10 Sustainable Gift Ideas for Travelers
Minimize your footprint without sacrificing adventure. Sustainable gifts are designed with longevity in mind, ensuring that they’re cherished for years to come. So, take it from Moon Travel Guides, the publisher leading travelers since 1973. This holiday season, you’ll want to grab an eco-friendly gift (or two) for the wanderers in your life.
1. Reusable Water Bottle
This one is so obvious, it’s painful. Instead of creating waste with disposable plastic water bottles, carry a reusable stainless steel one—they’ll keep you hydrated and insulate your water. We love this Cotopaxi-inspired design from MiiR.
For outdoor adventurers, consider a stylish LARQ water bottle with the purifier built in!
2. Reef-Safe Sunscreen
Unfortunately, most sunscreens contain chemicals that are incredibly harmful to coral reefs, endangered ecosystems our planet depends on. Plenty of brands have developed reef-safe alternatives to keep you safe from the rays without harming the ocean! Check out this list for guidance on what to buy and what to avoid. We recommend AO Organics Hawaii, a woman-owned and Native Hawaiian-owned skincare brand.
3. A Travel Guide
For an immersive eco-adventure, chose one of these destinations:
- Flexible itineraries, from the weeklong best of Belize to three weeks exploring the whole country
- Strategic advice for water sports lovers, foodies, wildlife enthusiasts, and more, plus suggestions for supporting local businesses and exploring ethically and sustainably
- The top outdoor adventures: Hike rainforests filled with medicinal trees and howler monkeys, snorkel the second-largest coral reef in the world, go spelunking in ancient underground caves, or hop through the vibrant cayes
- Unique experiences and can’t-miss highlights: Canoe to a farmers market to sample fresh pupusas and cashew wine, and cool off beneath the waterfalls. Marvel at Mayan archaeological sites or experience a traditional homestay in Punta Gorda. Relax on the beach all day, and spend your night dancing barefoot in the sand to the sound of Garifuna drums
- Honest advice on when to go, what to pack, and where to stay, from Belize expert Lebawit Lily Girma
- Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout
- Essential background on the landscape, climate, wildlife, and culture, plus handy phrases in Kriol, Garifuna, and Q’eqchi’ Mayan
- Helpful recommendations for health and safety, traveling solo, and suggestions for LGBTQ visitors, travelers with disabilities, and seniors
Looking to expand your trip? Try Moon Yucatán Peninsula or Moon Costa Rica.
- Coverage of all 63 national parks, from the misty mountains of the east and the redwoods of the west to the glaciers of Alaska and volcanoes of Hawaii, organized by region
- Strategic lists and itineraries: Choose from lists of the best parks for hiking, wildlife, families, and scenic drives or make your way down the list of the top ten national parks experiences across the country
- The best outdoor adventures in every park, including backpacking, biking, climbing, kayaking, rafting, and more, plus detailed hike descriptions and trail maps marked with distance, duration, effort level, and trailheads
- National parks road trips with driving times and advice for linking multiple parks, interesting stops between them, and nearby attractions and state parks
- Comprehensive planning resources: With maps and transportation tips, you'll have the tools to explore each park or region individually, or visit multiple for an epic national parks trip
- Expert advice from former park guide Becky Lomax on how to avoid crowds, what time of year to visit, and where to stay inside and outside the parks, from campgrounds to hotels
- Know before you go: Find essential background on climate, terrain, wildlife, history, and safety precautions, plus practical information on park fees, passes, and reservations, including how to obtain and use a National Parks Pass
- Gorgeous, full-color photos throughout, plus a handy keepsake section for your national parks stamps and a detachable fold-out poster map
For more in-depth information on a specific park, check out one of Moon's national parks travel guides.
About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you.
For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.
4. Keep Nature Wild Collection
Everything from Keep Nature Wild is ethically made and sustainably sourced. The company has pledged to pick up one pound of trash for every product sold! We’re partial to this adorable fanny pack because, well, how could we not be?
5. Plantable Eye Liner
Made from certified wood sourced from responsibly managed forests, SproutWorld eyeliner can be planted to live another life, reblooming into wildflowers.
6. Ethical Hiking Boots
These hiking boots are perfect for their next epic trek. And they also happen to be super eco-friendly: VivoBarefoot makes their shoes with zero biomechanical interference, sustainable materials, and environmentally friendly production processes.
7. A Solar Lantern
We can’t sing the praises of this lantern from MPOWERD enough. Not only is it lightweight, waterproof, and durable, but the company is a certified B corporation and has pledged to provide clean energy to people around the world who need it most.
8. An Eco-Friendly Backpack
Keep them sleek, stylish, and sustainable with these pinqponq backpacks made entirely out of recycled bottles.
9. Travel Towel
It’s now commonplace for hotels to encourage visitors to reuse towels to help conserve water and thanks to Nomadix, eco-minded travelers can join in on those conservation efforts. Their versatile “Only Towel You’ll Need” is made with certified post-consumer recycled materials and a portion of sales go toward protecting the planet through organizations like 1% For The Planet.
10. Plastic-Free Toiletries
Ditch the toiletry bottles and plastic packaging with Ethique’s cleansing bars, which are made with cruelty-free, fair trade ingredients. The company also plants one tree for every order placed.
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