How To Deal with Humidity and Heat While Traveling

Learning how to deal with humidity and heat while traveling is important when you spend 8+ hours sightseeing outside every day in very hot and humid places. And it can be a little different than dealing with the humidity and heat you may experience at home because when you’re at home, you’re most likely working in an air conditioned office, commuting in an air conditioned vehicle, exercising in an air conditioned gym, shopping in air conditioned stores and living in an air conditioned home, so there is very minimal time spent outside in the high heat and humidity. If you are from a climate that never gets hot and humid, you definitely need to learn how to deal with humidity and heat while traveling because it will be a shock to your system.

How to deal with humidity and heat in Southeast Asia — 34C but feels like 45C in Bangkok (which is notoriously hot and humid) in mid-December which is the coolest month of the year

Knowing how to deal with humidity and heat is important if you’re traveling to places like Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka or the Amazon because they are very hot and very humid all year, so you can’t escape it. It’s also helpful for the very hot and humid seasons in parts of Africa and India, Australia, New Orleans and Florida, Hong Kong, and Toronto and Montreal in the summer (yes, parts of Canada get very hot and very humid at around 40C). And these tips are also helpful for the very hot, but drier places like southern Europe in the summer and the Middle East.

HOW TO DEAL WITH HUMIDITY AND HEAT WHILE TRAVELING

PACK (OR BUY) ELECTROLYTES

I pack Nuun tablets and Vega electrolyte hydrator to mix with water. They’re both sweetened with stevia and they add refreshing flavor to your water. Also remember to take electrolytes after a long haul flight because flying is extremely dehydrating.

DRINK A LOT OF WATER

If you think you’ve drunk enough, drink more.

DRINK COCONUT WATER

Which offers natural, healthy and refreshing hydration and electrolytes. Luckily, a lot of hot and humid places (like Southeast Asia, South America, India and Sri Lanka) often have and abundance of cheap, delicious and fresh coconut water straight from the coconut.

ONLY EXERCISE OUTSIDE IN THE EARLY MORNING OR LATE EVENING

When temperatures are a little cooler, to avoid heat stroke.

Hiking in the very hot and very humid Brunei in the late morning. Yes, that is *all* sweat.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

Especially if you traveled from winter in your home country to a very hot and humid climate because your body needs time to adjust. When I go from a cold to hot climate quickly, I sometimes get a little lightheaded periodically for the first few days. But I’ve witnessed more extreme heat stroke symptoms (also known as sun stroke) like fainting and vomiting. See more about the symptoms of heat stroke and how to deal with it here.

LIMIT ALCOHOL AND CAFFEINE

Fun police, I know, but it will dehydrate you further. When you do indulge, make sure you replenish with lots of water and electrolytes or coconut water.

Drinking from a fresh coconut in the Philippines

AVOID RELYING TOO HEAVILY ON INTENSE AIR CONDITIONING

I’m not saying to skip the AC; I’m saying it’s bad to rely on an ice box of a hotel room when it’s 35-40C outside. You need to adjust to the climate (and you will adjust, to an extent) and the crazy extremes in temperatures are hard on your body.

FIND A SWIMMING POOL OR A SHOPPING MALL

To take a break from the heat and cool down.

WEAR SUN PROTECTION

This kind of heat and humidity comes hand and hand with very strong sun, so wear sunscreen and sunglasses and maybe a hat. I swear that sunscreen traps in the heat and makes you 100x more sticky when it’s humid, but it’s a necessary evil and sometimes it creates a decent glow from afar, like in the photo below.

How to deal with Humidity and heat while traveling — All shiny from the mix of heat, humidity, sunscreen and sweat in an abandoned waterpark in Vietnam

MOSQUITOES LOVE HUMIDITY

Wear repellant, especially in places with dengue fever, yellow fever and malaria.

WEAR LOOSE CLOTHING

For air flow. Tight clothing isn’t recommended.

BUT LONG LOOSE CLOTHING TRAPS IN THE HEAT

In extreme humidity and heat, it does NOT cool you down. This is a myth. But long clothing does protect your skin from the sun, and sometimes bugs, and it’s necessary in conservative countries.

I learned this lesson on one of the hottest and most humid days I have ever experienced in my travels in Angkor Wat in Cambodia (which is notoriously very hot and humid at 35-40C+ with up to 90% humidity), at the end of rainy season in early November when it was around 35C plus extremely high humidity. The temperature would’ve been slightly more bearable had I not been modestly dressed in a long loose skirt and a loose long sleeve shirt to visit the temple because this completely trapped in the heat and created my own personal sauna. This was in 2012 and I will still never forget that or the man who wore a white t-shirt that had become completely saturated with sweat and, therefore, also completely see through.

FOR VANITY PURPOSES, WEAR BLACK OR OTHER DARK COLORS

When it’s extremely hot and humid, you’re going to sweat profusely no matter what and black and dark colored clothes make sweat stains inconspicuous. For the love of god, do not wear grey. Remember that your travel photos are for life so you probably want to avoid looking like the sweaty mess that you are.

MINIMIZE COMPLAINING AND ACCEPT IT

You’re on vacation! Learning how to deal with humidity and heat can be really tough at times, but it’s for sure 1000x better than being back at home and working. You can have a shower later 🙂

EAT ICE CREAM

Not that you needed an extra excuse.

EAT FRUIT AND DRINK REFRESHING FRUIT JUICE

A major perk about traveling in hot and humid places is the bomb ass fruit that grows there. You’ll find all your basic tropical fruits like bananas, papayas, mangoes and pineapples, but you’ll also find funky and sometimes alien fruit like jackfruit (one of my faves), rambutan, mangosteen, starfruit, dragon fruit, passion fruit, and more. Try them all!

Clockwise from top – longan, mangosteen, bananas, rambutan- Vietnam

DON’T FORGET A JACKET/SWEATER FOR THE PLANE, TRAIN OR BUS

When it’s extremely hot and humid outside, it’s easy to forget that long distance transport can get really cold, especially at night, and you can’t get comfortable or sleep when you’re freezing. Bring or wear pants too, just in case.

FOR THE LADIES

DITCH THE HEAVY MAKEUP

It’ll melt off your face, so there’s no point. Simplify your life by keeping your makeup minimal.

DITCH THE BLOWDRYER AND HAIR STRAIGHTENER

Again, there’s no point and you have to add even more heat in order to achieve straight hair that will maybe last 30 mins. Accept and embrace your wavy/curly hair. It’s beautiful and it has personality. And it doesn’t need to be perfect, which is really nice. You just need to learn how to style your wavy/curly hair. Pack a frizz control/curl defining cream, scrunch it into wet hair after the shower and go. It air dries super fast in the heat. Travel actually made me embrace, appreciate and love my wavy hair. It’s so quick and easy to style so I waste a lot less of my life getting ready, which is a massive win.