What We're Packing for 3 Months in the Indian Ocean (Réunion + Rodrigues)
Two islands, three months, one philosophy: pack light, pack right. And one of us grew up there.
TRAVEL TIPS
5/27/20263 min read
There's the kind of packing you do for a holiday and the kind you do when you're actually going somewhere to live. They don't look the same.
We're heading to the Indian Ocean for three months — La Réunion first, then Rodrigues for three weeks with family, then back to Réunion until September. This isn't a trip. It's a temporary relocation, across two very different islands, with one variable that changes everything: Tom is from La Réunion. His family is on both islands. We're not going to a resort. We're going home.
That difference is why this packing list looks nothing like the ones you usually find online.
The Context (Why It Changes Everything)
Three months means a washing machine. It means a kitchen. It means you don't need seven t-shirts because you can do laundry twice a week.
What is non-negotiable: Rodrigues is a small, remote island. Forty thousand people, a local market, shops for everyday needs — but anything specific (medication, high-SPF sunscreen, contact lenses, snorkeling gear) either comes with you or we're hoping Tom's family has a spare.
Trip timeline:
25–31 May: La Réunion — arrival and settling in
1–20 June: Rodrigues — Tom's family, island life
20 June – 1 September: Back to La Réunion, fixed base for two months
Two backpacks each. Non-negotiable.
Clothing: The Tropical Capsule
Tropical sounds great. In practice it means: how many times can I wear this linen shirt before it becomes a problem.
What we're bringing:
5–6 lightweight tops each (linen or technical fabric — cotton seems like a good idea until you're already soaked at 9am)
2 shorts/pants
3 longer trousers — for evenings, family lunches, and those moments when showing up in shorts isn't really an option
1 light layer for the plane and for La Réunion's higher altitudes: if you head up toward the cirques, the temperature drops more than you'd expect
At least 2 swimsuits — one that's permanently wet and never dries is a quiet kind of torment
2 slightly smarter outfits for dinners — Rodrigues is relaxed but you're a guest at someone's home
Underwear for about 10 days — already generous with a washing machine
Flip flops, water sandals, hiking shoes
Cap and sunglasses
The thing we almost didn't pack and would have regretted: a lightweight rain jacket. La Réunion gets proper rain, not the annoying drizzle kind. Pack one, especially if you're planning hikes.
The Rodrigues Chapter
Rodrigues deserves its own section because the logistics are different.
It's a coral island 600km from Réunion. There are shops, there's a market, life is good — but it's not a Parisian pharmacy or a European supermarket. If there's something specific you need, bring it.
What we're packing specifically for Rodrigues:
Full first-aid kit: everything prescription, plus antihistamines, rehydration salts, anti-diarrheal
Snorkeling gear — mask and fins, you'll use them every single day, renting adds up
DEET mosquito repellent — not the lavender kind
Plenty of sunscreen, especially SPF 50
The Honest Part
The perfect packing list doesn't exist. You always bring something you never touch and forget something obvious. On a previous trip, Tom forgot his belt and wore the same shorts for two weeks because nothing else stayed up. I packed a wool jumper for Portugal like I was heading to Scotland.
The goal is simple: nothing essential is missing, nothing pointless weighs you down.
If you have access to a washing machine, skip the duplicates and save the space. When you're on a long trip like ours, every available gram counts — especially because I already know I'm coming back with souvenirs.
The Quick List
→ Clothes: lightweight, rewearable, 1 warm layer, 2 swimsuits minimum
→ Shoes: flip flops + water sandals + hiking boots
→ First aid: everything you need, rehydration salts, DEET repellent
→ Sun: SPF 50 in bulk, especially for Rodrigues
→ Snorkeling: mask and fins — worth every gram
→ Work: laptop, hard drive, Type G adapter
→ Rain: lightweight waterproof jacket — yes, even in the tropics
We're updating this post with real field notes: what we actually used, what stayed at the bottom of the bag, and what Rodrigues surprised us by having.
Follow along in real time on Instagram → @eli.tom83
The Work Setup
Three months is also three months of work. Eli & Tom Studio doesn't go on pause.
Laptop/iPad + charger
External hard drive for photo backups
Insta360 + underwater kit
Drone for aerial footage and new content
iPhone gimbal and accessories
Type G adapter (British standard) for Rodrigues
Power bank for long days out
Paper notebook
What We're Not Bringing
Hair dryer — pointless, hair air-dries in four minutes.
More than one smart outfit — we're not going to Monaco.
Paper guidebooks — we have what we need.
Elaborate skincare — salt and sun reset everything within a week.
Too many physical books — one, and the rest loaded on a tablet.