The travel essentials you need to make your trip easier or more fun depend on your travel style. Maybe you just want to stay on the beach and relax. Perhaps you prefer a hiking trip through rough nature or indulge in art and culture. For every trip you probably need different stuff. Still there are things I just can’t miss while traveling in any situation, like photography gear or sunglasses.
Every time while traveling I stumble upon situations that make me think “I should’ve done it that way” or “I’ve should’ve taken this”. So I already learned a lot from experience.

10 travel essentials I wouldn’t travel without:

Microfiber swimming towel

Now this is one of the best discoveries I ever made! I was looking for a solution to avoid taking a giant beach towel with me in my suitcase. Also I really don’t like carrying this huge heavy thing on my back while hiking or when I’m on a day trip. The solution? A compact microfiber towel! I bought it at Decathlon and it’s so compact and light! Perfect to fit in my back pack! They have different sizes and they come in many colors!

Sunscreen

I’m a big fan of the Hawaiian Tropic Sunscreens. I discovered them for the first time at the hotel shop in Mexico and I’m using them ever since! They smell incredible, protect you from the sun and still give you a very nice tan. They don’t stick!

Comfortable waterproof shoes

If you go hiking you need decent shoes. The last thing you want, is to feel every rock under your feet or even worse; wet feet! I have very sensitive feet; I get blisters in almost every pair of shoes! But I’m very content with my Timberland 6-Inch Premium Boots and my Quechua Forclaz Flex 3 hiking shoes (similar here). They are waterproof, give great support and I can hike for miles with them!
If you’re going for short walks or you’re city tripping and the weather is bad, sneakers are the perfect shoewear!

Sandals

Besides sneakers I always take a pair of flat sandals. They are light on your feet and perfect for summer!

Sunglasses

The perfect sunglasses aren’t only great to protect your eyes from the sun, but also to cover up sleepy eyes! You’re never out of style with a great pair of sunnies! My favorites are my limited edition pearl Chanel sunglasses and my Prada. But for nature trips I take my less expensive sunglasses of Quay.

Umbrella

Maybe it’s because I’m Belgian, but I always take an umbrella with me. Either to protect me from the rain or from the burning sun. H&M has some nice light weight umbrellas.

Swim wear

Another travel essential I always take is my swim wear, even if it’s not a beach destination. You never know, maybe you’ll feel the sudden urge to dive into a swimming pool or visit a sauna…

Cross body bag

The most practical and safest bag is the cross body bag with a zipper. The zipper makes sure your bag is closed properly and it makes stealing your wallet more difficult for those with bad intentions. A cross body bag with a handle is even more handy, because you can carry your bag on your arm when your shoulder starts to hurt from your bag’s weight.

Maps

I know there are a lot of digital alternatives but I like a good old fashioned map. Simply because you get an idea of the place you’re visiting in just one glance and you don’t need to look for wifi or zoom in.

Photography gear

You can read all about my photography gear in this post.

What are your travel essentials? Don’t hesitate to share it in the comments down below!