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I don’t know how many times I get asked what are the best gifts for someone traveling abroad. Maybe it’s because I live abroad and usually have lots of suggestions for great travel gifts for students. Or maybe it’s because I worked in study abroad and international student housing for 15 years that gives me some credibility.
But then it got me thinking that there are some differences between gifts for someone who is traveling abroad versus domestically. And it really doesn’t matter if you are a mature traveler or a student going on an international study abroad program.
Safety, convenience and connectivity are important factors when traveling abroad. Not that you don’t think about this domestically, but the newness of traveling someplace foreign or exotic might make you forget simple things, or let your guard down when you shouldn’t.
Here are 20 of the best gifts for someone going abroad for you to consider. Most of these are my go-to items when I travel and these are super travel gifts for a student studying abroad as well. And there’s one free one at the end.
Universal Travel Power Adapter
These are not expensive travel gifts, so get a couple of them. I’m constantly going back and forth between the UK and France, and I don’t leave home without this.
This is probably single-handedly one of the best gifts for someone who is going abroad. Plus this great travel adapter has 4 USB ports so it’s great for plugging in your phones, tablets as well as your computer, simultaneously.
Read the reviews and buy this power universal travel power adapter here
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Travel Wallet and Family Passport Holder
If you’re wondering what to gift someone going abroad, why not give the gift of a family passport travel wallet? They are thoughtful travel gifts for couples or families traveling abroad. You can keep all your passports, credit cards and tickets in one place and it has Rfid blocking built in so that your card details cannot be copied without your knowledge.
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen couples arguing at the airport because someone can’t find their boarding pass or passport at the bottom of their ‘big-ass’ purse. You’ve had months to prepare for this moment! Do us all a favor and get one of these.
Check out this Travel wallet and others here
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Boingo International WiFi Access
This is a great gift to give someone traveling abroad, so they don’t have to scramble for internet access wherever they go. Boingo has more than a million WiFi spots throughout the world. My niece could have used this when she was here several years ago traveling throughout the Mediterranean.
It’s simple to sign up and you’ll be sure to find access in airports, train stations, hotels and other shops and restaurants around. You can also sign up through your American Express card or MasterCard, so it’s well worth checking out. Click the link above for more information.
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Pure Memory Foam Neck Pillow
These foam pillows are a super gift for someone traveling abroad who will be on planes, trains and buses for long periods. I have a few of these and it makes air and train travel so much better. They give proper support and you can use them frontwards or backwards. It’s the perfect travel gift for an international traveler.
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Inateck 40L Carry on Travel Backpack
These large capacity backpacks are perfect for a week-long trip or simply a weekend. It functions as a weekend bag and has very convenient backpack straps for easy carrying.
It’s also a cool travel gift for someone going abroad to supplement their larger suitcase. Otherwise, it’s a great travel gift for someone traveling abroad for a long weekend.
Check reviews and prices here on this large backpack
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AyeGear Vest with 26 Pockets
These vests are a great travel present for keeping everything important on your body at all times. iPad, phone, wallet, tickets all go inside. Plus it makes it super easy going through airport security because you just take off your vest and put it in a screening tray.
When traveling abroad it’s a good idea to invest in one of these. No more fumbling around your backpack to get every last electronic devise out and into the tray.
It’s a perfect gift for someone traveling abroad because you can carry all your items with you. You don’t have to leave important things in the hotel room while you are out touring. It comes in black and pink.
Order your multi purpose travel vest here
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BaByliss Pro Dual Voltage Travel Hair dryer
Please do us all a favor and bring a dual voltage hairdryer. Or plan to use one of the frequently substandard ones at the hotel.
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen students in my dorms fry their US hairdryers because they are shoving 220 volts into a 110 volt machine… Your hair will not be the only thing fried, and you run the risk of causing danger to yourself and others.
These hairdryers are perfect travel gifts for the frequent international traveler as they are heavy duty, dual volt and fold up for easy transport. If you can deal with a hotel hairdryer, then great. But I can’t as they aren’t hot enough to straighten my hair so I need a bad boy like this one.
Buy this BaBliss Pro hairdryer here
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Hypath 2-in-1 Convertible Travel Bag
These bags are the best study abroad gifts ever. Zip them together and you have one bag, or separate them into two backpacks. These are great travel gifts when you want to carry one pack with you for the day and leave the other back at the hotel. They are great going abroad gifts because they are lightweight, sturdy and comply with cabin baggage on most airlines.
The main bag comes with a handle and is fitted with wheels. You can easily do an extended voyage with these as there’s a lot of room to pack stuff. This is the perfect travel gift for a student going abroad because it’s so multi purpose.
Read about this convertible travel bag here
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Silicone Refillable Travel Containers
These are useful travel presents for someone traveling abroad because you can easily carry all your liquids in leak-proof, TSA approved carriers.
The silicone is ultra pliable so you can get every last drop of shampoo, conditioner.. whatever out! And they are reusable.
Mint Mobile Wireless Plan
These are great gifts for students traveling abroad because it’s an easy way to stay in touch with family and friends. A Mint wireless plan allows calls and Wi-Fi. Mint Mobile have plans for unlimited talk and text, with 3, 8 and 12GB of data, and they are not all that expensive.
It’s a thoughtful travel gift to buy someone traveling abroad. With that much data, these are great gifts for students going abroad and they can be recharged.
Check out the various Mint Mobile plans and choose the best for you.
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Eastpak Luggage
This is a perfect gift for a friend going abroad. I love Eastpak luggage not only because it’s a super brand of durable luggage, but because they come in a variety of funky colors. You can easily recognize your bag coming off the conveyor belt, and easily spot it when it’s lumped in with other luggage. And these are perfect for someone traveling abroad specifically for this reason. Especially as a gift for first time traveling abroad. Everything is new and different. The last think you want to worry about is whether that suitcase is yours.
Another good thing about Eastpak luggage is that you can get carry-ons, large suitcases and even backpacks in the same design. I have a 4-set of Eastpak suitcases that I’ve had for years. They are virtually indestructible.
This is a great carry-on that also comes in a larger sizes, too.
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Personal GPS Tracker
These are a great gift for friend going abroad, and I convinced a friend to buy one just the other day… why? Because he arrived in the Ukraine and his bag did not!
Never lose your items again. Put this personal GPS Tracker in your suitcase or backpack and if you can’t find it, the app on your phone will locate it for you.
You may discover your bag is stuck in Paris when it should be with you in Nice. You can attach this to any item you want to keep track of, like your rental car, a local city bike (would be great in Holland where all the bikes looks similar!) or anything of value.
These are really thoughtful gifts for overseas travel, especially when your friend or student plans to visit lots of locations.
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Packing Cubes
Everyone swears by these best travel packing cubes to keep items organized in your suitcase. Keep your socks, undies, shirts all organized and easy to access with these organizers.
These are great gifts for traveling couples as they come in different colors and sizes. They are lightweight and durable and are also great for students staying in a youth hostel where you don’t want to put items in a drawer or on the floor. It’s a perfect unisex travel gift.
Find your travel packing cubes here
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Travelon Luggage Anti-Theft Cross-Body
These are handy gifts for female students traveling abroad. The Travelon anti theft bags are great for someone traveling abroad because it keeps everything safe. The body and strap are both slash resistant and they have RFID blocking compartments. These are very popular Travelon bags, specifically for keeping your items safe and secure.
Keep your credit cards safe as well as your passport with one of these. And they come in numerous colors. This is a great travel present for her.
Get the Travelon anti-theft bag here
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Shower Sandals Slippers
There’s nothing worse that walking into the bathroom on a long haul flight and there’s water, or God knows what, on the floor. It just skeeves me out. Get a pair of these and keep them in your backpack.
They are also great for using in the shower of a dodgy hotel or campground. You can use these in the gym and at the beach. They have holes so they quickly dry out and they’re easy to clean.
This is another perfect gift for a student traveling abroad who will be spending time in student hostels. You can never be sure of the cleanliness of the floors of the room or the shower, so get these.
Buy these great shower sandals here
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Double-Layer Travel Cable Organizer
What a great way to keep all your travel cords and travel accessories organized. You can slot in all your charging cables, your phone and your Kindle or iPad Mini. Plus there are places to put SIMs and SD Cards.
These are some of the best gifts for students going abroad. And they are thee perfect gifts for students traveling abroad who have a lot of electronic gear. You can keep it all together.
Check out this double layer travel cable organizer here
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Toiletry Bag/Cosmetic Case
What a great gift for friend traveling abroad. This is an efficient way to keep all your toiletries in one place. These travel cosmetic bags are waterproof, which is really handy when it may be sitting on a slightly wet sink area for a short time.
Drop in your toothpaste and brush, razors, shampoo and medicine and they’re all in one place. There’s a clear plastic compartment, a mesh compartment, plus some elasticized compartments.
It easily hangs on a hook in the bathroom. It comes in multiple colors and is also a great unisex travel gift.
Check out this cosmetic bag here
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12PCS Travel Shoe Bags
What a brilliant way to keep your shoes organized and to keep them away from your clothes. These are handy travel abroad gifts. There’s nothing worse than having the dirty soles of your shoes on top of your clothes. I always use these. And they could also be used to store dirty clothes as well. They are a great multi purpose travel item.
The material is soft and they come with a drawstring close. Very handy for the frequent international traveler who travels with a lot of shoes.
See the different varieties of travel shoe bags here
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Space Saver Travel Bags for Clothes
If you are wondering what to get someone traveling abroad, these are perfect for the clothes horse in your family. These space savers are a great gift for when you are returning from abroad, because you undoubtedly will have bought some extra items and you need more space.
Drop your shirts into these and literally roll the air out of them. These are great waterproof, bug proof, compression travel bags. And you don’t need a vacuum to suck the air out. And it’s another great gift for the traveler going to remote locations where bugs and humidity are a problem.
See the reviews on these and other space saving travel bags here
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Ultra Lightweight Packable Backpack
These are great gifts for traveling abroad. They are super lightweight backpacks/day pack, perfect for when you want to go sightseeing and don’t want to take a larger, heavier pack. It’s water and tear resistant and folds up into a little pouch.
Easy to pack into your suitcase or purse, and have it handy when you need it. Heck, it’s great for going grocery shopping for that impromptu picnic on the beach you want to do.
Buy these ultra light backpacks here
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DuoLingo Language Learning
Here’s a freebie for you. DuoLingo is a great, online resource for learning a language. Depending on where your traveler is going, this may be a welcomed ‘Free’ travel gift for someone going abroad. It’s always a good idea to have at least a few phrases under your belt so you can say good morning, please, thank you, where’s the bathroom… You get my drift. Any rate, it’s free and travelers swear by it.
Want more ideas on gifts for someone traveling abroad?
Here are 50 more unique travel gift ideas.
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