17 Perfect Gift Ideas For Travellers and Digital Nomads
Christmas season is once again around the corner, and with that comes a healthy dose of slightly stressful gift hunting.
Lucky for you, we’ve come up with the perfect list of gifts for the special travellers in your life. From accessories to organise their luggage, to gadgets to make their journeys more fun and entertaining, you’ll be sure to find something to make your loved one’s Christmas a time to remember.
So, grab your shopping list and a pen and let’s get started!
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Electronics pouches and organizers
© Bagsmart
Nobody likes fishing gear from the bottom of their bag, so an easy-to-use system to organise cables and chargers is a must-have for any traveller. This gift would be especially useful to a digital nomad who relies on their electronic devices for work and business.
Our ideal organiser would feature at least two zipped compartments to separate chargers and power-banks, with additional loops to secure smaller cables.
We also recommend you pick a soft fabric organiser over a hard-case, as it will be easier to fill and pack.
Here are some of our favourite picks:
© Luckies of London
This gift is a great home decor for someone who is just starting their travels around the world.
With every country they visit, the up-coming traveller will be able to visualise their progress on the map and be even more inspired to visit the locations they have yet to scratch off.
If you prefer you could also go for a pin-map, but keep in mind that these sometimes tend to look a little messy if the pins are on small neighbouring countries. With that said, here are a few of our suggestions for both scratch and pin maps:
With that said, here are a few of our suggestions for both scratch and pin maps:
© Beril Ates
A travel journal is not only a great way to note down memories and thoughts, it is also perfect for gathering useful information.
Useful foreign words, values of currencies, important addresses and much more, writing everything down in a journal means you’ll always carry with you the essential knowledge you’ve collected during your travels!
Some of our top picks for travel journals:
Whether you’re buying a gift for the occasional traveller or a globetrotter, you cannot go wrong with a good set of packing cubes.
They are the best way to keep a backpack or suitcase organised, and being able to neatly sort your clothes makes for easy packing and unpacking.
Compression packing cubes, while a little pricier, will allow you to save even more space, making them the perfect gift for nomads and ultralight packers. We’ve been using ours for years, and can no longer imagine travelling without them!
Here are some awesome packing cubes we recommend you check out:
Portable travel games
© Luckies of London
Sure, travelling the world is mostly a fun and exciting adventure, but there is no denying that you’ll spend a solid amount of time will little to nothing to do.
So why not get your special traveller something to keep themselves entertained during the occasional long-haul flight or layover?
An easy and affordable option they will love is of course a classic compact chess set or a funky set of themed playing cards. Alternatively, especially for solo travellers, a portable gaming console is an awesome way to pass the time in between trips. Sure, it’s not the most affordable gift, but it will be worth it for the right person!
Here are our top choices for portable games and entertainment:
Universal travel adapter
© Skross
An universal travel adapter is not only a great gift, it’s an essential item for anyone travelling the world.
Without it, you’d be forced to buy a new adapter every time you visit a new country, while with an international version you’ll be able to plug in your devices no matter where you go!
There are several variations, some offering more plug types or additional usb plugs.
Here are our favourites:
Pocket garment steamer
While some travellers don’t mind looking a little on the “rough side”, there are some who wish to always look their best.
Some stays abroad might not be able to provide an ironing service, so a travel steamer is a great compact option to have, especially if someone travels a lot for work!
With the fact that folding is not the best treatment for you clothing, a portable clothes steamer makes for a fun and thoughtful gift for the more fashionable nomads!
These are just some of the best to purchase:
Kindle or digital ebook reader
Who doesn’t love relaxing with a good book on a sunny beach?
Problem is, books take up a significant amount of space and weight that most people simply cannot afford. That’s why a digital book reader is the ideal Christmas present or birthday gift for your fellow travellers!
Ebook readers are light, do not strain the eyes and have a great battery life, making them the perfect alternative to carrying a suitcase full of heavy books.
Our favourite ebook readers are:
The Scrubba wash bag
© The Scrubba Wash Bag
Packing light is becoming more and more popular, so travellers need an efficient system to wash their clothes without having to rely on laundry services and laundromats.
This is why the Scrubba wash-bag makes for an incredibly useful, low-cost gift.
The Scrubba functions essentially like a washboard, allowing you to clean your clothes anywhere, be it outdoors or in your hotel room.
It is an ideal gift for light travellers, hikers and campers!
Toiletry bags
A basic toiletry bag is something that most travellers already have, so why not get them something a little fancier?
A perfect toiletry bag to gift should feature several zipped compartments, along with mesh pockets to store wet items.
An integrated hook for hanging the bag in the bathroom and mirror are definitely a plus.
If you’re unsure of where to look, here are a couple of toiletry bags we have tested in the past:
Fanny packs or sling bags
Fanny packs and sling bags are an absolute must-have for any traveller.
They are the an excellent way to keep your essentials within hand’s reach, and out of the way of pickpockets. Also, they allow you to keep your valuables always on you, instead of in your luggage or backpack.
All in all, they make for great gifts, and personally, we do not travel without.
Here are a couple of our favourites, including the ones we currently use:
Sleeping bag liners
Sleeping bag liners are a hygiene essential for anyone who frequents hostels and other stays with a high turn-over rate.
Because they are compact, light and easy to clean, they are perfect to use as bed linen if you’re unsure of when your bed sheets have last been washed. Liners are also great when renting a sleeping bag if travellers are unsure of how clean it is.
All in all, a sleeping bag liner makes for a perfect gift for a nomad, hiker or wild camper.
Here are just some of the sleeping liners we recommend:
Power banks or portable chargers
Whether you’re travelling on the rougher side without access to electricity or simply forgot to charge your phone before leaving your accommodation, a power bank is a must-have essential for any traveller.
If you’re unsure of how to choose from the myriad of brands and models, the ideal power bank should have multiple ports to allow you to charge more than one device at a time, as well as a minimum battery size of 10.000 mA.
Additional plus points are fast charging, laptop charging and larger battery sizes, but all of these come at the cost of additional weight and price.
Check out some of the powerbank models we recommend:
RFID Travel Passport Wallet
In the digital age, you have to protect yourself from more than just physical threats.
Hackers have developed ingenious ways to scan your documents and steal credit card and personal information, and sometimes even steal your identity.
It is for these reasons that an RFID wallet is a great travel gift. By using a special lining, these special wallets prevent the chips on your cards from being scanned and keep your information safe from theft.
Our favourite RFID wallets on the market are:
Money belts are another practical system to keep your valuables safe and away from the hands of pickpockets.
These pouches are easily concealed inside your pants, just below the waist line, and are practically impossible to see, let alone reach!
Money belts can be used to hide cash, documents, passports and other essential items, making them useful to all kinds of travellers. They also come in different fabrics, silk being the lightest and most breathable.
These are just some of the different money belts we recommend:
A sleeping mask can make resting easier in uncomfortable and bright locations such as airplanes, busses and trains.
To choose the best sleeping mask to gift, pick a model with a comfortable and padded interior, high quality fabrics and an adjustable elastic band for extra comfort.
In addition, some masks are sold as a bundle with additional ear plugs for extra comfort, so that you can really take advantage of that in-flight nap!
Here are some of our favourite picks:
Foldable backpack or tote bag
© Sea to Summit
A foldable backpack is a great alternative to a typical daypack, as you can simply fold it up and store it in your luggage without it taking up that much space.
This is especially useful for those who want a light cabin bag, or travellers who want to use a daypack without being forced to always carry it around with them.
Here are our top picks for foldable bags:
And there you have it!
Choosing the perfect gifts for your fellow travellers can be quite challenging, but we hope that our list will make it a little easier to narrow down your options.
Rest assured that all travellers will be more than happy with one of these travel gadgets and adventure items!
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