What To Pack On A Stag Do

Before I headed off on a stag do to Budapest over the weekend, I quickly had a look on our website to find details on what I should pack. I then shamefully realised we hadn’t yet written a blog post on what to pack for a stag do, so lo and behold, here I give you my packing list of all the essentials you shouldn’t leave behind, as well as a list of things you probably should leave behind. This covers everything from the bare necessities to the legendary pranks.

1. Clothes - you should pack boxers, socks, shorts (if hot where you're going), jeans, t-shirts, shirts, vests (if hot) and a jacket. You may even want to pack a suit if you're all doing a formal evening.
2. Shoes - Make sure to pack some smart shoes, as some clubs won't let you in if you look to casual. Other than that, get some comfy shoes to complete activities in, as well as flip flops if you're in a warm country.
3. Deck of cards - Perfect for drinking games, while it also helps kill time when you're stuck in the airport on the way back. We packed Uno as well, which made for a very confusing, but fun drinking game.
4. Fancy dress - This will make the night so much more fun if you all have an equally ridiculous theme. You can take a look through our list of fancy dress ideas for inspiration.
5. Phone & charger - I was incredibly close to forgetting my charger, which would have been an issue, considering my boarding pass was saved on an app.
6. Portable charger - Such an amazing piece of technology, bring one of these along so you can charge your mobile while on the go. A quick heads up, the cheap ones really don't work very well. You need to take this in your hand luggage and take it out when going through security, unless you want to get moaned at (this writer has experienced this a few times).
7. Plug adaptors - Something 50% of the group will probably forget, so make sure to get some of these. Worst case scenario, they do sell these in most airports, but you are likely to pay well over the odds.
8. Money - Make sure to get this changed up in advance to benefit from a much greater rate.
9. Cards - You may want to look into the different bank cards you can get, which can offer amazing exchange rates and without any charge for usage abroad. In general, I would always recommend letting the bank know you are heading abroad, as occasionally they can cancel your card if they think the activity looks suspicious (several hundred pounds in an Eastern European strip joint can look a bit shady).
10. Weekend plan - You should try to write up a basic itinary and print one out for each person attending. This will allow you to all know what is happening and when, so you don't oversleep through an activity or miss something you've paid for.
11. Rehydration packs - What an absolute legend idea this was! My friend packed these for everyone and it made such a difference. I didn't get a headache at all, although they do taste awful so try to chug one down as quickly as possible.
12. Pen and paper - Whether it is for writing up rules for a drinking game or simply jotting something down on the plane, a pen and paper will normally come into use.
13. ID - DO NOT FORGET your passport. Also pack your driving license, so you can use this for club entry, rather than walking around town with a passport on you.
14. Print Of ID - it sounds odd, but I've both lost my ID while abroad and I've also faced certain issues with hotels, therefore having a print of your passport can help in case you face any issues. Imagine you had it stolen, this could help at the British embassy. In fact, I managed to fly from Miami to New York and then on to London without a passport...But that's a story for another day.
15. Chewing gum - You will thank me for this one in the morning, when everyone smells like a wet dog
16. Deoderant & eau de toilette - On the topic of wet dog smell, make sure you are fully packed with some sprays. Pick some travel size ones, so you are under the 100ml mark.
17. Moisturiser - not everyone needs this, but if I don't put some on my face then it goes as dry as a sultana.
18. Toothbrush & toothpaste - Don't be that guy who doesn' brush his teeth.
19. Shower gel - Another travel size bottle which is worth packing, in case the hostel doesn't have one or the quality isn't the greatest. You can get a bottle of Head and Shoulders for under 100ml, which should last you the entire weekend.
20. Hair gel - Once again, make sure it's under 100ml. You can get some great matte head clay from Boots which is only 50ml.
21. Wet Wipes - If you can't be bothered to shower, a wet wipe is an easy, albeit shameful, way to quickly get clean enough so you can walk around in public. A quick rub on the face when hungover can help to rub off the sins of the night before.
22. Map - You often don't need them nowadays, with many people using their phones and with most hostels owning maps you can use, but if you feel like being extra prepared then this is a good one to stop you getting lost.
23. Stag Do Dare List - That's right, we've written up a list of brutal challenges for the stag to complete. Good luck to the poor fella.
24. Music Player - Whether its a small phone speaker system or whatever you want to use, pre drinking in the hostel while everyone gets ready should always have some cheeky tunes playing.
25. Painkillers - Someone is going to be the moaner of the group, so make sure it isn't you with some painkillers to get you through the day.
26. Sunglasses - Block out the sun with some shades. If you're going to a hot country then you should bring one that protects your eyes from 99-100% of UVA and UVB light, something those cheap ones simply won't do. For a quick translation, this normally means glasses that are labelled as 'UV 400'.
27. Sun tan lotion - If you burn easily then you will want to pack a travel size bottle of lotion. On the other hand, you could use it to burn a word into your mates back, just as good a use!
28. Swimming costume - You never know if you'll end up swimming in the sea at some point, so it's always worth packing some trunks.
29. EHIC card - If you're heading to Europe then you should pack your EHIC card (if the country you're visiting is included). If you don't have one, it is completely free to get one from the NHS. This will stop you from having to fork out a fortune if someone gets hurt or becomes ill.
30. Camera - This might not apply to you if you purely plan on using your phone, but you should make sure you have something to hand which you can take photos with. This is especially true if you think your phone might go extended periods without charging.
31. Travel insurance details - If something does go wrong, you may need to show your insurance details to a doctor. You should therefore keep a copy on you. This won't be relevant for everyone from 1st January 2021, however some people will still qualify, so if you do then it's worth considering.
32. Snacks - I know I get pretty hungry and there will be times when you might get back to the hostel or hotel at 1am and really want a snack, but not have access to any. This is the point where you will wish you packed a protein bar or sneaked in a Mars before leaving. So don't have any regrets and sneak some into your bag, if you don't end up eating them, they're normally long life and you can eat them when home.
33. Hand Sanitiser - After everything we've learned recently, maybe keeping a hand sanitiser closeby isn't such a bad idea.