Monday, January 30, 2017

What To Pack For A Tropical Destination

 When I was planning to travel to Nicaragua, I could not find a good list of suggestions for what to pack so now that I'm here I thought I would share what I've found to be useful.


 Rubber shoes: The weather is hot and humid, rubber stands up to the climate. Flip Flops will be your best friend, they are open, comfy, and light. If you plan to go hiking you may need some heftier shoes. That said, there are some brands that seem to do better than others.

 For every day wear I like Havianas brand flip flops. I brought a couple of different brands down and my Havianas have lasted the best. Thankfully, Havianas can be found at a few shops down here for around $20 U.S.

 Crocs. Yep, Crocs. I don't personally own a pair but if you need a closed toed or different style of shoe other than a flip flop these are the brand most people prefer. If you are going to be walking down dusty or muddy back roads for any length of time Crocs are easy to clean and comfortable. The shoe version of a rubber boot, practical and less hot than a full on boot. I hear they are making some prettier styles now... If you plan to wear Crocs this is something you will definitely want to purchase before arriving. Prices of Crocs are 2 or 3 times higher here than what we would find them for in Canada or U.S.

 For moderate hiking, I've had Keeners brand shoes recommended to me. I haven't done this kind of hike yet so only sharing what others have said. Serious hikers will want to bring the hot and sweaty shoes designed for the job, built with adequate support.

 Cotton, Linen, and Rayon. For clothing I prefer loose fitting, light items that allow for a breeze to flow through.
 My favourite dresses are from the brand Pink Stitch. 100 % rayon, light and breezy. I frequently wear dresses casually as they are easy, and yes, breezy. Perfect for layering over a swimsuit.

 Light cotton shorts and loose fitting cotton or rayon tanks. If you can find Gauzy cotton tops, even better. I like Roxy brand cotton shorts and beach pants, and I've found some nice rayon pants at stores like American Eagle and Garage. I looked around at several different stores and online before I left Canada, these kind of pants were hard to find and they were only available seasonally at the stores where I did find them.


 I like a good Kimono as well. They work great to throw over a swimsuit and also to cover your arms from the sun without making you hot.

 Baggy beach pants for cooler days, I never wear jeans and anything tight feels stifling. The locals wear jeans though, so if you're used to the heat maybe you will want to bring a pair.

 Swimwear:As mentioned previously, I brought some swimsuits with me but they were not exactly practical for the waves in the ocean. If you are going to be in the surf you will want a sturdy swimsuit with ties so that you are able to tighten it up so it stays on. There are couple of brands available locally. Both Dkoko and Mgsurfline make swimsuits built for surfing.




 A double walled stainless steel water bottle. I haven't been able to find them in Nicaragua and I wish I would have brought one. They are invaluable when dealing with a tropical climate when hydration is important. Nothing else will keep your water cold for any length of time. Swell and HydroFlask are two brands that I know of.

 An umbrella for when it rains, and when it's hot.

 Back up power for your devices.

 A light hat with air holes for ventilation.

 A backpack, you will likely be walking a lot.

 A couple of pairs of sunglasses.

I'm not getting paid to recommend these brands, this is just information I would have found helpful when I was preparing to come down to Central America.

 If you can think of anything I've missed please feel free to share your recommendations.

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