With the pleasant drop in temperature around this time of the year and campsites opening back up again, there’s only a small window to enjoy camping in Hong Kong, before it gets hot again.
For us, there's nothing quite like enjoying the great outdoors with our four-legged friends, so we have compiled a list of things to bring for your buddies, as well as a checklist for the humans at the bottom, to ensure you have everything you need the next time you go camping with the dogs!
The right tent
We recommend getting a tent that’s slightly bigger than what you need - for example, if you’re one person camping with a dog, we recommend getting a two-person tent so you have ample space to store your gear, as well as have you and your dog lie down comfortably. If you're two people camping with one dog - a three-person tent (and so on).
Decathlon offer a range of affordable, quality camping gear, and usually have experts on-site to assist you with any questions you might have.
Tracking Device
It can be a struggle to keep an eye on your dog at all times when you’re out camping so we advise investing in a tracking device to give you that extra peace of mind. There are a number of pet tracking GPS devices that work well here though don't ship directly to Hong Kong. You can either work around these by ordering via Amazon, or alternatively, local network provider, csl, also offer one called, PetBiz.
Dog leash anchor
If you don’t trust your pup off leash yet, you can get a dog leash anchor and a long leash, like the Snow Peak anchor from Wildholics, pictured. If you have the space, some people set up doggie zip lines to allow their dogs to run up and down the campsite without having to go off leash.
Light collar
If you live in the city, you can forget just how dark it gets in the evenings when you’re away from all the city lights (as silly as that sounds).
If you let your dogs roam free on the campsite, we highly recommend you get yourself a light collar as opposed to a light attachment or fixture, so you can easily locate your dog at all times.
The reason we recommend collars over attachments is so that you can spot your dog even when they are facing away from you. We find attachments are only useful for locating your dog when they're in your direct line of vision, which isn't going to be the case all the time!
Food & Collapsible bowls
Be sure to bring enough meals for your pup and that they’re properly stored in containers to avoid attracting wild boars. Your own meals should also be safely stored away in seal tight containers to protect your own meals - not just from the wildlife, but those greedy pups that like to forage too! If you feed your dog raw or cooked meals, it can be a bit dicey to bring these with you unless you’re bringing a decent cooler with you. But to be really safe, freeze-dried meal are a great alternative for raw-feeding pups.
Collapsible bowls are great for saving space on storage in your camping bag. We recommend bringing two and leaving one out for water, at all times, to ensure your dog has easy access.
Mat and blanket
Don’t be fooled by the warm weather during the day, the temperature can drop significantly in the evening, so we recommend bringing your dog their own mat and or blanket to keep warm at night.
If your dog doesn’t have a thick coat, it might be worth getting them a doggie jacket as well.
You can also find Doggie Sleeping Bags like the ones from WilderDog, pictured.
Towels and wipes
If your dog likes to venture off and enjoys the water, it’s always a good idea to bring a doggie towel to dry off your pup or dust off any sand before they enter the tent in the event they do go for a swim. If you’re away from running water, it’s also a good idea to pack some wet-wipes too for any other mess-related emergencies. - It’s no fun sleeping with a wet or sticky dog in a sandy tent!
Dog backpack
Chances are your bags are going to be filled with plenty of your own things, so if you need your pup to carry their own items, there are a few decent dog backpacks out there to help you lessen the load.
Bring their favourite toy or some form of enrichment so that they have something stimulating to do when you’re hanging around the campsite - it's supposed to be an enjoyable time after all!
Camping checklist for the humans
We haven't forgotten you guys! In addition to the above, we have highlighted some essentials that you might want to pack for yourselves:
Sleeping Bag
Mat or air mattress
Pillow
Tarp
Head light
Lamp
Spare batteries
Power bank
First Aid Kit
Toiletries (toilet roll, toothbrush, toothpaste)
Water bottle
Eating utensils (bowls, plates, cutlery and mug)
Cooking utensils and gear (stove, sharp knife, frying pan, kettle, chopping board)
Cooler
Camping table and chairs
Mat
Bin bags
Flip flops or sandals
Spare change of clothes / extra layers
Enjoyed this article? Stay tuned next week for some of our favourite camping spots!