New Zealand

[Brent.ff]

Anyone done the camper van thing in New Zealand? Wife and I are looking at that plus a stop in fiji on the way home for our overdue honeymoon next year. We're both outdoorsy people so living in a van won't be an issue. Goals are to fish and hike a lot, so probably looking more at the south island.

Trying to build a budget and get any thoughts/advice/etc.

[ExtraSlow]

Didn't do the camper van, but bought a car and drove it around for four months back in the day . . . Love NZ. Only tip is to take estimated trip times anywhere and double them. 200km here in Alberta would be an easy two hour drive, but over there it'll be four hours easy.

[nzwasp]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Didn't do the camper van, but bought a car and drove it around for four months back in the day . . . Love NZ. Only tip is to take estimated trip times anywhere and double them. 200km here in Alberta would be an easy two hour drive, but over there it'll be four hours easy.

I grew up and lived there until I was 27. It depends which island you are in for that to be true. But theres no speeding over there the cops tag you on anything over 5km/hr

North island 200km is around 2 hours. South Island - not a chance.

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Anyone done the camper van thing in New Zealand? Wife and I are looking at that plus a stop in fiji on the way home for our overdue honeymoon next year. We're both outdoorsy people so living in a van won't be an issue. Goals are to fish and hike a lot, so probably looking more at the south island.

Trying to build a budget and get any thoughts/advice/etc.

@Brent.ff I hired a wicked camper when I took my wife there and we loved it - its basically a Toyota hiace with a bed and stove in the back.

[Brent.ff]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I grew up and lived there until I was 27. It depends which island you are in for that to be true. But theres no speeding over there the cops tag you on anything over 5km/hr

North island 200km is around 2 hours. South Island - not a chance.



@Brent.ff I hired a wicked camper when I took my wife there and we loved it - its basically a Toyota hiace with a bed and stove in the back.

Was that considered 'self contained' such that you could Park it pretty well anywhere?

[BavarianBeast]

My wife and I travelled NZ for 6 weeks in a camper and spent 10 days in Fiji on our way home! This was just lay year.


We found the South Island to be way more enjoyable than the North. We found it was a lot more geared towards the outdoor types as well. Camping is hit or miss depending where you are staying, the campsites in Fjordland are incredible but we couldn’t find anything like them elsewhere. We really are spoiled with our camping in North America. They pitch these holiday parks everywhere which is just like staying in a ghetto RV park and is not really camping IMO. We found it often difficult to find a nice spot with a fire pit in the woods/on the beach. We went with spaceship rentals and got a “Dream Sleeper” it was a 2016 model Toyota van with a comfy bed in the back. Perfect for two people.

2 weeks on the South Island and 1 week on the North would likely be plenty if you guys don’t mind driving everyday. Fishing and hiking were great on the South Island, specially around Queenatown and Fjordland. Up north Lake Tapau has excellent trout fishing and the Tongario Crossing is a great hike (Mt. Doom from LoTR)

Fiji was really expensive, close to $1000 CAD a day for accommodations and food. NZ you can probably get away with around $100/day if you are utilizing your camper. Hotels were priced like North American ones. Don’t cheap out on the camper and don’t rent a wicked van unless you want to contract a disease.

PM me if you have any questions. Have fun and enjoy! NZ is an incredible country, and the people in Fiji are the friendliest I have ever come across. BULA!

[nzwasp]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

My wife and I travelled NZ for 6 weeks in a camper and spent 10 days in Fiji on our way home! This was just lay year.


We found the South Island to be way more enjoyable than the North. We found it was a lot more geared towards the outdoor types as well. Camping is hit or miss depending where you are staying, the campsites in Fjordland are incredible but we couldn’t find anything like them elsewhere. We really are spoiled with our camping in North America. They pitch these holiday parks everywhere which is just like staying in a ghetto RV park and is not really camping IMO. We found it often difficult to find a nice spot with a fire pit in the woods/on the beach. We went with spaceship rentals and got a “Dream Sleeper” it was a 2016 model Toyota van with a comfy bed in the back. Perfect for two people.

2 weeks on the South Island and 1 week on the North would likely be plenty if you guys don’t mind driving everyday. Fishing and hiking were great on the South Island, specially around Queenatown and Fjordland. Up north Lake Tapau has excellent trout fishing and the Tongario Crossing is a great hike (Mt. Doom from LoTR)

Fiji was really expensive, close to $1000 CAD a day for accommodations and food. NZ you can probably get away with around $100/day if you are utilizing your camper. Hotels were priced like North American ones. Don’t cheap out on the camper and don’t rent a wicked van unless you want to contract a disease.

PM me if you have any questions. Have fun and enjoy! NZ is an incredible country, and the people in Fiji are the friendliest I have ever come across. BULA!

The dreams sleeper was essentially the same thing as what we had. Although they sound nicer - I rented one of these wicked campers back in 2009 when the company was fairly new.

[Brent.ff]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

My wife and I travelled NZ for 6 weeks in a camper and spent 10 days in Fiji on our way home! This was just lay year.


We found the South Island to be way more enjoyable than the North. We found it was a lot more geared towards the outdoor types as well. Camping is hit or miss depending where you are staying, the campsites in Fjordland are incredible but we couldn’t find anything like them elsewhere. We really are spoiled with our camping in North America. They pitch these holiday parks everywhere which is just like staying in a ghetto RV park and is not really camping IMO. We found it often difficult to find a nice spot with a fire pit in the woods/on the beach. We went with spaceship rentals and got a “Dream Sleeper” it was a 2016 model Toyota van with a comfy bed in the back. Perfect for two people.

2 weeks on the South Island and 1 week on the North would likely be plenty if you guys don’t mind driving everyday. Fishing and hiking were great on the South Island, specially around Queenatown and Fjordland. Up north Lake Tapau has excellent trout fishing and the Tongario Crossing is a great hike (Mt. Doom from LoTR)

Fiji was really expensive, close to $1000 CAD a day for accommodations and food. NZ you can probably get away with around $100/day if you are utilizing your camper. Hotels were priced like North American ones. Don’t cheap out on the camper and don’t rent a wicked van unless you want to contract a disease.

PM me if you have any questions. Have fun and enjoy! NZ is an incredible country, and the people in Fiji are the friendliest I have ever come across. BULA!

Sounds pretty well exactly my trip idea...i'll definitely be bugging you