How to pack for Indonesia largely depends on which of its 17,000+ islands you’ll be visiting. With that many islands and countless more cultures each adhering to a very set collection of fashion faux-paus, packing for this country can be a little overwhelming. And as a woman, when packing gets tough, the tough get over-packing. I brought way too much with me, leaving me in quite a predicament as I now try to pack all my souvenirs, gifts, and clothes to take home.

Here’s a packing list I’ve constructed by learning from my mistakes:

It’s important to note that although Indonesia is located in the tropics of South East Asia and is as hot and humid as primordial soup, it isn’t all tanks, bikinis, and shorts. In fact, on most islands those items would be considered very offensive to wear in public. On the most popular islands of Bali…