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Affordable finds, useful gear and smart choices that leave more room in your travel budget.
Cheap Thrills Travel
Save where it makes sense.
Splurge where it’s worth it.
Value-conscious travel for people who care about quality, character and getting more from their travel budget. Discover affordable finds, smart spending tips and worthwhile premium experiences, from local food and surf trips to boutique stays, wellness and design-led travel.
Spend selectively
Save / Splurge / Worth it?
Cheap Thrills means value-conscious, independent travel. Spend thoughtfully so your budget goes further and the experiences you care about get their share.
Splurge
Boutique stays, great food, surf trips, wellness and design-led experiences worth making room for.
Worth it?
Weigh the quality, character, convenience and full cost against what matters to you.
On TikTok
The tips, in 60 seconds or less.
Packing tests, smart travel choices and what experiences actually offer for the money, from accessible finds to worthwhile splurges. Follow along at @cheap.thrills.travel.
What's in my bag
Stuff that earns its place.
Sorted by the part of your packing list it fixes.
Bags & backpacks
Find a bag that suits your route, packing list and travel style.
Packing & organisation
Keep your charger, clothes and small essentials easy to find, wherever you stay.
Toiletries & laundry
Practical wash kits and laundry extras for weekends away and longer trips.
Travel accessories
The small stuff you only miss once you're at the gate.
Outdoor & picnic
For picnic lunches, outdoor days and making the most of time outside.
Clothing & footwear
Layers and shoes that pack small.
The shop
The carry-on essentials.
Useful picks for organised packing and comfortable journeys. Choose what earns its place in your bag.
Compression Packing Cubes – 3-Piece Set
$30.00 AUD
Have a look →
Travel Cable Organiser
$25.00 AUD
Have a look →
Hanging Travel Toiletry Bag
$30.00 AUD
Have a look →
Pocket Travel Soap Sheets
$22.00 AUD
Have a look →
Compact Travel Towel with Silicone Sleeve
$23.00 AUD
Have a look →
Travel Wallet & Document Organiser
$20.00 AUD
Have a look →
Travel Laundry Bag – Two Sizes
From $20.00 AUD
Have a look →
Contoured Memory Foam Travel Eye Mask
From $22.00 AUD
Have a look →Coming soon
The packs.
Ready-made kits, so you don't have to piece it together yourself. I'm testing supplier samples first, so contents and prices aren't locked in yet.
Carry-on Only Pack
For fitting more into less. Planned: a vacuum compression system, shoe or laundry bag, digital luggage scale and the Cheap Thrills carry-on packing list. Heads up: compression saves space, not weight.
Survive the Flight Pack
For long flights in economy. Planned: flight pouch, eye mask, earplugs and a retractable charging cable.
Organised Traveller Pack
For people who hate digging through their bag. Planned: hanging toiletry bag, tech organiser, document organiser and a shoe or laundry bag.
The story so far
An Aussie. A sickie. A different plan.
I’m the anonymous Aussie behind Cheap Thrills Travel. It started with calling in sick to work and deciding to travel the world. I’m keeping my name out of it, but sharing the good stuff along the way: what earns a place in the bag, the places worth finding and the experiences worth spending on. From a local lunch to a surf lesson or a memorable stay, this is about making room for more of the trip you actually want.
The travel brief
- Keep the name anonymous. Share the good finds.
- Pack light. Leave room for a change of plans.
- Save where it makes sense. Splurge where it’s worth it.
- Follow the experience, not just the price tag.
For collaborators
Work with us.
Cheap Thrills Travel does not position partner businesses as cheap or low-end. Collaborations focus on the quality, character and value of an experience. Premium and luxury stays, food, wellness and activities belong here when they are genuinely worth the spend.
Partners we’ve worked with
Varkala Surf Hotel — India
