5 Tips for Finding the Perfect Souvenir on Your Travel

Souvenirs are gifts that are fun and a memory to take with you back home, both for yourself and your loved ones.

However, if you’re like many other travellers, you probably hold off souvenir shopping until the last few days of your trip, avoiding to weigh down your luggage with trinkets while there’s still travelling left to do—and too often, though, you often find yourself overspending on mass-produced, typical items that mean so little except that they display your destination’s name on it.

As you’d want to receive meaningful gifts, your recipients would also want to have souvenirs that tell that you remembered them while you’re passing through the streets and exploring the rich culture of a foreign land.

When you’re off on a vacation whether to Singapore or to another destination, remember these tips that will help you find the perfect souvenir.

1. Buy a Local Speciality

Buying a local speciality is probably one of the best ways to get an item that reflects the local culture of the destination you’re visiting. While it’s often a handicraft, it can also be food, spices, or anything that’s hardly available anywhere else. Some samples of local specialities from around the world include the mazapán figures in Calderon, Ecuador and the alpaca wool clothing in Peru.

2. Get a Gift that is Actually Useful

If you’re not into figurines, handicrafts, and other items meant for display, you can always get a gift that the recipient will actually find useful. Items such as handmade bags, jewellery, dinnerware, hats, and scarves get more mileage than many other souvenirs. But, it’s important to do your research to make sure that what you’re buying will interest its recipient.

3. Think Small

There may be varied opinions about gift sizes but in the case of souvenirs, you’d want to make sure that everything you’re buying fits in your luggage and more importantly, follows the restrictions of your airline. So, you’d rather think small and purchase souvenirs that mean a lot while taking up as little room as possible.

TIP: Having that said, it also pays to know that pricier gifts aren’t necessarily better. In fact, you might not have to spend too much money on souvenirs at all. For instance, a trip to a handicraft shop in Singapore is all it takes to find affordable but high-quality gifts and knick-knacks.

4. Avoid Perishables

It’s completely okay to buy local foods to take home, but make sure they’re not going to spoil while in transit. Many are the tourists who opened their bags and found the food they brought home in total waste. So, if you want to avoid the same dilemma, you should favour souvenirs such as dried fruits, nuts, candies and other non-perishable local delicacies.

5. Prohibited and Restricted Items

As much as you’d want to make your souvenir as memorable as possible, do your research regarding the prohibited and restricted items in your country as well as in the place you’re visiting. It will go a long way in saving you from making risky purchases.

Whatever souvenirs you’re looking to buy, what’s important is that they accomplish three things, among many others—and those are to give you:

• Gifts to keep

• Gifts to give to your loved ones

• Gifts that will make you want to come back

If you’re visiting Singapore soon, Arch Heritage is one of the best places to shop for souvenirs that achieve just that. We offer a wide range of handcrafted items and affordable Singapore heritage gifts, each hand-assembled to perfection.

Visit our website today to find a store near you!