10 Things to Buy Before Traveling Internationally
This post is not sponsored.
Whether you’re planning to catch peak Cherry Blossom season in Japan, climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, or travel to Southeast Asia for a year, there are a number of things I highly recommend buying before leaving your home country!
What I mean is that while some places around the world are better than others for getting what you need, there are some things that just can’t be replaced when you’re abroad.
This is exactly why I wanted to write this list—because I have made a number of mistakes traveling internationally in the past, especially when it comes to the things that aren’t inherently obvious.
10 Things to Buy Before Traveling Internationally
The following list is written in no particular order of most or least important, but there are few things that may not seem obvious, such as my suggestion for new sandals below.
1. Universal Backpack
I cannot stress the importance of buying a good backpack that you will carry with you everywhere you go!
Think of the airport, the beach, a hike, the narrow streets of the Tokyo, and everywhere in between.
This is why something lightweight and universal is not only nice to have, but an essential that shouldn’t be traveled without.
All that being said, my overall recommendation goes to Cotopaxi and their one-of-a-kind Allpa 35L Travel Pack. From specifically designed pockets to how it neatly folds away for air travel, this backpack was designed with the traveler in mind—which is why it’s my number one recommendation for international travel around the world!
2. eSim
It’s easy to think, while sitting at home before your trip, that you don’t need cell service while you’re out of the country. However, these days, it’s more essential than you may initially think.
In Japan, having 5G is essential for using Google Maps when navigating the complicated train stations, and in Southeast Asia, having service is a must-have for using Grab—their version of Uber or Lyft—when trying to get around.
In all, there’s truly no telling how often having service will be necessary—especially in a country with a significant language barrier.
This is why I highly recommend Ubigi, as it’s one of the best and most universally accepted eSIMs around the world!
Sign Up Here: Ubigi
3. Combination Lock
If it is your first time heading out on an international backpacking trip, it’s likely that you’re going to stay in a hostel of some type or another, and generally speaking, all of the backpacker hostels that I’ve ever stayed in had a place to lock up your valuables.
However, this is obviously pretty useless if you didn’t bring your own lock.
This is why I recommend a simple combination lock, because a key is just one thing that can easily get lost when traveling abroad.
4. Rain Jacket/ Shell
While this may not be true for everywhere, it can rain a lot in places like Southeast Asia, especially during the monsoon season!
To this point, once when I visited El Nido, Palawan, it rained so much that all the streets and shops within the town flooded with a foot of water!
For this reason, it’s important to travel with a quality rain shell before leaving home, which can be a necessity for both hiking and simply walking around.
5. Backpack Rain Cover
Going with my recommendation above, a rain cover for your backpack is just as important as a jacket, whether you’re traveling to hike or simply walking from place to place.
I say this because you need to protect your most valuable electronics that you might have with you, and remember, any nice piece of gear that you have with you will not be as easily replaceable compared to when you’re at home.
6. New Sandals
When I left for my first international trip, new sandals were something that I never considered. By this, I mean that I simply wore what I had already been wearing for over a year and went straight to the airport.
That said, I soon learned this was a big mistake, because the pair I had gotten used to at home was obviously not available when my old ones broke in Southeast Asia. However, I had to go shopping anyway, and I ended up with cheap foam sandals that were way too small for someone as tall as myself.
This is why I recommend traveling with quality pair from either Reef or OluKai, especially if you’re traveling somewhere tropical.
7. Apple AirTags
There are always a few travel items that just can’t be replaced, such as your luggage, your wallet, your keys, and especially your passport!
This is why I highly recommend traveling with a few AirTags that can give you peace of mind in the unlikely event that you need to track something down.
That is to say, don’t get complacent with your valuables, and you might consider keeping some things on your person at all times.
8. Passport Protector
Depending on the traveler, passports can either be in great shape or have pages falling out.
This is because your passport is something you’ll likely carry with you at all times, meaning that without some kind of protection, it can wear out fast!
That said, a passport protector may be one of the simplest things on this list, but consider the fact that it’s also the one thing protecting your ability to return home, as a passport that immigration will accept is paramount to having a great trip!
9. Travel Visa
Depending on where you plan to travel, a visa may or may not be necessary.
That said, I have learned from experience that trying to secure a visa through an untrustworthy, no-name company can be a complicated nightmare.
This is why I highly recommend getting your visa through iVisa, as they have thankfully made this process super easy, understandable, and—most importantly—convenient!
Book Here: iVisa.com
10. Backpacker Travel Insurance
This is just one of those things where you can’t predict what medical incidents might happen to you when you’re away from home.
It could be stitches, a broken arm, or perhaps something worse. That said, it’s also unlikely that your current medical insurer will cover you outside of your home country.
However, there is an insurance company called SafetyWing that works worldwide to cover these exact things and so much more!
I recommend checking out their Nomad Insurance to see exactly what I am talking about because the long list of activities that they cover is pretty incredible!
Sign Up Here: SafetyWing
Summary
All in all, I did not make many recommendations for clothing because I feel that clothing is very personal, and my recommendations wouldn’t be as universal as my recommendations above.
However, if you would like to see me talk about something that I didn’t mention, please leave a comment below!
