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Unique Travel Gifts For 2018
Skip the cork globes and scratcher maps this holiday season, and give your globetrotter a unique travel gift they will actually want. Most of these travel presents won’t be found on your standard “best gifts for travelers” guides. Some of them are fun, many of them are inexpensive, but all of them are useful. These gifts are reviewed and tested by travelers who actually use them on the road.
Unique Gifts for Travelers:
Travel Accessories (packables)
Handy Packing Cubes
Packing cubes don’t let you hold more stuff, they better organize the stuff you have. If you’ve never used packing cubes, they will change the way you pack for travel.
There are a ton of okay packing cubes on the market, but few really good ones, Eagle Creek makes some of the best cubes available. They offer a variety of shapes, sizes, and weights. The compression cubes squish your gear, letting you carry more. While double-sided cubes allow you to carry clean clothes on one side, and dirty on the other. If you aren’t sure which set to get, start with the Pack It Cube Set, and the Pack It Clean/Dirty Cube.
Leatherman Style PS
This is the best minimalist TSA compliant multi-tool I have found. The Leatherman Style PS has spring-action pliers, scissors, tweezers, a bottle opener, and mini screwdriver. This tiny tool is great for small repairs on the road, or if you just need to open a bottle. It’s TSA compliant because it doesn’t have a blade. I’ve taken this through security all over the US, Europe, and Morocco, and never had it taken away.
A Beautiful Travel Notebook
Inspire your traveler with a beautifully bound notebook, and encourage them to express their creative side through the art of bullet journaling. The best travel notebook is the Softcover Notebook Pocket, designed by Leuchtturm1917. It comes in a rainbow of colors, and features gorgeous binding, an eltastic band, and gusseted pocket to hold travel memories. What better unique travel gift can you get, than the gift of creativity?
Fun Silicone Owl Travel Tubes
They’re like regular travel tubes, but more fun! Silicone tubes work great for holding liquids, while being virtually indestructible. Over hundreds of trips, and dozens of countries, I’ve never had one break or leak on me. I’ve used tubes by Eagle Creek, but my favorite tubes are these wildlife inspired Owl Tubes by Davias. If you’re not into fun, or just plain don’t like owls (we can’t be friends), then opt for this set of silicon travel tubes by Gotoobs
Power Bagel Universal Adapter
This isn’t one of those multi-grain bread circles from a coffee shop. It’s a fantastically compact universal power adapter, and power strip all in one device! What says unique travel gift better than food-shaped electronics?
The universal adapter plugs into sockets in over 150 countries, the power adapter has 4 universal and 1 US socket, plus 2 usb ports. You can plug this into anything, and plug anything into it. Charge all your gear, plus share with friends.
If you don’t need the extra plugs of a power strip or have an aversion to bagels (who are you?!), go with the Road Warrior Plug Adapter.
Ultra-light Toiletry Kit
Minimalist travel is all about saving weight, and that means in your toiletry kit too. The ultralight Eagle Creek Specter is a mid-sized toiletry kit, made out of ripstop silnylon. It’s water resistant, with 3 pockets, and a loop to hang in cramped bathrooms. This kit is small enough to hold everything your minimalist traveler needs to keep hygienic on the road.
Minaal Travel Bag
Your one-bagging traveler has probably been ogling the Minaal Carry-on 2.0 for some time now. It’s beautiful, and one of the most popular packs of minimalists and digital nomads for a reason. Sleek and sturdy material, easy to pack clamshell design, lightweight but rugged. Your traveler will definitely stand out from the crowd with this unique travel gift.
Flexible Travel Locks
Locks are a travel necessity for any one bagger who carries their life in their pack. A flexible coated wire lock, combined with a cable is a great combination for security. Unlike their firm cousins, flexible locks allow you to secure larger zippers, lock two zippers together, or lock zippers that aren’t lockable. The cable lock runs through your bag straps, to add an extra layer of security on trains, or hostels.
One-baggers obsess about every ounce they carry. If you want to know what your gear weighs, you need a scale. But, ironically the scale needs to be small, and lightweight too. The Micro Travel Scale by Travelon weight less than a 1/3 of an ounce, yet can handle up to 110lbs (50kg.). Way more than any minimalist traveler will be carrying,
The Best Travel Pillow
Ditch those bulky donuts, and inflatable pillows and try the TRTL pillow. An adjustable inner support system contours to your neck or shoulder. At less than half the weight to traditional travel pillows, this is a must have for sleeping comfortably on your next trip.
This pillow stands out as a truly unique travel gift with its support system. It doesn’t use stuffing that doesn’t fit your neck and is hard to get comfortable. Instead it uses an adjustable inner frame, that cradles your neck, and holds in any position you want. A soft fleece wrap holds the frame in place, and allows you to easily switch sides.
Tech Gear for Digital Nomads
Fire HD 8”
Replace stacks of heavy travel guides and books with a tablet designed for the road. I have taken my Kindle HD all over the world, and I won’t travel without it. Read books, surf the web, watch movies, TV, music, with up to 400GB of expandable storage, and a vibrant 8” HD display. The newest 8th generation sports a 1280×800 display, a 400GB microSD card slot, and a 2MP front camera.
Logitech Wireless Keyboard
Want to get some work done on the road, but hate lugging your laptop? Connect the Logitech wireless keyboard wirelessly to your phone, or tablet, and click away! This unique travel gift was made famous by travel expert Tim Ferriss, author of the 4-hour Work Week.
The wafer-thin keyboard connects to your tablet or smartphone through bluetooth. It’s near full size keyboard functions almost as well as a laptop, but without the bulk. It allows you to get tons of work done, without having to fidget with an annoying, tiny keypad.
Electronics Organizer
Minimalist travelers and digital nomads will need a place to organize all their small electronic cords and chargers. The Bagsmart 2-in-1 cable organizer offers two fantastic roll-up cord organizers for one low price. Use the smaller organizer for short trips, and the large one for minimalist travel. I love the versitility of this unique travel gift. There are so many pockets for cords and electronics, plus a bunch of pouches for smaller items like SD cards.
Mini USB Flashdrive
Your traveler will need to backup their data, store photos, and transfer files on the road. These mini-flash drives work great, and store a huge amount of data. This thing is so small, my biggest fear is actually losing it. Seriously. It’s about as big as my thumbnail, and has a crazy amount of space. For less than $15 for the 64 GB version, this is a must-have unique travel gift for minimalist travelers.
Noise Canceling Earbuds
5 port Power Charger with USB-C
This little wonder will power up to 5 devices, and unlike most standard travel adapters, it includes surge protection, and temperature control. It allows you to replace all of your charge cords, and heavy adapters one little device. You can even get rid of your heavy laptop charger. With a USB-C port, and 30W power delivery, you can charge your laptop, tablet, cell phone, etc. at the same time. Trim down your travelers cord maze with this sleep unique travel gift!
High Capacity Charging Battery
Juice for days. Anker makes some of the best travel electronics on the market, the PowerCore 26800 portable charger is great for your minimalist traveler with tons of electronics. It has a huge capacity, and can charge an iPhone almost 10 times. Anything larger and you can’t take it on a plane. For a unique travel gift for a traveler with a lighter load and slightly less juice, try the Anker PowerCore II Slim 10000.
Minimalist Photography Gear
Gorillapod – Travel Tripod
Your photographer will love this minimalist travel tripod by Joby. Their line of adjustable Gorillapods stand on their own, or wrap them around chairs, benches, or tree branches for the perfect photo. Add a Rode mic to your setup and your travel vlogger is ready to go with a minimalist setup.
Mirrorless Camera
The Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II is the go-to camera for travel vloggers, and photographers looking for a high-quality, versatile travel camera. Pair this camera with a gorilla pod, and you have a truly unique travel gift for your traveling photographer.
GoPro Hero5 Session
The smallest GoPro still packs a punch. I first purchased the Session 5 as a lightweight option for snorkeling off Belize. It takes great underwater pictures, and great above water pictures for that matter. With a floating hand grip, you don’t need to worry about it leaking, like you do with a water-proof phone bag. Simple one-button video mode, 4K video, and image stabilization make this a great unique travel gift for the minimalist traveler looking to cut weight.
Peak Designs Camera Strap
The world’s most versatile minimalist camera strap. The Peak design Slide Lite camera strap is intended for mirrorless (smaller digital) cameras. Quick connectors attach to the existing camera straps, or included camera plate. The strap is easily adjustable using one finger with the aluminum adjusters. For an ultra-minimalist wrist strap, the Peak Designs Cuff is a great unique travel gift option. This wrist strap is worn an attachable bracelet to prevent accidental drops and theft.
Creative gifts that weigh nothing
Airbnb Gift Card
You can find some amazingly cute places on Airbnb, usually cheaper than hotels, and meet friendly knowledgeable locals. I find them especially useful in larger cities, where hotel prices can be astronomical.
Backblaze Backup
Your digital nomad is going to need to back-up their files on the road. I use Backblaze to backup all of my files. It’s one of the best, and cheapest backup companies you can use. Backups are done automatically when connected to wi-fi.
This is a unique travel gift that literally weighs nothing. Gift them one year of unlimited backup for only $50.
Scott’s Cheap Flights Subscription
Scott and his 30 person team scouring the web to find the cheapest airfare, then they send it to you. Most recently I’ve seen L.A. to China for $385, and Chicago to Berlin for $327. A premium subscription costs only $39/year, which will easily pay for itself in the first use.
World Nomad Travel Insurance
Protect your itinerant traveler from medical emergencies, stolen property, and offer peace of mind with trip protection. Travel insurance is a great unique travel gift, and covers everything your in-country medical insurance, and travel credit card, doesn’t cover.
eBooks
Some of my favorites are Atlas Obscura by Johua Foer and Dylan Thuras, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz, and Vagabonding by Rolf Potts. See below for the full list of my favorite Kindle books.
Plane Ticket with Airline Miles or Gift Card
Travelers are always looking for great flight deals. It’s likely they have been scouring travel blogs, and are familiar with what’s called “travel hacking.” Maximizing the use of travel rewards, and airline miles or points, to get free airline tickets, hotels or rental cars.
Every airline has a different policy. This great guide by the folks at Trip Savvy will help you choose your unique travel gift, by outlining which airlines offer gift cards, and which you can only purchase miles.
Go Fund Me Travel Page
Give a really unique travel gift with the gift of world travel! You can help send a friend or family member on a trip of a lifetime with travel crowd funding. Help them pay for airline tickets, lodging, and transportation costs by setting up a travel themed page on GoFundMe. There
Check out this page for Travel and Adventure ideas, and see how thousands of other people are funding their adventures through crowd funding.
Cooking Class or Walking Tour
Give your traveler the unique travel gift of culture. Some of my favorite travel experiences have come from classes and tours I have taken abroad. From cooking a Tajine in Marrakech, learning history and tapas culture in Madrid, to a traditional callejoneada in Guanajuato, this is one of the best way to experience the world as the locals see it.
Travel Books for Minimalist Travelers (Kindle Editions)
Books are a great unique travel gift for minimalist travelers. But eBooks are even better, because they weigh nothing. These are some of my favorite books (all e-editions) to feed a lifelong quest for education, and inspiration for world travel. Some are MUST READS for any new or experienced traveler. Not sure which book to choose, try an Amazon Gift Card.
Atlas Obscura, by Joshua Foer and Dylan Thuras
Ever wanted to visit the museum of the dead in Guanajuato, Mexico, or go to the Fireball Festival in Nejapa, San Salvador. I bet you didn’t know these places existed. I sure didn’t before reading this book. That’s because you won’t find most of these locations in your average guidebook.
That’s because Atlas Obscura isn’t your average guidebook. It’s an addictive perusal of the most wonderful and amazing places on earth. Why not plan your next trip to visit the Markopoulo Snake Festival in Cephalonia, Greece? Or maybe walk across the Yellow Sea at the Jindo-Modo Land Bridge, during the twice-yearly low tide in South Korea?
Journeys of a Lifetime, 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips
Organized by category to inspire travelers of every type, from food, to action, history and adventure. Take a trip through New York’s culinary scene with a tour of the cities best Delis, or follow a historic cattle route through the Australian outback on the Tanami Track. This unique travel gift has something to inform and inspire everyone.
1,000 Places to See Before You Die, by Patricia Schultz
Entries are focused on experiences, not just locations. Don’t just visit the famous Rincón beach in Puerto Rico, drive the spectacular La Ruta Panoramica to get there. Traverse the most spectacular locations on this 165 mile drive through the remote, mountainous regions in Puerto Rico’s rural backcountry.
The Great Rainway Bazaar, by Paul Theroux
Add this to your bucket list: A trans-continental journey through Asia, on a train straight from the glory days of rail travel. This classic of travel literature, by master storyteller Paul Theroux, is one of the most entertaining adventure books you will ever read.
Chronicling his journey from London to Japan in the 1970’s, Paul weaves his journey across Asia on some of the most fabled rail routes of all time. Get a glimpse into what it was like to travel on the Orient Express, the Golden Arrow, and the Trans-Siberian Express. With unforgettable characters and quirky stories, all told with Theroux’s classic wry, and curmudgeonly humor.
Vagabonding, by Rolf Potts
“Work is how you settle your financial and emotional debts—so that your travels are not an escape from your real life but a discovery of your real life.” -Rolf Potts, Vagabonding
This was one of the only 2 books that Tim Ferriss took on his 18 month world adventure in 2004 that spawned the inspiration for the now famous, 4-hour Work Week. This unique travel gift will inspire your traveler to think outside the travel box.
Travel on $50 a Day, Matt Kemps
Leverage the low cost of world travel by living like the locals. Stay in hostels and eat freshly prepared street food in SE Asia ($15/day). Utilize travel hacking to reduce the cost of airfare, with free airfare, upgrades, and hotel rooms.
Matt will also explain the why of travel. How to get in the travel mindset, how to budget and save money. What do you do with your stuff when you’re on the road. This is a must read for any traveler looking to see the world on a budget.
Europe on a Shoestring, Lonely Planet
Strategically plan your trip to Paris during the off-season to eliminate crowding and save tons of money. Head to Norway in the shoulder season (Apr-May & Sept-Oct) to stretch your budget, while still enjoying good weather. Strategically utilize hostels and cheap in-country airlines to reduce lodging and transportation expenses.
This unique travel gift will show you where to go, and when. Explain the ins and outs of packing light. And outline the top experiences in each region and country, as only the folks at Lonely Planet can do.
Europe Through the Backdoor, Rick Steves
In addition to packing tips from somebody who has been traveling to for decades, Rick Steves teaches you how to travel smart. You will learn about classic travel scams, how to stay healthy on the road, and how to hurdle the language barrier.
His regional and country guides are full of quips and tips from an itinerant traveler. This unique travel gift will show you how to get the most of your trip by interacting with the locals. As well as the best alternative destinations to get the most out of your European experience.
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