With the holidays just around the corner, it’s time to dig deep and think about what kinds of gifts your loved ones are going to really appreciate and actually get some use out of.
If the person in your life loves to travel, it can be tricky to find affordable presents – after all flight vouchers and excursions for upcoming trips can be pretty expensive. Add in the fact that travellers don’t normally want to be carrying around a lot of unnecessary stuff and weight, it can make gift buying even harder.
That’s why we’ve put together our list of nine amazing travel gifts ideas for under £20. They’re lightweight, they’re useful and, most importantly, traveller approved and loved.
So, let’s dive right in, here are our 9 amazing travel gifts for under £20!
1. Lonely Planet’s Best Ever Travel Tips
Price: £4.99
If there is a company (besides HostelPass, of course) that is consistently at the top of the game when it comes to travel advice and the best up and coming destinations to visit, it’s Lonely Planet. They’ve been the go-to for travellers, particularly solo travellers for years now.
Give your travel-loving friend or family member the gift of travel inspiration for under £20 with this pocket-sized handbook full of tips and tricks to help them get the most out of their holidays. From beating jet lag, to tips for how to find gluten-free and vegan places to eat in different countries, to traveling light and plastic free – this little book is going to become your travel-lover’s best friend.
2. I’ve Got To Fly Travel Gift Set by Joules
Price: £12
Unfortunately we can’t always rely on the airlines to provide the flight masks and goodies we need to have a relaxing journey to our final destination. Also, when we’re on planes for prolonged amounts of time or in winter, the harsh airflow system can leave our skin dry and cracked – it’s not a great feeling when all you want to do is step off the plane and straight into adventure. Instead, sit back and travel in style and comfort with this travel gift set by Joules.
It features an eye mask, body butter, body wash and lip balm in a handy travel bag. All the liquids are under the designated 100ml limits, so it’s ideal for long haul or evening flights. Simply throw it into your carry on and be the envy of everyone in your row.
3. The Hostel Card
Price: £19.99
Next on our list of 9 amazing travel gifts is the Hostel Card. We all know that travelling can be expensive, especially when it comes to accommodation in major European cities. Give your travel-obsessed loved ones the amazing travel gift of absolute bargains with the Hostel Card.
With a whole host of high quality hostels to choose from, the Hostel Card gives you up to 20% any kind of hostel accommodation – dorm beds or private rooms – and also includes other perks like free drinks, breakfast, and discounted tours depending on the location! This is something they’re guaranteed to love and actually use.
4. Soft Comfortable Hooded Neck Travel Pillow
Price: £6.49
Simply put, this is an absolute bargain for the amount of comfort and use your travel loving friend or family member is going to get out of it. It’s an ideal stocking stuffer and almost guaranteed to impress them.
This hooded neck travel pillow goes beyond the flimsy, sometimes overly firm travel pillow we’re used to seeing dotted around the duty free sections of the airport. The neck section is filled with malleable polystyrene microbeads, designed to mould to the contours of your head, neck and shoulders. The added soft hood keeps your head warm and cosy whilst blocking out any unwanted light from other passengers.
5. Bookaroo Travel Tech-Tidy
Price: £15.89
The ideal gift for anyone techy travellers in your life, the Bookaroo Travel Tech-Tidy is the perfect way to keep all your cables, chargers, headphones and other electrical goods in one place and safe from getting knotted or broken.
We’ve all been in those situations where we get to the hostel or hotel, our phone is on less than 10% and we end up pulling everything out of our case to try and find our charger. It’s too much of a faff when we’re trying to enjoy a calming, stress-free trip. So, do your traveller a favour and keep them organised, tidy and happy.
6. Puroma 2 Pack 4 Digit Combination Lock
Price: £8.48
A lock might seem like a weird gift to get someone but honestly it might be the most useful, amazing travel gift they get that year. Especially if you’re backpacking around different cities and staying in hostels, you’re going to want to make sure all your stuff is secure in the specified lockers.
The reason you want two is it’s always best to have more in case you lose it and if you’ve got a day pack and a main kit bag, you might need double storage. Also, if you’re buying locks for travelling, make sure they’re combination ones – I have so many travel locks with missing keys from different trips.
7. Exploration Journal by Crabtree and Evelyn
Price: £18
Although a lot of us now document our travels online and through photos and videos, sometimes you can’t beat the written word for capturing a place and the feeling you have when you’re there. So, if you have a traveller in your life that’s also a writer or a lover of travel writing, this is going to be a winner.
This isn’t just a standard journal though, there are itinerary trackers, slots for photos, a world map that you can colour in and a super useful packing list. Also, the attached pen holder means that you can use it anytime, anywhere. As a bonus 5% of all Bali Collection profits will be donated to TAKSU Foundation, supporting Balinese communities.
8. Hyleton Worldwide Travel Adapter
Price: £23.89
Travel adapters are probably the item I have forgotten to pack the most times in the past. Chargers I remember, but can I use them once I’ve arrived – sadly not. This Hyleton worldwide travel adapter is perfect because it’s compact, with multiple USB and mains charging points and comes in its own handy case.
Another thing that’s great about it is that instead of having to twist the plug pins or slot in different configurations to find the right local plug for your location, there’s a simple slider system on the side. No more cautiously twisting away thinking you’re going to break your only adapter for the entire trip.
9. Eco Shampoo & Conditioner Bar Travel Case by Foamie
Price: £2.97
Okay, so this is a bargain by anyone’s standard and it might seem like a weird gift choice on the surface, but this travel case is so, so useful when you’re travelling around. Shampoo and conditioner bars are becoming more and more popular among travellers not only because they’re eco-friendly and great for the planet, but because they’re lightweight and have a lower risk of leaking in your bag.
However, anyone who’s used a shampoo or conditioner bar knows that they don’t dry very quickly so if you’re moving your stuff from your room to the shared bathrooms or are city hopping, you might end up with a soggy, soapy bar in with the rest of your stuff. So, this lightweight, eco-friendly travel case is a massive help and an amazing travel gift idea.
Did you like our list of the 9 amazing travel gifts?
There are so many travel-related gifts that end up sitting in a cupboard or are more of a novelty than anything else. These 9 amazing travel gifts are not only affordable, but they’re all things that have been tried, tested and loved by travellers over and over again. Let us know which is your favourite by commenting below!
