Want to take a piece of your vacation to share with your friends and family? Want something unique? Click here to learn the best travel souvenir ideas.
Planning to go on a trip outside your country this year? Is it time to pack your bags, kick off from your everyday routine, and see the world?
You’re not alone because more than 1.184 billion people travel outside their country. Travel blogs are now among the most popular content online. The surge in people traveling gave rise to incredible things like Airbnb.
That said, you may want to bring a little piece of your destination back home. There’s got to be something you can share with friends and family, right?
Ditch the mugs and shirts with a big heart and city name. It’s time to look for something unique and fun, souvenirs your friends and relatives will want and use instead of stuffing the item in a drawer.
Not sure where to start? Here are 7 of the best travel souvenir ideas you can get:
Cooking Ingredients
Yes, you read that right. One of the best travel souvenir ideas to bring home is a unique cooking ingredient. You’ll find it quite surprising how many countries use unique ingredients to spice up their recipes.
Some great examples include Anko from Japan, which comes from azuki beans. The locals mash the beans to create a sweet paste. Many chefs still use this for their desserts instead of using refined sugar.
Going to Indonesia? Make sure to bring back ingredients like the kluwak nut or salam leaves.
Ingredients like these are unique to each country. They’re far more memorable compared to branded items or flavored salt, which anyone can buy online.
Local Alcoholic Drinks
You can never go wrong with a bottle of wine or champagne, regardless of where it’s from. If you want to go a little more stylish with your travel souvenir ideas, look for alcohol that you can only find in that country.
In the Philippines, for example, you’ll find a type of rice wine called “tapuy.” Another kind of rice wine is the popular “sake” from Japan. If you go to Greece, there’s the “ouzo” that you drink before a meal.
Stylish, Artisan Clothing
Everywhere you go, you’ll find a tourist shirt with a big heart. “I love New York” and the like are some of the worst souvenirs to get. None of your friends or family will wear these clothes because of how common they are and how commercialized they are.
They’re also bad ideas if you want to save money while traveling. Those shirts are trendy so most souvenir shops will jack up the prices.
Instead, look for stylish, artisan clothing. You don’t have to look for local clothing that is too exotic. No one wants to wear a traditional Kenyan headdress while riding the metro back home.
The best travel souvenir ideas embody a country’s uniqueness while still staying functional and practical. To find clothing that captures this concept may require you to look deeper and explore local stores instead of buying whatever’s at the popular souvenir shops.
Personalized Postcards
There’s almost no doubt you’ll take photos as you travel. After all, an estimated 2.53 billion own a smartphone worldwide. Even those who don’t carry a phone will likely have a camera packed with the other travel essentials.
Want to send a personal message to your loved ones and showcase the photos you took while on vacation?
Sure, you could always post photos on Facebook but that doesn’t count as a souvenir. Your friends can’t physically hold the picture or bring it with them. That’s why you should opt to send postcards online.
A postcard service lets you use photos from your camera. You can even customize the message and design. This means you can send a souvenir you had a hand in making.
Beauty Products
Don’t think a bar of soap is an amazing souvenir gift?
Imagine a bar of soap made from hibiscus tea leaves or one made from coconut and essential oils. Yes, you can buy products akin to those online but there’s a genuine sense of awe that comes from buying handmade versions from the locals.
You don’t have to limit yourself to soap. You might find facial creams, lotions, and makeup indigenous to one country. All of these make for great travel souvenir ideas, especially if you know someone who loves organic beauty products.
Looking for local beauty products often involves exploring the market area. These places often bustle with life. This means you may even get a chance to spot another souvenir while hunting down a great set of soaps and lotions.
Country Specialties
Sometimes you can’t beat what’s popular.
Going to Italy? Don’t forget to get one of the traditional Venetian masks. If you’re going to Turkey then make sure to pick up a popular copper coffee set and while you’re in Belgium you can buy exquisite lace.
Yes, these items may seem cliche but they are famous for a good reason. These products rose in popularity in these countries and the locals make them better than anyone else in the world.
Jewelry
When you can spot anything too exotic, you can always rely on the value of jewelry. Each country has their own, unique spin on the way they present jewelry. Countries like India and China, in particular, are famous for the way they use stones like jade, amber, and sapphire.
You don’t have to break the bank when buying jewelry.
Sometimes, the best souvenirs are affordable in the country you visit but won’t be easy to find when you fly back home. That rarity makes them special and your friends will value the gift even more.
Discover More Travel Souvenir Ideas
Found some great travel souvenir ideas?
Keep these in mind the next time you travel. You never know when you might spot the best location to take a photo and send a customized postcard or when you stumble across exotic liquor.
Still on the lookout for more tips? Got a destination in mind but not sure what to expect?
You can message us today and we’ll help you get on the right track!
