Fourteen great Christmas gift ideas for someone who loves travel

It can often seem like it’s impossible to buy Christmas presents for someone who loves travel. These are people, after all, who desire experiences, not items. And sometimes extra stuff can just weigh you down.

However, fear not, because successful travel is all about making things easy for yourself, and there is a whole swag of items out there that are designed to do that – and some of them even work.

The following are my gift ideas for the travel obsessives in your life. I’ve tried most of these myself, and can personally vouch for them (and only one was sent to me as a gift). If you’re battling for ideas this Christmas, this list is your go-to.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra noise-cancelling headphones, $495

A lavish gift: Bose QuietComfort headphones.Credit: AP

This was my lavish gift to myself this year, and I couldn’t be happier. If you love music, and you also love drowning out the sounds of aircraft noise and screaming children, then high-quality noise-cancelling headphones are the greatest things ever. The sound quality on these Bose headphones is bonkers, and the Bluetooth connection is flawless, though there’s also a cord for plugging in to the aircraft entertainment system.

JR/Eurail pass

There’s perhaps no greater gift to a traveller than a ticket to ride, and these are some of the best tickets going. Both a JR Pass (for Japan) and a Eurail Pass (for Europe) will allow the traveller in your life to enjoy train travel in their destination of choice, opening up a whole world of destinations they might previously have disregarded, not to mention access to a safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly form of transport.

Neck pillow, $63

The original Ostrichpillow – though they also make smaller, more subtle neck pillows.

There are some who swear by the Trtl travel pillow, and though I’m not one of them, I understand their appeal. There are other options out there too, many of which will make life far more comfortable for your travelling gift recipient. Try the Cabeau Evolution s3, the Ostrichpillow Go Neck Pillow, the Snoooze Travel Pillow, or – if you’re feeling hilarious – the Ostrichpillow Original.

On Cloud 5 shoes, $240

Cloud 5 … light and dry quickly, two benefits for travellers.

I haven’t tried these shoes – I’ve joined the cult of Hoka – but I have travelled with numerous people this year who swear by them. On shoes are small, super lightweight, they dry very quickly, and they’re also really comfortable. Oh, and they look good too. The Cloud 5 is the classic shoe for travellers, with a “speed-lacing” system that means no more laboured shoe removals at security checks, temples, homes …

Packing cubes, $55

This is not an exciting present. It’s more a secret Santa present. Or a little extra on top of something interesting. Still, if someone you know loves to travel they will get a lot of use out of a simple set of packing cubes, which help organise and compress your gear. Australian brand July makes good ones.

A home town tourism experience

Take a tour with the Koorie Heritage Trust in Melbourne.Credit: Visit Victoria

Travel doesn’t have to mean going far. And, ironically, it’s often the travel obsessives who are most in need of reminding of the attractions on their doorstep. So this Christmas, support locals by gifting a local tourism experience. Maybe that’s a food tour with Local Sauce in Sydney or Brisbane, a walking tour with Koorie Heritage Trust in Melbourne, or one of thousands of other options.

WSET wine or sake course

Knowledge is power for travellers. The more you know about a particular niche interest you might have, the further you’re able to dive into it when you travel. With that in mind, you can further the knowledge of anyone who is into wine or sake with an introductory course from WSET, the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. Just prepare for a lot of nerdy wine and sake chat in your house.

Panasonic compact shaver, $299

I dislike shaving so much that I developed an entire facial hair style to enable me to mostly avoid it. Still, there are patches that need doing, which means I have to travel with something to do it. Earlier this year I was given Panasonic’s super-compact ES-CM3A electric shaver, and I’m a fan. It’s smaller than a deck of cards, and yet has a three-blade shaver and enough power to get – me at least – through multiple shaves before charging.

Bon Voyage toiletry bag, $43

Good-quality reusable toiletry containers are always going to come in handy for travellers, particularly those hoping to go carry-on-only. It’s also nice to have a good toiletries bag: try the Bon Voyage bags from Bon Maxie, a Brisbane-based company whose bags are capacious, and allow you to store bottles and jars standing up (which I’m reliably told makes them easier to sort through).

Socks

Like packing cubes, socks are not a sexy present. But they are crucial to the travel experience, whether you’re walking long distances every day, or just trying to slip your shoes off on the plane without stinking the place out. Your choice here will depend on the habits of the person you’re buying for, though pure merino or bamboo are the way to go.

Good eye mask, $16

The Alaska Bear Sleep Mask.

I’ve tried a lot of these, and they make all the difference between a few fits of broken plane sleep, and a decent four or five hours of proper rest. Go for a bubble-style mask that leaves space around your eyes, so your whole face doesn’t feel compressed. The Alaska Bear Sleep Mask will do the job.

Phone camera accessories

The Joby GripTight tripod.

Almost every single traveller now will carry a smartphone, and will use it as their primary tool for capturing images. So help your Christmas recipient to up their travel photography game with a few lightweight nicknacks such as a simple Joby GripTight tripod, or a fancy DJI Osmo gimbal.

Apple AirTag, $49, or Tile, $19.97

Never lose your bags – or your kids – again.

Luggage seems to be “mishandled” with increasing frequency these days, which makes an AirTag – a GPS tracker about the size of a 20¢ piece – a no-brainer for any traveller. For parents concerned about losing their kids in large crowds, these can also be great for zipping into their pockets. For Android users, a Tile does a similar job.

Travel chopsticks, $19

Disposable wooden chopsticks are terrible for the environment: they contribute to deforestation, and they’re also chemically treated, so pollute landfill, and cause pollution if they’re burnt. Instead, travellers should all have a set of reusable chopsticks in a handy case: try the Tochi chopticks case set from Majime Life.

What’s on your travel wish list this Christmas? Leave a comment below.