Michelle Reed
Travel Tips

5 reasons to always pack a scarf

Learning to correctly pack your travel bag is something of an art form to be mastered, especially if it involves a long haul flight.

With limited space and twelve hours of relative self-sufficiency ahead of you, you want to make sure you have everything you need to make the journey as comfortable as possible. The key to this is packing items with multiple purposes, and there is no greater hero of functional diversity than the humble scarf.

Here are five reasons to make sure your scarf always makes it onto you packing list. 

1. You can use it as a blanket

Everyone knows that airlines don’t exactly offer to hand out extra blankets. To ensure that you have your own when the cabin temperature drops, roll up a scarf and pop it in your carry on. Or, if you’re really pressed for space, where it around your neck.

2. You can use it as a pillow

Be it on your initial plane ride, the subsequent bus ride or anytime when sitting for a long period is necessary, a scarf can serve as the perfect neck pillow.

3. Cover yourself up in an instant

Many religious tourist sites won’t allow women in if they have shorts on. If you’re always carrying a scarf, you can quickly turn it into a sarong so you don’t miss out.

4. Use it as a headscarf

If you suddenly find yourself caught in the hot sun, drape your scarf over your head for instant protection.

5. It makes you stand out

Airports, tourist attractions and shopping areas are always filled with people. If you’re worried about your group getting separated, a clever solution is for everyone to wear a brightly coloured scarf, so they are easily spottable. 

What's your must-have travel accessory? Let us know in the comments below. 

Related links:

10 clever and creative ways to pass time on a layover

Managing mobility limitations on extended trips

6 strangest items people have smuggled onto flights

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tips, travel, holiday, fashion, flight, packing