New Zealand has some exceptional surf breaks and beautiful beaches and beach towns to match. Pick up a Campervan and do a tour of the North Island's West Coast beaches with your buddy and your surfboards.
Begin the surfie's tiki tour (scenic tour) in Auckland with a campervan and readily waxed boards. If there's only tow of you and you don't mind sharing a bed, you can get some cheap Backpacker campervans, or if there's more of you pick up a 4 berth or even 6 berth vehicle.
Surfer's 2 +1 berth
Surfer's 4 berth with toilet and shower
Take your campervan north and more north (if you want the abridged version road trip skip this part) to Ahipara. It's a 4 hour drive so you could break it up and have a surf at Te Arai (take Mangawhai road turnoff from state highway road about 1 1/2 hours from airport.
Te Arai Beach By Ranger Gav - Flickr
Ahipara, now a three hour drive away, is at the southern end of 90 mile beach on the West coast. It is 14 km from the town of Kaitaia. At the southern end of Ahipara beach is Shipwrecks bay which has has a number of wrecks visible at low tide. The Bay is very popular with surfers and a beautiful place to stay.
After you've spent some time at Ahipara go for an explore of Ninety mile beach and Cape Reinga. If you've got a 4WD vehicle you'll be able to drive the length of the beach and cruise on to the sand dunes. These are a lot of fun and it's always a highlight to slide down on a bodyboard, tabogan or piece of cardboard.
On the way back down to Auckland, stop for a shaka at Pakiri beach surf spot. There's a camping ground there too. If you get sick of surfing for a day you can take a leisurely horse ride.
Pakiri Beach By Piotr Zurek - Flickr Commons
Piha Beach By Chris Gin - Flickr
Closer to Auckland is Piha Beach. It's about a 40 minute drive west and don't be suprised (or burn you feet) on the black sands. They are the result of a high iron content, of volcanic origin. Piha is very popular with surfers and is a notorious beach for big waves. The beach has a couple of convenience shops, a delicious cafe with great coffee, and a camp ground.
Piha Waves By Glenn Reeves - Flickr
Spend a couple of days riding Piha's waves before jumping on the road south. Today you can head to Raglan. This surfie town has an awesome vibe. Jump off the bridge in town and do some bombs into the water, eat and drink at the great eateries in town , play a spot of tennis, hire paddle boards or kayaks and of course head to Manu or Whale Bay.
Campervan's are a great way to travel. You can fit your surfboards and take you beds everywhere you go. Stop beach side and pull out your camp stove or if you've got a bigger vehicle cook up a big breakfast in your campervan after the morning's surf . You don't need to have an agenda and can stay as lng or short as you like without having to book motels etc. Campervans are the perfect way for a keen surfie to travel.
Be sure to wear lots of sunscreen in Summer, the NZ sun is harsh if you're not prepared.
Find the perfect campervan for your surf trip at Campervan Hire Sale finder before they all get booked out for summer!
Rugged Beauty of the West Coast By suzanne Hallam - Flickr
The west coast of New Zealand, a rugged yet spectacularly beautiful stretch of coast. In winter take a drive and see the mountains frosted with snow, the glaciers in full glory and the waves of the Tasman sea beating against the rocky shorelines.
Pick up a Campervan in Picton and begin your adventure of New Zealand's incredible scenery and landscapes.
Campervans are the perfect way to explore New Zealand. Stop and take in the scenery with a brew of coffee anywhere you like and stop when you feel tired to have a snooze. Cosy up in the campervan and the large windows will let you see the amazing vistas as the sun goes down in the West.
After Picton, first up is Nelson. A seaside town featuring many things to do all seasons. Take a mountain bike on the cycle tracks, go fly fishing or set sail on a sailing trip all year around. It may be cold in winter but the white sand beaches are still beautiful and worth a walk. Vineyards grace the surrounding area and invite you to winery dining. Or pull up in a Campervan park and cook a gourmet meal in your Campervan's kitchenette.
Head Southwest towards Westport, the first taste of the South Island's West coast. Pass through the Kahurangi National park and stop off by the Buller gorge overshadowed by the magnificent Southern alps. The Buller river flows through a deep canyon below State Highway 6.
Westport offers many places to dine on fresh seafood and try the local boutique beers while watching the sun set over the ocean. The area is also rich in history from the gold miners and early settlers, thus providing museums and even some gold panning in local streams. Try your luck!
If you're game, head north up the coast to Karamea. This secluded haven is tucked between the mountains and the coast on the river plain. Plenty of prettiness to be seen as well as adventure to be had. It caters for the tramper, mountain biker, the caver, the birdwatcher, fisherman and the botanist.
Head down country following the coast road to Punakaiki. The open road will show you the rugged coast for ten's of kilometres. Remember, the great thing about a Campervan is you can sit and relax in it alongside a beautiful scenic spot.
Punakaiki is home to the wonderous pancake rocks and exciting blowholes. Varied landscapes encompass lush native rainforest, mountain tops and the rugged beach. Take a walk or dine in the waterline restaurant.
Hokitika Gorge By whoapower - Flickr
Continue the campervan chugging along the coast to Greymouth for an explore and then Hokitika. This small town New Zealand is home to some of the best seafood and cheese and plenty of festivals and fun activities. See live Kiwi at The National Kiwi Centre, check out the artisans of Hokitika's working glass and sculptures, carve your own Maori treasure or enjoy an afternoon paddle boat cruise on tranquil waters. Be sure to taste some white bait, a West Coast delicacy.
Once you've had your fill of Hokitika, drive south past rivers, beautiful lakes and small West coast towns to New Zealand's spectacular glaciers. Lake Lanthe, Wahapo and Mapourika are perfect for a scenic stop, so brew the coffee and get out the camera and deck chairs.
Franz and Fox Glacier are incredible landforms, that are receding, so not to be missed. Over the bridge from Franz Josef town, you'll find the carpark.... but watch out for the intelligent and very curious native Kea birds.... they like to find food anywhere.
Head deeper south through Haast, Mount Aspiring national past beautiful scenic lake roads of Wanaka and Hawea and rest again in Hawea town or Wanaka town. Both exceptionally beautiful lakeside spots. Wanaka is situated in close proximity to Treble Cone or Cardrona mountains if you're game for a bit of skiing, Snowboarding or just checking out the mountain slopes.
From Wanaka, the road is open to head south to Queenstown, or east to Dunedin, Oamaru, Timaru or Christchurch on the East coast. Pick your next destination!! or return the campervan to the many town options.
The journey takes in the spectacularly rugged but untouched West coast of New Zealand. Have an incredible journey and make the most of the Campervan's faciulities for making the most of the scenery.
Our beautiful Easter weekend began on thursday afternoon in Auckland. After an in depth run-through of our 4 berth Campervan by the campervan lady, being shown the nooks and cranies, where everything was and the general functionalities of the dinky space, we were underway. However, not without a DVD explaining anything we may have forgotten ready to play on our Campervan's very modern flat screen t.v. - easily maneuvered to fit up against the wall or in good view from the back couches.
Our dinky kitchen, cupboards, table and back window.
We hit the road with only a slight automatic-driver-to-manual-driver hiccup (Alan forgot to use the clutch when trying to reverse... senior moment). The turbo diesel powered south towards Papamoa in the Bay of Plenty. We filled the fridge and little freezer and the many cupboards (still roomy after storing and securing all our gear - clothes, jackets, tennis rackets and easter eggs) with groceries we purchased in Matamata.
We drove through the beautiful Karangahake gorge, small towns and Tauranga and arrived at Papamoa Top 10 Holiday Park after dark. After being given a map to our spot, perched on sunset rise and plugging ourselves into the power, we began the first evening of our entirely relaxing weekend. The curtains were pulled for privacy from prying eyes and our soup and salad was easily assembled in the well equipped, clean and, all things considered, roomy kitchenette. After dining on the couches around the spacious table and doing the dishes in the sink (dishwashing liquid, and dish brushes included) we were eager to assemble the couch-cum-kingsize bed jigsaw. The sheets were fitted and blankets thrown on and voila we had a comfy bed for the duration of our stay, with lights above to read our books. The other double bed above the driver and passenger seats were more cave like and could be set up all day. An early night and refreshing sleep was obtained by all.
The Campervan
Good friday brought forth a beautiful morning once the curtains had been raised. The advantage of arriving at nightime is one gets a lovely surprise when they awake to a recently risen sun above the sparkling East Coast waters. Our site overlooked other sites filled with Campervans and tents, giving Lynn plenty of "people watching" opportunities. Beyond them were the small sand dunes and beyond that - pristine Papamoa beach.
Once the bed was packed up and turned back to the slid-able table and couches, bacon and eggs were fried up and the coffee brewed. Although the Campervan was equipped with a clean, non smelly and perfectly ample shower/toilet facility, we opted for the holiday park facilities to save on refilling the water tank as often. A quick tidy of the Campervan was done as we were expecting guests who wanted to share our Campervan vistas and comforts. The weather was slightly temperamental, although with only one shower, but I'm happy to say we spent the rest of the day engorged in our books on the comfy couches eating and drinking and occasionally gazing out to the views and changing neighbours.
View from our Papamoa Camping site
The following morning we spent in Mount Maunganui at the local monthly market followed by lunch at a friends and the afternoon at Tauranga's Easter weekend Jazz festivities. The return to our site at Papamoa was eagerly anticipated as we were keen for a walk along the beach and more reading. Sunday night in the park was booked as we couldn't stand leaving the next morning.
Sunday morning saw us heading out to conquer Papamoa Hills, a Maori Pa 10 minutes from the holiday park, that's views and walk through the bush are well worth the following day's muscle pains. Lunch was in Mount Maunganui followed by a sunday afternoon drive through the beachtown. The sunny and warm beach beckoned us on our return, where we sat for a while watching the surfers out in the double overhead clean waves. The sun went behind the dunes so we got out the deckchairs (included with the Camper) from the outside Campervan compartments, poured a glass of wine and sat in the remaining sun behind the Camper. Cheese and crackers became our dinner and cards and books were on the table for the remainder of the evening.
Papamoa Hills Climb By winnins1 - Flickr
Our final morning in Papamoa was a beauty, enticing us to stay for yet another night. A walk along the beach heated us up for a swim in the suprisingly warm April ocean, followed by leftover Hot cross buns grilled in the Campervan's kitchen. As our next night or two was going to be free camping, it was about time we dealt with "the tanks". From our site Alan had the pleasure of wheeling (like a suitcase onto a plane) the "black water" tank to the "dump station" conveniently located in the holiday park. After a relatively clean and tidy "emptying" and checking that the power battery was full, we said goodbye to our site, belted up, stopped so Alan could hose out the grey water and hit the road for Rotorua.
Back couches of the Campervan
After an hour or so of bouncing around in the back of the Campervan, we hopped out for a walk in the beautiful Redwood forest. Stocked up with a few more groceries we head to the family's lakeside section near Taupo. No power plugs were available here so on came the gas for the fridge and hot water and here in forth, preserving of water. We found a level spot on the section overlooking the pristine lake, dug out some food and wine and stared out the huge back window to the killer view. The sun was behind the mountains so we dug out the little blow heater as we thought it may come in handy at some time in the night. The duvets and extra blankets were suffiicient however and we arose the next morning to a tranquil walk near the lake.
The rest of the time was easily passed walking, reading and eating before we set forth the following day back to Auckland to return the Camper. The goodbye wasn't easy as the sun was still shining and a roadtrip to another destination would've been easy.
The campervan bode us well and we will definitely be doing many more a holiday in one. Little extras like a large mirror, a toaster and plunger, a tall cupboard for clothes not wanting creases, a stereo system with AUX, and many storage compartments set this campervan apart making it an easy and enjoyable holiday.
Yet again New Zealand scenery didn't cease to impress and we were graced with a superb Campervan holiday in the sun. We knew fairly well where we wanted to go and what we wanted to do but for those traveling from abroad or who wanted some help, there was a "tourist radio" included in the rental. This is your personal tour guide so you don't miss out on anything and can learn a thing or two about NZ as you go.
We found our great campervan at Motorhomerepublic.com . I implore all to get a campervan for your next holiday and tour around parts, or all of New Zealand.
This post is for all the American or Canadian tourists and anyone else who may think RV's are for retirees who don't mind a gas guzzling vehicle. This post is for tourists coming to New Zealand who don't want to spend hours searching for hotels or hostels and then pay exorbitant prices for a good nights sleep. This post is for tourists who would love to eat out at all the gastronomically amazing eateries in New Zealand but are on just a too tighter budget to do that. And finally this post is for the keen traveler who wants to explore the magnificent scenery and beautiful spots of New Zealand, like a true New Zealander.
A funky and cheap Campervan. approx $45/day
For our first set of people... New Zealand's equivalent to an RV (kind of) is the campervan. Campervans in New Zealand range from your plumber size van, often with a "pop-top" for 1 or 2 people, to 6 berth larger vehicles and even up to the bus size vehicles more commonly known as an RV. These RV's aren't very popular in New Zealand due to their size and of course their Retiree/ sell-the-house-move-into-an-RV image. Campervans on the other hand, are easy to handle, easy to park and even a little bit trendy. What could be cooler than jumping into a colourful van, cruising round the streets and across country sides, parking up, cooking your evening meal to eat outside, sitting in the glory of your van and then bunking down for the night in a piece of paradise we call New Zealand. The next morning cruise on outta there to the next location. For the gas guzzling part, because the campervans are small and more van like, the gas isn't sucked dry pulling a gigantic bus along. Tourists in New Zealand, Germany, Australia and all over the world are joining the campervan band wagon... it's cool!!
Wake up to this! By (L) New Zealand Travel - Flickr (R) GOC53 - Flickr
Now for our second set of people. You needn't spend hours searching for hotels in every city you might want to stay at and then risk missing out on staying somewhere that you discover while you're in New Zealand. You also needn't pay for expensive hotels, motels or stay in a hostel sharing a dorm with that guy who hasn't showered for days. In a Campervan you can zip from city to city, town to town, beach to beach and stay where you want, freely able to change plans last minute and add destinations the local "kiwis' have told you about, into your schedule. As for the non-showering foreigner, you've got your own cosy bed surrounded only by the walls of your Campervan bedroom (and possibly sleeptalking buddy). Campervans can be budget backpacker varieties to more luxurious models, but, the freedom it gives you is priceless.
Cooking Dinner in the Campervan By Matt S Fisher - Flickr
The next Campervan strength is it's ability to create a gastronomical delight without spending all your travel money on food. Campervans are equipped with dinky kitchen facilities and New Zealand is equipped with delicious food, especially its right-off-the-farm meats, fresh-from-the-sea seafood, juicy vegetables and of course, world class wine. Stock up on groceries at a local supermarket before setting out on your adventure and every breakfast, lunch and dinner you can dine like Kings in your Campervan, in chairs outside of it, or on a beach looking out to the pristine waters. Perfect.
Lake Tekapo, New Zealand By Mike NZ - Flickr
New Zealanders explore their beautiful nation by Campervan so it only see's fit that tourists should too. Camping is a rite of passage for Kiwi's and bar the tent, you're pretty much there. Every year New Zealanders spend their holidays at sparkling beaches, pristine lakes or near mountainous slopes, enjoying the outdoors and all that that offers. The environment beckons you to take a swim, go for a hike or sit back with a glass of New Zealand wine. Campervanning is a way of life in New Zealand which enables you to spend the morning waking up to a sunrise on the east coast to snowboarding the mountainous slopes by afternoon.
To experience the true New Zealand, be sure to visit some of the following locations:
Bay of Islands, NZ By AntonyP80 - Flickr
Northland, New Zealand (above Auckland) is teeming with lengthy white sand beaches and surfable waves. Auckland city is the biggest in New Zealand and holds a plethora of activities from jumping off the sky tower to having Fish and chips at a local beach.
Coromandel Paradise By asgw - Flickr
The Coromandel again is a hive of beaches and beautiful scenery with quaint holiday towns. Hot water beach is a popular spot where punters can dig their own hot tub in the sand as a result of geothermal activity. Cathedral Cove is the perfect beach and as locals know, the film location of Narnia. The estuary at Cooks beach is perfect for a swim and be sure to drop a line somewhere. Get to know some locals and they will treat you well.
Mount Ruapehu By Mysterious Photographer - Flickr
The central part of the North island is home to Mordor-ish mountains, flat plains, interesting towns like shopable Tirau, Maori culture central and geothermal wonderland - Rotorua & Taupo.
The Bay of Plenty, notably Mount Maunganui, will welcome you to their beach town, perfect for a surf.
Hawkes Bay's wineries will entice, as will it's pretty scenery and quaint art deco towns.
Wellington, the country capital, is art and culture central.
Cross the Cook Strait in your campervan on a ferry and arrive in the beautiful Queen Charlotte sound.
The West Coast is rugged and untamed but beautiful in that. The Southern Alps span a large length of the South Island making magnificent vistas wherever you go.
Marlborough Wine Region By oh man alive - Flickr
The top of the South island is wine region. Take some tours if that's your thing or head down the vast untouched south island. Lakes, mountains and dry plains will greet you wherever you go. Queenstown is a resort ski town as is Wanaka and further south encounter some ancient glaciers. There's too much goodness in New Zealand to write about but if you specifically want to know about an area just post a comment.
Stop in at i-sites when you see them and the friendly workers will show you where's good to visit around them. Free Camp or stay in the many campgrounds around the country. Top 10 holiday parks are a good place to start, but many a campground has good if not better facilities. DOC campgrounds are cheaper and less equipped but usually in a more remote and therefore untouched location. Make sure you're prepared with food and water before staying in any of them.
