EAT IN ASIA / Destinations / Thailand
What to pack with you for a trekking in Thailand?
Thailand is a wonderful place for trekking. Rainforests, jungles, pristine areas, beautiful views, and a marvelous unspoiled nature.
Both north and south; west, and east, all these regions offer great places to trek. Discover wild terrains, beautiful plants and get knowledge about local tribes.
Do not miss such an opportunity to experience that unique adventure in Thailand. Choose your preferred area, fit it to the current season and enjoy the wilderness of the incredible nature.
Although there is plenty of different travel agencies that organize private or joined tours, only some of them allow you to really indulge yourself into that wild nature.
Every region has its unique characteristics, marvels, and hidden gems. And although all of them are worth visiting, there are areas that are my favorite. One of them is the Chiang Mai region that offers plenty of possibilities for most of the tourists. Depending on the fitness level and the strength of travelers different walking areas would be ideal. Apart from that, tourists' preferences and motivations define the optimal trekking trail.
For me, the person that loves hiking in the jungle and that likes more difficult trails, Mae Wang area is perfect. Although it does not offer the most strenuous hike, it still gives you a nice pleasure of getting tired and at the same time gives you a great opportunity of seeing something spectacular.
If you choose multiple day treks, then prepare yourself for the hike. Pack your light backpack with all you might need in different climates. Take both some warm and light clothes. Do not forget about a torch, light towel, some repellents, and about plenty of water.
Apart from that, pack your backpack with some basic food for the first part of the trek, so that you have a lot of energy for walking.
To facilitate your preparations, I prepared a quick list of different things that might be a good source of energy during your trekking. No need of packing your backpack with plenty of food as in that climate the food might get spoiled easily, but just take enough to have something for your breakfast and lunch and also something for a snack during next days.
Have a rich breakfast before the trekking
Yes, you cannot skip it. It is a really important meal that will give you a lot of energy for starting your adventure. That is why, even if you do not have time to eat it in the hostel, take it with you and eat it on the way to the starting point.
Choose a set containing both carbs and proteins. A good idea would be to have some rice with boiled eggs. This light meal will definitively give you a good kick and not overload your stomach. Add to that some vegetables and fruits to add extra vitamins and minerals and you will have a great breakfast.
In case you really cannot have anything early in the morning, try to have a light toast with jam, but also do not forget about local fruits and vegetables, that will water you and quench your thirst.
Do not forget about your lunch!
Ideas for a meat lunch for a trek in Thailand
- Sticky rice with a crispy chicken leg
Deep fried meals are always a good idea to pack with you in a hot climate. The outer crest slows down the rotting process of the food and protects it from getting quickly unfresh. A hearty serving of a chicken leg with some easy to be eaten sticky rice is a good option. To eat it, you do not need any extra spoon or even sticks. Just grab the chicken in your hand and have a bite of the rice from the package.
- Crispy chicken nuggets with steamed rice
Another option for all KFC lovers are crispy chicken nuggets. Of course, they are completely different from these from KFC, but they are still good. This composition of a local Thai cuisine with a western one is easy to be eaten in the jungle and gives you an opportunity of having something well known. Something that is not spicy, is not too heavy and has a great crispy crest.
- Fried rice noodles with pork and egg
If only you prefer local noodles than rice, take with you fried rice noodles with pork or chicken. The dish usually comes with a fried egg, and with some vegetables. Apart from that, it is fried with a dollop of a fish sauce and with some light soya sauce. Both of these sauces are relatively salty, what is also good during your trek. Hiking or practicing any other sport or activity in a hot and humid climate makes you sweat. In consequence you lose a lot of water and salt. That is why, salty products partially help you stay hydrated.
- Deep fried pork balls with sticky rice
Crispy pork balls with sticky rice are another great lunch set for the trekking. They are easy to be eaten, are crunchy and are very popular in Thailand. These pork balls are almost in the whole country, however, in the Chiang Mai region, their popularity is even bigger. As soon as you try them, you will not have doubts why it is so.
Ideas for a seafood lunch for a trek in Thailand
These lunch proposals are for all seafood amateurs. However, these lunches should be eaten quickly and preferably taken for a trekking in cooler areas. Remember that fish and all seafood, if not salted or marinated, spoil easily, so be careful with them.
- Seafood combo box
This combo box has something for almost everyone who likes seafood and vegetables. Apart from that, it comes with original Thai sauces that nicely underline a delicate seafood taste. Usually, these sets come with some crab sticks, tuna or with a salted fish. Choose from a multiple combo boxes like fresh tuna spring rolls, salad boxes or Japan style sushi like sets. Do not forget to pair them with great sauces that are prepared according to original Thai recipes. Lime juice, fish sauce, some sugar, chilis and peanuts create the basic set of ingredients for the dipping sauce. This sauce is a little bit sour, and is usually relatively spicy. However, it has a nice honey flavor too. Some sets come with a Thai mayonnaise that is slightly different from the one that we know from western shops and restaurants. This mayonnaise is very often made at home or at the local, small factory, so each product has its unique taste.
- Glass noodles with seafood
Glass bean noodles are wonderful! Especially when you pair them with some seafood. Add to that a spicy Thai chili sauce and enjoy it. This lunch option is served in a slightly soup-like form, so it is more difficult to eat it easily during the trekking. You will definitively need an additional bowl, and chopsticks or a spoon. However, if only the climate allows you for having it, take it with you. This lunch is a great composition of healthy proteins and carbs that are so important during the jungle trek.
- Steamed rice with seafood
If you are addicted to rice, this seafood lunch is for you. A hearty serving of steamed rice with a seafood curry is perfect for you. It is not too spicy, also in our western meaning of spiciness. This Thai dish has a lot of local flavors and gives you a good opportunity of trying something regional but still something that is not prepared in the way that is inedible due to its extreme spiciness. Of course, this curry is not bland. It is well balanced regarding all flavors and is a nice composition of multiple Thai aromas. Unfortunately, as it is served in a curry like form, this lunch needs to be served in a bowl.
Ideas for a vegetarian lunch for a trek in Thailand
- Pad-Thai
Noodles, eggs, tofu curd cubes and some Thai spices make this dish lunch a great alternative to all other that we proposed above. Pad-Thai is served with a small lime part, is sprinkled with crushed peanuts, and is fried with some vegetables. If you are looking for something that will make you full for a long time, then Pad-Thai is definitively for you. It will give you a lot of energy, but at the same time provide you with a lot of valuable nutrients.
If you are looking for a fully vegetarian option, remember to ask for not adding small shrimps to it. The most traditional Pad-Thai receipt contains them. But as long as it is not a problem for you, take them too, because they add an extra nice flavor to the whole dish.
Ideas for a vegan lunch for a trek in Thailand
- Mung bean spring rolls with tofu and mushrooms
Mung bean spring rolls are a great alternative for regular rice paper rolls. This kind of a paper is much less popular than a traditional one. That is why, if only you had a chance to have it, do it! These spring rolls are not only ideal for vegans, but are also very good for all other people. Remember that mung bean is healthier than a regular white rice. Apart from that it contains not only carbs, but also provides you with some vegetable proteins.
Add to that proteins from the tofu curd and vitamins and minerals from vegetables. Finally, a slightly salty sauce will allow you to better control your hydration.
Mung bean spring rolls with tofu and mushrooms include many local, Thai ingredients. They are tasty and are relatively easy to be eaten on the trekking. However, this lunch idea is also very sensitive to temperature changes, what means, that you should not carry it in your backpack for too long.
Quick snacks for a jungle trek in Thailand
Snacks are always good during the trekking. Apart from dried fruits, nuts and protein bars, that are always a good thing to take with you, there is a couple of Thai snacks that will be a good alternative.
- Chicken curry pastry
This small snack will definitively be a good choice for you as long as you like stuffed Danish pastries. The delicate curry stuffing will not be too heavy to digest but at the same time will give you some fats, proteins, and carbs. Unfortunately, although the taste is pretty good, the frying oil that is used for preparing it, is a regular sunflower or a peanut one, so do not expect an extra virgin olive oil.
The pastry is quite small and thanks to that it is easy to be eaten at once. Another thing that is not so good about that snack is the fact that it is a delicate pastry and can be easily crushed in the backpack especially during the jungle trekking.
- Khanom buang yuan or khanom bánh xèo
This crispy Vietnamese egg omelet is also very popular in Thailand. It is completely vegetarian, and its ingredients are really basic. Just some peanuts, green onion, yellow tofu curd, some coconut and bean sprouts and you will get a great filling for a khanom buang yuan.
Add to that Thai spices and herbs like coriander and the aroma will be intensified. This snack is not very fatty although it is fried on a pan.
This local snack is wonderful! It is not too spicy, is vegetarian and has a lot of Thai ingredients, even though it originates from Vietnam.
What to say more? Bananas, papaya cubes, sliced pineapple and oranges are the best. Not only because they are easy to be eaten, but also because they are relatively resistant to hits and bruises.
Bananas give you a lot of energy. The same applies to papaya cubes. On the other hand, pineapple and oranges will quench your thirst easily and provide you with a lot of vitamins.
- Sweet Thai buns
Sweet buns are the most classical snacks to be taken with you. Although these buns do not resemble these that we know from western countries, still they are a good option. Remember to choose these buns with no chocolate, even they look extremely tempting. The warmth will melt the chocolate coating immediately and the whole backpack will be in it.
Thai sweet buns are often made of rice with some local flavors and natural colorants. Green tea, pandan leaves, blue butterfly pea flowers or taro are the most popular.
These buns either have a muffin like shape or have a shape of a small roll. The filling is relatively sweet and local, Thai flavors dominate. Red bean, taro, coconut, condensed sweet milk and green tea filling is the most common one.
- Sweet green sticky rice with coconut in a banana leaf
This is snack is like a candy. Each piece is nicely packed in a small banana leaf. Apart from that, the whole serving is easy to be packed into the backpack. Finally, it is really convenient to grab just one of them. Triangular, small packages are stuffed with a green pudding like rice with some peanuts. The snack is sprinkled with shredded fresh young coconut meat. Some coconut milk is also added to the filling, but that is not the rule. The basic recipe includes only rice, pandan leaves and some peanuts. All in all, this snack is a nice piece of a green sticky rice, that is slightly sweet and salty.
