25 Practical Holiday Gifts for Travelers, Curated by Nomadic Matt

Nomadic Matt, the bestselling travel writer who has spent fifteen years teaching people to travel on a budget, built his gift list on a single principle: every item on it should earn its place in a bag. No nonsense, no fluff, just the best gifts for intrepid travelers and globetrotting nomads. That discipline is exactly what separates a truly useful travel gift from a shelf-sitting novelty. Here are 25 picks that pass the test.

1. Travel Lock

This simple item is one of the most important for the budget traveler. Since many hostels have lockers, backpackers need to have their own lock on the road. While you can usually rent them at hostels, those prices add up, and Nomadic Matt never leaves home without one. A compact TSA-approved padlock is small enough to forget you packed it and indispensable the moment you need it.

2. Quality Earplugs

Anyone who has ever stayed in a hostel knows that a quality pair of earplugs is a necessity — from chronic snorers to late-night drinkers to creaking bunks. Investing in good earplugs, not just cheap foam ones, pays off not only for sleep but for bus trips, flights, and louder, more hectic cities. A reusable silicone pair costs under $30 and lasts for years.

3. Scratch Travel Map

Scratch maps are a fun way to keep track of past travels while staying inspired for future ones. You simply scratch off the parts of the world you've visited. Landmass is Nomadic Matt's favorite company that makes these, though they come in all sorts of sizes and colors from many brands. Framed on a wall, a scratch map doubles as décor and conversation starter.

4. Passport Holder

A passport holder is a must-have for any avid traveler. It protects the passport from wear and tear, and most models include slots for travel credit cards and cash — a secure, convenient way to keep valuables organized. A simple one gets the job done and saves money better spent on more travel. Look for one with RFID-blocking lining for an extra layer of security.

5. Food Maps by Legal Nomads

These are unique, hand-drawn typographic maps of food from Legal Nomads and artist Ella Frances Sanders. They make a thoughtful gift for anyone who loves to eat and travel, and they come in a variety of sizes. It is the rare wall piece that tells a story about both place and appetite.

6. ZBiotics Pre-Biotic Drink

A friend introduced this to Nomadic Matt's circle over a year ago and he has been hooked ever since. He takes it whenever he travels and has gotten fellow travel writers and even a tour guide in Peru onto it, calling it something that keeps mornings bright enough to actually do things the next day. For anyone whose itinerary includes local wine or craft beer, it is a practical and personal touch.

7. Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is a convenient liquid-free alternative to regular shampoo, and a useful minimalist solution for budget travelers who fly carry-on only. Natural dry shampoos absorb grease and oil in the hair, keeping it clean on the road with minimal effort, and work for all hair types and lengths. It is one of those items that seems trivial until a travel day stretches into 36 hours.

8. Travel Towel

Unless staying exclusively at hotels and Airbnbs, a towel is essential. A lightweight, quick-drying travel towel makes a significant difference on the road, since regular towels are too bulky, too heavy, and take too long to dry. A compact, quick-drying option is something every backpacker needs. Look for microfiber options that pack down to the size of a paperback.

9. Celiac Travel Cards by Legal Nomads

Jodi from Legal Nomads created these helpful travel cards for anyone traveling with Celiac disease. They are in-depth resources that communicate dietary concerns to restaurant staff, allowing anyone with the disease to have a worry-free meal wherever they travel. It is the kind of deeply specific gift that only someone who truly knows a traveler's life would think to give.

10. Nomadic Matt's Budget Travel Guide

Nomadic Matt's New York Times bestselling guide to budget travel is an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to planning a trip on a budget, with super-detailed sections covering regions around the globe so readers can navigate the world like a pro. An ideal gift for a first-time international traveler or someone ready to go further for less.

11. Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are one of those gifts that converts skeptics immediately. Whether for a budget backpacker or someone traveling with multiple suitcases, they keep everything organized and come in a variety of sizes for items big and small. The difference between a chaotic bag and a calm one often comes down to this single organizational system.

12. HostelPass

HostelPass is a membership that gives budget travelers access to discounted rates at hostels worldwide. It is a particularly smart gift for someone embarking on their first extended trip or looking to stretch a fixed travel budget further without sacrificing social connection on the road.

13. Apple AirTags

At €35–€50 per tag, AirTags are one of the highest-value-per-anxiety-reduction items on this list. Slip one into a checked bag or a day pack and the recipient can track their belongings in real time, which is especially meaningful for frequent flyers whose luggage has made an unscheduled detour before.

14. Power Bank

Long sightseeing days drain phones fast, and a dead phone in an unfamiliar city is its own category of travel stress. A portable power bank in the €30–€60 range solves this cleanly, and unlike many travel gadgets, it earns its place on every trip regardless of destination.

15. Weekender Bag

Not every great trip requires a passport. A well-made weekender bag is the right gift for the traveler who has started treating nearby cities and countryside getaways as seriously as international adventures. The best options sit comfortably under an airline seat and handle a two-night pack without drama.

16. Sleep Eye Mask

A nice eye mask is an essential for many travelers trying to get a good night's sleep, and it also makes for an affordable yet luxe gift. At €10–€20 it is the kind of stocking stuffer with a genuine return on investment measured in hours of rest on red-eye flights and overnight trains.

17. Travel Neck Pillow

Some people remain unconvinced until they receive one and immediately reconsider every flight they have ever taken without it. At $10, the neck pillow is the most underpriced item on this list relative to the comfort it delivers. When selecting one, look for a sewn-on buckle so the recipient can clip it directly to their luggage or backpack and keep their hands free while moving through airports.

18. Luggage Tags

At €5–€15, personalized luggage tags are the most affordable practical gift here, and one of the most genuinely useful. Every frequent flyer has watched a carousel of identical black bags rotate past. A distinctive tag ends that problem immediately and can be engraved or printed with a name, making the gift feel considered rather than last-minute.

19. LifeStraw

Single-use plastics are common in many countries, polluting oceans and difficult to avoid when you want to stay safe while traveling. LifeStraw is a brand that sells bottles with built-in water filters, and the filters last 5 years, saving money on replacements. Once used, the filter lasts up to 1,000 gallons, enough for an individual for over five years. The environmental and financial case for giving this gift is as strong as the practical one.

20. Travel Backpack

A well-made travel backpack is the gift that keeps giving across dozens of trips and years of use. For the budget traveler on your list, a reliable pack is one of the single most important items they will own on the road. It is the kind of gift that, given at the right moment, shapes how someone travels entirely.

21. Travel Games

At €20–€40, a compact set of travel games works for solo travelers in hostels, couples on long train journeys, and families who have run out of patience with screens. Games that pack flat and play fast, like card games or magnetic chess, are the most portable and the most appreciated.

22. Travelon Theft-Proof Bags

Travelon specializes in anti-theft travel bags, including purses, cross-body bags, and backpacks with slash-resistant straps and locking zippers. For a traveler heading to crowded markets or urban centers where pickpocketing is a real concern, this is security that goes everywhere the bag goes.

23. Bose QuietComfort Noise-Canceling Headphones

These headphones block out background noise so travelers can read, work, or sleep without being disturbed on long flights, trains, or bus rides. The wireless Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones are fan favorites and Nomadic Matt's go-to brand: comfortable, rechargeable, and highly effective at removing background noise. For tighter budgets, the QuietComfort 25 is the recommended alternative.

24. Kindle

A Kindle is the rare piece of tech that makes a long flight genuinely enjoyable rather than something to endure. For the traveler who devours books but refuses to check a bag, it holds an entire library in a device lighter than most paperbacks. It is particularly well-suited to slow travel, long transits, and beach weeks where there is finally time to read.

25. Airline or Hotel Gift Card

At €50 to €200 and above, an airline or hotel gift card is the most flexible gift on this list and arguably the most generous. It does not presume to know where someone wants to go or what they want to pack; it simply removes one barrier between the recipient and the next trip they have been imagining. For the traveler who already has everything they need, giving them the freedom to choose their own destination is the most luxurious gift of all.