20 PERFECT GIFT IDEAS FOR TRAVEL LOVERS

Looking to buy a special gift for that travelling friend? We share these gift ideas for travel lovers to take out the stress of shopping.

It can be hard to buy birthday or Christmas gifts for those that never seem to stop travelling! You can’t get them anything too big because it won’t fit into the luggage, or too heavy because again, too heavy in the luggage. You can’t buy them gifts for home because they are travelling so often. You can’t get them tickets for a show or event because they may not even be in the country at that time. Well, I am sure they will still love gifts for their return and you can, of course, contact them to see when they will next be home. Some of these gifts are more practical than others, depending on the type of traveller your loved one is!

So on that note – here are my ideas for gifts for those that love to travel!

GIFT IDEAS FOR TRAVEL LOVERS

1. WATERPROOF GIFTS

This may not sound so exciting but the waterproof phone and camera case I received for Christmas a few years ago was a lifesaver! These aren’t just ideal for days when you’re heading to the pool/beach or taking a kayak or boat somewhere but also for nights out and day trips.

This pouch saved my phone from any damage when we went kayaking in Thailand during our James Bond Day trip and kept it safe during our trip on the Maid of the Mist in Niagara Falls.

The camera case has helped protect my little camera on long journeys, especially as it’s shockproof too! So I can drop without a worry!

2. LONELY PLANET ULTIMATE TRAVEL COLORING BOOK

I don’t know about you, but I spend every spare moment thinking about and planning our next trip! I have added this little gem to my own Christmas list because it is just perfect for my downtime after long days of teaching.

3. SCRATCH MAP

No ‘Gifts for travellers’ list would be complete without this bad boy! I would like to mention that I purchased one of these for Calum a few years ago – way before it became cool. Anyway, there is a deep satisfaction when I get to scratch off another country on the map, so I would recommend this gift to your travelling friends.

4. COLLAPSABLE KETTLE

I was amazed when a friend showed me her collapsible lunchbox whilst working at summer camp last year but I was blown away when I came across this gem! A travel kettle than can collapse smaller for your luggage – mind was blown. You can also get lunch boxes that collapse smaller – perfect for flights and long journeys.

5. BATH PRODUCTS

When travelling, there is nothing better than a hot bath in a decent bathtub. This one may not be for everyone but I love bath bombs and body wash, I’m always trying to bring a little bottle of bubble bath or buy a bath bomb during my travels. Personally, I love LUSH bath bombs so these are ideal Christmas gifts. Bath bombs are available on amazon but shopping in-store is cheaper in the UK and across Europe.

6. COLLAPSIBLE WATER BOTTLE

Water bottles are essential items for all travellers but collapsible bottles are even better! These are bottles that can be collapsed and tucked away into a backpack whenever they are not in use but you can also get versions that keep your drinks cold too. 

7. TOILETRY BAG WITH HOOK

8. GIFT VOUCHER

I am not talking about your usual gift voucher but a travel-related gift voucher of course! Different websites such as lastminute.com or Groupon, offer various day trips, weekends away, hotel stays and even activity days perfect for those adventurous travellers you know and love. My family bought me theatre tickets and a London hotel last year and we surprised a colleague recently with a few nights at a spa hotel – so go on and have a browse!

You can also gift air travel, which completely eliminates the hassle of figuring out what to get someone you care about. The way this works is by gifting sky hours, which is the easiest way to give someone the opportunity to achieve an air travel dream. You can offer your loved ones as many sky hours as you wish, starting at 30 minutes for $30.

9. MICROFIBER TOWEL

10. SOLAR POWERED POWER BANK

For those travellers who head to more remote places in the world, this Power Bank can charge two devices at once and is shockproof – great for clumsy travellers like me.

11. Osmo Action / Go Pro

We prefer the Osmo Action but either of these action cameras is great for travellers. Whether you are giving a gift to someone heading to the beach, going hiking, visiting theme parks or heading to the jungle, these small, portable cameras are great for all travellers. They come with a case that can be used in water but are also easy to use and shockproof. 

12. MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION

I love to read and spend far too long reading blog after blog about my next travel destination. That being said, nothing beats a magazine and for me, Lonely Planet, a glass of vino and a hot bath is my idea of heaven. Your travel-loving friend may be on the road a lot but I’m sure they would appreciate returning home to their favourite magazines. If you’re in the UK, head over to magazinesubscriptions.co.uk  or google your favourite magazine.

13. CORK GLOBE

14. JEWELLERY ORGANISER

This is top of my Christmas list this year – it would solve so many problems! I love to dress up when we are travelling but find it so hard to keep jewellery safe and detangled. This cute envelope jewellery organiser looks adorable and I am getting this before our next trip!

15. TRAVEL CABLE ORGANISER

16. Magnetic World Map

For those with a home base somewhere, this magnetic world map makes for a gorgeous gift. It is on the pricey side so it is maybe worth dropping a few hints first!

17. TRAVEL PHOTO ALBUM

One of the best things about travelling is the amazing memories you come back home with. With a photographer as a partner, the number of pictures we have is endless so having something gorgeous to store those prints in is perhaps the perfect gift. I personally love this choice but there are plenty of artistic, travel-related albums available.

18. TRAVEL SURVIVAL KIT

I love to travel but I can be a tad clumsy at times. Getting a travel first aid kit for those accident-prone travellers is a helpful gift and can really come in handy. You could also pick up these handy Glide products which are so helpful for those visiting warmer climates. 

19. KINDLE

Yes, an extravagant gift but a necessary one! On our first trip back in 2011, I carried 4 Lonely Planet Guides with me and we were only away for 3 weeks! By the time we went to Asia, Calum had treated me to a Kindle and it was a lifesaver! I was able to spend the very long and boring flights reading away and learning all about the beautiful destinations we were heading to.

20. BOOKS

Linked to the above – reading guidebooks is one of the best ways to get excited about your trip. However, I have also enjoyed reading about other people’s adventures. Other normal travellers, working out how to best explore the world. I highly recommend Lauren Juliff’s “How Not To Travel The World” – hilarious!