Are you planning a world tripand want an ultimate packing list of all the mostimportant travel essentials you are going to need? I’ve got you covered! This list of travel essentials for long-term travel will help you have a wonderful time as you traverse the globe.
After travelling for over 35 years, I realised that I can’t leave home without certain travel products if I want a smooth, stress-free trip.
Whether it’s a city break to Europe or backpacking around Asia, my travel essentials will always come with me.
Here is my list of all the world travel essentials I recommend packing for a round-the-world trip. Remember that while everything on this international travel packing checklist may not be necessary for your journey, I used them all on mine!
The only things not on this list are a mobile phone or a camera as I can’t imagine anyone travelling without either of them!
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Table of Contents
Travel Essentials To Pack For An Around The World Trip
Electrical products for a RTW trip
1. Portable Phone Charger
If, like me, you take lots of photographs on your phone, you will genuinely benefit from a portable charger. The last thing you want to happen is for your phone to die with no way to charge it until you return to your accommodation.
Although my iPhone’s battery is good, bringing a backup always makes sense. A portable charger is one of the important travel things to pack and has got me out of a few sticky situations when my battery has died when I need to capture a particular image.
2. Octopus Multi-Charger Adaptor
This time-saving device is perfect for charging all your gadgets simultaneously.
The unique 4-in-1 Apple and Android adaptor allows you to charge your phone, camera and tablet on the go.
No longer will you have to wait for one of your gadgets to fill up on juice before you can revive the next one? This great little travelling companion scores high on the list of important travel products.
3. Universal Travel Adaptor
Never assume that your hotel room will come complete with a travel adapter, as it usually won’t and asking to borrow one from reception doesn’t always work.
Instead, add this to your list of important travel products and ensure you go on your trip with a global travel adaptor that can simultaneously recharge multiple appliances.
4. Phone Camera Lens Attachment
I love taking photographs to capture my journey, and I only use my phone to take my photos.
I have an iPhone 12, and to be honest, the photos are easily equivalent in quality to using a professional camera.
The bonus is that it slips easily into my pocket, and I don’t have to drag a large camera around. A photo camera lens attachment allows me to manipulate my photos and take high-quality images.
5. Portable Speaker
Music on the go is what we all want when we are travelling.
With your favourite tunes playing while you lie on the beach or in the water (it’s waterproof), and later when you chill out in your hotel room, this portable speaker is great for sound and quality.
It is a luxury if you are travelling light, but being without music is like being without sunlight.
6. Selfie Stick
Love or hate a selfie stick; they are handy in certain situations.
Small to carry, they don’t take up much space but allow you to capture some aerial photographs without other people in them.
They also change a photo’s composition from close up to distant and are perfect if travelling alone to capture great memories.
7. Luggage Scale
Never be told by airport check-in that your suitcase is too heavy. Invest in a luggage scale and find out if all those travel souvenirs have taken you over your weight limit.
It is much better to weigh your case and sort out content distribution in the comfort of your home rather than on the airport floor.
8. Wireless Earbuds
These easy-to-store earbuds are the perfect travel buddy. They make music on the go so easy to listen to.
Fashion essentials for an around-the-world packing list
9. Havaianas Flip Flops
This global Brazilian brand is the go-to company for the perfect holiday flip-flop.
Use them in the shower, on the beach, and to slip on in your accommodation.
There are tons of different designs, but my favourite ones have butterfly graphics.
10. Leisure Suit
As a traveller, I know that when I take long-haul flights, I want an outfit on my clothing packing list that is comfortable and breathable.
When I travelled around the world, I was a familiar sight in my slouchy tracksuit and comfy trainers.
Once on the plane, I felt comfortable and free, with no jeans or tight tops restricting my movement. When the lights dimmed, I was already in an outfit designed like a pair of pyjamas!
11. Walking Shoes
Comfortable walking shoes are one of your most important travel products.
With the amount of walking you will be doing on your trip, you must have comfortable and supportive shoes to see you through.
Ensure your shoes have been worn in; don’t buy a new pair only to discover they are the most uncomfortable things you have ever worn.
Take more than one pair to give your feet (and shoes) a chance to breathe. White trainers are a great choice for any outfit.
12. Walking Socks for Trainers
No one wants blistered feet, so a good pair of walking socks is high on the list of requirements when travelling.
Cushioned at the toe and heel will be your best choice as it will protect the most vulnerable parts of your feet against rubbing and chafing.
13. Scarf
A scarf might not seem like an important travel essentials, but it is really useful. This one piece of seemingly unassuming material serves a multitude of purposes.
Use as a fashion accessory (obvious) to use around the neck, in the hair or as a sarong and a disease barrier (so now you are interested).
Yes, I have often taken flights where other passengers are coughing and sneezing, and I have sprinkled some lavender oil (or perfume of choice) on the scarf and wrapped it around my mouth and nose, and hey presto, I am protected.
14. Waterproof Packable Jacket
The weather around the world is unpredictable! Pack a lightweight rain jacket!
World Travel Packing – Personal Comfort/Care Essentials
15. Eye Mask
Who can sleep with the lights on? Well, not me, that’s for sure, so I always take an eye mask.
Plane travel can be more bearable if you can make your environment dark rather than the glare of overhead lighting, keeping your mind active.
16. Ear Plugs
This is one of my most important things to take on a trip, for a good reason: the world is very noisy.
Without earplugs, my life when travelling would be miserable. I am such a light sleeper that the tiniest noise will wake me even more if I am in an unfamiliar setting.
These earplugs are so inexpensive but make a world of difference to me.
17. Travel Pillow
Sleeping on a plane is an art form in its own right. Positions and manoeuvres are tried to allow a comfortable sleep, but nothing works for me.
The TravelRest ultimate travel pillow might fix that with its ergonomic shape and ease of use.
It is worth taking a chance on one of these important travel products to arrive fresh and alert after an international flight.
18. Hand Sanitizer
With one squirt of this antibacterial germ killer, you can enjoy your travels without transferring hand bacteria into your mouth. Bacteria live everywhere, in foreign climates and at home, and they love to multiply and attack.
Currency notes, door handles, elevator buttons and any unhygienic surface could mean the difference between having a great holiday or ending up with Delhi Belly.
I can get through several bottles of this on my travels, and I know that if there isn’t a place to properly wash my hands before eating finger foods, such as sandwiches, I can always be assured that my anti-bacterial hand sanitiser will kick into action.
19. Essential Lavender Oil
I love to use lavender oil at home and while I am away. As a qualified aromatherapist, I would say that if you buy just one essential oil, then get this one.
You might wonder why lavender oil has made it onto the list of travel essentials, but its properties are endless for travel.
You can use it on insect bites to stop the itching, on sunburn to calm the burn, and as a room fragrance when you turn up to an accommodation that smells musty (believe me, I have had to use lavender many times when renting private properties). Also, lavender oil is good to inhale from wrist points or on a scarf or handkerchief to alleviate anxiety and stress.
A few drops in a bowl of steamy water will also fill your environment with a beautiful and delicate aroma and, if done at night, will ease you off to sleep.
20. 15-Piece Sewing Kit
Having a sewing kit with you can get you out of some scrapes.
I’ve ripped my trousers and shorts while hiking and have managed to repair them to a usable point thanks to a sewing kit. Of course, a needle also comes in handy for removing any unwanted splinters from the body if the situation arises.
21. First Aid Kit
I always travel with far too many items to keep me fit and healthy and normally come home with everything still intact; however, having a tiny first aid kit that you can pop into your rucksack on a day out exploring makes sense and is one of my important travel products.
This one is compact and even has a tiny pair of scissors in it (remember, don’t pack it in your hand luggage as scissors have to be placed in your hold luggage as they are classed as a weapon)
22. Mini Hot Water Bottle
Stop laughing, as this is one of my must-have travel essentials!
Hotel air conditioning can bring a room’s temperature to almost arctic conditions even though it’s 40 degrees outside. A hot water bottle ensures a good night’s sleep with warm feet and no shivering during the night.
23. Mosquito Milk
Mosquito Milk sounds alarming, but it is, in fact, an insect repellant.
It comes in a handy roll-on bottle, so you won’t have the normal mess of spraying deet all over yourself, your clothes, and everything around you.
Mosquito milk smells of citrus, unlike the foul smell of deet, which gets right up your nose.
I was introduced to this by another traveller and have trialled it in Asia, Australia and the Caribbean and am pleased to report it worked perfectly. The only time I was bitten was when I forgot to use it!!
24. Anti-Mosquito Plug
Double up on safety in your hotel room with an anti-mosquito plug just in case those critters try and take a chunk out of you in the night.
Silent and compact, this will plug in a standard socket.
If you don’t get one, always check with your hotel to see if they can provide one for your stay.
In countries where mosquitos are prevalent, many hotels and resorts already have mosquito plugs in the rooms, but don’t rely on this and don’t chance sleeping without one!
World Travel Essentials
25. Foldaway Day Backpack
I love this day backpack and researched long and hard before purchasing it for my world travel adventure. It is lightweight, waterproof and folds down into a small pack.
The front and side mesh pockets and zipped compartment are convenient for hiking and exploring, while the breathable material eliminates a sweaty back if you carry it all day.
This is a top must-have on any RTW packing list.
26. Folding Bag
It’s just a handy item to add to your world packing list to have within your rucksack for when you need to pop into the shops!
27. Document/Phone/ Money Belt with RFID Technology
Travelling involves a lot of documents and gadgets, and at the airport, it can be a hassle to keep getting stuff in and out of a bag. It’s on the list of essential travel products for a good reason: it makes your life easy and secure.
Wear this money belt around the waist, shoulder or neck, knowing that the RFID-blocking technology in the interior pockets will stop identity theft while travelling. Never risk having your credit cards cloned.
All your most important items are easy to access, making your life much more straightforward.
28. Best Travel Packing Cubes
One of the best travel tips I can give you is to buy packing cubes! They are so high on my list of important travel products, and I wouldn’t travel without them. Packing cubes makes life easy, and when you travel for a long time, you just need them.
I used these on a 3-month trip and separated underwear, tops and jumpers, beachwear, dresses, shorts and skirts into various-sized bags.
This worked because rather than rummaging through a large case for something, I went to the packing cube where I knew the item would be.
The laundry bag part of the set is perfect for storing all your dirty items until you find that next washing machine!
29. Hanging Waterproof Toiletry Bag
Having a hanging toiletry bag eliminates the hassle of finding a space in a hotel bathroom to place it. Also, by hanging it up, the chances of the bottom of the bag getting wet are minimal.
30. Waterproof Phone Case
Sea, Sand, and sunscreen can all affect your phone in disastrous ways, so protect your phone with a waterproof phone case.
I hadn’t realised how essential this would be until I had to use my phone to take photos whilst in a kayak in the South China Sea! Without it, my phone would have gotten very wet, and the consequences could have been dire.
Sand granules will also be stopped in their tracks if you pop your phone in the case while you are on the beach.
A waterproof dry bag is a good idea to take anywhere that water could get into your stuff and ruin it.
31. Travel-Size Perfume Atomiser
I love taking my favourite scent on my travels, and this handy pocket-size perfume atomiser allows me to decant my perfume at home and always have it with me.
32. Rubber Door Wedge Stopper
It may sound crazy, but have you ever stayed in a place where you didn’t feel completely safe at night? I am quite paranoid about hotel rooms and who has access to keycards.
I have been known to put a chair behind the door (when I forgot my doorstop!) so that if someone tried to get in whilst I was sleeping, it would fall and wake me.
This is where a doorstop comes in; wedge it under your door when you turn in for the night, and you will be able to sleep soundly, knowing that no one can open your hotel door and enter your room at night.
I’m sorry for the paranoia for those of you who have never had this thought cross your mind, but it’s one of the best packing tips I have ever been given!
33. Travel Sized Bottles for Toiletries
Travel-sized bottles will save space and weight in your suitcase. Decant your products into them and leave the heavy bottles at home.
34. ZipLock Waterproof Bags
It may be odd to take on a trip, or maybe not! These bags are so handy for storing wet items while you are on the move. They are also great for keeping food fresh between destinations.
35. Reading Book
I never travel without a book. Not a Kindle, I might add, but an actual paperback. The smell and the touch of those pages make me want to start to read and not put the book down. I always buy two new books at the airport before my flight.
I use the confinement of the flight to catch up on my reading and leave my books behind at my final destination for another traveller to enjoy.
Here, you can find the best books travellers have written to inspire wanderlust.
36. Travel Journal
I like to write, so a journal is a must-have travel essential.
I jot down feelings, ideas and plans to re-read later and be transported back to a particular time and place.
37. Passport Cover
A brightly-coloured passport cover is a must-have travel essential.
It helps you identify it at the bottom of your bag and makes it obvious to you and others that it is yours.
I have heard stories of people picking up the wrong passport and wandering off. What a nightmare that would be!
I hope sharing my travel packing guide will make life easier for you!
I recommend investing in some of these must-have world travel packing essentials and evaluating what else you need on your trip. There is no need to take items if you’re not going to use them; it will only add unnecessary weight to your luggage!
What pieces are must-have essentials for you? Do you have any of your own to add to my list? Let me know in the comments below!
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