Got someone in your life who loves to travel but you’re not sure what to buy them?

Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with these 20 cool gifts for travelers this Christmas.

In curating this list, I’ve added things that we use ourselves and couldn’t do without, along with things on our wishlist to Santa!

The list contains:

• a little bit of cool tech,
• a little bit of comfort,
• some gear to keep you safe, and 
• some entertainment options.

But before we get into the list, I need to apologize – I know I’ve left the publication of this blog a bit close to Christmas, and postal services are already under strain. I have no real excuse except we’ve been on the move and haven’t had time.

So, if you see something you like, I strongly advise that if you’re not already a AMAZON PRIME member, sign up for a FREE 1-month trial to get expedited delivery (amongst other benefits). That will take you all the way through Christmas, the Boxing Day sales, and New Year. You can always cancel before the end of the trial if you don’t want to continue.

Note: Catch Our Travel Bug is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. If you click any of the links and buy something on the site, we will receive a small commission (without costing you anything more!)

Cool Tech For Travelers

Our cheapo power bank we bought on the ferry from the UK to France died recently. We only realized how much we relied on it once it did. Hence, we’re on the hunt for a new one, which will hopefully last a little longer.

Because of how we travel, any gadgets we buy must be light, powerful, fast, and durable.

The best-selling INIU 22.5W fast charging power bank fits all those criteria and has earned a “Best-Seller” label on Amazon, so it’s made its way to the top of our list.

I have always said I wanted to be able to blink and take a picture of what I could see, especially when on the bikes. There’s just no time to pull out a device, focus and snap. Looks like technology has caught up.

These Rayban Meta Smartglasses – Headliner  with built-in HD camera (among other awesome functions) and a long-lasting battery get great reviews. There are a bunch of cheaper options available if the price tag is too hefty.

Google Translate does a pretty decent job, but the new business card-sized Pocketalk S two-way translators are out of this world.

The latest model comes with a complimentary 2-year LTE cellular data plan for over 130 countries. Considering how much it’s cost us on SIMs recently (20 USD for 4 days in KUWAIT, $22 USD for 10 days in Bahrain!), we’d probably save money!

It also has many special features to help you learn and practice the different languages. How much more rewarding would your travel experience be if you could freely converse with the locals?

I can’t tell you the number of adaptors we’ve gone through over the years. I haven’t bought a computer or phone in the same country in decades. And the number of rooms we’ve had with only one spare socket doesn’t bear thinking about.

Hence, a sturdy but lightweight universal adaptor that allows fast charging with plenty of ports is necessary for any trip.

This 100W Charger from Lenient looks exceptional and is compatible with 200+ countries. (That’s no mean feat as there are only 193 recognized by the UN!)

 Travel Gear for Comfort and Organization

We don’t really bother with refillable bottles as we’re traveling all the time, and the travel sets are typically smaller volumes than we find convenient. But for short trips, these can save you time and money, especially if you use high-end hair products.

When buying this type of product, the keywords are ‘leak-proof,’ ‘unbreakable,’ and ‘light!’. ‘Squeezable’ is also handy.

I quite like this MrsDry, as it comes with different size bottles and a funnel!

In my messy pack, packing cubes save the day. I have 3 – A small one for underwear and 2 larger ones for outerwear.

Sometimes, I organize them into tops and bottoms. But when we’re cycle touring, I have 1 for ride gear and the other for streetwear.

There are a lot of brands and combinations available, so it’s worth having a good think about what works best for you. Ours are from Kathmandu and Eagle Creek and are still in excellent condition after 12 years.

While checking out the best deals atm on Amazon, I noticed they have their own ‘Amazon Basics 4 part set,’  which gets excellent reviews might be a good starting point for your research.

I typically use the pillow provided by the airline or scrunch up my fleece in my collapsible day pack if we do long flights or bus rides.

That means I usually arrive at our destination looking like Quasimodo and rely on ibuprofen to get me through the next few days.

However, there are many cool-looking, lightweight, ergonomic travel pillows on the market now, which would probably save me some pain.

Some of them are a bit chunky and look awkward to carry. But this trlt Travel and Airplane Pillow is compact and super lightweight (138g) and gets excellent reviews.

Most of you who’ve been following us for a while know that I don’t function without a good dose of caffeine in the morning. So I carry a collapsible pour over silicone filter, papers, and ground coffee with me so I can continue being human anywhere I can get hold of a cup and boiling water.

But sourcing the right size filter papers in more isolated locations can be a challenge. And, there’s a ‘spill factor’ if you are half asleep while using it.

So, as my next upgrade, I’m looking at the Final Press Coffee and Tea Maker.

It’s lightweight and compact, removes the need for filter papers, and reduces the spill factor and messiness.

We bought our Scrubba Wash Bag  in 2023, which paid for itself in one 2-month cycle tour.

If you want to pack light but stay clean, this gadget is handy for doing small loads of washing to dry overnight. It takes less than 15 minutes to do a double wash/double rinse process, which is as good as a machine.

It’s not particularly helpful for heavy clothing if drying conditions are challenging, as who wants to pack wet clothes? But it’s super useful for quick-dry underwear, t-shirts, and travel garments. 

To reduce mess, weight, and pollution, I use laundry leaves  in the Scrubba.

My passport is THE thing I protect the most when traveling. Wear and tear can quickly render them unusable, and it’s expensive and inconvenient to replace them while traveling, not to mention that feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach when you can’t lay your hands on it.

I bought my current holder in a cute little gift shop in Hoi An – Vietnam, but it doesn’t have the extra security factors like the Airtag pocket and RFID protection that this stylish Stouch model does.

 Travel Safety Gear

I love my Pacsafe Handbag. It was gifted to me in 2020, and I’ve used it constantly since. But it’s looking a little shabby these days, so I’m searching for a replacement. ‘Must have’s’ include:

• An anti-slash strap and external fabric, 
• A zipper fastener (to prevent sneaking opening) and 
• At least one closed internal compartment for things like my passport.

This Pacsafe Metro Ls100 3 liter meets all my criteria, although it’s a little larger than my current one. They also have a similar men’s version, although the style is pretty gender-neutral if you ask me.

We have had travel money belts since we first started traveling in 1996. While traveling, we keep our emergency cards and cash in them and switch our passports in and out, depending on the situation.

They are handy when traveling on public transport, overnight trains, buses, and in areas infamous for snatch and grab. 

The key thing when using a money belt is comfort, so look carefully at the materials, fixtures (zips and clips), and shape. You don’t want bits digging in, chafing, or causing discomfort.

Our current belts are from Kathmandu but are similar to these Peak Gear Travel Money Belts. These are especially good value as they have an Exclusive Theft Protection (250 USD) police and 2 Recovery Tags.

Tummy troubles are the bain of every traveler. Water-borne diseases are one of the biggest causes of tummy troubles.

However, single-use plastic bottles are one of the biggest polluters worldwide, especially in countries with the greatest risk, and there are typically poor recycling programs.

In the November newsletter, I wrote about our approach to safe water and gave some solutions. The Lifestraw range is one of the best solutions. I’m currently deciding between:

The Lifestraw Collapsible 1 L System  (lightweight, compact, and cheaper) Or

One of the Lifestraw Go Series which is a little bit heavier and more expensive but solid.

If we are concerned about our safety or privacy in our accommodation, we’ll typically use our packs, a chair, or something else against the door to add an extra layer of security.

But, if you want to have something a bit more reliable, there are a bunch of lightweight but effective door locks and chocks on the market nowadays.

I like this MBBEST dual protection system with an alarm and a locking device. I’d much rather the bad guys get scared away than we have to deal with them.

Let’s face it: if the bad guys really want to get into your bags, they will.

But given the choice between a bag with a sturdy lock and one without, I’m guessing they’d choose the easy route. These SURE LOCK TSA-approved combination locks are cheap, strong, and light and could save you a fortune.

 Travel Entertainment

What traveler doesn’t love a great travel book?

The Lonely Planet has an exceptional range of travel guides and books that will inspire travelers from all walks of life and budget levels.

Here are a couple of cool ideas:

Lonely Planet’s Where to Go When 

Best in Travel 2025

You Only Live Once

Dream Trips of the World

Following on from the suggestion above, who doesn’t like to read a good book while on holiday?

But let’s face it, books are heavy and take up space. An ebook reader and a subscription to Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Audible are all potential solutions to that problem.

Technology has come a long way since I bought my first Kindle over 10 years ago. But it still works!!!

There are many new Amazon Kindle models, but this basic 2024 version has everything you need.

You can get a FREE 1-month trial of Kindle Unlimited,  so you can try it before you buy. 

Or, for those that like to listen, you can have a 1-month FREE trial for Audible 

If we had a house again, this is one of the first things going up on the wall for bragging rights.

The homeowners we are sitting for in Bahrain at the moment have this one with the flags below the countries, and it looks great.

Experiencing authentic international cuisine is one of the highlights of our travels. 

Why not give your favorite traveler a unique food experience?

Our partners at EATWITH currently have 20% off their Gift Cards. Eatwith is the largest global community for authentic culinary experiences with passionate locals worldwide, specializing in food tours, cooking classes, and food experiences.

You can choose gift cards for the following amounts:

• Get a €25 gift card for only €20,
• Get a €50 gift card for only €40,
• Get a €100 gift card for only €80.

Gift cards can also be customized and sent to an inbox immediately or scheduled for a later date and are valid for 1 year from the purchase date. (Which should give your traveler plenty of time to use it.)

Ho, Ho, Ho.

Why not give someone the keys to FREE accommodation in amazing destinations worldwide with Our Housesitter’s Roadmap?

The course contains all our secrets on becoming a sought-after housesitter and exploring the world with no accommodation costs. 

Our decade of experience housesitting on 5 continents is distilled into one comprehensive course containing all our tips, shortcuts, processes, examples, checklists, and templates.

And as a special XMAS gift, you can use

DISCOUNT CODE:  XMAS20

to save 20 USD until midnight on December 25th

So that’s a wrap. Hopefully, you’ll find a bunch of cool gifts for the travelers in your life at every price range.

I’ve got my fingers crossed that Santa brings me at least a couple of them.

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!