12+ essential long-term travel items every woman needs

Long-term traveling is a little different from vacationing. Mostly because you have to take EVERYTHING you’re going to need with you since you’re not going back home any time soon. But you also have to prepare for every situation you might encounter out on the road. From safety and packing to planning for different weather and activities on your trips.

Of course, there are a lot of things you can buy on the road when traveling long-term. It’s not like other countries don’t sell clothes, deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, and other everyday essentials. But this list contains the items that are best bought BEFORE you go on your long-term trip. And as an Amazon junkie (and Amazon Associate) you’ll find that most items on this list can be bought on Amazon.

Note: As an Amazon Associate, I might earn a small commission from qualifying purchases when you buy something from one of my links, at no additional cost to you. I promise these are all items I’ve bought myself, I’ve liked and truthfully recommend.

Also, a lot of these items are awesome to have on short trips and vacations as well! So shop away!

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1. Packing cubes

Packing cubes are awesome for keeping your luggage organized. But compression packing cubes are perfect to compact all your clothes and optimize the space in your luggage. I recommend buying a multi-pack with different sizes to help you organize your clothes by type (aka, one for tops, one for bottoms, one for dresses, one for pjs, one for bathing suits, etc). Unfortunately as of this writing the same one I got is no longer available, but below is a similar one from Amazon.

2. Adapters and converters

There’s a slight difference between adapters and converters.

• Adapters – For most electronic items you bring (like cellphones, laptops, tablets, cameras, etc.) you’ll only need an adapter. Adapters basically help you plug your devices into the outlets of foreign countries. Since different countries have different shaped outlets, I recommend buying a universal adapter so one works everywhere you go, like the one in the photo above. And even if it seems like your plug fits into a foreign outlet, still use an adapter to prevent any power outages or f*cking up your device. The one pictured above is one I got a few years ago, but I included a button below to find a similar one on Amazon.

• Converters – On the other hand, converters help convert the voltage your device receives. Some electronics, like hairdryers and flat irons, only take a single voltage (i.e. 100-120V). Because the voltage changes per country, with some having a lower or higher voltage than in the US, an adapter helps adapt the voltage to one your electronic can handle. And as I said before, even if it seems like your plug fits into a foreign outlet and the voltage is the same, still use a converter to prevent any power outages or f*cking up your device. I originally bought a converter on Amazon, but it didn’t last more than a few months. So I got this one (photo above) at a market in Bangkok for less than $8 USD and has worked beautifully. Mix of plug and multi-USB converters for the win!

3. Cable organizer

If you’re like me, you have way too many cables to charge ALL your devices or connect different devices together. And if you’re even more like me, you probably have more than one of everything, because you never know! So I highly recommend buying a cable organizer. This little cable organizer not only organizes your cables, but also has little pouches for things like USBs, power banks, SD cards, Airpods, and so much more. And because it’s so compact, it can easily fit in your luggage or backpack. I got this one on Amazon and found it super useful for my travel needs.

4. Microfiber towels

Most hotels and Airbnbs will provide a few towels for you to use. But these towels are usually for bathroom use only. So I recommend buying a microfiber towel to use for the pool, at the beach, or even on outdoor adventures like hiking or river rafting. Microfiber towels are great at absorbing lots of water, but also great at drying faster than normal towels. They’re also compact and easy to pack and carry with you. Check out this one from Amazon that I bought a few months ago and has worked wonders for me.

5. Jewelry organizer

I’m all about staying organized and containing similar items in one place. And when it comes to jewelry, you know those pesky necklaces love to tangle themselves and give you a headache. And if you mix them with your rings, earrings, and bracelets, you’ll just get frustrated trying to find anything. I can’t believe it took me this long to find the solution, but this jewelry organizer has saved my sanity whenever I want to accessorize. It has different sections for all your accessories so you can separate them and easily access all of them whenever you need them. There are different sizes and colors available depending on your style and how much jewelry you want to take with you.

6. Toiletry bag

I used to shove all my toiletries in a single-pocket bag and then struggle to find things, especially smaller things that tend to go straight to the bottom. And let’s not even talk about how difficult it was to close the bag after I shoved everything in there. So I decided to end my struggles and get myself a foldable, hangable, multi-zippered toiletry bag. Now all my toiletries are organized, easy to see and access, and I can hang the bag from any hook or towel rack without needing to use counter space (if there’s any, to begin with). You can find the same bag or similar ones on Amazon.

7. Safety items

As women, we can never be too safe while traveling to other countries. And I will rather be safe than sorry. So here are a few things I bought to keep my items safe while on the road.

• Combination locks – Locks are perfect to lock your luggage and/or backpack when traveling around. But they’re also perfect for protecting valuable things in your luggage or backpack that might not fit on a safety box (if you have one) when you leave your things behind in your hotel room or Airbnb while exploring around. I highly recommend getting a few combination locks over key-opening locks. That way you don’t have to worry about carrying (and potentially losing) your key, and you can safeguard more than one bag at a time.

• Scrunchies with hidden pockets – Scrunchies are a must-have for any woman with short to long hair. But why not make your scrunchie useful and get one with a secret pocket inside. Whether you carry it on your wrist or on your hair, you can easily store some cash, small keys, and small accessories without attracting any attention to it. It’s perfect for going to the pool or the beach where things could easily get stolen while on the water.

• Secret camera – Are you worried about what happens or could happen in your hotel room while you’re out and about? Then get this secret camera. It looks like a regular charger (and it does charges things for real too) so no one will suspect it’s a camera and watch what happens in your room while you’re gone. It has two modes, continuous recording, and movement recording. I recommend leaving it on movement recording, meaning it only records when it detects movement in front of the camera, to not use up all the micro SD card space. And it comes with a micro SD card USB converter to easily access the recordings and save them to your computer. Note: the camera does NOT come with a micro SD card, but they’re easy enough to buy.

8. Raincoat

If you’re going to any tropical country or any country where it rains a lot, I recommend buying a raincoat before you leave. This one comes with a travel bag, it’s super compact and long enough to keep part of my legs dry as well as my torso. There are a lot of options out there so pick the one you like the most. Alternatively, you can buy a poncho, but those are pretty flimsy and hard to put away again and reuse at another time.

9. Backpacks for different occasions

There are many types of backpacks out there, so getting the right ones for your specific travel needs is more important than you think. So, based on my long-term travel needs, the items I’m bringing, and the kind of activities I might be doing, I bought 2 types of backpacks.

• Laptop backpack – I chose this cushioned backpack with multiple pockets for my laptop, tablet, electronics, and other items I might need to carry with me when I’m working at cafes and coworking spaces. The inside and bottom cushions help keep my electronics protected and the many pockets help me keep everything organized. This is also the backpack I use as my personal bag on airplanes to keep my most valuable electronics with me at all times.

• Camping/hiking backpack – I also bought a separate backpack for outdoor adventures like multi-day trips, water activities, and hiking. Since I only need this backpack for special occasions, I bought one that could fold into a small bag I could easily pack in my luggage. It’s breathable and lightweight, water-resistant, big enough to carry more than a week’s worth of clothes, and also has multiple pockets and compartments to keep my things organized.

10. Well-being items

Apart from prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicine, and first-aid kits, you should consider buying a few extra items that will help keep you healthy and feeling better in bad circumstances. Two of these items are:

• Anti-nausea wristbands – If you suffer from nausea, either randomly or caused by movement, you should consider getting an anti-nausea wristband. Equipped with an acupressure plastic knob on the inside of the wristband, it’s proven to help relieve nausea. They are reusable and work fast, plus there are no side effects. I’ve found that it works better than any medicine I’ve taken to help with nausea.

• Electrolyte tablets – Getting stomach flu, throwing up, and/or being hungover feels like shit. And unfortunately, we can’t just carry an electrolyte drink with us at all times just in case. It’s heavy, definitely more than 3 oz, and a little inconvenient to bring with you. So as soon as I heard about Electrolyte tablets from an experienced traveler, I immediately got some for my travels. Now, I haven’t personally used these tablets myself yet, but I’m sure glad I have them when/if I need them. I bought the Immunity support ones, but there are many other options and ingredients (like vitamin support, sport specify support, and energy support) and they come in different flavors and amounts.

11. Power Banks

Why is it that our phone’s batteries die faster when we travel? It’s probably due to all the photos we’re taking, all the navigation help we need to not get lost, all the time spent on social media keeping up with friends and posting all of our amazing photos, and all the hundreds of different apps open at the same time. I know I’m guilty of all of that! So to keep my phone alive on the road I bought this pair of power banks that charges my phone on the go. And the price for two of them was better than for one, so why not? It’s always good to have a backup.

12. Travel wallet

I got this travel wallet because it could fit my passport, vaccination card, and boarding passes. But it also has space for 7 cards and a few SIM cards to help you keep everything organized in one place. Oh, and it comes with RFID blocking shield material to keep all your info safe. Also, they are super cute! With over 30 different colors to choose from, I’m sure you’ll find your favorite one too.

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Now, this is not even all items I bought OR brought to my long-term travels, but it’s a good place to start.

Have any questions about any of the items listed above? Ask your questions in the comment section below and I would love to answer them!