1. Instax Printer (A unique travel gift)
The Instax printer is a super handy portable photo printer that allows you to print photos directly from your phone. Print your photos while traveling to gift to your new friends or simply to hang at home. Sharing memories through photos is one of the best travel gifts out there! (85 EUR/90 USD)
2. Toiletry Bars and Tabs
Shampoo bars, deodorant bars, and tooth tabs are a fantastic way to save (a lot of!) space and weight in your suitcase or backpack. Shampoo bars are very durable and the good ones are made from natural products only. An additional advantage is that you never have to worry about fluids that might leak or explode in your bag.
An awareness travel gift!
Not only this, but shampoo bars, deodorant bars, and tooth tabs are also plastic-free! As a result, buying a ‘plastic-free’ toiletry set is the perfect environmentally-friendly travel gift.
Discover more: Surprisingly easy plastic alternatives
3. Scratch Map
Scratch off all the countries you’ve visited on a cool scratch world map. This is the best travel gift to put up at home. They come in various great-looking designs. (15 USD/12 EUR)
4. Refillable water bottle
Refillable water bottles have great purposes. First: not having to spend money on buying bottled water and second: you’re helping massively by not using any single-use plastic! (Here’s how to travel plastic-free)
Refillable water bottles come in a variety of colors, patterns, and sizes. Many of them will even come with handy attachable clips, to attach to a backpack; an excellent holiday gift for a traveler!
5. International Travel Adapter
The power socket of your electronics might not fit at your travel destination. In fact, there are 15 different types of sockets worldwide! To solve this, you need an international travel adapter. The better adapters also come with USB inputs so you can charge right away, for example during an overlay. (23 USD/20 EUR)
6. Travel gift card
If you feel like a physical gift doesn’t do the job, then gift a voucher from a popular travel website like Booking.com or from Amazon.com for them to purchase their travel equipment. This gift is especially useful for those that are traveling on a budget and want to save on expenses.
Tip: Read the small print on the vouchers, and check the expiry date suits the traveler. Think about using a company such as Hostelworld or an international airline, so that the traveler has plenty of choices when it comes to spending the vouchers.
7. Camera / Equipment
Capturing and documenting memorable travel experiences through a pocket-size camera is something you won’t regret. Photography or videos take you back to those moments and the feelings you had. (Here’s what’s in our Camera Bag)
Camera
Now we understand that a camera as a travel gift might be too much, however, you could try creating a budget with multiple people and surprise the traveler with the absolute best travel gift!
GoPro Hero 9 (~ 399 USD) – The ultimate travel gift!
A GoPro is the all-round travel camera, perfect to capture incredible videos and photos. It’s also waterproof and really, really durable. (Shop here)
Sony RX100 VI (~ 1000 USD)
For even better picture quality and the ability to zoom, we’d highly recommend the Sony RX100. It has a built-in zoom lens so you don’t have the hassle of having to buy and carry separate lenses. (Shop here)
Camera equipment
Looking for something more affordable as a travel gift? A tripod or Gorillapod is a fantastic gift so the traveler can take pictures of him or herself.
8. Packing Cubes
Packing Cubes are every traveler’s friend. They help organize luggage into compartments, making it easier to find what you need and create more room in the suitcase/backpack. This is one of the most practical holiday gifts for any traveler. (~ 20 USD)
9. Global Vegan Book – Best Travel gift for at home
Not traveling but you’re into cooking? Try this best-seller with delicious Plant-based recipes from around the world that you can create yourself. You will be blown away when tasting your own creations!
10. Water Purifier
A water purifier might be the most interesting gift for a traveler that will save them money, and at the same time prevent the use of single-use plastic! Using a water purifier like the ‘Life Straw‘, means that travelers can drink water safely from the tap. (~ 50 USD)
11. Noise-Canceling Headphones
Great headphones are not only an excellent holiday gift for those that love music but they’re also an excellent way of canceling out any external noise. This is perfect on flights or long bus rides when listening to music or watching movies. (~ 200 – 400 USD)
12. Dry Bag
Travelers who are planning to make trips on the water will absolutely love unwrapping this travel gift! A dry bag is totally waterproof, to keep belongings dry during activities that may involve water. Whether it’s kayaking, canyoning, or skiing, a dry bag is super useful. (~ 15 USD)
13. Portable Charger
We all use our smartphones, cameras, and other portable gadgets, even while traveling. A portable charger will come in handy for your phone on those bus rides or those stressful moments when you need your phone for your ticket confirmations, directions, or translation app. Have a spare battery on you at all times, it can be a lifesaver! Note: Only portable charger of 27000 mAh or less are allowed on airplanes.
14. Mini Straightener
Those that want to backpack, but still do their hair, will really appreciate opening a holiday gift that’s a straightener or a hairdryer. Both can now be bought in ‘travel size’ so that they fit in luggage easily.
15. Custom passport cover
A passport cover is a beneficial gift for a traveler as it will help keep the important document in one piece during all those international trips. Luckily, many beautifully designed passport holders can also hold items like credit cards.
16. Sleeping Mask + Ear Plugs + Travel Pillow
There is nothing worse than traveling and knowing that you won’t be able to sleep, whether that’s from noise, light, or discomfort. Think about gifting a traveler a really great sleeping mask, some earplugs, and a travel pillow. They’ll thank you on those long overnight bus journeys or when sharing a dorm in a hostel! (Order the perfect travel set here)
17. Bamboo cutlery/utensils
When traveling to a 3rd world country like Indonesia, Myanmar, and so many more, you quickly see the enormous plastic problem we have in the world. Therefore gifting utensils for their next travels is a great travel gift!
Personally, we always carry these in our daypacks and they come in handy at the most unexpected moments.
18. Luggage Tags + Locks
It’s no secret that luggage can get lost by an airline or somebody stolen something from your bag while on a train or a bus. To reduce this risk, gift a traveler luggage tags + locks. They will be able to spot their bag more easily on the carousel, their belongings will be safer, and their contact details will be on the tag in case of loss or damage. (Also read: 17 Tips to Travel Safe)
Tip: Your locks can also be used for lockers while staying in hostels.
19. Fanny Packs/Money Wallet
This is a classic holiday gift for a traveler, but a useful one nonetheless! Fanny packs and cross-body bags are the classic holiday gift for a traveler, but a useful one. They are much safer to store your cash and cards than in a backpack because there will be moments you want to put down your heavy backpack, and it might be unguarded. (Get a fanny pack here)
20. Kindle (E-reader)
No more heavy books to drag around while traveling! A kindle eliminates the need for paper books, as you can download hundreds of digital books instead. This is perfect for those travelers who still want to read while they’re away. (Get a kindle here)
Bonus: A Kindle screen adapts to different light so that you can also read while lying in the sun at the beach.
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Thank you for your support. ♥️
- Find Hotels via Booking.com
- Find a Rental Car via Sunny Cars
- Find Cheap Flights via Skyscanner
- Get a Travel Insurance via Heymondo
- Book Tours & Attractions via Viator
- Book a Bus/Train/Transfer via 12Go
Looking for more travel information? Plan a chat with us for personalised travel advice or get an answer from the Salt in our Hair Travel Community on Facebook.