Gift-giving is already hard enough, but purchasing gifts for someone going abroad can be even more difficult.
For the adventurous person in your life, whether they are your friend traveling abroad for an extended time or someone moving abroad permanently, your gift should be something that will help them on their journey.
It’s best to get them travel-related items like luggage or headphones, while also keeping in mind that the item should be lightweight.
If they’re going camping, hiking or backpacking, you can give them even some practical things like a raincoat or hiking sandals. Here are 20 amazing gifts for someone going abroad!
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Affordable Gifts For Someone Going Abroad
Picking the right gift means you need to think about the person and your relationship with them and what you know about them.
What do they like or dislike? Do they have any specific hobbies? Have they mentioned that they need any particular item for their journey?
How close are you to them? This last one is essential because it will most likely dictate how much money and time you want to spend picking a gift for them.
Here are some smaller, more affordable presents that would be a good option for someone who is more of an acquaintance or work friend.
1. Sustainable Tote Bag And Compact Towel
What’s a better gift than one that keeps on giving? A reusable tote bag is a great choice for friends or family going abroad because it can be used in a variety of ways.
Perhaps they’d like a tote bag to carry their groceries home or equipment for work.
You could choose to give your friend or family member a compact towel along with the reusable bag – because who doesn’t want to dry off their hair quickly after stepping out of the shower?
It’s perfect for travel because it dries quickly and doesn’t take up much space.
2. Journals Or Sketchbooks
Travel journals or sketchbooks are great gifts for someone going abroad because they give people the opportunity to record their thoughts, feelings and observations.
When you go on vacation or travel somewhere new, it can be hard to remember what you’ve done and seen when you get home.
If the person receiving this gift loves to write down their thoughts in journals then they will be able to have a really enjoyable experience writing about their trip while they’re still experiencing it!
There are many different kinds of journals that you can buy that help with this goal.
Some have blank pages where people can write any kind of text – others come with different categories such as “what I learned today” and so on.
Some even come with special illustrations inside them (such as animal sketches) which may inspire creativity even further.
My favorite kind are vintage leather style journals like this one and this one.
If your friend enjoys art or sketching then maybe consider getting them one of these creative sketchbooks – there’s nothing better than seeing an artist’s mind at work through their artwork.
3. Travel Book On Their Destination Or Mode Of Transport
Good travel books are perfect gifts for someone going abroad and who also loves to read.
You can find travel books at any major bookstore, or you can order one online with just a few clicks of your mouse.
Make sure to check out these inspirational slow travel books that I carefully picked out for those who love slow traveling.
Save some time searching by jumping directly to a search based on your friend’s destination:
- Books for traveling Africa
- Books for traveling Europe
- Books for traveling the Middle East
- Books for traveling Asia
- Books for traveling Australia/Oceania
- Books for traveling North America
- Books for traveling Central America
- Books for traveling South America
- Books for traveling the Caribbean
4. Portable Water Purifier
Having a portable water purifier/filter means that you can clean so many liters/gallons of water per cartridge.
They are usually small enough to fit in your pocket or backpack, so your friend can use it while traveling.
When hiking or camping, just fill up the bottle with water from a stream and use the portable water purifier and filter to make sure it’s safe for drinking.
This greatly reduces the risk of getting sick while camping.
5. Earplugs, Eye Mask, Travel Pillow
There’s nothing worse than trying to sleep when you’re traveling.
Sometimes it’s tough to find a comfortable position, and if even if that can be managed, there are usually people talking in the background.
If your friend is going abroad for any length of time, consider getting him or her some eye masks and earplugs to make sure they get quality rest wherever they are.
A good travel pillow should help with neck support while sleeping on airplanes or buses.
It should be nice and soft so it doesn’t create pressure points that would wake up your friend when they shift positions during the night.
A travel pillow like this one works well because it has a memory foam core as well as adjustable.
Personally, I love this inflatable pillow because it takes up less space and weighs way less than a traditional foam neck pillow.
I’ve been using a similar one for 6 years – it has seen so many flights and bus journeys but it’s lasted all that time.
The best eye masks come in different colors so there’s something for everyone – from those who enjoy bright colors (like me) all the way down to those who prefer something more subtle like black.
Here’s one of my favorites, you can get it in black, gray, or a cute shade of pink. If you are looking for a combination of all three, check out this complete rest kit.
6. Passport Holder
A classic leather passport holder is a stylish way to keep a passport, money, credit cards, and other important documents safe while traveling abroad.
It can be clipped onto a backpack or purse so there are no worries about losing it.
It’s also a plus to buy one because your passport is not always recognizable with a cover on it, which could protect it by keeping it a little incognito.
If you’re looking for a holder with cute designs, check this one out and this one.
7. Compact Reusable Utensils, Coffee Mug, etc.
If your friend or loved one is moving abroad, they’re going to be somewhere new and unfamiliar.
It’s good to have a few items that make life easier wherever you go. The best tools are the ones that are small, lightweight, and can be used for multiple purposes.
- Compact reusable utensils: You never know where you might find yourself eating a meal with friends or family when living as a foreigner! This stainless steel set from Finum includes fork, spoon, knife and chopsticks—all in one little case that takes up very little space in your bag.
- Eco reusable coffee mug: If they love coffee as much as I do, then this portable travel coffee mug will be a welcome gift on their journey overseas!
- Ultra-durable water bottle: The Nalgene brand of water bottles are BPA-free, almost indestructible, and leakproof. Though they aren’t fancy (not insulated whatsoever), they are good for someone who needs something simple, long-lasting, and can brave all elements!
8. Compact House Decorations
If your friend is following a nomadic lifestyle, they won’t want extra items weighing them down.
But if your friend is going to live abroad for an extended period of time, it might be nice to give them some house decorations that they can use once they settle in.
However, if they are going abroad and settling in one place for a while, it might be difficult because you don’t want to give them anything large or heavy because it will be harder to transport.
Both fairy lights, posters, scratch-off world maps are great gifts for someone going abroad because they can easily be put up and are lightweight and easy to pack.
This is my favorite scratch-off map, I always take it when I move to a new country.
If you purchase some specialty, handmade throw pillowcases, they can be packed easily and then filled with pillow stuffing when they arrive at their destination.
The most important thing to keep in mind is whether the gift is lightweight, easily packed, and unique enough to be worth transporting around the world.
For unique, handmade items made by local artisans, check out the online store Etsy, they have fabulous stuff.
Higher Priced Gifts For Someone Going Abroad
If you are closer to someone going abroad, you might want to get a more expensive gift for them.
There are so many present options for a friend moving abroad or someone traveling abroad, it might be hard to pick.
Here are some ideas for durable, high-quality gifts for someone going abroad.
9. Long-Lasting Outdoor Gear
If you’re looking for something that’s compact, lightweight and durable, look no further than long-lasting outdoor gear.
These items can be used in any weather and are perfect for cycling, hiking, camping or backpacking.
Examples of long-lasting outdoor gear include:
- Lightweight umbrella
- Waterproof boots – for the city or for hiking
- All-terrain hiking sandals – Chaco brand is the best!
- Waterproof raincoat – Berhaus brand is extremely good quality
- Backpacking/hiking/day trip bag – nothing can compete with the Osprey brand
10. Power Bank
A portable power bank is a must-have for any traveler, especially long-term ones.
With a power bank, your friend can charge a phone and other devices on the go without having to worry about finding an outlet or charging station.
Power banks come in various capacities—so you need to choose one that works for the length of their trip and the type of device(s) they’ll be using it with (e.g., smartwatch, tablet).
Make sure before buying a power bank that it’s compatible with both their phone and other electronics!
11. Portable Wifi Hot Spot
You know when you’re traveling, or even just out and about, and you have to keep checking your phone for important texts or emails?
Well, that’s annoying. And if you’re abroad and don’t have access to a stable connection, it can be downright impossible.
A portable wifi hotspot is a small device that connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth or USB and extends its mobile data signal—your friend will never have trouble staying connected again.
Portable wifi hot spots are small enough to fit in a pocket or purse and weigh only a few ounces at most.
They’re also much cheaper than data plans from a mobile carrier ($10-$30 per day for unlimited 4G LTE service).
Most models even come with an app so the battery life can be tracked.
12. Portable Translator
It’s a good idea to learn even just a little bit of the local language before traveling to a new place. It helps with making friends and getting around easier!
Of course, becoming fluent overnight is impossible so don’t underestimate the power of Google Translate to help.
Many people use it to translate signs, menus, and websites. That’s great for more common languages because it can be pretty accurate.
Unfortunately, it needs to have a stable data connection or alternatively have pre-downloaded an app that has offline translation.
It gets a bit trickier if translation is needed for a language that is not as common because online translators won’t do very well at those.
Living in Albania means that I found out quickly how bad google translate is for Albanian.
Getting a portable translator will make your friend’s life so much easier.
Instead of worrying about data connection, offline downloads, and just general translation reliability, they can focus on enjoying their time and being present in their surroundings.
A translator can be a little expensive, which is why many people opt to just struggle with other subpar alternatives.
But this is exactly why it makes a great gift – it’s something that someone could really use but wouldn’t necessarily buy for themselves.
13. Noise-Canceling Headphones
Noise-canceling headphones are a great gift because they can be used to block out the noise of an airplane, train, or bus ride.
They can also be used to sleep soundly in a hotel room if the hotel is too loud with their guests, or construction workers outside.
They’re also great for focusing during work or while sharing a living space with others.
14. Luggage Set And Luggage Scale
Though it’s a more expensive gift, they will really appreciate having a sturdy set of bags to transport their belongings to their new home or homes.
I highly recommend the Briggs and Riley brand. I own a set myself and they last forever.
They are extremely high quality and one of the only luggage brands to give you a lifetime guarantee.
If any of your bags break, they will fix it or replace them if fixing isn’t an option. Purchasing a Briggs and Riley suitcase is a meaningful investment for your friend going abroad.
If you want to get only one bag, that would still be helpful and you can always include a lightweight luggage scale so they can always make sure they adhere to the different weight requirements of international airlines.
I have this one, it has worked well for years now.
Digital Gifts For Someone Going Abroad
The best way to ensure that your gift for someone going abroad will be useful to them is to make it take up zero space in their suitcase.
Nowadays there are so many digital gifts that you can give. Unfortunately, many people don’t think of them right away.
It is sort of a newer idea and also some of the joy of gift-giving is physically opening a present.
But, if it’s up to me, I would prefer to get something that someone can actually use, rather than a present that they will have to donate or give away because they don’t have space for it.
15. Online Travel Magazine Or Audio Book Subscription
A subscription to an online travel magazine like Condé Nast Traveler is also ideal if you don’t want to give a physical item.
It’s easier than ever before to get magazines through your email inbox every month.
Audiobook subscriptions like Audible are another option if you don’t want to give anything physical at all.
It’s a great way to be learning something new while taking transport to the next destination.
16. House-Sitting Membership
House sitting is a great way to “travel for free” aka, saving money on travel accommodation.
If you get a house-sitting membership as a gift for your friend going abroad, it means that can find house sits in many countries around the world.
It’s a great way to meet locals and learn about the culture. They don’t have to be an expert at gardening or painting walls.
Just maintain the place as if it were their own home, take care of any pets, feed any fish and water plants.
An individual doesn’t need a lot of experience to become a house sitter – read more about what exactly a house sitter does.
If you want to jump straight to purchasing a memmbership, I recommend going with the largest, most reliable house-sitting website, Trustedhousesitters.com.
17. Work Exchange Membership
What is a work exchange? The main gist is that someone swaps their time for free accommodation and food and sometimes other perks too.
A work exchange membership is another great gift for anyone who wants to travel affordably while also making a difference in the world.
It allows a traveler to swap their time for free accommodation, food, and other expenses.
But how does it work? You can purchase a gift membership on one of the many websites that offer work exchanges.
Your friend that is going traveling would then create a profile that describes where they would like to go, when, and what kind of help exchange they are looking for.
Then they would message hosts from all over the world to inquire about the volunteer opportunity.
With a yearly membership, your friend can send unlimited messages to hosts or other work exchangers.
For example, I helped at an eco-tourism villa in Montenegro for 1 month, volunteered at a hostel in Budapest, Hungary, and helped with a language exchange in Tunisia.
A lot of people want longer periods such as 6 months or 1 year but many want shorter ones like 2 weeks at a vineyard or helping out in a hostel.
There are many options so this is great if your friend is very open-minded and adventurous.
The best work exchange platform for beginners is Worldpackers, use my code ‘MAPTREKKING’ or this link to get $10 off.
They don’t have a specific gift membership option but you can always purchase it under your friend’s name.
18. The Gift Of Language (Rosetta Stone)
Having a portable translator is best for convenience and portability.
However, if your friend is moving abroad and settling permanently in one place, then learning the language fully is the best option.
Rosetta Stone is a program that helps a person learn a language quickly. It is available on a lot of different devices, including computers and phones.
This means that your friends can use it to learn a new language even if they are traveling with just their phone.
It’s also a good option for taking up zero space in the suitcase—one less thing to worry about packing!
19. Spotify Or Netflix Gift Card
Spotify and Netflix gift cards are great gifts for someone going abroad.
Both are good entertainment options for people who love to travel, especially if they’re going somewhere with limited internet access.
You can choose from a three-month subscription or even a year-long membership, depending on how long you think your friend will be traveling for.
If you want to give them some specially curated music, use Spotify to create some playlists with all their favorite songs.
And if you want to give them something fun while they’re going abroad, Netflix has tons of movies and TV shows that can be pre-downloaded on a device.
20. Amazon Gift Card
If you’ve made it this far and still haven’t found something suitable, well you might as well just give up!
Just kidding, when in doubt, you can always get your friend an Amazon gift card so they can choose.
Honestly, some people are incredibly picky, so there’s no shame in letting them pick what they want.
Final Thoughts
I hope these gifts for someone going abroad have inspired you! Hopefully, it helped you find the perfect gift.
No matter what you end up choosing, I’m sure they will appreciate it and know that you are wishing them all the best on their exciting new journey.
Check out these practical gifts for road trip lovers in your life – ps all of them are under $40!
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