If someone you know loves to explore the planet, what better way to show you care at Christmas by treating them to one of the top Christmas presents for travellers? There are all kinds of travel gift ideas for him, her and the entire family to choose from. We’ve selected only the very best of these to bring you the complete guide to shopping for the wanderer in your life.
This travel gift guide has a wide range of gifts for all Australian travellers – whether they prefer city breaks, heading into the outback or beach life. If long-haul trips are more their bag, then we have the perfect travel presents for them too.
These gifts for travellers are suitable for all budgets – as well as all tastes. Beautiful, practical or the ideal combination of both, they will be treasured for a long time to come, and might even provide inspiration when planning their next trip.
The best Christmas presents for the travellers in your life
Here are our top gift ideas for travellers, to help you find some festive gift-giving inspiration this year.
Beach smart with a Tesalate towel
The arrival of the warmer months means more sunny days spent at the beach! And while a good beach towel is a summer must-have, not all are created equal. Enter Tesalate’s range of beach smart sand-free towels from Australia.
- Fabric Care. A cold machine wash, tumble dry on low or merely hanging out to dry, are three ways to clean or dry the towel.
- Fast drying. Tesalate dries up faster than a regular towel.
- Lightweight. It’s so light and comes with a small waterproof nylon drawstring bag.
- Material. Tesalate’s AbsorbLite microfiber material is gentle and soft even on the most sensitive skin.
- Quality. Tesalate’s durable fabric promises the color will remain vibrant even after constant use and washing.
- Sand-free. Tesalate has no looped fibers which is why sand easily slides off.
- Size. Standard size measures 160 x 80 cm while the Towel for Two size measures 160 x 160 cm.
- Super absorbent. Tesalate is capable of absorbing up to one liter of water.
- Towel hook. Tesalate features a hanging hook, ensuring the towel hangs clean and dry.
Tesalate sand-free towel in standard size retails at $79 and XL size at $119.
Check out the gorgeous range here.
A pashmina scarf
Isn’t a great scarf just the ultimate travel accessory? A pashmina scarf is a little more luxurious than most, so it’s something they might not think to treat themselves to. It can be used to dress up any outfit, as well as warding off the chills when outside or during flights.
Pashmina scarves are available in a range of colours and styles. A Calvin Klein one that comes in a range of colours is a good bet for fashionistas. There is a subtle pattern woven into the fabric, and it also has frayed ends to add interest. Shades range from various neutrals to a festive red. A couple of Karl Lagerfeld options make a good alternative too, especially if they love peach, yellow, purple or mint tones.
There are also paisley patterned pashmina scarves as well as larger ones that can be wrapped around more of the body. A new scarf is surely the perfect pick among travel gifts for her.
Click here to see a selection of pashmina and designer scarves for women
A GoPro
Looking for the best gift for someone who likes to share their memories through photos? Then why not think about splashing out on a GoPro? It’s a favourite among traveller gifts, particularly people who travel or spend a lot of time outdoors.
A GoPro is ideal for active types as it’s so resilient. Waterproof and tough, it can be used when diving, skiing or even skydiving. Owners can even live stream footage to their nearest and dearest, thereby sharing that trip or action adventure of a lifetime.
There is a range of top rated models to choose from that are suitable for various budgets and requirements. If anyone among your family and friends is an aspiring vlogger, then this is the pick of the gifts for photography lovers everywhere.
A GoPro is an investment gift that the whole family will treasure – and get pleasure from – for a long time to come.
Click here to view the GoPro range of tough, waterproof cameras
If you have more of a photographer than a videographer on your hands, check out our gift guide for photographers here.
A travel backpack
Travel backpacks make ideal gifts for adventure lovers. It’s a highly practical present that also has the potential to be something special, and could give them many happy years of use. There are all sorts of types to choose from too.
Options include laptop backbacks, real leather rucksacks and even theft-proof products. Our favourites are the Pacsafe Venturesafe 25 litre anti-theft travel backpack, the Swisswin waterproof rucksack and the Osprey Farpoint 40.
Then there’s a vintage style brown backpack in brown leather or a Kenneth Cole laptop and tablet rucksack than comes in four stylish shades. Wheter you choose a floral fashion backpack for girls or a more masculine Eagle Creek rucksack, a new backpack is among the best travel gifts for women, men and teens alike.
Click here to see a range of travel backpacks for men and women
A Trunki suitcase
Looking for a trip gift for a child in your life? Then check out the fabulous range of Trunki suitcases. I am not going to lie, my son used this for longer than the age range suggested – he loved it that much!
Invented in the UK, it has an interesting history. A strap broke when its inventor made his pitch on Dragon’s Den, and although he received one offer, that was rejected. Long-standing dragon Duncan Bannatyne has since referred to the Trunki as the one that got away from the den, saying he spots them every time he’s at the airport.
The super-popular Trunki comes in all sorts of styles and colours, from unicorn or tiger to fire engine, pirate ship and fairy designs. It makes a great travel gift for any girl or boy. As riding on it will help to keep them happy at the airport, their parents will love you for buying it too.
Click here to see Trunki suitcases for kids in various designs
Luggage tag sets
A set of luggage tags is among those unique travel gifts that also has a practical purpose, as it will help them spot their suitcase at baggage reclaim. There are lots of sets to choose from with various themes.
Pick between a classic ‘His’ and ‘Hers’ pair, or opt for tags emblazoned with ‘Mr’ and ‘Mrs’. One of the latter sets we’ve seen even has an extra tag labelled ‘More Mrs’ for that extra baggage. Ideal for newlyweds, there are also sets marked the ‘The Bride’ and ‘The Groom’. Or ‘Captain’ and ‘First Mate’ are ideal for those embarking on a cruise.
If you’d rather opt for pictorial tags then there are other styles to choose from, including cute animal designs and sophisticated photographic images. For a more generous gift, some sets also include passport covers.
Click here to see a selection of luggage tag sets
Camping gear
Australia is made for camping, with our fine climate, miles of pristine coastline and vast areas of outback. If you know an individual, couple or family who love to sleep under canvas or even in an RV, then there’s lots of camping kit that makes ideal Christmas gifts for adventurers.
Tentworld offers so many products for outdoor types. Of course they stock all the usual camping paraphernalia such as tents, swags, air mattresses and cooking equipment, but there are some surprises to be had too.
How about a Yeti stubby holder for a beer – a great option among travel presents that comes in a range of cool colours. The children will love to wear their own Wiz Kids headlamp, or you can really relax with a drink in a comfortable camping chair that actually rocks – or can be used just to lean back and relax in.
Click here to see a selection of Christmas gifts for campers
A travel toiletries bag
Again, a new travel toiletries bag is one of those gifts for adventurous friends that they’ll love – and get a lot of use out of, too. A deluxe or innovative way to store and carry all their potions and lotions is perfect for any traveller – whether they prefer camping out or staying in five star luxury.
Top picks we like best include the GO Elements and EGOGO hanging toiletry bags for men and women – the former comes in a choice of colours while the black shade of the latter will never show up any spills and stains.
We also rate the stylish Victoria Green, Safari and Narwey toiletry bags for women that come in a range of nice patterns. For him, the best options include the Eagle Creek Pack-It Wallaby bag as well as some very smart Samsonite and Ben Sherman products.
Click here to see some stylish travel toiletries bags for him or her
A world wall map
Bring their love of travel in into the home with a wall map of the world. It’s sure to inspire their next trip, whether given as a gift for a friend going abroad or to someone who is yet to book another adventure.
These maps come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There are removable sticker maps to decorate kids’ rooms while educating them about the world they live in, or sophisticated scratch off wall maps that can be used to show everyone where they’ve been.
Vintage style maps – like one from National Geographic – might appeal to traditional types, while laminated world wall maps are perennially popular.
Click here to see a range of world wall map options
A travel keyring
If you’re looking for good presents for travellers that are also pocket-friendly, then why not opt for a travel-themed keyring? It’s certainly practical, and can be used daily or save solely for use when away from home. Just as your recipient chooses. We love these as a teacher gift at Christmas if you know that s/he loves to travel.
Remind them to live their dreams with a keychain complete with slogan, globe and aeroplane charms. Or to ‘find joy in the journey’, or perhaps you’d prefer to offer the protection of a St Christopher.
There are lots of keyrings that double as something else too – incredibly useful items for travelling types. Choose between an LED torch, a carabiner, a multi-tool, a mini water bottle or a pill holder.
Click here to see a collection of travel themed keychains
Packing cubes
A set of matching packing cubes is a travel must-have. They have the ability to transform a traveller’s life when it comes to storage and transportation, yet are something many have not yet invested in.
Make the most of the space in their cases with a stylish set of packing cubes that they’ll enjoy using. The best rated sets may feature a mix of sizes or several of the same for stacking, and they come in all kinds of plain colours and patterned designs.
Respected outdoor brand Eagle Creek produces some particularly clever cubes. Their sets include compression travel cubes that can reduce the actual volume of the load, or an organiser cube that has sections for both clean clothing and dirty laundry. If a shoe case or set of smaller cubes might suit them better, they offer those too. The range really is innovative, comprehensive and offers great value for money too.
Click here to check out a range of Eagle Creek packing cubes
A travel journal
A travel journal makes a classic Christmas gift, and is among the best presents for travellers everywhere. It suits all ages too. Even if they’re not much of a writer, they can use it as a place to store stickers, business cards, tickets and other mementoes of the journey.
Whether you prefer a handmade leather notebook or a travel journal printed with a world map, there are plenty to choose from. You can’t go wrong with classics like a Lonely Planet or Moleskine journal either. Lonely Planet even make a kids’ version.
Some even come with extra accessories, such as a pen, or are gift boxed. Many have nice details to give them the perfect finish, such as leather binding, travel themed tags or padlocks.
Click here to see travel journals for all the family
A travel pillow
A comfortable travel pillow can make so much difference to long journeys made by car, coach, train or plane. Whether they’re taking an interstate road trip, fulfilling a lifelong dream of going on the Ghan or are jetting off to Europe, a cosy travel pillow can mean catching up on some much-needed sleep.
There are camping travel pillows too, ergonomically designed with curves to make sleeping on the ground a far more attractive option. Some cushions offer lumbar support, while the classic neck pillow for travel is ideal for in-flight snoozing.
An animal-themed kids’ travel pillow will keep young ones quiet, or treat a backpacker to their own compact pillow to make hostel stays more clean and comfortable.
Click here to discover a range of travel pillow products
A Polaroid camera
A retro classic that’s enjoying a resurgence in popularity, the Polaroid camera means users can produce instant printed images. Ideal for those who love to create a travel scrapbook or journal of their trip.
There is also a modern version in the form of the highly rated Fujifilm Instax. Both makes come in a range of colours, types and price ranges. Pick a cool ice white, blush pink or lilac purple Instax for instant pics as well as street cred, or go vintage with an old school style Polaroid. There are some contemporary instant cameras made by the original brand too.
You could also buy them a branded case, and don’t forget to pop some film into their Christmas stocking too.
Click here to see a range of classic and modern instant cameras
Which Christmas presents for travellers will you choose?
We hope this post inspires you when you need to find the perfect Christmas present for a traveller you know. From practical packing kit to a memorable experience or items that are fun or stylish, there is plenty to choose from.
See a selection of gifts for people with hobbies in this comprehensive post, or check out our gift guide for artists. You can also find out what’s going on in your city this Christmas.
Join our Facebook group to jumpstart your Christmas planning all year long!
