Gifts for a Travel Lover: 2022 UK Travel Gift Guide

1) Joto Waterproof Phone Case

A waterproof phone case is a great gift for a travel lover. If you’re friends with someone who loves travel, chances are they’ll love being in the water!

Surprise them by buying a waterproof phone case so they can take photos in the water without damaging their phone!

2) New York Times Travel Books

If your friend is a bit of a bookworm, or likes to look at photos of countries from all over the world, I’d suggest buying books from the NYT Travel series.

Not only do they look pretty, but they’re made to help travel planning with routes and itineraries, as well as recommendations of where to eat, stay and visit.

They also look great on a bookshelf!

3) Dry Waterproof Bag

You may think this is a boring one, but as someone who loves their dry bag, I can assure you it’s not!

A good dry bag is essential for any frequent traveller. Whether they like swimming, surfing, scuba diving, or even boat trips – a dry bag keeps everything safe and dry, even when submerged in water.

Plus, you can get some really cute ones now! 
I use an arteesol Waterproof Dry Bag, and mine holds 10L. The size really depends on how much the bag needs to carry, but 10L is a good middle-ground if you’re unsure!

4) Packing Cubes

What travel lover wouldn’t be happy with packing cubes? 

Packing cubes are a thing most travellers don’t want to spend money on, but if they’re bought as a gift, they’ll get a whole lot of use out of them!

One of the more practical items on the list, having packing cubes allows you to fill up your suitcase or backpack with double the clothes you’d be able to pack without them. 

Totally worth it, and an amazing gift for a travel lover!

buy here

5) A Revolving Globe

This one is more for travellers who have a home base and want to decorate their living room with globes, maps, and other trinkets that resemble their love for travel.

I spotted this revolving globe in Waterstones around six months ago, and knew I had to have it! It now sits on my desk where I can daydream about travelling to new countries every day. 

6) Stojo Collapsible Cup

Not only is the Stojo collapsible coffee cup made from recyclable materials and lessens the need for disposable cups, but it is PERFECT for travellers on the go. 

The cup squishes down to a tiny 2-inch height, meaning it can be packed away easily and take up minimal packing space. It’s also leakproof and fully insulated, and looks cute too!

Buying a reusable, collapsible coffee cup for a travel lover is always going to be a great gift (especially if they love coffee!)

7) A hanging wash bag

This is another item that travellers might be reluctant to buy, but when it’s bought for them, it’s an item they’ll wonder how they ever lived without!

Most travellers or first-time backpackers will stay in hostels. Staying in hostels means sharing a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and every other space they’re used to having to themselves. 

Having a hanging wash bag ensures the traveller’s toiletries are all kept in one place, without accidentally leaving something behind. 

This wash bag is 100% waterproof, has multiple compartments for different toiletries and has a smart hook that can be hung from any towel rack, cupboard or coat peg. It’s lightweight, easy to carry and transport, and the perfect addition to any traveller’s backpack!

8) Dock & Bay Microfibre Towel

A Microfibre towel is something every traveller should have on their packing list. Packing space for backpackers is always limited, so having a lightweight, compact towel that can be packed away easily is always a winner!

Dock & Bay towels are made from 100% recyclable materials and are even designed to ensure they don’t pick up and collect sand on beach days. They’re super soft and come in a range of different colours.

They also dry up to 3x faster than standard towels and because of the material, they’re free from icky damp smells, even when wet. A great gift for a travel lover!

9) Inspired Traveller’s Guides

Another favourite for a travel lover, the Inspired Traveller’s Guides are amazing gifts for those who love to add to their bookshelf. 

Each book in the series offers an informative and fun illustrated guide to destinations around the world. 

I’ve started to collect the whole series, and I haven’t found one I don’t like yet!

10) A Disposable Camera

Whilst your friend or family member might be using an expensive camera for their travels, having a disposable camera is also an amazing way to take photos of memories!

Disposable cameras have a distinct vintage and retro look to their prints, and they can be emailed digitally so they can easily be uploaded to social media. 

Some of my favourite photos I’ve taken have been candid disposable moments!

11) Card Games

Card games are always a great addition to a traveller’s backpack. Most first-time backpackers will stay in hostels, and an easy way to make friends is to pull out a pack of cards!

Whilst travelling solo myself, I’ve either used:

• A pack of regular cards
• Monopoly Deal
• Uno 

All three are guaranteed to make sure your travel-loving pal has something to break the ice with!

12) Metal Straws and Cleaner

Your travel-loving friend will love you if you buy something environmentally friendly and helpful for them on the road! 

I met so many people whilst backpacking who had their own straws, and it made me buy my own pack! They’re easy to clean and help save the planet. It’s a win-win!

13) Portable Outdoor Firepit

If the person you’re buying for likes camping, road trips or van life, you might want to buy them a portable fire pit. 

We used ours all the time whilst travelling Scotland in our van, and it is the perfect addition to the camping life!

14) A Chilly Bottle

Another practical yet fun gift for a travel lover is a chilly bottle. Chilly bottles are double wall insulated, meaning they maintain the temperature of the drink inside, regardless of the temperature outside. 

That means even if you’re on the beaches of Australia or the desert of Jordan, you can still have freezing cold water for up to 24 hours after filling your bottle!

Chilly bottles also keep hot drinks piping hot for up to 12 hours after filling, without changing the taste of the drink inside. 

And the best thing for travellers? It’s lightweight! So again, another item that won’t add kilograms to a baggage allowance.

15) A TRTL Pillow

Another valuable and helpful gift for a travel lover could be a TRTL pillow. Gone are the days when you need a big bulky pillow taking up room or hanging off the side of your bag.

TRTL pillows are scientifically proven to keep your head in a better position when sleeping upright on long flights or coach journeys. It’s also super soft and fleece-like and weighs less than half a pound, so it’s comfortable and lightweight (winner!)

16) Happy Plugs

Every traveller and backpacker needs a decent pair of earphones. We go on long train, bus, plane and car journeys and without earphones, well, life would be pretty quiet. 

Whilst some travellers may prefer Airpods, a cheaper alternative is the modern and high-quality sounding Happy Plugs.

I’ve personally used Happy Plugs for a while, and can confirm the battery lasts for days. The sound quality is amazing and they’re super easy to connect and use. An amazing item to buy for a travel lover!

17) Phone Camera Filter

One thing that would up a traveller’s photography game is a phone camera filter. ]Filters are used to sharpen images, as well as shoot clear and crisp photos whether used professionally or just for fun.

The filters are portable, and with a Bluetooth shutter, it makes it easy to take stable photos. 

An amazing gift for someone who likes to take photos of their travels on their phone!

18) Gym Bear Clothing

If you’re travelling for a long time, chances are you’ll be wearing gym clothes a lot of the time! My go-to for affordable but high-quality gym wear in the UK is Gym Bear. 

My favourite item of theirs is their black gym leggings, but I also love their sports bras and tops!

They’re an amazing gift for a travel lover as they can be worn time and time again!

19) Birkenstocks

An easy win for a travel gift is a pair of Birkenstocks. If someone you know is travelling for the first time, chances are they’ll overpack. Buying versatile Birkenstocks is a great addition to a packing list because they take the role of so many pairs of shoes.

For example, Birkenstocks can be used for long walks, beach days, nights out, date nights – you name it, they can be used when travelling!

I wouldn’t travel without my Birkenstocks, and I highly recommend you (or your travel pal) gets some too!

20) A Kindle

Top of my high-end gifts for travel lovers has to be a Kindle. A Kindle is one of the best gifts you can get a travel lover (if they don’t already have one), as they take up practically zero space and allow you to read whilst on the go.

As a backpacker myself, the last thing I want to pack are books. But, I love to read. So how do I get around this? By carrying a Kindle, of course! 

If whoever you’re buying for doesn’t have a Kindle yet, add it to the list!

21) GoPro Waterproof Camera

If your travel-loving friend loves photography, the chances are they’ll already have their own camera and equipment. But do they have a GoPro?!

Owning a GoPro is a game changer when it comes to underwater and motion photography. They’re quite expensive, so it might be something a budget backpacker doesn’t want to splurge out on. Making it even more special if it’s a gift!

If you don’t want to fork out on the latest Hero10, most of the GoPro cameras from the last few years are still great quality at a lower price.

22) A Dry Robe

If your travel-obsessed friend loves the water, a great gift is a dry robe. Dry robes are 100% waterproof and fleece-lined to ensure getting changed is as easy (and warm) as possible. 

Perfect for people who love swimming in the cold seas of Scotland or surfing in Cornwall, this Dry Robe looks good and has multiple zippable pockets for your phone and belongings. 

The one I’ve linked is my favourite, and it comes in lots of different colours!

23) A tripod

Another great gift for travel lovers is a tripod. If the person you’re buying a gift for is solo travelling for the first time, a tripod is a great way for them to take their own photos. 

Whilst there are hundreds of good tripods out there, the Manfrotto Befree Advanced is our favourite. This is because this tripod is super lightweight and can be folded away easily, as well as having a number of different attachments.

24) Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 

If you’ve read anything else on my blog, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of my Instax Mini 11. It’s a small and portable instant camera that prints off aesthetic polaroid photos in seconds!

If you’re buying a friend a polaroid, you could even throw in a scrapbook too. This means they’ll have somewhere to put their photos!

26) Hiking Boots

If your pal hasn’t already got some hiking boots, it’s an easy win for a travel gift. 

Hiking boots are quite personal, but by far the best ones I’ve had (that won’t break the bank) are these Columbia Newton Ridge boots.