers/sticks
- Contact lens solution
- Portable washing line & pegs – to quickly wash your clothes so you can save instead of having them laundered
First Aid Kit
The first aid kit looks different or a lot similar to other people. In general, these are some first aid kits for your Solo trip essentials.
- Medical Card (with vaccinations)
- Bug spray/insect repellent/bite creams- Super important if you are planning to visit wetlands or jungles
- Sanitizers
- Painkillers
- Travel sickness tablets – if you are prone to motion sickness, be prepared with this!
- Medicated oil/balm – This balm is my favorite. It is great to massage the sore parts of your body after a whole day of solo traveling! This makes you feel refreshed the next day when you continue your journey. Handy for those who are traveling solo for an extended period.
- Vitamins & Supplements — I love black seed oil and always have them in capsules for my trips because I won’t have to deal with droppers!
- Sewing kit & safety pins
Psst – Sometimes, these kits are available for FREE on your inbound flight.
Luggage & Bags
There are so many bags out there. And bringing which bags on your solo trip depends on what type of journey you are embarking on.
Is it a city staycation, a solo road trip, or a week-long solo holiday — that dictates the type of luggage and bags you need?
For your solo road trip essentials, besides a bag that will fit all of your needs, here are some to consider for your solo road trip checklist:
- Sturdy Luggage — Don’t buy a cheap one! A piece of sturdy luggage is worth investing in for your future travels
- Backpacks – Easy and comfortable to carry, especially if you have electronics! I love Fjallraven (they’re known as a traveler’s backpack for a reason) because of how comfortable and light it is to be stored away if you end up not needing them!
- Rain cover – essential when you’re traveling during rainy seasons
- Day packs – for walking around during the day.
- Extra few bags (retractable duffel bags for extra stuff to bring home and foldable shopping bags)
- Travel locks – in case if you’re staying in a hostel, putting your luggage at the front desk for a while, or going on a bus ride from one city to another.
Electronics & Gear
Another thing that weighs heavy on our packing list these days is electronics.
- Cameras & Tripod — My favorite cameras are:
- X100F for street photography that looks analog-style
- Go Pro for adventurous activities.
- Sony ZV-1 for vlogging
- Flexible Tripod for Reel/TikTok-style videos
- Extra memory cards
- Headphones
- Portable electronic fan – perfect for the summer heat!
- Multi-purpose cables
- Laptop / tablet
- Portable chargers/power bank – get a portable power bank that is compact enough to slide into your pocket! This will help you recharge your phone when exploring out and about!
- Chargers & Travel adapters — I love these multi-pin chargers.
- Kindle – Great as you don’t have to pack books!
Miscellaneous
Some ideas on other Muslim-friendly essentials you would need when traveling solo.
- Halal Instant food – Have 2-3 just in case on days you forget to buy something after a tiring day of exploring!
- Language phrasebook
- Eye masks, ear plugs, face masks.
- Money belt
- Notebook / Journal and pen — There will be times when you want to journal or take notes to collect your thoughts. Plus, they’ll make great, personalized memorabilia!
- Thermos flask / Retractable Cup – a live saver for when you find FREE drinking water fountains!
- Coffee or Tea Sachets – Some low-budget accommodations or hostels do not provide this, so best you have a few (3-5) as a backup in case you didn’t find a cafe before you start your excursions or while waiting for a tour. Saves you a few $$ too!
- Warm throw – for situations when you’re sleeping overnight on a bus, or train, or plane, or just going camping!
- Neck pillow – This can be bulky and unnecessary, but if you need it, hey, why not?
- Duct tape, plastic bags
Conclusion
Hope this has given you an idea of what to include in your solo travel packing!
Finally, make sure to rinse out your clothes when necessary. Take note of what you didn’t use on your trip, so you won’t have to pack it again!
Once again, happy packing & don’t forget to get your FREE, Downloadable Packing Checklist to make solo traveling planning easy breezy!
Related Muslim Solo Travel posts:
- What does it mean to be a Muslim Solo Traveler?
- Halal, Muslim-friendly, Pork-free, Partially-Halal, BYOB — All The Terms Muslims Should Know before Dining!
- Best Travel Resources for Muslimah Solo Travelers
- 11 Amazing Solo Destinations Every Muslimah Should Take!
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