Leaving for 6 months in Asia doesn’t require perfect preparation.
But some things, if poorly anticipated, can needlessly complicate the start of the trip — not dramatically, just from a lack of foresight on concrete points.
This list brings together what actually helped me before leaving.
You can read it quickly to check the essentials, or use it as a basis to prepare your departure step by step.
🟩 The essentials at a glance
| Point to check | Quick detail |
|---|---|
| 🟦 Passport | Valid at least 6 months after your return |
| 🟦 Budget | Plan for €800 to €1,500/month depending on the country |
| 🟦 Bank card | Wise or Revolut — essential |
| 🟦 Health insurance | Check your coverage abroad |
| 🟦 First accommodation | 2 to 3 nights booked on arrival |
| 🟦 Internet | Local SIM or eSIM to plan for |
| 🟦 Documents | Digital copies backed up |
🟩 1. Documents and paperwork
This is rarely what people forget. But it’s what most easily causes problems if poorly anticipated.
Before you leave:
- Passport valid for at least 6 months after your planned return date
- Plane ticket (a one-way ticket is possible depending on the country, but check entry requirements)
- Visa requirements known and prepared
- Arrival card or customs declaration checked (some countries like Indonesia require an online declaration before landing)
To back up:
- Digital copies of all important documents (passport, tickets, insurance)
- Cloud storage accessible from any device (Google Drive, email)
- One copy downloaded and accessible offline
🔲 It’s not complicated. But it’s exactly the kind of thing you sort out quickly, and it avoids a real hold-up on arrival.
🟩 2. Money and payments
The problem isn’t paying. It’s no longer being able to pay.
One blocked card, one declined withdrawal, one limit reached — it creates an uncomfortable situation in a foreign country. Not dramatic, but avoidable.
What works:
| Card type | Recommended use |
|---|---|
| 🔵 Wise | Everyday payments, withdrawals — minimal fees — fast international transfers |
| 🔵 Revolut | Alternative or complement to Wise |
| 🔵 Regular bank | Backup in case the other two get blocked |
Before you leave:
- Check withdrawal and payment limits abroad
- Let your bank know you’re leaving to avoid an automatic block (usually not necessary with Wise or Revolut)
To carry on you:
- A minimum of €200 in cash, for the first few days or unforeseen situations
🔲 Three cards is the right level. Two is the minimum.
To test your starting budget, you can also use the Asia Budget calculator:
➡️ Download the Excel calculator or ➡️ Open the Google Sheets version
🟩 3. Health insurance
A single hospital stay can cost several thousand euros in Asia. This is a point worth securing, even if you hope you’ll never need it.
What to check:
| Question | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| Does your current insurance cover you abroad? | Often limited to 3 months, sometimes 1 year |
| Is repatriation included? | Essential |
| Does the duration match your plans? | Check against your planned length of stay |
If it doesn’t:
- Specific travel insurance (such as Chapka, AVI International)
- Or expat insurance if your project is longer term
🔲 This isn’t optional. It’s one of the few points where saving money isn’t worth the risk.
🟩 4. Accommodation on arrival
You don’t need to plan everything. You need to know where you’ll sleep for the first few days.
What works:
- Book 2 to 3 nights maximum somewhere simple and well located
- Then try it out, observe, and extend or change based on how it feels once you’re there
What doesn’t work:
- Booking a full month without knowing the neighborhood or the vibe
- Spending hours looking for the “perfect” place before you’ve even arrived
🔲 The best method remains: arrive → try it out → adjust. On the ground, decisions are much sounder.
🟩 5. Internet and communication
Internet is rarely a problem in Asia. But the first days without a connection are uncomfortable — especially for getting your bearings, staying in touch, and accessing documents.
The options:
| Solution | Detail |
|---|---|
| 🔵 Local SIM | €5 to €15/month depending on the country — buy at the airport or in town |
| 🔵 eSIM | Set up before you leave — handy for being connected as soon as you land |
Prerequisites:
- Unlocked phone (compatible with local SIM or eSIM)
🔲 Nothing complicated. A local SIM within the first few hours, and the problem is solved.
🟩 6. Health — the useful minimum
Pharmacies in Asia are generally well stocked. Doctors are accessible and often cheaper than in Europe. This isn’t the place to overload your luggage.
Worth bringing:
- Essential or prescription medication
- A small basic kit (painkillers, digestive medication, bandages)
Can wait until you’re there:
- Pretty much everything else
🔲 The idea isn’t to plan for everything. It’s to not leave with nothing at all.
🟩 7. Luggage — the right level
The temptation is to bring everything “just in case.” That’s almost always a mistake.
What really matters:
- Light clothing, suited to the heat, easy to wash
- What you actually use every day
What you’ll discover once there:
- That almost everything can be bought in Asia, often cheaper and better suited to the climate
🔲 The best test: do I use this every week? If not, it stays in France.
🟩 What people most often forget
Not complicated things. Just the ones that get put off because they seem obvious — and so end up handled last, sometimes too late.
| Often forgotten point | When to do it |
|---|---|
| Tell your bank you’re leaving | Before departure |
| Back up your documents | The week before |
| Check your insurance | At least 2 weeks before |
| Book the first few nights’ accommodation | Before landing |
🔲 Twenty minutes is enough to sort it all out. The problem is remembering to do it.
🟥 What’s a waste of time
Planning everything in detail. Organizing all 6 months in advance. Trying to anticipate every possible situation.
That level of preparation gives an impression of control. In reality, it mostly creates rigidity — and inevitable disappointment when things don’t go as planned (which they never do).
🔲 The goal isn’t to control everything. It’s to plan for the start so the rest can build itself once you’re there.
Conclusion
This checklist doesn’t guarantee everything will go smoothly.
It avoids the simple mistakes — the ones that needlessly complicate the first few days, and that could have been sorted out beforehand in a few hours.
The rest happens once you’re there. Gradually. With adjustments no one can plan for from France.
➡️ Also read: 6 months in Asia: the complete guide (budget, visa, destinations) (in French)
➡️ Also read: Real Budget for Southeast Asia: how long can you really travel? (in French)
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