Campervanning is one of our favorite ways to travel, especially in Australia and New Zealand where nature is the main attraction.
These are the lessons we’ve learned from our campervan trips. After each adventure, we add whatever new insights come to mind.
There’s a packing checklist at the end — don’t forget to read all the way through!
Key Advantages of Campervanning
Cost Savings
From our experience: the longer the trip, the more money you’ll likely save with a campervan.
The most common alternative would be renting a regular car plus paying for accommodation along the way. A conservative estimate looks something like:
- Car rental: ~NTD$1,500/day (roughly USD$50)
- Accommodation: ~NTD$3,000/day (roughly USD$100)
- Fuel: average
A campervan looks roughly like this:
- Campervan rental: ~NTD$3,000/day (roughly USD$100)
- Campsite fees: ~NTD$1,000/day (roughly USD$33)
- Fuel: slightly higher than a regular car
Of course, the details depend on the quality of the campervan and accommodation you choose. I wouldn’t say there’s a dramatic difference, but overall, saving about NTD$500 (USD$16) per day is realistic. The longer your trip, the more the campervan-plus-campsite approach should come out slightly cheaper.
Getting Closer to Nature Than Hotels Ever Could
This is the biggest advantage of campervanning: compared to staying in hotels, you get access to natural spots you simply can’t reach without camping.
That said, these nature-focused destinations naturally attract outdoorsy people. If you’d rather stay in a town center and spend your days visiting restaurants and indoor attractions, a campervan really isn’t going to be a good fit.
I think campervanning suits people who are at least open to outdoor activities (hiking and walking) and enjoy being self-sufficient.
Nature rewards you with its beauty.
The Two Main Types of Rental Vehicles
The vehicles you’ll typically find for rent are either campervans or motorhomes. Let’s break down these two options.
Campervan
A campervan is essentially a converted van — a regular van that’s been fitted out for camping.
These vehicles are usually smaller, with the rear section converted into a bed (along with various other functions).
Once you’ve parked for the night, you need to set up the bed configuration.
During the day, you fold the bed away, and that space transforms into a table, a spot for the mini fridge, or general storage. Our luggage normally sits in the back, but once the bed is set up there’s nowhere for it — so it ends up on the driver and passenger seats.
Campervans typically don’t have external power hookup. Even when they do, it usually only provides a kettle and microwave — no heating or air conditioning.
Motorhome
A motorhome is literally a “mobile home” — it’s a home first, just one that happens to move.
Motorhomes are significantly larger than campervans.
Price and Tier Considerations
The general hierarchy goes like this:
- Tier: Motorhome with external power + A/C > Motorhome with external power > Motorhome without external power = Campervan with external power > Campervan without external power
- Price: roughly the same order
Here’s what I think offers the best value:
- If you need heating or A/C, rent the cheapest motorhome with external power + A/C you can find (highly recommended — absolutely worth the money)
- If you don’t need climate control but still want decent space, go for a motorhome without external power (I find that paying extra for powered sites and a power-capable vehicle just to get a kettle and microwave isn’t great value — second choice)
- If you don’t need climate control or external power, don’t mind the extra effort, are happy to sort everything out at the campsite, and want to access self-contained-only wilderness campsites, rent a self-contained campervan (third choice)
- If you don’t need climate control, don’t need external power, and are totally fine handling everything at the campsite, then the cheapest campervan will do
How Vehicle Size Affects the Driving Experience
Anyone who tells you vehicle size makes no difference at all is lying.
You’ll definitely feel nervous and unfamiliar at first, but it helps to break down exactly why:
- The vehicle itself
- Local traffic rules (which side of the road, roundabouts, etc.)
So it’s not just about the vehicle. I’d recommend familiarizing yourself with local traffic regulations before you arrive.
Campervans don’t make much of a difference — there’s less to worry about with the vehicle itself.
Motorhomes are a different story. Their orientation guides boil down to three things:
- Avoid driving at sunrise and sunset
- Watch the vehicle height clearance
- Have someone get out and guide you when reversing
“Watch the height clearance” and “have someone guide you when reversing” are absolutely critical.
Always check the height limit at tunnels, toll gates, shopping center barriers, and parking garages. Never try to squeeze through.
Even in less crowded Australia and New Zealand, you’ll still need to reverse in parking lots.
When driving a motorhome, whenever you need to reverse, make it a habit to have someone get out and guide you.
Some of these vehicles are so long that even the person spotting for you can barely hear you shouting — attempting it without a spotter is a fast track to an insurance claim.
I’d suggest writing down your vehicle’s dimensions. You’ll be asked for them when registering at campsites.
Since you’ll be using the same vehicle throughout but potentially checking in at seven or eight different campsites, having the dimensions handy saves a lot of hassle.
The Three Most Important Questions When Choosing a Campervan
1. How Many People Are Traveling?
The one non-negotiable rule: the vehicle’s certified passenger capacity ≥ your group size.
Campervans feel spacious, but when the vehicle is moving, everything needs to be properly secured.
A single turn can send unsecured items toppling — even things already on the floor will slide dramatically from side to side.
If that happens to objects, imagine what it means for people.
The number of certified passengers matches the number of seats and seatbelts. When the vehicle is in motion, everyone must be seated and buckled in.
There’s no scenario where a two-person vehicle carries three people with one lying on the bed. That’s not only illegal — it’s genuinely dangerous.
Every vehicle has a certified passenger capacity. Your group size must not exceed it.
2. Do You Need Heating or A/C While Sleeping?
The key factors are: the climate during your travel season (winter vs. summer), and your vision for the trip.
Even in summer, nighttime temperatures in Australia and New Zealand rarely get uncomfortably hot enough to need air conditioning.
The main demand is usually for nighttime heating. This becomes especially obvious in winter camping — when it’s 10°C (50°F) outside
and you’d like the cabin to stay around 23°C (73°F), heating becomes pretty essential.
This isn’t really about safety — sometimes it’s just about comfort and the kind of trip you envision.
Even in winter, with the thick duvets provided by the rental company, you’re not going to get dangerously cold.
The sensation is more like a cold Taiwanese winter night — freezing outside, warm under the blankets, absolutely not wanting to get out of bed.
If you want a comfortable, vacation-like experience rather than roughing it in a foreign land,
having cabin climate control makes a huge difference in travel comfort.
The technical requirements for sleeping with heating/A/C:
- The vehicle must have climate control equipment. In the vehicle specs, look for 240V external power capability, and the main cab section should mention air conditioning, reverse cycle, etc. Anything listed under the “Driver” section doesn’t count — this is crucial. The driver’s cab heating/A/C stops when the engine is off, and you obviously can’t idle the engine all night just for climate control.
- You need to book a powered site at the campground. These cost a bit more than unpowered sites. You’ll find a power outlet next to your parking spot, and you run a cable from the outlet to your vehicle’s external power inlet.
Because of this, having climate control means higher travel costs:
- Vehicles with cabin climate control are inherently more expensive to rent.
- Powered campsites also cost more than unpowered ones.
Whether you need heating while sleeping is worth careful thought, because it directly affects which price tier of vehicle you’re looking at.
Beyond the standard setup, some rental companies offer a diesel heater as an add-on, which provides cabin heating.
We haven’t tried this option ourselves — hopefully someone with experience can share their thoughts.
Also, the duvets provided by rental companies are usually thick enough that you don’t need to bring a sleeping bag — even without heating.
On our first campervan trip, we were so worried about the cold that we brought a sleeping bag from home to use as a blanket.
It wasn’t a problem per se, but it took up a lot of luggage and cabin space. We never brought one again after that.
Seriously Consider: Is Climate Control Really Necessary?
This one really depends on the person.
In spring 2026 (autumn in Australia), we went on another trip and accidentally gained new insight on this question.
You can actually tell whether neighboring campers are using heating just by listening — the units make a noticeable sound.
From what I observed of locals camping in Australia and New Zealand, even when morning temperatures drop to 5–8°C (41–46°F), almost nobody uses heating. This means that unpowered sites work perfectly fine most of the time.
During peak camping season, locals seem more willing to spend money on campfire gatherings than on powered sites.
Our first trip was in a campervan, and because of the large day-night temperature swing, early morning lows could hit around 5°C (41°F).
Temperatures that low genuinely make sleeping uncomfortable — you wake up repeatedly from the cold, and sleep quality suffers badly.
So on that first trip, going fully unpowered, we bought a sleeping bag from Decathlon and brought another one from Taiwan rated for temperatures down to 5°C.
After that experience, we switched to motorhomes with powered sites. In most cases, we’d run the heater at a low setting (around 20°C / 68°F), which was more than enough to handle the early morning cold and virtually eliminated sleep disruption.
But on our most recent trip, we hit Easter peak season and couldn’t book a powered site. We went with an unpowered site, and all the old nightmares came flooding back. XD
- Early morning temps around 5–6°C (41–43°F)
- Woke up multiple times from the cold during the night
Bottom line: every piece of gear and every decision ultimately comes down to solving the problem of sleeping in cold temperatures.
You can skip the heater, but you absolutely must be prepared for the cold —
whether that means a sleeping bag rated for low temps, or at least wearing layers to bed instead of loose pajamas.
3. Do You Need a Toilet?
The key factors are: whether campsites require it, and whether you actually want to use one.
A campervan equipped with a toilet is called “self-contained.”
Paid campsites generally don’t require your vehicle to have a toilet. But some free, nature-adjacent campsites only allow self-contained vehicles.
For example, the campsite at Lake Pukaki is free, right on the lakeside, and restricted to self-contained vehicles only — meaning no power hookups either. But it’s right there in nature, and preserving that pristine environment is a shared responsibility.
So why do we love this campsite?
Because it has public restrooms. (Ha!)
In other words, it’s a campsite that requires your vehicle to have a toilet, but you don’t actually have to use it.
Free, close to nature, waking up to a view straight out of a painting — that’s what makes this campsite so special. We even completed our DIY wedding photoshoot for just NTD$5,000 here, because the natural scenery was simply too beautiful.
The technical requirements for a toilet:
- The vehicle specs must include a toilet. Smaller campervans might have a portable travel toilet, while larger motorhomes often have a full bathroom with shower.
- You need to be able to transport the black water (waste) to a dump station for disposal.
And here’s the thing — having to deal with black water disposal is what puts a lot of people off.
The thought of carrying your own waste to a designated disposal point is an understandable mental hurdle for many.
But it’s actually both responsible (handling your own waste so nature doesn’t have to) and surprisingly easy. All those fears about contact with waste? They’ve never materialized for us. As long as you add the chemical tablets correctly and operate the system properly, it’s a non-issue. No smell, no alarming colors.
Overall, operating the toilet isn’t difficult, the technical barrier is low, and it doesn’t add much to the cost.
Unless you’re on a really tight budget, I’d recommend treating the toilet as standard equipment. Whether you actually use it can be decided later.
A Higher-Tier Campervan Means a Better Overall Experience
Let me start with the conclusion: at a campsite, you can handle all daily living needs regardless of your vehicle.
Having a better campervan just makes things more convenient.
Convenient for staying in the vehicle when it rains, avoiding cold wind, keeping your feet off sandy ground.
At free campsites or unpowered sites, you’re limited to whatever the vehicle itself provides.
In that scenario, even a basic motorhome is noticeably different from a campervan. A motorhome lets you cook and shower inside the vehicle. In a campervan, cooking is often done from the rear conversion — requiring you to step outside — and showering inside is essentially impossible.
Where to Book a Campervan
We’ve booked through Motorhome Republic both times.
Both bookings went smoothly with no issues — easy pickup and easy return.
I think Motorhome Republic’s biggest advantage is aggregating different rental brands and models onto one platform.
It’s really helpful during the initial research phase. If you need more specific details, you can always dig deeper from there.
Powered Campsites: What Extra Equipment You Can Use
Whether to book a powered site depends heavily on what equipment your vehicle’s cabin offers.
The two are interrelated, but it ultimately comes down to what kind of experience you want.
Cabin Climate Control
Cabin air conditioning requires 240V external power — no exceptions.
Having indoor climate control is the main reason (and luxury) for booking a powered site.
However, some vehicles have a 240V external power inlet even without cabin A/C.
In that case, the question becomes what else you can power.
Microwave
The microwave is the second appliance that only works with 240V external power.
In other words, if your vehicle has a microwave, it should also have an external power inlet — and you’ll need a powered site to use it.
The upside of having a microwave: you can buy ready-to-heat meals from the supermarket for dinner, instantly expanding your food options.
240V Outlet Devices: Kettle, Dual-Voltage Travel Hair Dryer (BYO)
With external power connected, the vehicle’s 240V outlets become usable.
The kettle advantage: you can prepare hot water-based food and drinks in the vehicle (soup, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, etc.).
The hair dryer advantage: you can dry your hair after showering.
In Australia and New Zealand, the proportion of campsites that provide hair dryers is quite low. Australia is even worse than New Zealand in this regard.
Bringing a dual-voltage compact hair dryer is a lifesaver for anyone with long hair.
Refrigerator
Because a fridge needs constant power, any vehicle equipped with a fridge also has a battery.
Without external power, the fridge runs on battery charged while driving. So the engine needs to run long enough to charge the battery sufficiently — otherwise the fridge won’t stay cold for long. If your driving distances are short, the fridge’s cooling performance degrades significantly.
Conversely, with external power, the fridge keeps running even when the engine is off, and the battery gets charged directly from the mains.
Fridge performance with external power is vastly better than without it.
Water Supply: Washing Things in the Vehicle
Water supply doesn’t affect campsite pricing. A campervan’s water system involves three types of water:
- Fresh water (Clean Water – Inbound): Fed into the vehicle from an external tap, available for use anytime.
- Grey water (Grey Water – Outbound): Wastewater from general washing.
- Black water (Black Water – Outbound): Toilet waste.
Your rental will come with hoses for fresh water and grey water. Don’t mix up the two.
Water Level Sensors
Larger vehicles have water level sensors for both the fresh water and grey water tanks.
Fresh water is straightforward — just connect the hose between the vehicle’s inlet and the tap, turn it on, and you’re good.
When the tank is full, it simply overflows onto the ground.
Grey water is a bit trickier.
First, the grey water sensor on rental vehicles should be taken with a grain of salt. Since previous renters may have washed dishes in the sink, small food remnants can accumulate in the tank. The sensor detects these residues and thinks the tank still has water, when in reality nothing comes out. So if you’ve followed the correct grey water drainage procedure and nothing flows, the tank is simply empty.
Second, grey water should be dumped at designated spots. Besides the dump station, some campers dump it beneath the fresh water tap at their parking spot — that location is generally acceptable too.
Washing Dishes
Without fresh water and grey water plumbing, you have to carry all your dishes to the campsite kitchen to wash them — heavy and quite a chore when you have a lot.
Being able to wash dishes inside the vehicle is probably the best quality-of-life improvement that comes with having a water system. You wash, dry, and put everything away right there — no more hauling heavy loads back and forth.
Showering
We haven’t actually tried showering inside the vehicle yet — we’ve always used the campsite bathrooms. XD
If you have gas, the orientation guide mentions you should heat the water about 30 minutes before showering. It’s technically doable.
Gas: Cooking and Showering
The gas supply varies with the vehicle size.
Campervans usually come with a small gas canister and a portable stove for outdoor cooking. Motorhomes, on the other hand, have a small LPG cylinder stored in a ventilated compartment, feeding three outlets:
- Stovetop (inside)
- BBQ grill (outside)
- Hot water for showering (inside)
Always turn off the gas valve before driving.
Packing for a Campervan Trip: Small and Multiple, Not One Big Suitcase
Unlike locals who drive their campervan to a trip, international travelers face a unique challenge: we have massive suitcases.
Since we might pack six or seven days’ worth of clothes, it’s natural to stuff everything into a large suitcase and check it in. (For more on flights from Taiwan to Australia and transiting through Singapore, check out this post.)
But a campervan has nowhere to store a suitcase that big.
Packing advice for campervan trips: pack into the smallest bags possible across multiple pieces — not one big suitcase.
Not one big suitcase.
NOT one big suitcase!
Moving the Suitcase Every Single Day
On our first campervan trip, we rented a campervan and brought a 29-inch suitcase.
The suitcase fit in the cabin while driving, but at the campsite, that space needed to become the bed.
Every single day, we had to haul the suitcase out, open it up on the grass to organize things, then close it and heave it onto the driver’s seat.
(Because at that point, the cabin had already been converted into a bed, leaving no room for luggage.)
Doing this daily was like a gym workout. The annoyance was secondary — it was the time it ate up that really hurt.
Small and Varied
Our eventual solution: one small-to-medium suitcase (~10 kg), plus two clothing bags (~5 kg each).
Small clothing bags are incredibly practical — one for clean clothes, one for dirty.
Each day, you pull out what you need from the suitcase and put it in the clean bag.
Take the clean bag to the campsite showers.
After showering, toss worn clothes into the dirty laundry bag. This bag can go straight onto the plane at the end of the trip.
How Vehicle Size Affects Other Aspects of the Experience
Vehicle Size Determines Whether You Make the Bed Daily
There’s a major difference between campervans and motorhomes: whether you have to make the bed every day.
Because campervans are smaller, you generally need to pull out the bed boards, lay the mattress flat, and put on the sheets every night. In the morning, you fold it all back up for driving. Setting up and packing away takes about 15 to 20 minutes each time.
Motorhomes don’t have this problem: the bed stays as a permanent bed while traveling.
This difference significantly impacts the experience: honestly, making the bed every day gets really tiring. Beyond the time you need to budget before departure and after arrival, doing it in the rain is genuinely miserable.
Drop-Down Electric Bed?
In spring 2026, we rented a motorhome for the first time that had an electric drop-down bed at the rear.
During the day, the space below looks like a small living room. When it’s bedtime, there’s a switch that lowers the bed down.
It’s not bad, but climbing onto the bed can feel a bit high.
Also, this type of vehicle interior has more edges and corners, making it a bit easier to bump your head — which can be painful.
Dining Table Setup
Within the limited cabin space, both campervans and motorhomes include some form of dining table design.
I’ve never actually set up the dining table in a campervan — the space is just too small. Getting it into table-and-chairs mode requires moving too many things around. I’d rather grab a camping chair and sit on the roadside.
Some larger motorhomes have a dedicated dining area. This is genuinely convenient — just set up the table leg, place the tabletop, and you instantly have a space to eat and chat.
Choosing a Campsite: Pick Where You Want to Be
Campsites Are Essentially Hotels — They Appear Along Major Routes and Near Attractions
Campsites are basically hotels, and hotels are located for a few key reasons:
- Transport: along major highway routes, serving as stopovers during transit
- Attractions and cities: near major towns or tourist spots
Generally, choosing campsites based on attractions is more common. For example, Queenstown itself is an attraction, so a campsite within Queenstown makes sense. Or if Mt Cook is your destination, a campsite at the base of Mt Cook would be the logical choice.
The campsite should be an extension of the attraction.
But because road trip distances and driving times can be punishing — say, six hours between your last attraction and the return city — and you don’t want to drive at night, your campsite choice might simply come down to the farthest point you can reach before sunset.
Add Variety: Spend a Night or Two at a Nature-Focused Campsite
While powered campsites are great, after a while you’ll notice the facilities all feel pretty similar.
I’d recommend mixing in some nature-adjacent campsites to experience what it’s truly like to be immersed in the outdoors.
These nature-focused campsites often have excellent reviews, some are even free, and you’ll need to arrive early to grab a spot.
Waking up right next to a lake or inside a national park, watching kangaroos hop around — that’s an experience of a different kind. If you’re in Australia, I’d also recommend trying the Gold Coast Tree Top Challenge.
Making the campsite selection itself part of the experience adds a whole different layer of fun.
Campsite Reservations
Unless your itinerary is absolutely set in stone, most campsites don’t need to be booked too far in advance.
I usually book about a week out when finalizing the itinerary, and at the latest, two days before arrival.
The reason for booking later is that you need a feel for driving distances. Sometimes you end up choosing a campsite based on logistics — how far you can realistically drive before sunset takes some firsthand experience to gauge, which is why bookings come a bit later.
Campsite Reviews
I’d recommend checking campsite reviews, but don’t take them too seriously.
Common things campsites get reviewed on: how hot the water is, water pressure consistency, laundry and dryer quality, staff attitude…
Whatever people complain about with hotels, they complain about with campsites too.
But honestly, none of these things leave much of an impression.
Some campsites are beautifully maintained — hand-painted murals in the bathroom, rock-steady water pressure — and I’ll rate those highly. Others have inconsistent water pressure that drops when someone else turns on the hot water, but it’s still manageable. These are tiny details in the grand scheme of your campervan life.
Keep your expectations for campsite services modest, and you won’t be disappointed.
My one non-negotiable requirement for a campsite is cleanliness.
If reviews mention dirty toilets or bathrooms, I’ll consider switching to a nearby alternative. But cleanliness depends on many factors — the number of users that day, weather conditions — so as long as you can take care of basic needs, don’t expect too much.
That said, I’ve never encountered a paid campsite with facilities worse than a typical public restroom in Taiwan.
Office Hours and Late Arrivals
Many smaller campsites are family-run operations that close around 4–5 PM. Anyone arriving after that counts as a late arrival.
In our experience, better-run campsites will email your booking address with late arrival instructions. Some simply leave a small lockbox outside the office where you find an envelope with your name on it.
Most campsites will give you a map of the grounds with your driving route highlighted, and guide you to your parking spot.
That’s really all you need.
Where to Find Campsites
My go-to apps are CamperMate, Gaspy, and thl.
Gaspy is great for checking fuel prices in New Zealand.
Recommended Packing List for Campervan Travel
While campervans come well-stocked, cultural differences mean some things you might take for granted aren’t provided. Between the vehicle and the campsite, there are always gaps. Here’s a list of items that can significantly improve your trip.
Showering
- Hair dryer (check voltage and current — needs to be 220V compatible. Since you’ll also need a plug adapter, and hair dryers are power-hungry, make sure the adapter can handle the current draw.)
- Water-friendly sandals (like basic flip-flops, though higher quality is certainly fine)
- Towel (the campervan usually provides one, but I always prefer bringing my own)
- Toiletries
Cooking
- Cooking oil (buying locally means getting a huge bottle you can’t bring home. If you cook at the campsite, you’ll see everyone trying to borrow oil from each other — just bring your own. XD)
- Salt, sugar, pepper, and basic seasonings (same logic as above)
- Korean-style microwaveable instant rice (I spotted Korean campers bringing these in 2026. The main challenge with campervan cooking is preparing a starch — you often end up relying on instant noodles, which gets old fast. These microwave rice packs are actually a great alternative if you don’t mind them)
- Paper towels (a pack of thick ones for wiping water or surfaces. Most campsites have them, but they’re useful when you’re not at a campsite.)
- Small roll of cling wrap (for sealing food)
- Dish soap (because sometimes neither the vehicle nor the campsite has any)
- Sponge (for dishwashing — if you forgot, paper towels become the fallback)
- Small garbage bags (for keeping the vehicle interior tidy)
Sleeping
- LED strip lights (if you want a cozier ambiance in the campervan — USB-powered)
- Sleeping bag (if your cold-weather assessment deems it necessary)
- Eye mask, earplugs
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of campervan travel?
For longer trips, total costs can be lower than renting a car plus hotels, and you get much closer to nature. Choosing a higher-tier vehicle means you can cook, shower, and hang out inside even on rainy days — making the overall experience more convenient.
How do I choose the right campervan?
Start with three questions: how many people, do you need sleeping climate control, and do you need a toilet? Then choose between a campervan and a motorhome. If you want climate control, you’ll generally need a vehicle with external power capability. From experience, a motorhome with external power + A/C offers the best value.
How do I find a suitable campsite?
Choose campsites near attractions or along major routes based on your itinerary, and mix in nature-focused free or wilderness sites. Book about one week to two days before arrival, check reviews with a focus on cleanliness, and use apps like CamperMate to search.
Do I have to book a powered campsite?
Not necessarily. You’ll need a powered site if you want cabin climate control, a microwave, kettle, or hair dryer. External power also helps with fridge performance and battery charging. Nature-focused free campsites typically have no power at all.
What extra items should I bring?
A dual-voltage hair dryer with plug adapter, water-friendly sandals, towel and toiletries. Small bottles of cooking oil, paper towels, dish soap, a sponge, and small garbage bags. For a cozier sleep setup, consider LED strip lights.
