Luxury travel fans know that it's hard to beat a high-end vacation for a desirable experience of pampering mixed with discovering a new destination or relaxing somewhere afar but familiar. Upscale travel enthusiasts also know that having perfect travel gadgets accentuates the experience in ways that a generic brand tablet computer (for example) cannot. Why shatter the illusion with a poorly made, easily broken, low end e-reader when the more expensive ones are so clearly worth the money? Some status items may not be worth their cost, but others clearly are. This Luxury Travel Gift Guide recommends only those gadget gift items of the highest quality, so that recipients know they can take these gadgets on vacation with pride.
iPad – People made fun of the name initially, but the sheer beauty of this tablet computer, along with its ease of use and the enormous Apple Apps store, makes the iPad the current "it" tablet. There are a few rip-offs and a few decent contenders, but the top recommended gadget gift for luxury travel is the iPad. Buy Plants vs. Zombies and Angry Birds for addicting games, too.
Kindle – For travelers who just want to read on vacation, without all the extra fuss of a tablet computer, the Kindle is the best gadget gift. It really does offer a solid reading experience; book lovers fretted that the tactile experience of turning pages would be mourned, but book-reading is replicated very well on the Kindle. The added benefit of lighter luggage cannot be overstated, as well.
Flip – It's so easy to use, and so highly portable, that its lack of great zoom is less relevant. The Flip video camera is highly portable, fits into back pockets, and can be designed for personalization. It's also inexpensive enough that if one does break on vacation, a replacement Flip is not a painful expenditure. The HD Mino seems to provide the best quality videos.
Panasonic Lumix – There are a thousand small digital cameras on the market, and lots of them are really good. The Canon Sure Shot has been a favorite for years, but one thing it sacrificed for its small size was a great zoom. Now there is a new generation of compact digital cameras that have a 12x zoom as well. A recommended luxury travel gift for someone who doesn't want to pack all the gear associated with an SLS camera, this Panasonic Lumix digital camera with 12x zoom is the perfect compromise. A tiny bit wider than a Sure Shot, it has all the quality and capabilities of a much bigger camera.
Bose QuietComfort Noise Canceling Headphones – Bose is well known for its high-end headphones, speakers and the like. More than just quality sound production, the ambient noise cancellation capability of the Bose brand noise canceling headphones is unmatched. This is an ideal luxury travel gift for jet setters and other frequent fliers. The Bose QuietComfort 3 model has the added benefit of fitting over the ears in such a way that the ears don't get too hot, which can be a problem with earlier models.
Gifts are always happily received, no matter the time of year. Be it for Christmas, a birthday, or "just because," any of these top recommended luxury travel gadget gifts will make a special day even better.
Jennifer W. Miner - Jennifer has years of travel writing experience, spoken at several national conferences, and more. See Jendeavor.com for more details.
