A Peek Into: Aja Ng’s Travel Bag

Hospitality tastemaker and frequent flyer Aja Ng takes us inside her travel bag for a peek into essentials she never gets on a plane without.

For Aja Ng, the holiday begins long before the plane takes off. It starts with a destination that catches her eye, followed by the planning, the packing and, eventually, the journey itself, during which she is likely to be the person glued to the window, determined not to miss a single passing view. If there is somewhere new to discover, Aja is already thinking about how to get there. 

A lover of food, travel and the unexpected discoveries in between, Aja has turned that curiosity into a career. She is a tastemaker and panellist for several internationally recognised hotel, restaurant and bar awards, as well as a freelance food and travel writer and content creator. She is also the founder of boutique hospitality PR company The Right Seed, working across the very worlds she loves to explore. 

“I love everything about travelling,” she divulges. “From the minute details, the seed of the idea, the booking, packing, planning, and the journey itself, door-to-door. I will stay awake and try to see as much as possible out of the window of a train or car, and I am the person who wakes up extra early to have more time to explore, every single day that I am away.”

Chennai, Sihanoukville and Shandong may be among the destinations she considers particularly eye-opening, but she is quick to point out that “exotic” is subjective. Equally, some of her most vibrant, memorable experiences have happened in places as varied as Croatia, Canada, Denmark and Australia. Her approach to travel is much like her personality: part meticulously structured, part completely spontaneous. She describes herself as intense and organised in certain parts of life, while remaining free-spirited and always ready for an adventure.

“I’m a Libran — does that explain things?” she laughs. Perhaps it does.

We find out what this seasoned traveller who is always curious and always moving carries with her each time.

Longchamp Le Pliage

“I have multiple large Longchamp Le Pliage. These are the best, as they are light, waterproof, compact, and allow us to expand easily if there has been shopping done.”

Aēsop Departure Travel Kit

“I’m a huge fan of this, it has everything I need to stay refreshed and presentable on the road.”

Mack’s Earplugs

“These mouldable earplugs allow me to shut the world out and sleep or simply dream, absolute quiet time on the plane, travel or in the car. Arriving rested means I can hit the ground running.”

Ulanzi Magnetic Standing Tripod

“It’s compact but extends to 175cm, which makes it easy for me to carry around and whip out whenever I need to film a video or take travel snapshots.”

Bowerhaus x Roa Skye Tote Bag

“I love a structured tote for travel. It carries a lot, nothing falls out, and is still elegant to arrive with. I don’t like the look of a floppy bag where I need to rifle through things. For the past few years, I have rotated between two special edition Bowerhaus x Roa Skye Totes.”

For more travel stories, click here.

...