Complete Hostel Packing List: 45 Hostel Essentials You Need

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Staying at a hostel for the first time can be both exciting and a little nerve-wracking, especially if you’re staying in a shared room with other people. While hostels come in all shapes, sizes, and even price ranges, much of what they offer and what you need to pack for your stay is the same. As you plan your trip and what to bring, use this hostel packing list to make sure you pack everything needed for a comfortable and stress-free stay. From toiletries to tech items, these are the hostel essentials you need to bring and the things that you don’t need to bring.

Bags

• Travel backpack or suitcase – How long you’re traveling for will dictate how much luggage you’re bringing and how you’re going to transport your luggage. Shared rooms in hostels typically don’t have a lot of floor space, so it can be a hassle to bring a large suitcase or multiple suitcases. Also, some hostels don’t have elevators, which means you’ll need to lug your suitcase up multiple flights of stairs. Instead of using a suitcase, I personally recommend traveling with a large backpack that holds 40 to 50 liters. It’s large enough to hold clothing for a multi-month trip, but it’s small enough to fit in the overheat compartment of a plane so you don’t have to check the bag. My favorite is the 40-liter Osprey Farpoint for men and Osprey Fairview for women.
• Daypack – Having a daypack, or smaller backpack, is a must for carrying your valuables. This bag acts as your personal item when flying, and you can stow it underneath the seat in front of you. If you’re taking an overnight bus, your daypack stays with you – not stored underneath the bus. The carrying capacity of your daypack is up to you, but I generally recommend 15 or 20 liters since it’s large enough to fit a laptop. My pick for a daypack is the Osprey Daylite Plus, which is 20 liters, has three zippered compartments, fits a 15-inch laptop or tablet, and has two mesh pockets on the side for water bottles. For a smaller backpack, the Osprey Daylite is 13 liters and has two mesh pockets on the side, but only has two zippered compartments.
• Sling or purse – Because your daypack is going to be too large for sightseeing, don’t forget to bring a smaller sling, purse, or other type of bag that’ll fit your wallet, phone, water bottle, and maybe a second layer. If you carry a camera, make sure your camera fits in the bag too. Since I carry a DSLR camera, I use a roomy crossbody bag that has multiple pockets and that can be folded up in my backpack.
• Packing cubes – Packing cubes are the best way to organize all your luggage so that you’re not spending a lot of time rummaging around your backpack or suitcase. Some people prefer compression packing cubes, but I find regular packing cubes to work just fine. Plus, regular packing cubes are cheaper.
• Dry bag (optional) – A small dry bag is invaluable if your trip involves a lot of time in the water, such as snorkeling, scuba diving, or island hopping. Dry bags barely take up any space in your luggage, but they’re immensely valuable for keeping your things dry when you’re on a boat or at the beach. It’s easy to find dry bags for sale in any tropical place, but I find that they look and feel more flimsy than the one I brought from home. As a frequent scuba diver, my 10-liter dry bag has never leaked and fits everything I need for a day out diving, including my towel, sunscreen, water bottle, wallet, phone, power bank, extra clothes, and GoPro. For most though, a 5-liter dry bag will do. Even though I always put my phone in my dry bag, I like to also use a waterproof phone case for extra protection.

Clothing

• Flip flops or waterproof sandals – When staying in hostels, you’ll be sharing a bathroom with other people. Flip flops will keep your feet off the shower floors. Plus, they’re also useful as indoor slippers to keep your feet clean and as sandals when going to the beach.
• Quick dry underwear – For long trips that last multiple weeks or months, you’ll need to handwash your underwear in order to avoid doing laundry every week. Quick dry underwear, like ExOfficio, can be washed every day and will dry quickly (usually overnight). I take five to seven of ExOfficio’s women’s briefs when I travel for extended periods of time, and they have held up great aside from a little pilling on the inside of the waistband.
• Sweater – Even if you’re going somewhere hot, packing a sweater or hoodie is useful since some hostels blast the air conditioning. This also comes in handy if you get cold on planes, buses, or trains.

Toiletries

• Toiletry bag – Keep your toiletries neatly packed with a toiletry bag. I prefer a bag with a lot of compartments so that I can easily organize my toiletries. I also look for a toiletry bag with a hook so that I can hang it up in shower stalls where there’s usually a hook and keep it off wet countertops. I love my Wayfarer Supply hanging toiletry bag, which I’ve been using since 2019. It has four pockets, three mesh pockets with zippers, and one zippered outside pocket. Even with so many compartments, the bag packs flat when it’s empty so it doesn’t take up much space.
• Quick dry towel – Hostels usually don’t provide towels, so you’ll need to bring your own. Typical fluffy bath towels take up a lot of space and take a while to dry though. Instead of bringing a towel that you’d normally use at home, take a quick dry towel. This type of towel is lightweight, folds up small, and dries quickly.
• Travel-size toiletry bottles – Make sure you’re able to bring any liquid toiletries through airport security by putting them into travel-size bottles.
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Floss
• Face wash – If you’re not fussy about your face wash, you can cut down on the amount of things you bring by combining your face wash with your body wash. Although I prefer to keep these two separate, I’ve used CampSuds in the past because it’s gentle and a little goes a long way.
• Body wash
• Sunscreen
• Razor
• Hairbrush
• Deodorant
• Nail clipper
• Hand sanitizer – When traveling, you’ll touch a lot of surfaces and you may not always be able to wash your hands. Be prepared by bringing a small travel-size bottle of hand sanitizer. It’s also easy to get sick when you’re always on the go, so sanitizing your hands (if you’re not able to wash them, especially before you eat) can help reduce the number of germs you’re exposed to.
• Quart-sized clear plastic bags – Put all your travel-size liquids in a quart-sized clear bag to get through airport security. I suggest bringing at least two bags – one to use and an extra in case the first one gets worn or has a leak.
• Bandaids or a mini first aid kit – At the very least, I always carry some bandaids with me so that I can easily patch up any cuts or prevent blisters from rubbing. To be even more prepared, carry a mini first aid kit. These typically include bandaids, gauze, antiseptic wipes, and antibiotic ointment.
• Feminine pads, tampons, or a menstrual cup (for females) – Although you can buy feminine products, you may not be able to find your preferred type depending on where you go. For example, when I was in Indonesia, tampons were pretty much nonexistent and more expensive than pads. If you know how to use a menstrual cup, it’ll be the best option, especially if you’re going on a long trip.
• Travel hair dryer (optional) – If you prefer to blow-dry your hair, I recommend packing a small travel hair dryer since not all hostels will have one. Conair makes great travel hair dryers that fold in half, are powerful, and have high, low, and cool settings.

Tech

• Travel adapter – You’ll need a travel adapter if you’re going to a country that uses a different type of plug. I love this all-in-one travel adapter that also includes USB ports. I’ve used it throughout Europe and Asia, and it’s still going strong since I bought it in 2017.
• Phone – If you plan on using an eSIM or getting a local SIM card, you’ll need to have an unlocked smartphone. You can either buy some phones unlocked or ask your carrier to unlock it.
• eSIM or local SIM card – One of the first things I do when I land in a new country is either activate my eSIM or buy a local SIM card so that I have data. eSIMs are more convenient because they don’t require you to take out your current SIM card (and risk losing it). However, they are typically more expensive than getting a local SIM. For eSIMs, I recommend Airalo. Their mobile data speed is fast, and they support a large number of countries. If you’re going to be frequently hopping between countries in a continent, Airalo also offers eSIMs that work across an entire continent – not just a country. If you decide to go with a local SIM card, you can often buy one at the airport after going through immigration.
• Headphones – If your go-to headphones are Bluetooth, don’t forget to bring wired headphones for the plane.
• Power bank – Chances are you’ll have some long days out sightseeing, or you might be going on multi-day treks in the wilderness. Having a small power bank will save you from stressing out about your phone running out of battery. Anker is a trusted electronics manufacturer that I get my power banks from. I have the Anker PowerCore 10000, which is the size of a deck of cards and provides 2.5 to 3.5 charges. However, the slim PowerCore 10K is perfect for most people, as it’s slim, light, and can charge your phone up to two times.
• Laptop or tablet (optional)
• Camera (optional)

Miscellaneous

• Passport or ID – For international trips, you’ll need to bring some form of ID with you, whether it’s a passport, driver’s license, or state/country ID. This is one of the most important things to bring, since almost everything else on this list can be bought once you arrive.
• Electronic copies of important documents – Having backups of travel documents is really important in case something happens to your passport or ID. Even if you’re diligent about keeping your things secure, you never know what might happen and it’s better to be overprepared than underprepared. You can also carry a paper copy of your documents, but as long as you have a digital copy, you can print it.
• Wallet – Make sure to double check that any debit and credit cards you’re bringing won’t expire during your trip. If you don’t already have a debit card that reimburses ATM fees and a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, you should get one before starting your trip. They’ll save you so much on extra fees every time you need to take out cash or swipe your credit card abroad.
• Travel insurance – Protect yourself and your belongings with travel insurance, especially if you’re going on a long trip. If your luggage gets lost, you get sick, your stuff gets stolen, or you injure yourself doing a physical activity, travel insurance helps you recoup your expenses.
• Ear plugs – If you’re staying in shared rooms, you’ll be staying with a variety of people, including some who snore. Make sure you always sleep well with a pair of earplugs.
• Eye mask – An eye mask can help you sleep anywhere, whether it’s in the hostel or on an overnight bus. When sharing a hostel room, people go to sleep at different times. While it’s generally understood that you shouldn’t turn on the lights in the room after a certain time (in my experience, it’s after 10 or 11 PM), some people may be less considerate. Wearing an eye mask can help you sleep undisturbed, even when someone turns on the light at night.
• Lock – Most hostels have lockers that can either fit your large travel backpack or smaller items, but you’ll need to bring your own lock. Some hostels may offer a padlock that you can rent for a small fee, but it’s better to come prepared. Even if you aren’t able to lock up your entire bag, make sure to store valuables like your passport, wallet, and laptop in your locker. Whether you get a combination lock or a padlock with a key doesn’t really matter – any lock will do. I prefer a combination lock so that you don’t have to worry about losing the key. Aside from that, I recommend a plastic lock over a metal one since plastic weighs less.
• Reusable water bottle – If you’re going to a country with tap water that’s safe to drink, bringing a reusable water bottle means you’ll save money on buying bottled water and help reduce plastic waste. Even if you’re going to a country where you can’t drink the tap water, you should still bring a reusable water bottle since hostels may offer drinkable water that you can fill your bottle with. When choosing a water bottle, I recommend taking a plastic water bottle over a metal or glass one since plastic is weighs less. I like Nalgene and Camelbak water bottles because they’re durable, have a large opening that makes them easy to fill and clean, and don’t leak. Plus, the transparent ones allow you to quickly see how much water you have left.
• Pen – Bringing a pen may seem unnecessary, but given how little space it takes up, it doesn’t hurt to. Although some countries no longer require you to fill out a paper form when going through immigration, some still do. You may also need to fill out paperwork when checking into hostels.
• Medication – If you take any medications, make sure to stock up before you leave. There’s no guarantee that you can find the same medications in another country.
• Umbrella – For longer trips where you don’t know what the weather will be like, pack a small umbrella. Otherwise, if you know for sure that it won’t rain on your trip, you can leave this behind.
• Bug spray (optional) – When going to a place where there’s mosquitoes, protect yourself by bringing bug spray. I attract mosquitoes and get bit a lot, so I opt for something strong like DEET. I also like picaridin. Unlike DEET, picaridin doesn’t smell and isn’t sticky, which makes it more comfortable to use. Even though you’ll be able to buy bug spray once you arrive, I like to come prepared with at least a little.

What not to bring

• Sleeping bag
• Pillow
• Blanket

More resources for staying in hostels

• 5 Best Hostels and Homestays I Stayed at in Vietnam
• 8 Best Hostels I Stayed at in Spain
• Málaga Solo Travel Guide: Best Hostels, What to Do, & More