7 Must-Haves for Your Next Adventure Abroad

In the modern era, international travel is easier than ever before. We have language translators, maps, cameras, guidebooks, booking platforms, and more all packed into our smartphones. Trips that 20 years ago might have required months of planning can now be tackled on a whim. You can book flights, hotels, rental cars, and guided adventures all from your phone. 

But whether you’re heading out to track gorillas in the Rwandan jungle, chase waves in Portugal, tour Ecuadorian volcanoes on mountain bike, or even just relax and sample wines in the Tuscan countryside, there are a few things you should bring with you… (besides some guts and stoke for the unknown). 

Here are seven must-haves for your next international adventure. We’ll start with a couple of helpful apps, then dive into tech and gear.

Translation App

Maybe we’re all watching the same mindless TikTok videos, but we don’t all speak the same language… at least not yet. Being able to communicate abroad will eliminate so many pain-in-the-ass scenarios. 

So unless you’re already fluent in your destination’s language—or you fancy thumbing through a pocket dictionary every five seconds—downloading a translation app on your smartphone is worth it.

Whether you’re on iOS or Android, there are plenty of worthy choices. Apple’s “Translate” app comes standard on all iPhones nowadays, and Google Translate (available on both operating systems) is just as good, if not better. Both allow for voice-to-text and traditional “type and translate,” and they also let you download select languages for offline use. Each app also features camera translation, where you can take a photo of anything in the world around you (like a restaurant menu, bus schedule, or billboard) and the app will translate the text on it for you. We're also using DeepL and WordReference, both of which have a lot of unique value.

Before you hop on your next international flight, make sure you 1) have a translation app on your phone, 2) know how to use it, and 3) that the native language in your destination is downloaded, so you can translate offline.

Navigation Application

There are dozens of navigation applications on the market both free and paid. Some are better for the remote, off-trail backcountry, some are better for simple frontcountry hikes, others are better for urban exploration. Some are better in Europe, others in the United States. Google Maps will get you by in most scenarios, and it’s much preferred over Apple Maps for international travel. 

But MAPS.ME is my top do-it-all choice. This nifty, free app has long been my go-to whether I’m exploring a bustling European capital or the backroads of a South American village. MAPS.ME lets you download maps for offline use anywhere in the world, which comes in handy if you don’t have an international phone plan or SIM (or if you’re in a remote location with scant cell phone reception). On several occasions, I’ve searched for a remote trail that didn’t appear on any other mapping application from Google to AllTrails to Outdooractive, but MAPS.ME had it.

The point-to-point navigation is a bit clunky, and won’t compete with Google Maps, but it’s more than enough to help you find your way around if you don’t have data or cell reception, and it’s easy to download maps for specific destinations, to avoid clogging up your phone storage. 

International Outlet Adapter 

You might have kick-ass translation and navigational tools in your pocket, but it’s no good if you can’t keep your phone charged. If this is your first trip out of the country, it may surprise you to know that outlets have a variety of configurations and voltages around the world. 

If you’re coming from the United States, your devices will use a Type A or B plug, which is also used in Canada, Mexico, Japan, the Philippines, and some parts of South America. Otherwise, the country you’re visiting will have a different outlet than the one in your home nation. That means you won’t be able to charge your devices without an adapter!

In years past, you’d need a specific adapter for each specific outlet, but today, all-in-one international adapters are relatively common. One single compact, portable adapter can ensure your device plugs into outlets in any country in the world.

Another thing to keep in mind as you search. The term “adapter” is often used interchangeably with “converter” in product descriptions, but they aren’t the same thing. An adapter lets the plugs on your electronics fit into foreign outlets. A converter changes the voltage coming out of an outlet to match that of your device. 

99% of the time, you won’t need to worry about conversion. It’s only necessary if your device is single voltage (110-120V AC). Most modern electronics, like cell phones, laptops, cameras, and tablets, are dual or multi-voltage, meaning they can accommodate both 110-120V AC and 220-240V AC devices. Some older hair dryers, irons, and other household appliances are single-voltage, in which case you will need a converter. However, the vast majority of all devices you’d be traveling with are multi-volt, so it’s not something to worry about. If you want to double-check, look at the voltage rating on your device to be sure.

Backpack

The humble backpack is the cornerstone of any adventure. Depending on your trip, you may not need a full 70-liter trekking pack. Maybe you’ll carry your gear and apparel in duffel bags or roller suitcases. But no matter what sort of adventure you’re embarking on, you’ll want at least a small daypack. 

A daypack is crucial for carrying water, food, spare clothes, and other essentials while you’re exploring, be it the city streets or the mountain trails.

Look for a compressible pack with a streamlined exterior, heavy-duty fabric, and comfortable straps. Packs with primarily internal (not external) pockets are also ideal—as pickpockets find it easier to target small external pockets. 

Toiletries Kit

This one’s fairly obvious, but until you’ve done your fair share of living out of a backpack or suitcase, it can be hard to appreciate just how helpful it is to have a durable, compact, and functional ditty bag. 

Small items like medications, glasses, contacts, toothbrushes, and razors are the easiest things to lose track of when checking in and out of hotels, hostels, and campsites. If you misplace a hairbrush or a pair of nail clippers, a quick trip to the pharmacy might solve it. But if you lose your contact lenses or prescription medication, it may utterly detail your trip.

Purchase a toiletries bag that allows you to keep all your essentials separate, organized, and secure. Dividers and inner compartments, smooth, snag-free zippers, and burly fabric are all traits to look for.

Lock

Whether you’re staying in hotels, hostels, or a tent, a basic lock goes a long way toward providing peace of mind. Locks are useful both for securing valuables in lockers (if you’re staying in shared lodging) and for locking your bag zippers while traveling in public transport. Even in hotels, particularly in developing nations, it’s smart to lock up a few valuables, like your passport, in provided in-room lockers while you’re out exploring during the day. 

I recommend small, TSA-approved combination locks as opposed to bulky keylocks. For one, keys are a pain to keep track of. But also, a heavy-duty lock is just overkill. If someone really wants to steal your stuff, they’ll plan ahead and pick or cut through a padlock. But this is extremely rare.  The vast majority of the time, when belongings get stolen while traveling, it’s simply because someone has a convenient opportunity to quickly and easily snag them. So a small, lightweight lock is all you need. It’ll deter ne'er-do-wells from rifling through your stuff on a whim, it won’t cost an arm and a leg, and it’ll be compact and light enough to carry anywhere.

Towel

Even if you aren’t jumping in frigid alpine streams or bodysurfing coastal swells, at the very least you’ll take a few showers on your trip (I hope). Many hotels will have towels, but hostels, campsites, lodges, and other accommodations often don’t, or they may require you to rent them for a fee. A small travel towel pays dividends. Look for towels that are lightweight, compact, absorbent, and quick-drying. 

Notebook

It may be the writer in me, but I never leave home without a notebook and a couple of pens. I know I’ve spent most of this article pontificating about the wonders of smartphones, but even in the digital era, pen and paper has a place.

It doesn’t matter if you aren’t in the habit of journaling during your travels, a sturdy notebook gives you a space to write down phone numbers, addresses, operating hours, and other essential bits of info on the off-chance that your smartphone is out of battery or otherwise inoperable.

If you buy a notebook with a couple of inner pockets or an elastic closure, it can also serve to store tickets, visas, boarding passes, receipts, reservation confirmations, and other small bits of paper you might need to keep track of.

Conclusion

Every adventure requires a different set of tools (and a different mindset). If you’re climbing peaks in Ecuador, you’ll probably need a rope and crampons. If you’re heading into the Central African jungle, you’ll probably need some bug spray.

If you’re sipping wine in Tuscany… maybe you just need a few flannel shirts, some comfortable loafers, and a nice pair of sunglasses.

But no matter where in the world you’re heading, a few key essentials—many of them just apps you can download on your phone—will go a long way toward making your trip a success. These are my seven must-haves for international travel.