Before I set off to backpack Southeast Asia, I spent weeks obsessing over what to pack. Should I bring a microfibre towel? Was 70L too big? What’s the exact right number of socks?

Turns out, none of that mattered nearly as much as the one item I never see on backpacking checklists:

A simple, scruffy deck of playing cards.

Not a travel guide, not a gadget. Just cards.

And somehow, they helped create the most unforgettable moments of my trip.

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It Started in a Little Town Called Du Gia

On the final night of the Ha Giang Loop in northern Vietnam, we pulled into Du Gia—a peaceful village surrounded by rice paddies and rivers. Our hostel sat perfectly between a buffalo field and a quiet stream. That night, after dinner, our Alex and I sat by the river on wooden chairs with our Easy Riders.

One could speak decent English, the other not so much—but it didn’t matter.

We pulled out a deck of cards, and they taught us a traditional Vietnamese game. No translator needed—just hand gestures, laughter, and the universal language of “winner takes all.” The connection that night didn’t come from words—it came from shared rules, turns, and moments of pure fun.

That was the first time it hit me:

Cards aren’t just something to pass the time. They’re something that creates time worth remembering.

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From One Table to Two Decks in Nha Trang

Two weeks or so later in Nha Trang, Vietnam, we were playing “Sh*thead” in the hostel bar when a girl sitting nearby leaned over and asked if that’s what we were playing.

We said yes—she and her boyfriend joined in. Then a group of lads wandered over and asked to join too. We ended up needing two decks to make the game work for everyone.

People swapped travel stories, taught each other variations of the rules, and stayed long after the music turned down. That one, spontaneous game turned into an all-night hangout that none of us expected but none of us wanted to leave.

And all it took was a deck of cards and an open table.

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The Night I Became Brave in Koh Rong

Koh Rong, Cambodia, was where it really sunk in.

We were playing cards at our hostel bar when a girl asked if she could sit near us to wait for her boyfriend. Old me would’ve smiled and left it there. But something about travel gives you this push, this little voice that says, go on, say something.

I asked if she wanted to join.

She did. When her boyfriend came he joined too. Then another solo traveller wandered over and we invited him in. By the end of the night, we were a mixed group of nationalities, swapping game rules, learning new ones, and laughing like we’d known each other for years.

That tiny moment—me speaking first—sparked something bigger than just a game. It felt like confidence. Connection. Growth.

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Why Cards Are the Backpacking Essential No One Talks About

So why do I always travel with a deck now?

• They take up no space
• They turn strangers into friends
• They work in any language
• They give you something to do without needing WiFi or a plan

From quiet villages in Vietnam to island nights in Cambodia, cards became a tool for connection. They helped me bond with people I’d never otherwise meet. They gave me the courage to speak first. To invite people in. To be part of the moment.

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Cards Gave Me Something My Packing List Didn’t: Connection

You won’t find playing cards on most packing checklists. But maybe they should be the first thing you throw in.

Because in the end, the memories you treasure the most aren’t the ones with perfect views or fancy gear—they’re the ones where you felt something. Laughed. Shared. Connected.

So pack the cards.

You never know what kind of night they might spark.

Enjoy your Travels

Em x

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