Photo by Josh Hild on Unsplash
Truthfully, I went on my first ever camping trip almost reluctantly. I grew up in cosmopolitan Hong Kong, and although it has quite a lot of nature in the city, my upbringing included more walks in the mall than on mountain trails. My best friend adores camping, and has been trying to convince me to join her for a while. So I really went along… really because I am a good friend.
I didn’t know what to expect on my first overnight camping trip in Tung Lung Chau, but I was lucky that I was going with experienced campers who gave me a list of things I need to bring. To see my full experience, check out my vlog below!
My first camping experience
After a weekend in Tung Lung Chau, I have to say… It was an exhilarating experience! Wow. It was really nice to connect with friends without the distraction of phones and computers and camping is simply put, an very unique experience. I definitely look forward to doing it again when the weather gets cooler.
From my first camping experience, I felt like I did some things right, but there are 100% things I would do differently. So if you are thinking about camping for the first time, here are some tips I would love to share that will make your camping experience top-notch.
Note: I haven’t included essential items such as backpack and sleeping bag to bring in the tips below. These tips below are one step above essential, and are also more suitable for if you’re going on a backpacking camping trip. If you’re going on a van you have much more options as your van could do most of the carrying and the weight of items is less of a consideration. So this is a list of tips involving the most essential and light weight items that you should bring on your trip!
The Tips
1. Bring enough water
1 litre of water for a 1 night of camping seems a lot to a noob – it really isn’t. Thankfully I went with experienced campers so I didn’t thirst to death. 1 liter of water is barely enough for drinking during one night of camping, but you have to remember you also use water for cooking or lightly washing your hands.
Next time I am definitely bringing at least 3 litres of water for one night of camping using a water bladder and a large water bottle.
2. Bring enough tissue
I brought the end of a roll of tissue. Who knew I was going to use that much tissue!! Perhaps I go to the bathroom (or is it – the wild?) more than I thought I would, but you also use tissue for so many other things: wiping down utensils before and after you eat, wiping your hands if you don’t have enough water.
If I could do it again, I will bring at least ¾ of a tissue roll. If my bag isn’t too overloaded, I’ll bring a small pack of wet wipes as well. I am literally never take tissue for granted after this trip.
3. Inflatable mattress
A sleeping bag alone is not enough for a good sleeping experience – you need an inflatable mattress underneath. It adds a great cushioning layer as the texture of your sleeping bag usually mimics more of a down blanket and won’t do much for giving a bouncy texture to where you lie on.
A mattress is not essential but if you could carry it, I 100% recommend bringing it along. I tried laying down with just the sleeping bag and it felt like I was pretty much sleeping on rocks.
4. Poop before
At least try! Try doing Number 2 before your trip and it’ll save you some… effort.
I was honestly really stressed out about doing number 2 in the wild, less because of the lack of a toilet seat, but because I was so terrified someone might stumble across my spot as I am in the middle of the act, or find evidence of the act after. I honestly shutter just thinking about it now.
5. A foldable camping chair
A chair sounds really spoilt and unnecessary for camping but trust me, you won’t regret bringing a camping chair!! This is exactly what my friends told me before my camping trip, and I was scratching my head. But I was so happy I brought my chair. It’s actually really uncomfortable to sit on the hard mountain ground. It might be slightly different if you are camping on the beach – but you might want to sit for hours around the campfire at night. And a foldable camping chair would be a godsend for you back and bum.
While the foldable chair I brought was a very basic version, a few friends of mine brought ones with cup holders. I would suggest you get that if you’re thinking of getting a chair!
6. Soap and towel
You might not be able to fully shower during your camping trip. But, if you are a little bit of a clean freak or shower lover like me (I could never sleep well unless I feel showered), a towel, enough water (Tip #1), and soap will give you the chance of a full body wipe. What luxury!
If you have the option, get a camping towel – that’s a really compact towel that could absorb a lot of water like a regular towel. A regular towel would be a tad bulky in your backpack.
7. Mosquito repellent
I am SO GLAD, I repeat, SO GLAD I brought mosquito repellent. This could easily actually be Tip #1 for me. This is especially an important tip if you are a mosquito magnet like myself. You do not want to be the human sacrifice of the camping trip.
During my first camping trip, I felt like a bit of a spoilt brat as the more experienced campers took care of most of the food and camps setup. But my moment to shine was when someone started complaining about the mozzies and I pulled out a mosquito repellent spray. Guys, I did something right!
8. Hand sanitizer
Sometimes you don’t want to waste water on washing your hands, so hand sanitizer is perfect for giving your hands a quick clean before eating. Plus – any clean freaks out there? Must bring!
9. Bring no-cooking-needed food
It takes time to start a fire and properly cook something at camp. Having something that doesn’t require cooking to be eaten when everyone’s tired and low in blood sugar is like finding a well in a desert. Life-saving.
I brought a large bag of digestive biscuits, that we used later for smores as well. But other options include dried fruits, nuts and energy bars. A friend brought a big box of salad – that acted as the perfect appetizer as our other friends were setting up the cooking fire.
10. Instant lattes!
Not essential at all. But it’s so nice to have a cup of latte in the morning when you wake up! Serious coffee drinkers would be rolling their eyes at this suggestion, but trust me, when you’re a bit sticky and gross and under-rested in the morning, all you want is a cup of coffee – any coffee! Granted, you could also bring a moka pot, but for me that would be pretty heavy.
Again, not essential – but definitely nice to have!
11. Go during moderate temperatures
If this is your first camping trip, I highly recommend going at a time when the weather is not too cold nor too hot. Goldilocks weather! If it’s too hot, you run the risk of getting a heat stroke (I felt like I almost did on my trip actually – thank goodness we were able to dive into the ocean). If it’s too cold, you could freeze your a** and toes off. Try to make your first camping trip as obstacle-free as possible. When you are more experienced and comfortable with camping, you can always brave extreme weather conditions then. If you wish that is…
12. Go with experienced campers
If you are planning your first camping trip, it is definitely advisable to go with experienced campers so they can prepare you for your trip before and troubleshoot any issues during it. This might include supplementing stuff you didn’t bring, or navigating tasks such as starting a fire. You would be in much safer hands if you go with people who have camped before!
And that’s it! Those are my top tips for a great first camping experience. What do you think? Do you have any other questions? Wishing you a fabulous first camping trip!