What to Pack for International Trips

The more we travel, the more we’ve learned about what to pack and bring with us on international trips. Here is a list of some of our must-have travel essentials we pack for our trips.

Backpack

We both use the Osprey Farpoint 55 and cannot recommend it enough. We love this backpack because the main storage space is 40L and there is a detachable 15L daypack. The main straps can be zipped away to easily convert it into a duffle bag. For flights, we put the duffle bag in the overhead compartment and use the daypack as our small personal item to put under the seat.

Technically, the main pack is 1 inch longer than most standard airline carry-on restrictions. However, since the pack is flexible it can easily be compressed if needed. We haven’t had any issues with needing to check them due to size. JR has had to check it once for going over the weight limit though.

The unzipped daypack can connect to the front straps of your backpack which is handy if you want to keep important items closer to you and insight.

The daypack has a compartment for your laptop, a specially-lined pocket for your sunglasses, and 2 net pouches for water bottles.

Credit Card

Often referred to as the best credit card for travel, the Chase Sapphire Preferred has no foreign transaction fees, and gets you points that can be redeemed for multiple different airlines and travel sites. We love it. 2x points for food and travel-related purchases. Currently, if you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months you get 50k bonus points.

For travel within the US or to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, we also have the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card. No foreign transaction fees.

Getting the card and the bonus is a great jumping off point if you want to hit the companion pass. The companion pass is good for the following year and the rest of the current year when you reach it, so the earlier in the year you get it, the better. Spend just $1,000 in the first 3 months to get 40k bonus points.

Neck pillow

We both use the Travelrest Ultimate Memory Foam Pillow. It’s memory foam so you can squish it down into its storage bag and doesn’t take up too much space. It’s also much taller than standard neck pillows and actually provides good support.

Phone Chargers

I use an Incase 5400 portable charger. I’ve been using it for a long time and haven’t noticed any loss in charging juice.

Laptop

We both use Macbook Pros. I have an older 15-inch and also an older 13-inch for work. I like traveling with the smaller one better since it takes up less room and is lighter. JR uses a new 13-inch Macbook Pro.

Power Adapter/Converter

For international travel, we bring along a converter. In the past, we used an adapter, but after it broke my flat iron we made the switch. We use a 220V to 110V International Travel Voltage Converter. It works in over 150 countries and is very convenient with 3 outlets.

Packing Cubes

For optimal packing efficiency and to keep things more organized, we use eBags Packing Cubes.

Kindle

We both use a Kindle Paperwhite with a leather case. The Paperwhite is a great option since it has a backlight you can easily read in the dark.

Shoes

Nike Frees are great all-around shoes, and great to travel with. If you’re not wearing them and need to pack them, the heel is collapsible to save more room.

Depending on where you’re traveling, water shoes can be a good addition to bring. These water shoes from Dick’s are very cheap but very comfortable and stylish… for water shoes 🙂 JR uses Under Armour Drainsters.

Phone Case

I use the Lifeproof Fre Shot case. It’s waterproof, drop-proof, and protects your phone against all sorts of elements. Plus it comes with a fun little wide angle lens attachment and a built-in stand.

Camera

We also have a Canon EOS Rebel T6. <– This is a great little starter kit for a really good price that includes a bag, extra battery, memory cards, lens protectors, and a few other items.

For a camera backpack, we use this Kattee canvas backpack. It has a laptop slot, straps for a tripod, a rain cover, and a removable, padded camera case. This is great because if we don’t want to use the backpack we can just bring the case for protection and put it in another bag. We also like it since it looks nice and doesn’t look like a traditional camera backpack.

For when we don’t need to carry around as much, we also have an ONA messenger bag. It’s compact, easy to carry around, and also doesn’t look like a camera bag. If you don’t need a ton of gear, it fits the camera and a few other accessories perfectly.

For any activities in the water or where the big camera wont cut it, we have the GoPro Hero5 Black. We use the 3-way mount which is a great handle, tripod, and extender all in one. We also have the smart remote wristband although we don’t get as much use out of it.

Tripod

We use a Manfrotto Compact Aluminum Travel Tripod. It’s high-quality, light, comes with a carrying case, and easily fits in our Osprey backpacks.

For a more compact option, we also have a JOBY GorillaPod. The pros are that it’s smaller, lighter, can be used as a hand-held grip, and it can be wrapped around things like railings. The only con is if you need stability and there’s nothing around to set it on or wrap it around, you have to put it on the ground and it can’t be raised.

Towel

Depending on the trip, we might need to bring a towel with us. We use the PackTowl Luxe Microfiber towel. It’s small and compact, and dries quickly.

Hemlock Hat

These don’t come with us on every trip, but if it’s easy for us to bring and we’re going somewhere warm, we love Hemlock Hats. They always have new fun designs and they provide great sun protection.

Travel Tubes

The worst thing you can do is run out of sunscreen on a trip and have to buy an expensive bottle somewhere. We use these silicone tubes for sunscreen, lotion, and shampoo/conditioner if we’re going somewhere that won’t have any.

Sandals

Rainbows make for great travel sandals. They’re comfortable, durable, made out of high-quality leather, last a long time, dry fast, and don’t take up much space.

Eye Mask

We use this eye mask that helps prevent light from coming in around the nose, gives your eyeballs extra space to breathe, and has an adjustable velcro strap that stays in place without hurting.

Earplugs

We always have a set of earplugs in our backpack. You never know when you’re going to end up somewhere noisy when it’s time to sleep!

Sunscreen

We love our Ocean Potion. It goes on easy and smells amazing. Put it in your travel tubes or get the 3oz travel size.

Aloe Vera

Since we like tropical places, we sometimes get a little too much sun. We like Ocean Potion’s Aloe Vera Gel. It goes on cool and provides instant relief and helps speed up the healing process.

Bug Spray

If you’re traveling to a place with mosquitos, make sure to buy your travel size bug spray before you leave. You might not have a chance to buy any once you’re there until it’s too late.

Pen

Always remember to bring a pen! If you’re traveling internationally you will almost always need to fill out paperwork on the plane.

Medicine Holder

For any daily medicines or vitamins, we use a small pill case. It’s much easier than using a bunch of different plastic baggies which is what I used to do.

Snacks

Depending on the trip, and how much packing space is available, I like to bring a box of Quest Bars. They’re high in protein and a good filling snack if you might not have food readily available when you’re hungry. My favorites are Chocolate Chip and Cookies and Cream.

What’s in your bag?

Are we missing anything? What items can you not travel without? Share with us in the comments below!

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