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5 Reasons Why You Should Travel Around New Zealand in A Campervan

If you’ve been following my facebook fan page recently you’ll know I’ve just finished a most epic adventure across many of the Pacific islands.

Part of that trip was a 2 week break in New Zealand. Having lived in Australia before, New Zealand was my lil brother but I never made it across the water. I almost felt it was too much of a backpacking cliché, everyone goes to New Zealand. Alas, I swallowed a healthy portion of humble pie, joined the crowds of gap-yearers and discovered what an idiot I was to not have visited NZ earlier.

The one thing that stood out for me during my 2 weeks there was that there’s only one way to travel around NZ, and that’s by campervan. I choose to travel with probably the best campervan company in New Zealand and it was the best decision I made on my entire trip. I love the freedom of it. It being traveling by campervan with a goboony campervan hire across Europe, New Zealand or Canada. It’s epic.

Now, when I return to NZ, I’d only ever consider traveling by campervan, and here’s why:

Freedom:

New Zealand lives up to the hype. It’s stunning, and not in an ‘everything is amazing when you travel’ kinda way. More in a “Holy sh*t, everywhere I look is ridiculously beautiful” kinda way.

You don’t follow your lonely planet from hotspot to hotspot because the entire south island is gorgeous. Your plans will change, the more people you speak to, the amazing place you’ve heard about on the road, if you’re locked in a 6 hour bus, you can’t deviate.In NZ, that is a disatster. You need the freedom to enjoy NZ, don’t miss out!

Meeting people:

Myth dispelling time. Lots of people I met on the road told me they were worried about campervans cos they thought they wouldn’t meet as many people  – rubbish! There are parks to camp your van (do laundry, fill fuel etc) and they’re the most sociable places imaginable. Not to mention the beauty of picking up backpackers, I loved doing this as we were traveling around NZ – the random people we met was just awesome.

Views:

New Zealand is blessed with the most spectacular scenery, especially the south island and unless have a campervan to travel around in, park wherever you want, stop for yet another photo op then you’re missing you. Really, it has to be seen to be believed.

Fun 

Come on, beautiful scenery is wonderful and all but we’re young, and we’re traveling around the world. Banging out old skool tunes on the campervan stereo (read: one direction “that’s what makes you beautiful” ahem…), drinking cheap cider around the dining table with hitchhikers you picked up on the road before a nite out in Queenstown, late night shenanigans with some Swedish backpackers – you get the picture, and nothing beats a campervan!

Cost:

It’s true – campervans don’t come cheap, but then again neither does New Zealand. Dorms can cost $30 USD per night, buses are $50 here, $80 there, food is pricey too. Campervans remove all those hidden costs. Sure, you have to stump up the cash upfront but it’s an investment across the rest of your time in the country.  Campervans come in all shapes and sizes so find a buddy, or even better 3 buddies and get a 4 bed berth camper. Suddenly it’s very affordable and you’ll have the luxury as well as saving money. Yes please.