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The Definitive Travel Packing List for New Zealanders

Pack your bags like a pro with our comprehensive travel checklist – cross out what you don’t need and tick the rest to ensure you take what you need.
Updated 11 November 2024

Summary
  • Our guide explains how to choose the right luggage so you're not frustrated with a bag that is too small during your trip. We also summarise necessary pre-travel arrangements and considerations for packing according to weather, activities, and personal needs, highlighting frequently forgotten items.
  • We also cover special packing considerations for children and carrying useful travel aids, food, comfort items, and fitness gear.
  • Further considerations include accounting for valuable items in your travel insurance policy and being mindful of the policy limits and exclusions when packing valuable items.
  • You can download our packing list in DOCX form here.

Luggage Packing Considerations Upfront:
  • Selecting the Right Bag - will it fit everything and have space for things you buy? 
  • Deciding Between Carry-on and Checked Luggage - Paying for a checked bag can be worthwhile to eliminate a limitation on liquids and the ability to carry larger items and more clothes.
 
Pre-Travel Preparations:
  • Inform your bank about your travel plans and make sure your bank app is up to date
  • Let your friends and family know your itinerary
  • Settle any upcoming bills
  • Secure your home and suspend any regular deliveries such as the mail
  • Check-in for your flight online
  • Verify your departure terminal

Packing List

Packing the right clothes is key. You should consider the climate of your destination as well as its cultural norms. Overpacking or packing inappropriate clothes can lead to unnecessary baggage weight and uncomfortable situations.
 
1. Travel Packing Checklist:
  • Day-to-Day Clothes: Undies, socks, tees, shirts, jackets, jerseys, trousers, shorts, dresses, skirts, comfy shoes, pyjamas, hat, glasses, etc.
  • Beach Clothes: Togs, sun hat, jandals, rash shirt or wetsuit, beach towel, beach bag, sunscreen.
  • Cold Weather Clothes: Coat, windbreaker, scarf, gloves, thermals, rain jacket, boots, etc.
  • Adventure Travel Clothes: Hiking boots, loose long-sleeved shirts, mosquito net, quick-drying outfits, waterproof socks, wet bag, water bottle.
  • Dining Out Clothes: Dress pants, belt, dress shoes, formal shirt, dress, coat, handbag, and jewellery (packed in carry-on luggage)
  • Toiletries to Pack: Instead of bringing full-sized toiletries, consider decanting them into travel-sized bottles or purchasing them at your destination; toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, makeup, aftershave/perfume, skincare products, feminine hygiene products, contact lenses and solution, shaving gear, hair styling products, nail clippers, tweezers, scissors, laundry kit, etc.
    Health & Medication to Pack: Health products and medications are vital to ensure a comfortable and safe trip; prescription medication, over-the-counter medicines, first aid kit, sunburn relief (e.g., aloe vera), vitamins, insect repellent, eye drops, hand sanitiser, etc.

2. Commonly Forgotten Items:
While it can vary from person to person, our guide covers commonly forgotten items that are a nuisance to replace or get hold of once you leave New Zealand:
  • Travel documents: These include passports, IDs, visas, and driver's licenses. It's also common to forget important copies of reservations and booking confirmations; even if they're on your email, it's a good idea to have them saved in a folder and printed out if possible.
  • Chargers and Adapters: Chargers for mobile phones, laptops, cameras, and other electronics are often left behind. Additionally, people often forget travel adapters for countries with different power outlets - unless you're going to Australia or one of a handful of Pacific Islands, a multi-plug adaptor is a useful device to buy before leaving New Zealand.
  • Toiletries: While most hotels provide basic toiletries, specific personal care items like a favourite toothpaste, deodorant, or skincare product often get overlooked. They're best packed in check-in bags to avoid 100ml limits for hand luggage.
  • Medications: Both prescription and over-the-counter medicines are often forgotten. This also includes personal healthcare items like contact lens solution or specific personal healthcare items.
  • Travel Insurance Information: While many people remember to get travel insurance, they often forget to bring a copy of the insurance policy with them. Print it out and keep it with your travel documents (e.g. passport) and payment cards.
  • Appropriate Clothing: Depending on the destination, people often forget items such as swimsuits, jackets, or specific footwear like hiking boots or dress shoes. Belts are often overlooked, as are warm jerseys.
  • Money and Credit Cards: People sometimes forget to bring enough cash or forget to inform their bank of their travel plans, which can block cards. We suggest considering a travel money card and making sure it's linked to GooglePay or ApplePay for added protection and backup.
  • Household Preparations: Many forget to stop mail delivery, turn off the water, or arrange for pet care during their absence.
  • Spare Glasses/Contact Lenses: If you need them to see, having a spare set is important.
  • Relevant Apps: People often forget to download helpful travel apps, language translation apps, or maps for their destination.

3. Additional Items for Children (if travelling with kids):
  • Toys, games, or books to keep children entertained
  • Child-specific toiletries and medicines
  • Child's favourite comfort item (e.g., blanket, stuffed toy)
  • Baby supplies, if needed (diapers, formula, baby food, etc.)
  • Kid-friendly snacks
 
4. Miscellaneous Travel Aids:
  • Travel-sized sewing kit for emergency clothing repairs
  • Travel-sized duct tape for a variety of quick fixes
  • Ziplock bags for separating dirty clothes, storing snacks, or keeping electronics safe from water damage
  • A small notebook and pen for jotting down notes or directions
 
5. Seasonal Items:
  • Insect repellent for summer travel
  • Hand warmers for winter travel
 
6. Food and Drinks:
  • Snacks: especially if you have dietary restrictions or preferences that might be hard to meet at your destination
  • Reusable water bottle: it's eco-friendly and often safer than buying bottled water
 
7. Outdoor and Adventure Gear (if applicable):
  • Map and compass for hiking or trekking
  • Multi-tool or Swiss Army knife (remember to put this in checked luggage)
  • Dry bag to protect electronics and important documents if you expect to be near water or in rain
  • Binoculars for wildlife or scenic views
 
8. Comfort Items:
  • Travel pillow, eye mask, and earplugs for more comfortable rest during transportation
  • Travel blanket for colder climates or planes
  • Travel-size wet wipes/baby wipes
 
9. Fitness Gear:
  • If you maintain a regular fitness routine, consider packing resistance bands, a skipping rope, or a travel yoga mat
 
10. Entertainment:
  • Books or e-books: Travel can involve a lot of waiting or downtime so a good book can come in handy.
  • Travel games: If you're travelling with others, these can be a fun way to pass the time.
 
11. Specialty Items:
  • If you're doing anything specific on your trip (e.g., skiing, diving, attending a wedding), pack any necessary special equipment or clothing.
  • Don't forget your materials or equipment if you're travelling for a specific reason (e.g., a business trip or a photography journey).
 
12. Others:
  • Travel clothesline and travel-sized laundry detergent: If you're travelling longer, plan to wash your own clothes.
  • Reusable shopping bag: Handy for shopping at your destination and a good way to reduce plastic use.

Travel Packing List and Ensuring Sufficient Travel Insurance

Travel insurance isn't just about health coverage or cancelled flights – it's about protecting the belongings you're carrying too. As such, your packing list isn't just a tool to ensure you don't forget your beach towel or hiking boots; it's also a key part of the travel insurance process. Specifically:

1. Valuables Inventory:
  • When packing for your trip, it's not uncommon to include a few valuable items – think cameras, laptops, jewellery, designer clothing, or sports equipment. As you compile your packing list, it's clever to make a separate list or notation of these high-value items.
  • Why? Should you ever need to make a claim on your travel insurance due to lost or stolen items, having a pre-departure inventory of your valuable possessions will streamline the claim process. Plus, it's usually easier to remember exactly what you packed while you're still at home, rather than trying to recall from memory after an unfortunate event.

2. Policy Limits and Exclusions:
  • Not all travel insurance policies are created equal, especially when it comes to coverage for personal belongings. Some may have limits on the amount you can claim for a single item, others might exclude certain types of items altogether (like expensive electronics or jewellery), and most require items to be in your carry-on to be covered.
  • Being aware of these limits and exclusions when packing can help you make more informed decisions about what to bring, what to leave at home, and what might require additional coverage.

3. Extra Coverage for Extraordinary Items:
  • If you're planning to bring something unusually valuable or unique on your trip, it might be worth considering additional coverage. Many insurance providers offer options to add specific items to your policy for an extra fee. Having an inventory from your packing list makes it easier to identify these items.
​Important: Do you need Travel Insurance? Too many New Zealanders take the risk and travel without it. Our Compare Travel Insurance guide helps you find affordable coverage from trusted insurers with a history of paying claims. We also compare by country to help you make finding what you need easier: 
​Travel Insurance Comparisons:
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