The annual Little Grey Box Christmas gift guide is here! If you know someone who loves travel and want to spoil them with the perfect gift this year, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a mix of thoughtful and practical gift ideas that every traveller will love and use. They range from budget-friendly stocking stuffers to gifts for a bigger budget. Here are 60 of the very best Christmas gift ideas for travellers.

Christmas Gift Guide 2018 - 1
  1. Beach lovers will make great use of a sand-repellent towel! These wonder towels are lightweight and quick dry, making them perfect for travel. Sand doesn’t stick to the towel’s unique fabric, so it’s perfect for hitting the beach, yoga, picnics or a whole range of other outdoor adventures. Find Tesalate sand-repellent towels here.
  2. Tama the Kiwi Tiki Tours New Zealand is a travel-inspired children’s book perfect for the little adventurer in your life. Tama the Kiwi explores the landscapes, cities, beaches and farmlands of New Zealand, so children all around the world can get to know this magical country. Find Tama the Kiwi here.
  3. Every traveller needs gorgeous beauty products to take with them and I’ve recently started using some of the Blessed by Nature range! They hit all the things I look for in travel beauty products as they’re non-toxic and made with natural, organic ingredients, cruelty-free and ethical, sustainable and the packaging is 100% recyclable, effective and comes at an affordable price and is Australian-based out of Melbourne. Their micellar water is perfect for easy makeup removal when you don’t have access to a full bathroom while the toner and mattifying moisturiser are hydrating without being sticky. Find Blessed by Nature here.
  4. A small bag specifically designed to hold and organise all your cords is a game changer. It will help travellers to stay organised, ensure their cords don’t get lost or damaged and give your travel-loving friend easy access to all their electronic cords in one, convenient spot. Bonus points if it’s waterproof! Find cord organiser bag here.
  5. Nothing says, ‘I’m a classy, elegant, travelling adult,’ quite like monogrammed travel accessories. A personalised passport holder is a really simple but thoughtful gift idea that you know will be put to fantastic use. Find personalised passport holders here.
  6. For coffee addicts who love to travel, a reusable coffee cup is a great idea. We take ours with us everywhere we go to help us cut down on single-use plastics while still enjoying delicious coffee the world over. KeepCup has a great range and you can ‘design your own,’ for that personal touch. Find reusable coffee cups here.
  1. Speed-up the time someone spends at airport security with a set of clear, carry-on travel toiletry bags. These are perfect for storing all your carry-on liquids and will make it easy for you to grab them out, ready to be scanned at security with none of that, ‘put it in a ziplock bag’ fuss. Find clear carry-on toiletry bags here.
  2. If you’ve got a bigger budget and are keen to give a gift that’ll be put to good use and last a long time, a set of good-quality luggage is perfect! We’ve reviewed and used quite a few different products from the Lojel range and love them all. I have to say, the cubo is my new favourite carry-on! Find Lojel luggage here.
  3. For anyone travelling with a laptop, a brand new laptop sleeve comes in really useful. It’ll keep your laptop safe and secure while ensuring it looks stylish too! Make sure you get the right size for their laptop and one that meets their needs, like a hard-shell or soft shell, modern or classic. Find laptop sleeves here. 
  4. One thing Matt and I use a lot when we travel is reusable bags. They’re a really affordable, simple gift idea or stocking stuffer and are fantastic for things like dirty laundry, keeping underwear, socks and bras separate, storing dirty shoes or putting all your electronic accessories in one spot. Find reusable bags here.
  5. A beautiful, fine art print from a beloved destination is always a great gift idea for travel lovers. Looking at it will remind of them of great travel memories, inspire them to travel more and, hopefully, become the first in a collection of artwork that commemorates their adventures. Find fine art prints here. 
  6. If like us, your travel-loving friend is trying to cut down on single-use plastics as they roam, a reusable straw pouch is a great idea. Albeit a little off-beat, your eco-friendly friend will love it as it will keep their straws safe, clean and on-hand at all times as they travel. Find reusable straw pouch here. 
  1. For overnight getaways and weekend escapes, a duffle bag is always put to good use. You can step your gift-giving game up a level by getting a personalised duffle bag with your friend or loved one’s initials monogrammed on the side. Find personalised duffle bags here. 
  2. If you know someone who needs help getting organised or someone who loves being organised, packing cubes are a great gift idea. Different size cubes are used to store different items like underwear, tops, shorts, jeans and so on. It makes packing easier and helps keep a suitcase or backpack orderly. Find packing cubes here.
  3. A small, inexpensive but essential gift idea is an epic universal travel adaptor. The reason I say epic is because some of the modern ones now allow you to charge up to 5 devices at once while also being compatible with any outlet in the world. It’s easy to pack and incredibly useful! Find awesome universal travel adaptors here.
  4. If the electronics bag caught your eye but didn’t feel quite right, a travel organiser roll is another great option. With loads of pockets to stash USB sticks, batteries, cables, cords and more, it’s a real game changer. Find travel organiser roll here. 
  5. Simple but practical gifts don’t come much better than a portable luggage scale. We were gifted one a few years ago and now it’s become a staple! We use it to check our luggage weights before we depart or return, ensuring a stress-free time at the airport check-in counter. Find portable travel scale here. 
  6. If you know someone who travels with a lot of makeup, a really good makeup travel bag is a great gift idea! It’ll help your loved one keep their makeup organised and in one easy-to-reach place, it’ll also reduce breakages. Find travel makeup bags here.
  1. Matt’s a person who loves practical, useful gifts that help him fix a problem! If you know someone like that, a luggage bungee strap is a great gift idea. It allows you to safely and securely attach another bag to the top of your suitcase, like a backpack or carry-on bag. Find luggage bungee straps here.
  2. Speaking of Matt, I got him a new toiletry bag for Christmas last year and he loved it. A new toiletry bag with plenty of spots to store different lotions, potions and tubes is perfect for travellers and one with a hook for easy hanging comes in very handy in hotel rooms. Find toiletry bag here.
  3. Travel-sized products aren’t just bad for the environment, they’re also very expensive and unnecessary. Investing in a set of refillable, silicone travel bottles is a much better idea. They’re the right size for carry-on, can be used time and time again, are leak-proof and will save you money, ensuring you’ve got your favourite beauty products on hand when you need them most. Find silicone travel bottles here.
  4. Take the annoyance out of safely packing expensive lingerie with a bra and underwear storage bag. You can easily stack your bras, ensuring they don’t get tangled, damaged or snagged and there are pockets for underwear too. An added bonus is there won’t be any embarrassing ‘underwear explosions’ on the airport floor at customs. Find bra and underwear storage bags here.
  5. It may sound simple, but a really beautiful notebook is a great gift idea for travel-lovers. Source a beautiful notebook and some pens, inscribe a personal message inside and inspire someone to finally start that travel journal they’ve been meaning to get to. Find beautiful notebooks here.
  6. Another really simple way to inspire a travel-lover is by choosing a great travel-themed book. Lonely Planet guidebooks always go well, especially if there’s a destination they’ve been dreaming of for some time. Otherwise, books about inspiring women, travel gurus or just wild tales from people who found themselves on the road are always a good pick. Find the perfect travel related book here.
  1. It’s not easy trying to get a good sleep on a plane and an eye mask really does come in useful. A good quality one is always going to be put to use by any traveller, from taking a nap in the air to catching up on sleep in airports, cabs and hotel lobbies. Find the perfect travel eye mask here.
  2. Another in-flight essential that really makes all the difference is the perfect pair of travel socks. When you’re flying long-haul, a good pair of socks helps keep your feet warm and cosy for long periods of time and some are able to help with circulation. Find great travel socks here.
  3. If there’s one thing every traveller needs, it’s a fantastically comfortable pair of walking shoes. Believe me, a great pair of sneakers or walking shoes are a travel essential and will get used time and again on days spent exploring new destinations. Find comfortable walking shoes here.
  4. Matt bought me a wireless, Bluetooth speaker this year and it has become a packing staple. We listen to music while getting ready each day, chilling out in the room or having a few drinks on a beach somewhere, watching the sunset. It always comes in useful and helps us create awesome music memories on the road. Find Bluetooth speaker here.
  5. Another great gift I got from Matt recently was a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. These make a huge difference when travelling, from being stuck on long-haul flights and blocking out all that yucky plane noise to helping pass the time in crowded airports. Find noise-cancelling headphones here.
  6. A simple stocking stuffer and all-around cute gift idea are luggage tags. You can go with a classy, monogrammed option or keep things cute with a funny animal or silicone character. Either way, their luggage will be easier to spot and they’ll think of you each time they pick that bag up off the carousel. Find cute bag tags here.
  1. For a practical gift that will absolutely be put to great use, you cannot go past a fantastic travel wallet. These are great for people who need one central spot to keep their passport, boarding pass, bag tags and anything else essential while in transit. For an extra touch, get them a personalised or monogrammed one. Find travel wallets here.
  2. Last year I made Matt a reusable cutlery kit for us to take on the road he loves it! You can buy or make one, depending on your budget and energy levels. All you’ll need is a pouch or bag and reusable items like a plastic knife, fork, spoon and straw. I picked Matt’s up from Ikea and chose a durable, reusable plastic so it could be easily washed and we wouldn’t have to worry about accidentally getting jabbed with something sharp. Find reusable cutlery kits here.
  3. Every traveller needs a fantastic day bag or handbag, which is why they’re such a great gift idea. Look for something easily stored in a suitcase, like a waterproof or canvas tote, for example. A cute, smaller backpack is a great idea too! You’re looking for something lighter than a full kit backpack that’s usually used as a carry-on or in-between destinations, just a small bag perfect for stashing a water bottle, wallet and hat, for example. Find great day bags here.
  4. Of course, if you have a bigger budget, a new camera is the ultimate travel gift. I always recommend people buy the best camera they can for their budget as you tend to get what you pay for. We’ve recently developed a love affair with Sony and find their camera reliable and their service/repair team amazing! Read my guide on how to choose the perfect travel camera here. Find great cameras here.
  5. You wouldn’t believe how incredibly handy a backup battery pack/portable charger can be. We have quite a few and go through them often when we travel as we always seem to be out exploring for hours on end, using our cameras and phones over and over again. Find portable chargers here.
  6. For an eco-friendly traveller or active adventurer, a really good quality reusable water bottle is a great gift idea or stocking stuffer. We each have one from camelback, which we love and carry with us everywhere when we travel. It’s a great way to ensure we’re always well hydrated, avoiding nasty heat stroke in places like Thailand, and are able to cut back on our single-use plastics wherever possible. Find reusable water bottles here.
  1. For the active traveller in your life, activewear is the perfect gift idea! A great pair of good quality leggings, breathable top or supportive new sports bra will come very useful when they’re scaling mountains in New Zealand or mountain biking in Canada. I use and love Lorna Jane activewear and usually end up wearing it on long-haul flights too. Find amazing activewear here.
  2. If you know someone with a great camera who needs to be able to keep it safe on their many adventures, a dry bag is a fantastic gift. Kept in a day pack and unrolled when it starts to rain or they find themselves in an unexpected situation, camera gear can be placed inside and kept perfectly dry! Find dry bags here.
  3. For anyone with a bigger budget, you simply cannot go past the King of adventure cameras, a GoPro. I’ve seen budget options but I personally wouldn’t trust them the same way I do my GoPro. Matt and I love to use ours when we’re snorkelling, swimming, sliding down waterslides or hiding under waterfalls. They’re ideal for solo travellers but pretty much perfect for travellers of all kinds! Find GoPro here.
  4. If you know someone who already owns a GoPro and loves it, a GoPro dome is a fantastic addition. We use ours to take amazing split shots in the water, meaning we’re able to capture above and below the water at the same time. They’re a great toy for budding photographers or people who just like to take really cool photos. Find GoPro dome here.
  5. Another amazing piece of camera gear for travel lovers is a DJI Mavic or Spark. These smaller drones offer different things for different skill and budget ranges but, either way, are a very cool piece of kit. Just be aware, there are very strict drone laws in place, so make sure the person you buy it for understands these and follows them responsibly. Find DJI Mavic and Spark here.
  6. For anyone who is camera obsessed and takes way too many photos, a memory card case is essential. It’s the perfect way to keep their multiple memory cards safe and secure as they travel, ensuring they don’t get lost or damaged. Find memory card case here.
  1. It may sound simple, but a great hat is always a good gift idea for travellers. Matt and I always travel with hats as we often need them to protect us from long days out in the sun as we explore a new destination. You can’t go wrong with a good ball cap or a nice floppy beach hat. Find a great travel hat here.
  2. Another essential I always have with me when I travel is a gorgeous scarf. Again, it’s very simple but something that comes in so useful. I use scarves to keep warm in cold weather or on long-haul flights, shield me from the harsh sun and as a pillow when I need an unexpected nap. Find a gorgeous scarf here.
  3. If you want to give a gift that will be put to good use year after year, a really good quality coat is ideal. I have a wonderful North Face coat I use every single year and it is my favourite item of travel clothing. It’s waterproof, windproof, goes with everything I own and keeps me warm and dry on every adventure. Find the perfect travel coat here.
  4. A practical gift idea for anyone planning a trip to the snow, a pair of thermal underwear and socks are amazing. They’re the type of thing people don’t think to buy but always need when they head somewhere cold for the first time. Find thermal underwear here and thermal socks here.
  5. Believe it or not, a pair of slippers actually come in very useful when travelling! They’re perfect for shuffling around the hotel in and even better for slipping into when you’re on a long-haul flight, so you can take your sneakers off but not be caught out when it’s time to visit the toilet. Find great travel slippers here.
  6. For anyone collecting countries, a scratch-off world map is essential. It can be pinned up in the house and, after each adventure, a new country can be scratched off until they see the whole world. It’s a great way to ensure mindful travel and keep them inspired to see more of the world. Find scratch off maps here.
  1. If you know someone who loves to get creative, the ‘I was Here,’ travel journal is perfect. Beautifully illustrated, it guides travellers through each journey, helping them overlook the often overlooked. The prompts are fantastic, helping people take notice of the little things and make the most of each moment. It’s also a really lovely keepsake for years to come. Find the ‘I Was Here,’ journal here.
  2. We got a polaroid/instant camera a few years ago and have loved it ever since. It’s a great way to get back to creating travel memories just for you and not necessarily for Instagram. We have a wall of polaroids we’ve taken on adventures and keep just for ourselves, rather than uploading, editing, sharing and tagging them online. Find Fuji Instax Camera here.
  3. A few years ago I was gifted a kit of products from The Laundress by an amazing client and they’ve become my must-pack essentials. The kit includes everything you need to keep the clothing you pack smelling and looking great! Their ‘Travel Pack’, for example, includes fabric fresh spray, an amazing stain solution, a delicate wash soap for hand-washing and the amazing crease release spray – their ‘Starter Kit‘ is also perfect as the wash and stain bar is amazing. This stuff has saved Matt and me countless times! Find The Laundress here. 
  4. Believe it or not, solid perfume is an excellent gift idea for travellers. Being solid, it won’t mess with any liquid limits for carry-on and it’s not anywhere near as fragile as a glass bottle stuff in a backpack for weeks on end. Keep your friend smelling and feeling great as they travel! Find solid perfume here.
  5. For someone, you know well, a new pair of swimmers always goes down well. Be it a brand new one-piece, cute bikini or a pair of boardshorts, your travel-loving loved one will put them to good use toasting cocktails by the hotel pool or snorkelling a coral reef. Find the perfect swimmers here.
  6. Spoil someone with a brand new set of beautiful pyjamas they can take around the world with them. Cotton is great for anyone heading to a warm client while splashing out on a beautiful new pair of silk pyjamas is a lovely way to make someone feel special with a gift they probably wouldn’t treat themselves to. Find beautiful pyjamas here.
  1. I’ve started wearing a lot more linen clothing when I travel and found it to be amazing. A beautiful linen top, dress or pair of shorts will always be put to good use and are the kind of thing that never really goes out of style and can be packed as part of pretty much any outfit to any destination. Find linen clothing here.
  2. For the stylish traveller, Lo & Sons create gorgeous bags for travellers. I’ve had their ‘Claremont’ camera bag for a few years and it’s one of those things I’ll have and use forever. It’s more stylish when I’m doing a ‘fancy’ work trip with upmarket brands, it’s practical and keeps my camera gear safe as I travel. They also have a great range of other bags worth checking out too. Find Lo & Sons here.
  3. If you know someone who loves selfies, Snapchats and all things social media, a Lumee phone case is a great option. The case fits onto a smartphone and comes with LED lights built in around the case frame. When the lights are switched on, they help provide the perfect selfie lighting and can help light up a dark table or room for anyone who takes their story or Snapchat updates seriously. Find Lumee cases here.
  4. Keep a travel lover entertained on long flights, train journeys or nights spent in quiet hostels with a few travel size board games or card games. We recently fell back in love with playing Uno or whipping out a deck of cards for a little bit of fun on the road. It’s a great way to make new friends, learn new games and connect with people outside of social media and the internet. Find travel size board games here.
  5. A simple, but effective gift idea is a set of Credit Card RFID sleeves. These are perfect for someone like Matt who’s very safety conscious! RFID blocking sleeves prevent digital pickpockets by blocking the RFID signals that your credit card, drivers license and passport emit. This makes it difficult for anyone with a scanner to read them from a distance, keeping your card protected. Find credit card RFID sleeves here.
  6. Suprise someone with one of their very own favourite travel photos printed on a canvas or beautifully displayed in a frame. I always find it’s important to do something special with travel photos as they so often get posted to social media and forgotten about. Printing them out to be hung up in someone’s home ensures they’ll see them time and time again, reminding them of the moment and inspiring them to travel more. Find canvas printing here and digital prints here.
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