12 Practical Travel Essentials I Would Never Travel Without Again
I know there are a million must-have lists on the internet prescribing what suitcase (make and model, of course) to get, what headphones you need for your next flight, or what walking shoe is best for 20,000+ steps. Odds are you already have a perfectly adequate suitcase. Odds are you don’t even leave the house without your headphones as is. And odds are you know what comfy shoes you already own. This is not that list. This is a list of practical essentials that I never travel without anymore.
Genuinely, these are all incredibly useful and I have them on all my trips now. I hope they make your life easier and give you a bit of peace of mind and practical options when you need them most.
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1. Trip It App
If there is only one thing you take away from this list, let it be this app. I have never, ever seen this recommended anywhere else and it is my ultimate travel app. Since I discovered it, I use it every single trip I take whether it’s 2 days away or I’m gone for 3 months.
It centralizes all your itinerary details into a easy to follow timeline, with flight details, hotel check-ins and check-outs, car rentals, dinner reso, and way more! Simply forward your travel confirmation emails right to TripIt and they do the work of keeping things organized and create the plan. No more crawling through my messy inbox looking for my trip info.
2. Apple AirTag
I’m sure you remember that one summer when checked bags were (famously) getting lost in transit, getting pilled up at airports, and seemingly disappearing forever. When I saw that I said “not a chance” and bought myself a $40 AirTag to stuff in my luggage.
Maybe it was a bit extreme since most airports have sorted themselves out and are back to typical operations, but honestly, it has been one of the easiest things that has brought me such peace of mind while travelling.
Having an AirTag can also save you time if you end up in the annoying situation where you made the flight but your bag didn’t. Before the bags are even all out on the carousel you can see that your bag’s live location in back where you came from and you can head straight to the airline baggage desk and start filling the claim, rather than wait for everyone else’s bags to arrive.
Even beyond the airport it is so handy to be able to track your bag – whether you’ve had to leave it in a kinda sketchy luggage storage for the day or if it is out of your sight strapped to the top of a Chicken bus speeding down the highway, you can check in on your bag and then carry on with your day.
Alternative tracking devices for Android users include Tile Pro Bluetooth Tracker or the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2.
3. Airalo ESim
I certainly will never travel Internationally without an eSIM ever again. Before I set out on my travels, instead of actually finishing up at my job I was talking with my bestie about my plans, and she recommended Airalo to me. Before that, I had never heard of it or frankly any eSIM and had just been using physical SIM cards (so annoying) and worse yet, my phone carrier’s International roaming plans (big yikes!) on previous trips abroad.
Airalo offers affordable eSIMs that provide instant data access in over 190 countries. You can leave your SIM card in your phone and follow the few basic steps to activate your International data. In the easy to use app you can browse for regional or country-specific plans, see how much data you’ve used, and top up your plan as needed. I especially love Airmoney, the credit system where you earn money to apply towards future eSIMs with every purchase you make on Airalo. I’ve saved probably over $100 just with Airmoney by buying an eSIM I was always going to buy.
Having that data right at your fingertips makes finding the best restaurant recommendations, city navigation, and personal safety easy and you can be connected wherever the adventure takes you. I honestly can’t imagine being a backpacker in the 80s…
4. tough strips band-aids
OK maybe this is a bit niche and incredibly specific… But please, let me put you onto the Band-Aid Tough Strips.
These band-aids are thick and strong and will stay on while you’re out doing 20,000+ steps through the city, climbing a mountain, or jumping into the ocean. If you’re thinking you’ll just bring whatever bandages I’ve got at home I’m telling you now, you need to let that idea go. You will have blisters. You will have to pack a bunch with you to re-apply. How much praise can I give to these band-aids before you start to believe me??
OK, they are still just sticky band-aids and I’m just a blogger so I’m not going to promise you a miracle but I feel very passionately about tough strips band-aids and I seriously swear by these.
5. Imodium
IYKYK.
For the uninitiated, let’s just say you just spent all this money to fly across the world and explore but instead, you can barely leave the toilet and all you can even think about stomaching is a banana smoothie or some saltines.
If you travel long enough or to enough countries with less reliable water sources or food standards than what you have at home, you may find yourself with travellers diarrhea/food poisoning / severe gastrointestinal distress whatever you’d like to call it. It has happened to me in France, Cambodia, and Brazil, and I hate to say it but will probably happen to you too. I’ve found solace however knowing that if shit hits the fan (literally) I have Imodium stashed away in my wallet that I can take as I need it.
There is nothing more difficult than being ill, trying to find equivalent meds and communicating in another language describing what you think you need. So it is best to travel prepared and hopefully make the time spent feeling unwell as limited as possible.
6. Multiple Credit / Debit Cards
If you’re travelling for more than just a spring break week away, having multiple credit and debit cards with different account is worth considering. You might think this is a bit excessive but let me tell you… when you lose your main debit card at an ATM in Hanoi on day THREE (!!!) of your year away, you’ll first thank yourself that you had another option, and then you’ll thank me.
Yes, this really did happen to me.
Maybe I just have really bad luck because I am always out here fighting with my credit cards and banks not to get locked. When I just want to get an ice cream or get on the subway but my card is getting declined, I will just pull out my other card and deal with the headache of it all later.
The big banks (in Canada at least) will tell you that you no longer need to let them when you’re out of the country and that their systems are capable of tracking your spending. But I will tell you they’re not very good at it.
7. 100 dollars usd in cash
Cash is king and USD is sought after.
On big International trips or long-term adventures, I always take out 100$ USD. I am Canadian so I will go through the process to get a few US $20 bills to have in case of emerg. Chances are you won’t need this cash, but in the moments you do you’ll definitely feel the relief of having it available.
This cash was critical when I was flying to Turkiye. I had googled and determined I could get a visa upon arrival but somehow I didn’t clock that I would also have to pay upon arrival. It was $60, cash only (USD or Lira). I didn’t have that much in Turkish liras on me and I definitely wasn’t flying back from where I came, so I quickly pulled out my emergency $100 stash and got my Turkish visa, no problem! I believe I probably could have found an ATM in the airport with some exorbitant fees but not without the headache and a bit of effort.
This small cash stash has come in handy a few other times as well and can definitely help get you out of some sticky situations.
8. Shampoo Bar
Long before I was planning my trip I switched to using a Lush shampoo bar, in in an effort to make small sustainable changes at home, and I loved it. The next time I was packing for a trip I realized I didn’t even have to even consider my liquid capacity, using the drying hotel shampoos, or purchasing a full size when I landed. The little bar just fit nicely in my toilet bag and I could fly carry on with my favourite hair care. Now… I haven’t quite found my perfect conditioner bar yet but I am definitely still on the hunt.
9. flat laundry detergent sheets
In a similar effort for sustainable switches, I bought a pack of flat laundry detergent sheets to try out. I tried a few loads and I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t love them, so I put the remainder of the pack aside.
Cut to packing for this trip I was thinking about how I was going to do laundry on the road. Turns out, it’s very simple, you map to a laundromat near me! But before I sorted that out I decided to pack the remainder of the detergent sheets since they weighed almost nothing and were about as flat as a sheet of paper.
I don’t actually use the detergent sheets at the laundromats, but rather for spot washes in hotel sinks. Maybe I am just a messy girl, but I’m always dropping food on my clothes so I’m constantly hand-washing food stains out of my shirts or freshening up a swimsuit or my white shorts. You don’t have to use a shitty hotel hand soap and you can just hang them to dry.
10. Scan of your passport
I know this is not terribly secure, but it’s definitely more secure than bringing your passport around with you or pulling it out of your bag all the time.
You often need to punch in your passport details for group tours, train tickets, or checking in online for flights so it is helpful to be able to just flick back to your scan on your phone. I also take a printed out copy in case of true passport emergency. These back ups can help keep you covered.
11. Portable power bank
Don’t get caught without a charge. At home I never really carry a portable power bank but on the road I make sure it is always charged up cause I use it nearly every day while travelling.
Especially as a solo female traveller, my phone is honestly number one tool in keeping me safe. As long as I have battery I can find my way back to my hostel or call for help in an emergency.
12. Ziplock bags
I am a collector of snacks and sea shells. A couple of ziplock bags will always be handy to have.
Happy trip planning!
I hope this was helpful for you start packing for your next adventure! For a complete list of all the travel planning resources I use, check out my Comprehensive List of Travel Resources.
If you read through this guide and have questions about travel planning, or what to expect while travelling… fear not because I can help! I have a personalized trip planning and advice service available to all Everywhere Travel Club readers. I’d love to chat for an hour with you and help answer any questions you’re working through, share fun ideas, and help bring your big trip into reality! For more info about the one one-on-one call for advice check out the details of my Personalized Travel Planning Sesh.
Let me know what you think about this guide or if it helped you – I’d love to hear from you! You can find me everywhere on the Everywhere Travel Club Instagram, TikTok or Twitter!