15 Perfect Gifts for World Travelers

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The most difficult thing about buying gifts is knowing what the recipient might actually like as a gift. You want it to be meaningful and show that you care what their hobbies and interest are, but sometimes that’s just not so easy.

I can’t help you with what to get everyone on your list, but I can definitely help you find the perfect gift for the world traveler in your life. I can pretty much guarantee that anyone who loves traveling will love these gifts for world travelers, whether they’ve been on the go for 20 years or are just setting out on their first backpacking trip around Europe.

travel map and items

Everyone needs a great travel backpack and a Kindle to streamline their packing and entertainment needs. And if those items don’t fit the bill, travelers love showing off their trips, so picture frames and that awesome scratch off map will definitely make them smile.

» Want more? Check out all of our travel product reviews, plus see these great gifts for travelers and gifts for wine lovers.

Great Gifts for Travelers

Scratch Off Map of the World

Scratch The World ® Travel Map - Scratch Off World Map Poster - X-Large 23 x 33 - Maps International - 50 Years of Map Making - Cartographic Detail Featuring Country & State Borders

I’ve always loved these scratch-off maps. For a traveler, there’s nothing more exciting than visiting a new country, but being able to scratch it off on the map and display your progress just adds to the fun! This map allows you to display the map prominently on a wall, or roll it up and store it in the protective case. It measures 24″x17″.

The travel map includes a scratch tool, microfiber cloth, adhesive stickers, 20 push pins and clothing bag.


3-D Wood World Map Wall Art

ENJOY THE WOOD 3D Wood World Map Wall Art Large Wood Wall Décor Housewarming Gift Idea Wood Wall Art World Travel Map For Home & Kitchen or Office (Large, Multicolored)

I am in love with this map. You can fill a small space with it or get an XL version to fill a whole wall. It makes a fantastic gift for anyone who loves to travel or even just enjoys geography. The map is made of high-quality birch plywood with engraved details for states and names.

The world map wall decor is attached with special double-sided sticky tape, which comes in the package. You also get ocean names, wooden airplanes, boats and a compass to place around the map.


Woolx Merino Wool Socks

Woolx socks
Merino Wool Socks

Whether you prefer ankle or over the calf socks, you’re going to love these Woolx Merino wool socks. They are the softest possible socks and they keep your feet cool and dry. They’re lightly padded so they still fit with sneakers, but provide a little extra warmth and cushioning. They come in a few different colors so you can choose which ones you like. They make great gifts!

Here are the top features of these socks:

  • Antimicrobial – Destroys odors
  • No show feature when wearing with sneakers
  • Added cushion for heel and arch support
  • Breathable for all day comfort
  • Great for hiking or running
  • Naturally Breathable

World Map Coasters

CoasterStone Set of Four Drink Coasters, 4.25", Gray Scale Map

These stone world map coasters make a perfect addition to any travelers home. This set of 4 coasters are made from a super absorbent stone material that will soak up any condensation from the glass so it won’t stick to the coaster.

I love these coasters because they’re an understated design with a gray scale map that suits a lot of different decor, so they make a great gift for anyone.


TuffTAAG Travel ID Bag Tag

Luggage Tags Business Card Holder by TUFFTAAG - Durable Travel ID Bag Tag in Multiple Color Options, Perfect for Suitcases, Backpacks, and Carry-Ons, Easy Identification, Secure and Stylish

A few weeks ago, we were grabbing our luggage at the carousel when a lady in front of us grabbed our bag and started walking off with it. We had to chase after her to point out that she’d grabbed the wrong bag. Our luggage tags had come off the bags in transit.

This suitcase luggage tag will make it easy to identify your luggage from the sea of black bags – especially if you order the colorful ones! Plus, they’re made to withstand the harsh treatment of luggage handling.


Digital Portable Luggage Scale

FREETOO Luggage Scale Portable Digital Hanging Scale for Travel, Suitcase Weight Scale with Superior Piano Lacquer 110 Lb/ 50Kg Capacity, Battery Included

With all of the changing and diverse luggage regulations out there, it’s hard to keep up with the allowable weight limit. This digital scale is a great gadget for any traveler. Weigh your bag before leaving home, then carry the scale with you to make sure you didn’t overfill your luggage for the return trip. It has a compact, lightweight design so it won’t take up any precious space.


Zip & Flip Bear Travel Pillow

Kikkerland Zip and Flip Bear Travel Pillow, Brown

The worst part about taking a travel pillow with you is carrying around a travel pillow. With this pillow, you can flip it inside out and turn it into a cuddly bear. This is a win-win, really.

Who doesn’t want a bear to cuddle with that doubles as a pillow for the plane? It comes in black and brown. There are also other animals like a dinosaur, a panda and a dog.


Scrubba Portable Wash Kit

Scrubba Portable Wash Bag - Foldable Hand Washing Machine for Hotel and Travel - Light and Small Eco-Friendly Camping Laundry Bag for Washing Clothes Anywhere, 6.3 inch x 2.4 inch x 2.4 inch

The Scrubba wash bag is a savior for when you can’t pack much or want to keep your luggage light. Now you can wash your clothes on the go, without having to maneuver everything around in a hotel or hostel sink. The bag has dozens of little scrubbing nodules inside that scrub your clothes clean. It weighs only 5 ounces so it’s easy to take along with you whenever you need it.


Amazon Basics Carry-On Travel Backpack

Amazon Basics Carry-On Travel Backpack - Black

Amazon Basics is a great brand for certain items, and this backpack is one of them. Why spend more for a big brand name backpack when this one is just as good for half the price.

This backpack is perfect for a slightly longer trip when you still want to pack light and be able to carry everything in a backpack. It can be use it for trips of 7-12 days in length that don’t require a broad wardrobe. So much fits into it in an organized and compact fashion. The back is sturdy but not inflexible, so it’s comfortable to carry and it meets standard luggage restrictions for airlines.

  • Main compartment measures 5.5L x 13-14W x 21.5H”
  • Main upper packing compartment measures 3-5L x 13-14W x 21.5H”
  • Full-expansion zipper creates 10% more packing space

eBags Packing Cubes – 4pc Set

eBags Classic 3 Piece Packing Cube Set (Aquamarine)

I can no longer travel without these eBags. They’ve made our packing so much more organized. They really compress clothes so you can pack twice as much. I used to shove my clothes directly into the backpack, but everything quickly became unfolded and messy.

Now, everything stays in a neat stack and there’s no chance of things falling out at inopportune times. We both have our own color for when we share a backpack. Use them once and you’ll never go back to any other way of packing. I use the medium size the most because it fits nicely in the backpack.

Two mediums or one large can be put into the main compartment together. The large bag works best for suitcases. They also have shoe bags that will keep your shoes from making everything else dirty. See our full post on how to choose the best packing cubes.


Fire HD 10, 10.1″ HD Display, Wi-Fi, 16 GB

All-new Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet, built for relaxation, 10.1" vibrant Full HD screen, octa-core processor, 3 GB RAM, latest model (2023 release), 32 GB, Black

Long hours on a plane are so much more bearable when we have a tablet on which to watch whatever movies and TV we want. You could even listen to an audiobook or play games. The Fire comes in different sizes and capacity. We like the HD10 and 16 GB is enough storage space for a couple movies.

You can also put games and music on the Fire, check your email, and read books. But if you plan to do all that, you might need the 32 GB version. ⇒ Check prices and read reviews on Amazon.com.


Canon PowerShot SX740 HS Digital Camera (Black)

Canon PowerShot SX740 Digital Camera w/40x Optical Zoom & 3 Inch Tilt LCD - 4K VIdeo, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth Enabled (Black) (Renewed)

The Canon PowerShot is a good compact point-and-shoot camera for those of us who don’t want to learn the complicated dials and settings of a DSLR, or carry around bulky photo gear.

It has great stability and resolution in low light, plus a 40x optical zoom and bluetooth pairing capabilities, with WI-FI. It takes 4K Video and 4K Time-lapse movies and has a 3.0-inch Tilt-type LCD.


GoPro Camera HERO+ LCD HD Video Recording Camera

GoPro HERO9 Black - E-Commerce Packaging - Waterproof Action Camera with Front LCD and Touch Rear Screens, 5K Ultra HD Video, 20MP Photos, 1080p Live Streaming, Webcam, Stabilization

Having a dedicated adventure camera along on your travels helps capture the moments when a regular camera or heavy photography equipment just isn’t going to work, like when rappelling down a mountainside or white water kayaking. HERO9 Silver captures 5K Ultra HD video and 20MP for photos.

It has 1080p live streaming, a webcam, and built-in stabilization. It’s a fun and easy way to capture high-quality video of your journey.


Kindle Paperwhite

Kindle Paperwhite (8 GB) – Now with a 6.8" display and adjustable warm light – Black

The paperwhite is the perfect solution to carrying around heavy books. You can use it everywhere, for up to a month without charging, and you can carry around as many books as you can fit on it, or download books on the go.


Echo Auto

Echo Auto (2nd Gen, 2022 release) | Add Alexa to your car

Now that we’ve all gotten used to having our Echo home device around, it’s hard to leave home without it. Now there’s a portable version, Echo Auto, that you can take with you on car trips, that’s designed to be played in the car.

Connects to the Alexa app on your phone and plays through your car’s speakers via auxiliary input or your smartphone’s Bluetooth connection.


Conclusion

Hopefully with this list you won’t have to struggle to find the perfect gift for the world traveler on your holiday list! If you need any more ideas, check out this additional list of gifts for travelers. And if you have a perfect gift for travelers that didn’t make it on the list, share it with us in the comments.

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15 Perfect Gifts for World Travelers

21 thoughts on “15 Perfect Gifts for World Travelers

  1. Lara Dunnign says:

    Great ideas. Thanks for the backpack tip. I’ve been looking around at which one I’d like to get for shorter trips. The portable laundry sounds really useful too. Is it a dry wash?

    • Laura Lynch says:

      Hi Lara. It’s not a dry wash. You actually add water to it and it cleans the clothing almost like a washboard inside a bag.

  2. Betsy Wuebker | PassingThru says:

    A nice well-rounded list of items that would please any traveler. We can be so hard to buy for!

    • Laura Lynch says:

      We can! For us it’s because we don’t like to collect a bunch of stuff around the house – just makes it harder to move!

  3. Stefan says:

    That digital luggage scale is PERFECT! Practical to pack and so damn useful when budget airlines are undecided whether to let you check in 15kg/10kg before they start asking you to sell your kidney ha ha ha

    Great list. I am tactfully drawing this to my travel partner’s attention ha ha ha 🙂

    • Laura Lynch says:

      It does seem like they change the rules all the time, and if you’re on a trip that includes multiple airlines, you can just about forget it. Might as well pack nothing or it’ll cost you more than it’s worth to check it.

    • Laura Lynch says:

      I love it too, Mar. It’s a great way to try new products that you probably haven’t heard of too!

  4. Winederlusting says:

    Some great ideas here! The GoPro is my GoTo for ANY travel experience — even just heading a mile away from the house to the beach. Also dig the external battery pack, something that I have yet to purchase but keep meaning to. The Scrubba washer is a genius concept too…I try to travel light, so will be considering this for future adventures, especially dirty ones.

    Greig

  5. Toccara says:

    I have so many of these gifts myself! Been traveling for the past 5 months… and I cannot live without my Scrubba, my packing cubes, or my external battery pack! Obviously I agree with the items on this list!

  6. Carolann - One Modern Couple says:

    I’ve never heard of the Try The World Food Box – what a fantastic idea! – I wasn’t going to have a Christmas list but that may end up being the one item I do ask for!

  7. Maya says:

    This is a great list. I was looking for a scratch map. But you got me with Scrubba..had no idea such an amazing thing existed. I would need to buy one of those bags.

  8. Monica says:

    I bought packing cubes before my last holidays and… wow! I wish I’d bought them much earlier – they made my life so much easier when travelling 😉

    • Laura Lynch says:

      They are the best, aren’t they! Cubes are the best thing to happen to travel packing, ever. 🙂

  9. Hung Thai says:

    Great list. We have something very similar to that scratch-off world map. It’s a map you can color in when you’ve visited a place. So I guess they’re opposite lol!

    • Laura Lynch says:

      Either way though, the map is a pretty great gift for travelers, right? I love the scratch off one.

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