5 Traveling Essentials

5 Traveling Essentials You Won’t Know You Need

It’s hard to know what to pack when you’re heading off on a new adventure holiday or big traveling trip — especially if you haven’t been on an adventure holiday before, or visited the region.

Luckily, there are plenty of online guides out there to help you decide what to pack. They’ll cover all of your standard necessities, like your passport and travel adaptors, but may not mention more unusual items you won’t know you need until you’re out there.

So here are our five traveling essentials you won’t know you need until you REALLY miss them:

1. Travel towel

The travel towel really is a must when you’re setting off on your next adventure. Yes, you’ve probably packed a normal towel, but trust us — you’ll really notice the difference when you invest in a travel towel. Aside from being way easier to pack into a backpack when you’ve got limited space (they’re super compact when folded or rolled), travel towels are also incredibly quick to dry.

That means even if you get your towel soaking on the beach or it falls in the sea, you just need to leave it in the sun for a few hours to dry before you stow it away or use it again.

2. GoPro

Whether you’re stand-up paddling along the Croatian coast, or biking down a mountain, then capturing your adventuring memories with a decent camera is a great idea. It’s something you won’t realize until you’re trying to find the footage of your trip to show your friends and upload to social media, but packing a GoPro can really transform your trip — and your memories afterward.

The GoPro is the stand-out choice if you’re looking for a travel camera; the high-quality lens works just as well for walking around ancient city walls and marketplaces as it does for extreme sports like skiing or climbing. While the older units require the housing to keep them dry in the water, the newer GoPro cameras are waterproof without a housing, so you can take them out on your next boat day or scuba-dive to capture some epic footage.

Don’t forget to bring spare memory cards so you don’t run out of space for your photos and videos either!

3. A travel toilet kit

Sounds a bit weird, but hear us out. If you’re going on a traveling adventure, chances are you’re going to come across some ‘interesting’ toilets along the way. Particularly in certain Latin American and Asian countries, you might find that things like toilet rolls and soap are scarce.

That’s why it’s a good idea to bring along your own toilet paper or tissues for when you come across these bathroom situations; you don’t want to be caught out. Packing a travel-size bottle of anti-bacterial hand sanitizer will also help to kill off any harmful germs. And for female travelers, some necessary additions if you think you’re going to get your period while you’re backpacking: period products.

Periods can be a pain while you’re traveling — especially if you’re exploring remote areas or countries where tampons are expensive and difficult to find (this can be tricky in Asian countries), and pads are bulky. Packing the period products you need during your backpacking trip is essential.

4. A torch

Torches are so useful when you’re away, and it’s a rookie mistake to leave yours at home. Yet for some reason, torches are often forgotten when it comes to packing for an adventuring holiday or big traveling trip.

You won’t realize just how much you’ll miss a torch until you have to make the tough decision about whether you should risk the perilous climb to your bed at the top of a triple bunk bed in pitch-black, or wake up everyone else in your hostel dorm at 3 am by turning on the main light (and making a lot of new enemies in the process). Packing a torch makes dorm life a lot easier.

Plus, a torch is super helpful for exploring any caves, making your way back from the beach at night, and during any camping excursions you sign up for. Bonus points if you pack a hands-free head torch.

5. A mosquito net

Whether you’re wild-camping in the mountains or trekking through the Amazon jungle, a mosquito net is a true travel essential that you’ll definitely miss if you don’t pack it. Some excursions may provide them, but these can be old and come with holes, which makes them redundant.

It’s best to bring your own (they can pack down pretty small), which you can hook up to your bed in dorms to prevent you from any nasty nighttime bites. This is particularly important in regions where malaria and dengue are a risk; looking after your health is a must, even when you’re having the time of your life on a carefree adventure.

These are five of just some of the travel essentials you won’t know you need until you REALLY miss them. Be sure to pack these items to make your travel adventure as simple and fun as possible!

Written by Hollie Jones 

Author bio:

Hollie Jones is an expert lifestyle blogger who lives by writing. Hollie’s drive, passion, and background come from the arts and media sectors. You can read her latest blog posts on Hollie and the Ivy, where she shares tips and advice about her passions while having a lot of fun along the way.