Move over ref magnets—we’ve got a list of souvenirs and anik-anik you can collect during your travels!
Related: Lessons On Travel We Can Learn From These Adventurous Filipino Celebs
Some people who travel simply want to take home the experience. But some also want to take home a trinket or two, maybe a souvenir or five, to remember the trip by or to add to their collection. If you’re not sure of what to collect on your trips but also don’t want basic ref magnets or keychains that’ll just collect dust in your drawers, we got you.
These unique souvenirs, crafts, mementos, and anik-anik from all around the world are made to make you remember exploring different places and experiencing different things. They also won’t break the bank if you’re not someone who’s looking to collect shoes, watches, perfume, or more expensive things like that. They also make for great pasalubongs! Read on and be ready for your next trip.
PENNY PRESSES
@janinothebeano Do you collect pressed pennies? And how do you feel about the automated machines? #disney #orlando #Florida #wdw #pressedpennies #collector #50th ♬ Warm cute relax Lo-Fi – Gloveity
Penny Presses are common in touristy areas all around the world. It’s those machines that have a giant gear—you put a certain coin or a certain amount of coins into the machine, and you crank it to produce an elongated coin with an embossed image on it to take home. Some machines nowadays actually have terminals where you can pay using a card or online. The wonders of technology.
You can often choose the design, which are landmarks, cityscapes, or trademarks of the place the Penny Press is located in. Souvenir shops also sell collection books where you can store your elongated souvenir pennies.
ENAMEL PINS
Perfect for an anik-anik girlie, enamel pins are similar but also quite different from your typical keychains at about the same price point or less. From Italy to Vietnam, Scotland to South Korea, the Acropolis Museum to the Louvre, most places have unique pins they sell as souvenirs.
They come as flags, replicas of museum pieces, landmarks, food—you name it, there’s probably a pin for it. You can put these pins on a world map, on hanging banners, or on your jackets and bags. They’re affordable, easy to take back home, and come in all shapes and sizes to fit your preferences.
STAMPS
@mactrinidad2013 6-Stamp Daruma Post Card in Katsuoji Temple, Japan. #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #japan #viral #viralvideo #osaka #katsuojitemple #darumadoll #daruma ♬ Mamushi (feat. Yuki Chiba) – Megan Thee Stallion
Have you heard of Eki Stamps in Japan? Collecting stamps from different places and landmarks in Japan has been a practice for decades, but it’s gained more virality in recent years. From train stations to temples, beautifully-designed stamps can be found and used to mark whatever you have, like notebooks or postcards.
Other countries like Taiwan, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, the US, and more also have stamps available, mostly in the well-visited areas like museums or historical landmarks. The ones on your passport are all well and good, but souvenir stamps are just a little more slayful.
A HANDMADE CRAFT…
Pexels
Whether it’s a carving, a woven accessory, or jewelry, nothing beats a handmade item from the place you’re visiting. Often, all over the world, you can spot small artisan shops where the owners are making their products, or vendors customizing souvenirs for their customers. Taking a handcrafted piece home and knowing it’s artisan, uniquely made, and often culturally relevant could be so special.
…THAT YOU MADE YOURSELF
@accesstravelph we’re all about doing local experiences! #accesstravelph #morocco #moroccotravel #travelbucketlist #pottery #potterytiktok #travelexperience #travelagency ♬ original sound – Access Travel ™️
Step it up by not just acquiring a handmade piece from the country you went to, but also making it yourself! During your trip, drop by a place where you can participate in local craft, whether it be weaving, pottery, painting, decorating, and more. Not only do you come home with a one-of-a-kind piece, but you also have a unique experience to remember.
VINTAGE FINDS
Pexels
Skip the typical souvenir shops and head on over to vintage stores that, even if they may look messy or unappealing, might have some treasures you’d be down to bring back across seas and state lines. Charity shops, thrift stores, vintage antique shops—they for sure have some interesting finds, from 1920s sheet music to vintage pill boxes, clothing to home decor, and so much more. Walk off the beaten path, and you just might find a hole-in-the-wall shop with memories worth keeping for a lifetime.
GLASSWARE/CERAMICS
@.perri My fave thing to collect from my travels 🍾
♬ original sound – davi
These are a bit more delicate and require a bit more care to take home, but souvenir glassware and ceramics, like shot glasses and figurines, are great keepsakes or pasalubong. Whether you use them or just have them on display, they’re a fun, unique addition to your home.
CARICATURES/PAINTINGS/PHOTOS
@crystalyzhu this wasn’t on our itinerary today but it all worked out! #acorncaricature #caricatureart #caricature #koreaitinerary #seoultravel #seoulkorea #seoul ♬ CLOUD BOSSA – フレネシ
Don’t just settle for Instagram photos—turn it up a notch by getting caricatures or artwork done! In Seoul, for instance, Acorn Caricatures does very quick and hassle-free cartoons of you that you can take home as unique souvenirs. Street artists in different places also do the same, and there’s the added layer of each artist having different art styles.
@mellowyellowpay Here’s how you can get one too. 👇🏼 Kristen offers timeless vintage photographs of you + your travel companions in front of the London Eye or Big Ben (your choice) and prints them instantly for you to take home with you. @Ana – Texas Travel Blogger + I were so excited to have found her during our most recent visit to London! 🎟️ FREE/donation based. Please support! 📍Westminster Bridge (most days depending on weather conditions) Would you stop by London Old Press for this adorable souvenir? 📸 #londonoldpress #tiktoklondon #tiktoktravels #londonsouvenirs #thingstodoinlondon #westminsterbridge #bigben #uniquetravelexperiences ♬ YOU LOOK SO DIVINEEE – nathan
There are also photographers with vintage cameras in some cities, particularly in Europe, like London, Paris, and Barcelona. They offer different quirky layouts and vintage aesthetics that make the photos super cute to have up on your walls.
TRANSIT/METRO CARDS
@srtapontanares Adding 3 more tonthe collection 🥲 #traintravel #metropass #subway #metrocard #metro #traintraveling #istanbul #dubaimetro #taipei #taipeimetro #mrt #traveltiktok #fyp #metrocardcollection #collection #masstransit ♬ Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter – Music Society 🎶
If you decide to avail of a metro card during your trip, don’t throw it away once you get home. Keep it afterwards as a keepsake even after its validity runs out! In South Korea, there are cards like the Tour Card or the T-money card you can purchase at convenience stores that you can use and top up to pay for transit in public transportation. Those cards have cute designs, like those in collaboration with Line Friends! And some cards still work when you return to the country, so it’s both a keepsake and more convenient.
PAINTED POSTCARDS
@laursini my favorite travel souvenir hack !! #travel #postcards #diy #diyproject #art #girly #souvenir #traveltiktok #travelhacks ♬ 3:15 (Slowed Down + Reverb) – Russ
Speaking of postcards—they’re a classic keepsake. But move away from the glossy photo postcards. They’re simple and great, but can get a bit boring. Spin those postcard holders at shops to find the ones that look like watercolor paintings or art prints. They’re so much more unique, vibrant, and sometimes you’re even supporting the local artists who made them.
Continue Reading: 8 Travel Spots To Add To Your Bucket List, Thanks To These Celebs and Creators
