A great travel experience to Asia should be completed with the perfect souvenir to encapsulate your most cherished moments. But this is not the only purpose souvenirs serve. As most travellers can attest, souvenirs from Asia also make great gifts! Their popularity comes as no surprise as many of them fulfill the criteria of mindful, smart consumers; affordability, unique and culture-rich, and portability. Three categories of souvenirs stand out from the others in making great gifts. All three of the aforementioned characteristics encompass what a seasoned traveller may look for.

Handcrafted Goods
Travellers tend to gravitate towards these unique handmade items for good reasons. Their appeal also comes from them taking form in many varieties, from large items to smaller trinkets that are effortlessly packed into luggage or carry-ons. Handcrafted goods make very thoughtful gifts as they are culturally and  individually unique because each one is different from the next, making it truly one of a kind.

Packaged Food and Snacks
A very large part (and often the highlight!) of a trip to Asia is the gastronomic experiences! Since it’s not possible to bring back fresh or plated foods, the next best things are store bought snacks and packaged foods.
The majority of these items are also fairly inexpensive and are even easier to locate than authentic handmade goods. This allow for friends and family to have a small taste (pun intended!) of the city, region or country in the form of  popular snacks that locals like to eat. To save space in your luggage, opt to buy only one or two of each packaged item and share the edible goods amongst everyone for a better experience of variety. If the recipient of your gift is a “foodie”, you can’t go wrong with presenting them with a food souvenir as a gift, just make sure to double check with your country’s airport guidelines on what is considered fine to bring back. For example, don’t buy prohibited items such as traditional medicines made from animals – especially if they’re endangered animals!

Health and Beauty Products
For the health and beauty conscious individuals, look no further as you will certainly find a variety of products that will suit individual needs. From herbal teas and medicine, to makeup, skincare and beauty gadgets, there is truly an excess of choices for every individual. In Asia, it is common to find entire buildings, streets and blocks that exist for the sole purpose of selling said products. This makes it very easy to locate and also inexpensive to buy. Many of these products are unique to the country, and provide a new experience as they are likely unavailable for purchase outside of the country. They also don’t take up much space and can be checked in with your luggage as long as they meet airport safety regulations.
The abundance of souvenir options in Asia make gift giving a breeze. Sticking to these three categories ensures a foolproof way to do your gift giving uniquely without breaking the bank or overfilling your luggage!
 
Valentina Dang
Valentina Dang is a prolific professional makeup artist, travel blogger and YouTuber from Canada. Watch her travel vlogs today.