I've posted this topic on the 'camping & caravanning abroad' board ... but then realised it might be better here ... so I'll post it again:
I know it's a bit far away ... but I thought some of you may have been to New Zealand and used a campervan to tour around.
We plan to go this November and can't decide whether to hire a campervan and stay on their so called 'Holiday Parks' or whether to hire a car and stay in their motels ... any advice/recommendations will be very helpful please.
went two years ago. hired a car in North Island and hired a campervan in South Island. Loved it. My husband would have had a campervan for the whole four weeks but as we'd never used a campervan before I wanted to do both. Came home and bought a Tribby! Wide range of campsites there. Most, apart from the basic ones, seem to have kitchen facilities and provide bbqs. Motels were also great. Kitchen facilities also provided. Everywhere we stopped we were given a pint of milk on checking in! Whatever you choose its a great country with wonderful friendly people.
we used a car - but often stayed at campsites, lots of options available, suggest you check out top10 sites -
we went for the car 'cos we only had 4 weeks in total and figured we'd be doing a lot of driving - more comfortable than in a camper - I think you would get better value from camper if you're looking at say 4 weeks on each island
but it a brilliant place - great people - fabulous
there's a wide rane of campers available - some just for sleeping in - others with fantastic paint jobs.
My brother who lives in New Zealand rented his house out three years ago and has been travelling around ever since. He tells me you can go to the Dept Conservation (DOC) We site and can ? buy season ticket to all their camp sites at a very good rate ...
we spent 6 months there in 2003. We bought our car on a guaranteed buy back deal but sold it privately in the end it only cost us Ģ50.00 . We stayed in a mixture of accommodation mainly bbh hostels using double rooms and communial cooking and eating,some top 10 sites all have cabins available
We insured with the rac in NZ make sure you take a copy of your proof of no claims discount
We have motorhomed twice in NZ - would thoroughly recommend it. Don't have to live out of a suitcase, get used to one bed, very friendly country. go for it and enjoy! We would love to do it again.
We hired a campervan from Cruise New Zealand in 2003, for a week during a 3 week visit to my daughter. It was a Ford Transit LWB conversion. We enjoyed it very much but I could not help thinking that the price per day, even in the off season when we were there, was quite high, and to hire a car and use B & B and backpackers hostels would have been just as cheap. We also found the sites a bit jaded compared to those in the UK. However if you like the life, as we do, then go for it.