Whether international or domestic, we travel light, and we use and recommend the items on this page. We have discovered some cool travel accessories, useful travel items, and offer the list below when shopping for gifts for people going travelling.
In 2019, we completed nine weeks exploring five countries in South America (including a cruise) with only carry-on luggage. It can be done.
We are selective and often test out many products before we find ones that make the cut. What you will find here is the best of the best. From unique travel gifts to purely functional items, it has taken us years to find what we believe to be the best gifts for travellers.
Whether you travel light or bring the kitchen sink, the products here are our best recommendations.
Our top recommended useful travel gifts
- Packing cubes
- First aid kit
- Camera and accessories
- Digital scale
- Wireless headphones or earbuds
- Fitbit
- Multi-charging cable and a power bank
- Flash drive for backup
- Universal travel adaptor
Useful travel gifts to make packing easier
Lightweight packing cubes
I thought packing cubes were a silly extra before I tried them. Today, I wouldn’t travel without them. They are super lightweight and keep me organized. They are appreciated and useful travel gifts for friends or for yourself.
⇒ Get your packing cubes at Amazon.
Get our free packing light checklist
Packing light is an art that we have mastered over years of travel. It starts out with a plan and a list. Our packing checklist is available for free. Simply subscribe to our newsletter (also free and loaded with great travel tips), and I will send it to you immediately.
Emergency and first aid kit
To be honest, we make our own kit and store it in one of the small or extra small packing cubes above. However, many people prefer a premade one, and this small first aid kit from Amazon looks complete for minor injuries.
We wouldn’t travel without a portable emergency and first aid kit. It doesn’t need much, but ours always has at least basic first-aid supplies (bandages, gauze and tape, antiseptic ointment, anti-itch cream, and tweezers) and over-the-counter medication for a headache, sore throat, fever, and diarrhoea.
⇒ Get your first aid kit on Amazon
Photography and Electronics Gear We Love!
Below is the camera and electronics gear we carry, which also serve as our recommendations.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 digital camera with 12-45mm lens
This is it! I believe that the OM-D E-M5 is the perfect travel camera. It's compact, lightweight and weather-sealed. It has a 12-45mm lens, advanced image stabilization, speed up to 1/8000 sec, ISO to 25600, lightning-quick autofocus, and manual override. Therefore, I can shoot in just about any condition including low light without a tripod. It is my primary camera.
The buy now button lets you purchase directly from Olympus; however, they only ship to the USA and Canada. The Olympus OM-D E-M5 with a 12-45mm lens is also available at Amazon (available at Amazon - click here for details).
OLYMPUS Tough TG-6 waterproof camera
The Olympus Tough TG-6 is a compact point and shoot that is waterproof, shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof, dustproof, and it fits in my pocket. This tough little camera designed for adventure produces high-resolution RAW stills (or jpeg) or HD 4K video.
It's a camera for everyone. Automatic settings allow anyone to capture great shots or, use one of the special presets for people, motion, indoors, nightscapes, scenery, underwater, or close up. For the more advanced photographer, there is an aperture priority mode with the ability to override the default exposure levels.
I use mine for underwater shots, beach days, and anytime I want a pocket-sized camera with fabulous output, either for convenience or safety.
Tenba Messenger DNA 8 Camera and iPad Mini Bag
I looked around for a while before discovering the perfect camera bag for my mirrorless camera. Weatherproof, easy to open, secure, and attractive, it has compartments for my camera gear, accessories, business cards, and personal items. It even has a secret spot for a Kindle or iPad mini.
Available in four colours (graphite is shown) and also in larger sizes.
Scarf camera strap with hidden pocket
Available in a huge variety of colours and patterns, I own two designs. Of course, my Olympus mirrorless camera came with a perfectly adequate strap, but I wanted these for several reasons. First, let’s face it, they are colourful and fun. Secondly, this scarf camera strap is soft and fashionable.
And third, and this only matters at certain destinations, they make my camera a bit more generic. Having the strap that says OMD tells knowledgeable thieves that I have an expensive camera around my neck.
Sirui carbon fiber tripod
I have one model down from this one, but the reduced weight of carbon fibre would have been a better choice. The tripod is quick to set up, has a ball mounted head, and upward folding legs, which make it more compact for carrying.
I found it to be the perfect trade-off between super lightweight and steady enough for long exposures like waterfalls.
Etekcity digital hanging luggage scale
In today’s world of charging exorbitant fees for overweight luggage, being able to monitor while packing is invaluable. This scale measures in either kilograms or pounds and has precision accuracy up to 50kg (110 pounds). Allow for its 57 grams if you're packing it in your luggage.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II noise-cancelling bluetooth headphones
If you haven’t tried these yet, you are really missing out. They are perfect for travel, especially on the plane. I have no idea how they work, but I don’t need to. I simply put them on and block out the rest of the world. The music is clear and perfect, and life’s distractions are gone.
Plus, they pair wirelessly with my phone. They are available as headphones or earbuds.
TOZO wireless waterproof earbuds
If you like inconspicuous earphones when travelling, these are a high-quality and value deal. Their case is small so it fits easily into daypacks or pockets. It's surprising how mobile and free you feel with cordless earphones. Plus, the case recharges the earphones. And once you put them on? Crisp, clear music that connects wirelessly to your phone.
And if you want to listen to music while showering, swimming, or even just in a freak rainstorm, they're fully waterproof. I'm a fan of plugging in both sides and tuning out, while my daughter likes using only one side when she runs so she can listen to music while keeping an eye out for cars.
Fitbit Charge 3
I am not one to run out and get the latest fad item, but I have to say that I love my Fitbit. More than just tracking my daily steps and reminding me to get up and move, its heartbeat tracker makes it easy to maximize a workout. It syncs with my computer and phone and can go up to 7 days without a charge
Multi Charging Cable
Preferring to carry less, we were thrilled to find a single, high-quality tool that can charge all our portable electronics (phones, Kindles, tablets, etc.) despite them having different connectors. This one is a twin pack, each with a 1.2 metre (4 ft) cable, so one for home, one for travel.
Anker PowerCore 10000 power bank
Travelling, I need to be able to keep my phone charged as it works overtime for me as a 3G router, GPS, phone, and social media hub. This power bank is small yet a critical piece of our gear.
128GB flash drive
This tiny stick can act as my travel back up, especially for photos. I like the retractable port, name brand, and 128GB data size. A 256GB stick is available for memory hounds, but I find the 128GB is cost-effective for our on-the-go backups.
All-in-One universal travel adaptor
One adapter to allow us to plug into electric power anywhere in the world means we don't have to worry about electric availability when we travel. We use this robust, top-quality adapter that lasts and doesn't fail when we need it the most.
Save for later
You never know when you will need one of these gift ideas, so why not save it for later on Pinterest.
Did I miss anything? What are your favourite useful travel gifts?
This page is part of our travel resources series. You might also like:
Mandy
Great list! I’m especially interested in the cable that charges multiple devices. How cool! And how could we live without packing cubes and a luggage scale?!
I wish I could afford a drone. But even then I would worry I wouldn’t be able to use it in all of the places I would want to… *sigh* But they look fun anyway!
Thanks for sharing such an awesome list! <3
Ryan K Biddulph
Excellent list Rhonda. I am thinking of a water filter-purifier. One with like 99.9999% effectiveness of course since I had giardia once already LOL. Seems a good idea to be green; far fewer plastic bottles I’d be using.
Nancy
A neat assortment, Rhonda! Thanks for your ideas!
Teresa
Never heard of the cubes but will definitely give them a try!
stevebethere
Some great tips and ideas Rhonda, nice post 🙂
Have a traveltastic week 😉
Anda
Excellent ideas, Rhonda. I have one of those digital scales in my luggage all the time and it comes in very handy, especially on the return trip when I want to buy more stuff than I can carry (lol!). Never thought of crying a first-aid kit with me though. At least not when I travel to big, civilized places. I had one when we went backpacking in Patagonia though.
Marriah Tarango
Such a great list! I love traveling far and often and my mom gifted me some packing cubes last Christmas. They are so practical, I love them!
Rhonda Albom
The packing cubes are some of my favourite travel accessories. They just make packing so neat and fast.
Alyssa Dawson
I’m not much of a travler, but these are some great ideas. I imagine if I were a traveler I would like to not carry a ton of stuff with me when I head out! Thanks for the tips!
Rhonda Albom
It really depends on the traveller, but for me the less the better. I hate carrying around things if I don’t need them.
Crystal Marie
Those packing cubes are really cool. I’ve been wanting to get some for a while now.
Rhonda Albom
I highly recommend them. They’re great for organisation and easy packing/unpacking. When I get to a new place for a few days, I just pull out my two cubes and boom, I’m unpacked!
Luci
My favorite travel gift out of these would have to be the camera, to take pictures. Also the noise cancelling headphones, for the noisy plane.
Rhonda Albom
The camera is definitely an excellent gift. The two I use now, the TG-5 and Olympus, are perfect for travel as they’re lightweight and high quality.
Stefanie
I’m pretty sure I read about them on one of your previous blogs- but I finally went out and got some of eBags packing cubes and they are terrific for my business trips – I pack each day’s outfit in a different color cube so I can easily grab it out of the suitcase. Rolling my clothing seems to have less wrinkles. Great advice!
CricketShaukeen
Excellent choices Rhonda.
Keep it up !
Obligatory Traveler
We pack light, so you have some great suggestions. Would love a drone, but I don’t think anyone who buys me gifts could afford one. Maybe a super cute camera strap instead would be good.
Rhonda Albom
I can’t wait for my new camera strap to arrive. I am pretty excited about it.
Ruth
I am not trying to see gift list because I always find something I want. In this case, I will be happy with the packing cubes and the multi-USB charger. In an ideal world, I would get a hammock too. I have wanted one for years.
Rhonda Albom
I love my packing cubes. It amazes me how quickly I became almost addicted to using them. The USB charger went with my daughter today, and the hammock, well that’s on my wish list too.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
Thanks Rhonda. I’m not the best with the camera but I’ve been thinking of a change and now you gave me some thoughts what to do. Boy you are smart. See ya my friend.
Cruisin Paul
Rhonda Albom
Hey Paul, if you are never going to take a camera out of the manual mode, then my Olympus is more than you need. It will would work fine for you in all automatic, but it’s probably not the best use of money.
Anda
Many great ideas for Christmas presents in your post, Rhonda. I would particularly like to buy the luggage scale, but I am not sure how difficult would it be to hang your heavy suitcase from it and lift it. I don’t think I could, unless I could place the scale on a flat surface and let that strap hang. How do you usually use that?
And, you have seen my bags, and we usually travel with less, but we needed extras for the cruise. So, for me it is easy, as they don’t weigh much.
Rhonda Albom
It is easier to weight the bag than to lift it into the car. I attach it to the handle, and lift, using the scale as a handle. It only has to fully bear the weight, not high up like when I have to put the bag in the car. It registers almost instantly.
Ryan Biddulph
Excellent choices Rhonda. Really loving that camera; seems like I am due for a new one. The cam we use has not been used because I have a sweet smart phone cam. But we could use a fab, proper travel cam for our next trip to Thailand in February. Either Santa Claus or my credit card will figure it out 🙂
Ryan
Rhonda Albom
I love my camera. It is lightweight, looks inconspicuous, and has the technology for outstanding photos.
Alan Smithee
Oh please. Who needs a portable espresso machine for travel? That’s your tip for “traveling light?”
Alan Smithee
Does any traveler really need a portable espresso machine? I understand many cities and countries have places that serve coffee and espresso. I think they’re called “cafés.”
Rhonda Albom
I think that depends on who you are. My hubby sure does. We get up in the morning and he grumbles when he has to drink the filter coffee (or even worse, instant) that is in our hotel room. Me, I can wait several hours, which is the amount of time it generally takes us to get to a cafe. Believe me, our life was better on our last trip – which I did with carry-on luggage (a good portion of which was camera gear).
Barbara Radisavljevic
I don’t travel much, but it’s still a great list. Many of these items can be used at home or on short road trips out of town.
Rhonda Albom
Yes, we basically pack the same for short or long trips. I brought carry-on only on our last six week trip to the states.
Sandee
All things that will come in handy when you travel. I can see why they are on your list and who knows better than you what’s needed.
Have a fabulous day. ☺
Hilary
Hi Rhonda – they all sound ideal … love the thought of some of them … for now I don’t need – but know where to come for ideas in future … cheers Hilary
Rhonda Albom
Yes, these are our favourite items. We have and use everyone.