After receiving some nice feedback about the post ‘In my dive travel bag as a female scuba diver’, and the connected video on the Splashpacker YouTube channel, I became motivated to share more travel tips regarding my packing lists. In this post I write about my travel electronics packing list, to help you with an idea about what electronics to travel with. You can start packing your electronics for your next travel or start thinking about what electronics to pack for your next vacation in 2024!!
Video about my packing list & the electronics to travel with
Here is a little video about 3 electronics on my packing list for solo travel, long travels or working abroad. In this blogpost, however, I share more travel tips and a couple of other electronics to travel with.
An updated version of my travel electronics packing list with small electrical devices
I recorded the above video about the electronics on my packing list, a while ago. I’m now updating this post and will add a few more electronics for international travel. As promised in the video, this blog post also comes with an extra travel tip for packing electronics for travel. So you have three more travel electronics on the packing list in this travel blog post. In the video, I explain why I take the small electronics because they might not seem the electrical devices to bring when traveling. But I have a few good reasons why they’re actually very useful electronics to pack for a vacation or holiday (ad). You can also subscribe to the Splashpacker YouTube channel if you like.
My travel electronics packing list contains small electronical devices that are useful for long term travels, solo travel and working abroad
This post is not specifically related to scuba diving or female travel. But I always carried the items on my travel electronics packing list, when I was working abroad as a diving instructor and on my long-term travels as a solo female traveler. Usually, I also take the small electronical devices on the travel electronics packing list on my dive travel adventures of backpacking, flashpacking, and splashpacking. My kind of traveling is usually a combination of that. Obviously, besides the small travel electronics in this post, I also take my laptop when I go for longer travels or move to another country.
The travel electronics on my packing list in this blog post are recommended from personal experience
I will order the travel electronics packing list in order of how essential each small electrical device is to me. The two travel electronics on my packing list that I didn’t mention in the video are added to this list. And I then add the bonus tip, which really is an electronic travel essential, in the end. I also share a final tip for packing your small electronical devices for travel and how to organize your travel electronics. To comply with the advertising law, I would like to say that I do make a small commission if you purchase anything through the links to Amazon (ad) in this post. But the recommendations come only from my personal travel experience of female solo traveling and working abroad since 2006.
An overview of the travel electronics on my packing list in this blogpost
Here is an overview of the travel electronics I have on my packing list.
- A tough & waterproof compact camera for the outdoors & watersports
- The e-reader, especially for solo travel
- A waterproof, rugged cellphone with a dual SIM card option
- The electric toothbrush, especially for longer travels
- The little MP3 player
- An international travel plug adapter
- An organizer for small electronics, chargers & cables
1) A compact tough camera is essential on the travel electronics packing list of any adventure traveler
An compact and tough travel camera (ad) is indispensable on the travel electronics packing list for each traveler that craves some adventure or loves watersports. I’m so happy with the waterproof Nikon Coolpix W300 camera, that you can take scuba diving to a depth of 30 meters, or 100 feet, without a housing. In fact, I’m so happy with this camera specifically that I’ve written a blog post about the Nikon Coolpix as an underwater camera. But even if you’re not planning on scuba diving, the camera is rugged and tough, dustproof, shockproof, and freezeproof. It simply is a great camera for any kind of travel. There is also a video about this camera on the Splashpacker YouTube channel.
2) The Kindle e-reader or e-book reader is another essential on my travel electronics packing list (especially for solo travel)
The next small travel electronic on my packing list is the e-reader. I love the Kindle, that I bought in Australia in 2012 and still works perfectly! But you might be happy with any kind or brand of e-reader to read e-books. There are a few reasons why I love to travel with an e-reader. Before I bought my Kindle, I sometimes used book exchange in hostels or carried some books in my backpack on my travels. It was not always ideal because you are limited to the books you’ll find during your travels. Also, it´s a lot of extra weight. Especially when I also carried my heavy PADI instructor manual in those years! Whilst traveling or working in remote places like the Maldives for example, I could not just buy or get a new book!
Being able to read electronically made things easier for me as a solo traveler
Before I bought the Kindle, I had my doubts. First of all, I found it a bit expensive for yet another electronic which only serves for reading books. But I am so happy I did buy the Kindle that time. Over the years, it paid itself back. I read a lot and e-books are usually much cheaper than paper versions. You also might save some trees by reading electronically. And I can buy and read any book I like, even in remote places! Reading, in general, is just an activity I enjoy doing whilst traveling alone. And now you even have a built-in light if you like to take a book to a restaurant at night to read a bit whilst waiting for your dinner!
Why do I add the Kindle e-reader to my travel electronics packing list, if I can also read on my phone?
This is a question you might have. And for myself, I have some very good reasons for that. First of all, it´s not always very comfortable to read on your cellphone, especially when you read a lot. Most e-readers are designed to read in comfort. So, you can adjust the letter sizes and the way you hold your reader, i.e. horizontally or vertically. The most important thing for me, however, is the special lighting. If I use my phone for a long time just before sleeping, I just can´t sleep. The Kindle and most of the e-book readers, have a special light that does not activate that part of your brain that keeps you awake like most phones do. Click here to buy your Kindle e-book reader or other e-reader on Amazon (ad).
3) A rugged, waterproof phone for the outdoors is another travel electronic on my packing list
Another travel electronic that I’m super happy with, and devoted an entire blog post to, is the Blackview rugged and waterproof phone. If you prefer to watch a video, I also recorded a video about it in my enthusiasm! The waterproof phone is obviously great for all travelers that love to do watersports, but the cellphone also tough enough to endure extreme conditions in the outdoors.
The waterproof and shockproof mobile phone with dual SIM card option is great for traveling
The cellphone is dustproof, shockproof and has a dual SIM card option which is great for longer travels. Read the blog post, or check out the video if you’re having doubts about it. In the blog post, I also explain more about the Blackview brand. Blackview offers a variety of waterproof phone models for every budget. But of course, there are also other electronic brands that offer similar phones. Click here for an overview of waterproof and rugged mobile phones on Amazon (ad).
4) The electric toothbrush is on my travel electronics packing list and even goes in my backpack (not kidding)
Yes, you read this correctly! And before you start thinking that it doesn’t make much sense, let me explain! I won’t take my electronic toothbrush as a travel electronic if I go for a one-week vacation. But I do take it on longer travels, put it in my backpack, and did travel with it when I worked abroad. The main reason for me is that I need the dentist way less since I use an electric toothbrush. When I left my home country in 2006 to become a scuba diving instructor and needed to pack lightly, the electrical toothbrush was one of the first travel electronics I deleted from my packing list. But after a couple of years, I realized that I had much more dental problems.
Why I pack the electronic toothbrush in my backpack for long-term travels
So, the first reason is simply that I need the dentist less. After having worked for a few years in Spain and in the Caribbean (the Dominican Republic & Mexico), I had some cavities to be filled at the dentist. In the following years, when I started to travel with the electronic toothbrush, I didn’t have any tooth problems for about 8 years. It might depend on the way your teeth are standing in your mouth. But I can reach the teeth in the back better when I brush electric, and I have the feeling that it cleans better in general. Next to having fewer dental problems, I also realized that I use way less toothpaste. The electric toothbrush doesn’t take up that much extra space in your backpack, and the charger is very small too.
One tip for the replacement brush heads for the electronic toothbrush
One little disadvantage of the electronic toothbrush is that the replacement brushes can be expensive, especially if you buy the original Oral-B ones. Also, they might not always be available if you travel to remote places. I experienced this whilst working in the Maldives. You can avoid these issues and save some money by pre-ordering a larger pack replacement brush heads on Amazon (ad). I recommend bringing a few extra brush heads if you plan on traveling for extended periods of time and to more remote destinations. Click here for a link to the electric toothbrush with travel case on Amazon (ad).
5) The little MP3 player is also on my packing list for travel electronics
Maybe I’m getting old and it might sound old-fashioned, but I still take the little MP3 player on my travels too. It might sound a bit unnecessary because nowadays we can listen to almost any song on our cellphones. But there are a few good reasons why the little MP3 player serves me really well on my travels.
Three reasons why I pack this small electronic for my travels
First of all, you save your phone battery during long flights or bus journeys. Secondly, I sometimes use the small MP3 player to go running, and I prefer not to take my phone with me because it is much bigger. Thirdly, you can listen to music without being disturbed, especially if it is relaxing music for meditation, for example. If you listen to music on your phone, you can be disturbed by phone calls or other means. Check out this link with a variety of MP 3 players on Amazon (ad). Some of them come with sports clip, lots of memory or SD card options. And other advantages both for traveling and running.
As promised in the YouTube video: the bonus travel tip for the travel electronics packing list
Depending on where you travel to or in which country you´re going to work, and where you´re originally from (or where you bought your electronics), it´s very useful to have a world plug or international travel adapter. They are not very expensive and there are versions that allow any kind of plug in the world to be converted to your electronic device. Some of the world travel plugs out there also convert the voltage.
The power plug adapter, or world travel plug, is an essential item on your packing list for international travel
I recommend buying an international travel plug adapter for all your international travels. It’s much easier and eventually cheaper than buying little convert adapters separately in each country. I remember buying local converting adapters when I worked in the Dominican Republic. But when I started working in Mexico, I couldn´t use them there and had to buy new ones again. You don’t have this problem if you travel with the international world plug.
The international travel adapter solved my problem of the different electric plugs in the world
After this, I moved to work in the Maldives where I found UK plugs, so once again I could not use my European plugs, nor the American and Caribbean converting adapters. Later on, I also went to travel in Asia and worked in New Zealand & Australia. The plug problem was solved for me by buying an international travel plug adapter. Most of them work for a variety of countries and parts of the world. If you’re planning on moving to another country, you can still buy the local ones there if you need more. But it’s very useful to always have at least one world plug or travel adapter with you. Click here to check out what Amazon has to offer (ad).
Super useful travel tip for packing your travel electronics: organizer for small electronical devices, chargers & cables
Did you know that there are special organizers to pack your small electronics, chargers, and other power supplies on your travels? There are different models and sizes available. Some of them are suitable for carrying devices such as an I-pad or Kindle, while others are made only for chargers and cables. Most of them are made from material to protect all your small electronics during traveling too. Click here to check them out on Amazon (ad).
What electronics do you travel with or pack for a vacation?
Is there an electronic that you’re especially happy about and always add to your small travel electric devices packing list? Maybe I forgot to mention something or there’s a travel electronic I don’t know about. Please share it with me in the comments. So you can help other travelers with travel tips and to help them pick the travel electronics for their packing list.
Splashpacker is more than travel tips regarding packing lists!
Sometimes I include a post with travel tips regarding my packing list. This might include things that I pack as a backpacker, solo traveler, or as a female working abroad. Here is a link to all packing list posts. It is, however, not the main topic of Splashpacker. I usually share more about scuba diving destinations, keep a personal travel blog, and try to focus on eco-conscious travel & sustainable tourism.
Sometimes I write about my experience of working abroad as a scuba diving instructor but I also write about non-diving destinations. If you like what I do you can follow me on social media, join the mailing list below, or subscribe to me on YouTube. Here is the link to the Splashpacker YouTube channel!
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