Top 5: Christmas gifts for travel lovers

Go glamping in a Canopy & Stars yurt

Canopy & Stars

Canopy & Stars Roundhouse makes for a unique escape
Canopy & Stars

Five-star hotels are instantly coveted for their luxury fittings, but sometimes, the low-fi alternative is more fun. Canopy & Stars, a company devoted to ‘glamping’, or luxury camping, has lots of alternative accommodation across the UK and France. Christmas gift vouchers are available in any sum and allow visitors to stay in spaces ranging from a caravan in the Scottish borders to a yurt in Somerset. If you’re more a doer than a lounger, try a course at Bedruthan Steps Hotel in Cornwall, where you can learn to knit, fish, make shoes or design jewellery. Lastly, those looking for a more relaxing time will love Hotel du Vin’s gift vouchers for spa days and wine and cheese evenings.
 

Lomography Fisheye No. 2 is a quirky alternative camera
Lomography

Even seasoned wanderers need something to distract them during hotel downtime or a lengthy layover. With a tablet or reader like Amazon’s Kindle (the latest version, Kindle Touch, is available only in the US), you can bring along loads of movies and books without sacrificing luggage space. Fill the extra room with a spare camera like the Fisheye No. 2 from Lomography. While not a replacement for high-quality photography equipment, a quirky camera makes even the most basic photos interesting and unique.
 

All the toiletries you need in a quirky tin suitcase
Burt's Bees

When laptops and tablets fail, a journal will save your cherished on-the-go musings. Notebooks come in lots of designs - what’s your traveller’s style? Save tickets and notes in a compact, elastic-bound journal from Hampton Blue, or try Noble Macmillan’s leather-bound notebooks for a sturdier alternative. Electronics failing might be inconvenient, but negotiating airline liquid and carry-on restrictions is the bane of many a journey. Frequent travellers will love a travel gift set like this one from Burt’s Bees, which carries all the toiletries you could need, in sample sizes. Best of all, it comes encased in a quirky tin suitcase, rather than a run-of-the-mill washbag.
 

You won't lose your luggage with this colourful tag
Lemonlu London

Maps are inarguably useful, but why is folding them back up so difficult? You can save the frustration with a Crumpled City Map. The 27 waterproof maps from Palomar are already balled up and ready to be shoved and pulled in and out of rucksacks. Another classic gift with a twist is Lemonlu London’s collection of eye-catching luggage tags, which are adorned with designs inspired by traditional Middle Eastern patterns. Don’t forget the easiest stocking stuffer: the Columbus World Travel Atlas app is perfect for inspiration and guidance on your travels.
 

A cool present for frequent flyers
Lipault Paris

Take some of the burden out of travel by lightening your loved one’s luggage. Lipault sells suitcases, laptop bags and backpacks in a number of standout colours, materials and sizes with ample packing room. You can tune out the remaining misery of the air travel experience with noise-cancelling headphones. Bose QuietComfort 15 is a quality over-ear pair, while Digital Silence DS101A in-ear phones keep the cabin noise out and the music in.
 

And now for something a little different…

If giving a trip to a far-flung location isn’t an option, try something equally inspiring and adopt an exotic animal on someone’s behalf. The Galapagos Conservation Trust lets you adopt a Galapagos tortoise, shark, sea lion, or penguin, among other animals, for a minimum of £25. In addition to receiving an adoption certificate, postcard, and fridge magnet, your traveller can lay claim to a piece of this UNESCO World Heritage site and you can pride yourself on helping to save these amazing creatures.