For most people, the monsoon season is very appealing. The weather is ideal for travelling and exploring new locations as it is neither too hot nor too cold. We all enjoy rainy days, the sound of raindrops hitting the ground, and the warmth of a hot cup of tea. But without the right precautions, the season can bring illness, and even cause accidents. However, this should not prevent you from travelling and exploring the country. In order to help you plan your tour during the monsoon, here are a few tips that can come in handy.

1. Always check the weather forecast: Most parts of India are drenched in rain during the monsoon. Therefore, before you plan out your trip, the most crucial thing to do is verify the weather prediction for the region. This is especially useful in challenging terrains, such as mountain ranges, where the chances of landslides and cloudbursts are very high. Check the weather forecast 3-5 days before and after your departure date to avoid such instances.
2. Carry Medicines and repellents: The monsoon months are a time when mosquitoes and insects are at their highest. In your travel kit, make sure to include a spray and lotion-based repellents that secure the room and your body. Additionally, carry a first-aid kit, as injuries on wet and damp roads can happen frequently. Also, along with your regular medicine, put some emergency pills that you might require on your journey. For example, for a cold and fever, if you get drenched in the rain.
3. Waterproof clothes: While taking a trip during the monsoon, pack synthetic fabric, which is easy to dry. They are light, and at the same time, if you get drenched, they will dry up quickly, so you will not have to halt your journey as well. Further, when planning a trip in the rainy season, you should pay extra attention to footwear. Investing in decent waterproof shoes will allow you to walk easily and comfortably. Also, ensure that your shoes are anti-skid to prevent you from losing balance on wet and slippery roads.
4. Take care of your food: The monsoon season is also renowned for the outbreak of waterborne illness. Food is one of the most crucial considerations for any traveller during this season. Avoid eating food from open stalls or counters because they are especially prone to contamination during the rains. Also, try to drink packaged water and not from any community taps.
5. Monsoon accessories: These would include an umbrella, raincoat, and hairdryer. While you can omit these during other seasons, during the monsoon they are a must. You can opt for foldable umbrellas that are lightweight and will not take up much space in your luggage.

As tempting as squeezing your entire home into a backpack may be, use these packing tips to travel smart like a minimalist.

Dusting off old suitcases and getting started with packing can build the anticipation for an upcoming holiday, no doubt, but packing is by far one of the worst bits about traveling and, perhaps, the only one. How many pieces of luggage does the airline allow? What if you exceed the weight limit? Do you really need three pairs of shoes and five extra pairs of clothing “just in case”? How will you squeeze all of that into a tiny little suitcase?

To avoid the stresses that come with packing, following the mantra of minimalism is key. Strip down to the very essentials, pack minimally, and travel light because there are far better things to spend your time and energy on than trying to squeeze your entire wardrobe into a suitcase before a trip. Here are some minimalist packing tips for minimalist travel.

16. Be Smart About Your Clothes – Start Here For Minimalist Packing

Clothes take up most of the prized real estate inside a suitcase and soon there is no minimalist traveling. To hold off from carrying half a wardrobe on holiday, consider picking clothes that are versatile. This is the key to minimal packing in the attire department. Bring lots of basics and go for neutral colors that can be mixed and matched in multiple different ways. While packing minimally for a beach trip or summer vacation is a breeze when light fabrics like cotton and linen squeeze in easily, winters can be a bit more tricky. Rather than packing thick and bulky sweaters, consider packing lighter clothes that can be worn in several layers– multiple pairs of leggings, long-sleeved sweatshirts, and foldable jackets.

15. If You’re Not Sure About It, You Probably Don’t Need It

Okay, so the Airbnb that you have a booking for probably won’t have your favorite brand of shampoo, but then again, can you get by without it for a few days? If so, leave that bulky bottle of liquid behind. Don’t pack any clothes that you won’t wear at least twice or shoes that you know you probably won’t use. Anything that you hesitate before throwing in your suitcase is probably something that you don’t really need. Pack things that you need and not what you love.

14. Scale Back On The Toiletries

Toiletries are mostly liquid, and liquids, unfortunately, are the most troublesome things to travel with. They can’t be squeezed, they take up a lot of space, they weigh a lot, and there’s always the fear of spills. So that bag of toiletries is the department that’s going to need the most scaling back. Only take what you’re absolutely going to need, like minimalist travel toiletries that come in smaller sizes, and even then, transfer what you can into smaller travel-friendly containers. In most cases, you may even be able to buy travel-sized bottles of toiletries at your destination, if not in the airport.

13. Limit The Electronics

Electronics can be extremely pesky to pack, especially because they tend to be fragile and need to be packed carefully in even bulkier cases of their own. Lay out all the electronics that you think you might need, and then downsize the pile to the absolute essentials. Will you need that portable coffee maker if you’re traveling to a town that’s lined with cafes? Or a hairdryer if you’re staying at hotels that usually provide their own? Is it paramount that you carry both your laptop and the tablet? If you really think about it, you might just realize that you don’t need half of those smart gadgets.

12. Stick To A List

It’s easy to get lost in the flow of packing when you’re tossing things as and when you see them without a real game plan. Oftentimes, it’s easier to pack minimally if you sit down and make a list of must-have things to pack for a vacation and pack only items that are on there. Not only are you less likely to forget important things, but making a list with a clear head will help you narrow down your essentials so that you don’t overpack.

11. Share What You Can

When it comes to minimalist packing, having travel buddies can be a real boon. Decide in advance with your companions on who is bringing what – there’s absolutely no reason for there to be one tube of toothpaste per person. While it’s understandable for you to want your own things out of personal preference, there’s no harm in cross-checking your packing lists to look for things that are unnecessary overlaps.

10. Choose A Bag That’s Suitable For Minimalist Packing

Among the minimalist packing tips is to start with the most important part: the bag. To become a truly seasoned minimalist packer, it’s important to consider the bags that you’re traveling with. Look for bags that are easy to carry and don’t weigh a lot. Invest in bags that have lots of different pockets and compartments that you can neatly organize. Luckily, luggage these days can be awfully savvy and shape-shift to meet several different travel needs on the go — there are even suitcases in the market that easily transform into carry-on backpacks with detachable pouches.

9. Pack Smart When Minimalist Packing

No packing tips matter if you don’t spend time packing things well. This means it’s important to consider not just what you pack but also how you pack them. Don’t be afraid to stuff things into your shoes, roll up cables into neat bunches, keep a separate bag of toiletries, use packing cubes to keep things organized, and think of what Marie Kondo would do when you go about folding your clothes.

8. If It Doesn’t Fit, Wear It

It may be a sly trick to use, but it works! What doesn’t fit can be worn. Pick the heaviest and most space-occupying things from your suitcase and simply travel while wearing them. It’s easier to pack light flip-flops than heavy-duty sneakers, after all! If you don’t mind a little bit of discomfort, you can even wear layers of sweaters under bulky coats and pop them off once you’re onboard a flight. It may not technically be minimal packing per se, but it’s an age-old trick that bends the rules a bit.

7. One Size Fits All Is The Mantra For Minimalist Packing

Although most prefer to have dedicated items that are meant to do a specific job, using versatile multipurpose items can cut down on a lot of items – any minimalist travel tips guide will state this, guaranteed. Opt for 2-in-1 items like a body wash that doubles up as a shampoo, lotion that also works as a sunscreen, or laundry detergent that can be used to wash the dishes, which will reduce the number of toiletries and liquids that need to be packed by half.

6. Set Aside A Budget For Laundry On The Go

A major reason why minimalist packing doesn’t work for many travelers is that they pack a different outfit for each day of the holiday. While you could get away with it on short weekend trips, it’s a packing menace for longer holidays. Consider setting aside a few dollars for hotel laundry to scale back on the number of clothes that need to be packed. Worn clothes can be washed and repeated several times, and even if you do laundry just once on the whole trip, you could easily stretch five outfits for ten days — that means only packing for half the trip! If laundry isn’t an option, you could even handwash clothes in the bathroom sink.

5. Lose The Paper When Minimalist Packing

Technology has many boons, so why not use it to your advantage? Long gone are the days when travelers needed to print out tickets before a flight, carry hotel booking confirmations on paper, and have itineraries written in print. These days, pretty much all important documents people need while traveling can be accessed on a phone or, at the very least, scanned on one. Airlines have their own apps that show boarding passes, vaccine certificates can be downloaded on smartphones, and showing an email generally works for all other bookings. It’s very rare for anyone to ask for physical copies, so throw the pesky papers out; there’s no need to lug that fat folder of documents around.

4. Re-Evaluate The Bag Before You Zip It Up

Now that your minimalist packing is done, and you’re ready to zip the bags up, give them another careful do-over. Scan through your bags one last time to see if there’s anything that you could do without or something that you’ve changed your mind about. Plus, you want to make sure that there’s enough buffer space for any unique souvenirs from around the world or any shopping that you may want to bring on your way back.

3. Get A Travel Jacket

This last minimalist packing tip is a little less about packing a bag, but more about packing stuff on oneself. Still, it’s a genius way to save space in a bag (or not take a bag at all). Everyone’s been there – packing as minimally as possible, yet the suitcase is still overflowing. Alternatively, some people don’t even want to take a suitcase; some want to go even lighter and simply take a small backpack and not much else. Either way, there’s a solution to help with both cases – terrible pun intended.

Travel jackets are now a thing, as are travel hoodies. These are strategic pieces of clothing that travelers can wear – while also, quite literally, wearing their luggage. They come with intelligent pockets and storage expertly designed to enable travelers to fit as much as possible on their person, but without it being a nuisance or pain. With special pockets for certain items designed for easy access – like passport and document pockets, and even spaces for electronics such as phones and small laptops – travel jackets and hoodies are the ultimate hack for globetrotters who want to carry more baggage (but without the literal baggage).

2. Limit The Travel Guides

It can be nice to have a printed travel guide and a book about the place the traveler is visiting. It is also nostalgic to carry a map. But these can add up and add weight and take away from minimalist traveling. That is not to say don’t take a Lonely Planet travel guide or something similar, but it is to say, consider going digital. Information online is generally more up-to-date online than anything printed – and anything printed can be found online anyway.

1. Rely On The Smartphone For Minimalist Travel

Smartphones are extremely compact and everyone has them. One of the great things about having a phone is that it can remove the need for taking many other items. If the phone takes good enough photos, then there is no need for a proper camera. It removes the need to carry around travel guides, printed maps, and even books or a Kindle. Take a photo of the passport and the immigration stamp and leave the passport in the hotel. Phones can also supplant compasses – GPS can be a lifesaver out in the woods (although be aware of the limitations of a phone). From the point of view of minimalist traveling, this is a good thing.

International travellers are free to come to Hong Kong, and there are no more restrictions upon arrival. If you have some enquiries about travelling to the city, we’ve compiled a guide to help you with everything you need to know when entering Hong Kong, from things to prepare before arriving at Hong Kong International Airport to all the steps you must take as soon as you land.

Who can visit Hong Kong now?

Hong Kong has already dropped the vaccination requirement for Hongkongers and international arrivals. Unvaccinated residents and non-residents will be able to enter the city without restriction.

What are the requirements to enter Hong Kong?

With Covid-19 measures now eased in Hong Kong, including arrival restrictions, international travellers looking to explore the city are now free to enter. Of course, if your country requires a visa to visit Hong Kong, please obtain one before your trip.

Negative RAT or RT-PCR test results before boarding are no longer required.

Will they allow entry if my visa is expiring?

If you’re not a permanent Hong Kong resident and travelling under a work or tourist visa, ensure your visa has a sufficient validity period, or you will be denied entry.

The Immigration Department (ImmD) provides electronic services for visa application and ‘e-Visa’ arrangements, allowing applicants to complete the entire process without going to the immigration office in person. Suppose your visa is under renewal and is getting delayed. It is best to send an authorised representative to the ImmD office to fix your reentry as emails and phone calls will take a long time.

Can arrivals move freely around the city?

Yes, Covid-19 regulations have already eased in Hong Kong. You can freely explore all the incredible things to do in the city. Mask-wearing mandate, the last major rule to fight against Covid-19, has been lifted since March 1.

Do I still need to take Covid-19 tests?

You don’t need to present negative Covid-19 results when you arrive at the Hong Kong airport, but the government recommends taking daily RAT until the fifth day of arrival (arrival date count as Day 0). Those who take the test may voluntarily declare the result via the Department of Health’s Electronic Covid-19 Monitoring & Surveillance System (eCMSS).

Ok, so you finally booked your flight, what to do next?

To ensure a smooth and efficient arrival, prepare all your travel documents, including visa for non-Hong Kong residents.

What time should I go to the airport for departure?

Delays, cancellations, and a whole lot of waiting may happen before departure, so make sure to be at the airport at least three hours before your flight. Account for extra time if you encounter any problems with airline check-in.

Arrival at Hong Kong International Airport

Yes, you’re finally in Hong Kong, but not just yet. You still have a few more steps to finish before entering. Though the new system significantly cuts the waiting time in the airport, the influx of inbound travellers may affect processing time.

After landing, all inbound persons will pass through temperature checks upon arrival. Those with symptoms will be referred to the Department of Health for further handling. If you’re cleared, you can proceed with immigration procedures, baggage collection, and continue taking public transportation to your hotel or home.

What are the options for airport transfers?

Travellers arriving in the city can take public transport to their destination. Those who want a limousine service can contact their hotels for arrangements. One of the fastest ways to travel from the Airport to the city is through Airport Express.

What if I tested positive for Covid-19?

Hong Kong government no longer issue isolation orders to infected Covid-19 cases since January 30. The government advises symptomatic persons to stay at home to rest and avoid going out. Those who are asymptomatic can go out at will or go to work.

If you belong to high-risk groups and suffer from fever, cough, shortness of breath, vomiting, and diarrhoea, the government recommends that you seek medical attention.

Monsoon season gives rise to incessant rains, dirty roads and other potential hazards such as slip-ups, road accidents and health issues. Take note of the following 5 points in order to keep yourself safe this rainy season.

While the monsoon season gives some relief from the blazing summer heat, it is also vital to be aware of the health risks it might bring. This monsoon, like all others, may present a number of challenges, particularly if you are not prepared in advance, ranging from traffic accidents to power shortages.

If you want to enjoy this season without encountering any unpleasant incidents, you must follow the monsoon safety guidelines listed below.

1) Carry an extra set of clothing

It is impossible to predict when the rains will fall, which might be inconvenient. And, to avoid humiliation or health problems, it is best to arrive at work with a full set of dry clothes. As soon as you arrive at work, change out of your wet clothes.

Wearing moist garments in an air-conditioned atmosphere might make you sick or possibly cause hypothermia. It will also come in handy and save you from embarrassment if you have a crucial appointment with your client coming up.

2) Always carry an umbrella or a raincoat

Having an umbrella on hand is vital during the rainy season. It will not only save you from becoming sick, but it will also keep your belongings, such as your wallet, cards, and phone, from getting wet during a rainstorm. Make sure to carry your belongings in little plastic pouches so that you don’t have to worry about water ruining the goods in your handbag or backpack if you get caught in a shower.

3) Carry power banks and chargers

Before stepping out for work, make sure your phone is charged and you have a fully-charged power bank with you as well. It would be worse to get stuck without being able to communicate with anyone if your phone runs out of battery, especially during a power outage, which happens frequently during the season.

4) Beware of electrical appliances

If you work in construction or another industry that requires you to handle electronic machines, be cautious of electrical hazards during wet weather. If you see a rain cloud heading in your direction, turn off all electrical equipment and machinery and wait until the weather clears.

5) Maintain a healthy diet

During this season, there is a greater risk of catching common illnesses such as typhoid or dengue, as well as digestive difficulties such as food poisoning, diarrhoea, and gastroenteritis. As a result, it’s vital to consume a balanced diet and exercise control, especially if you order takeaway at work.