We recently received a delightful comment from our client Wannes, who toured New Zealand in a Hippie Camper last year. Thanks for your kind words Wannes and we hope to see you again one day!
Dear people of hippie camper I have almost been a year now since we’ve travelled through NZ with that great Hippie camper. And I gotta say: Everything was perfect and as you described on your website. We asked for an -1 year old van, and we got one of 9 months old. We never had any problems with the car once. And everything was delivered with it. All the camping equipment was available. And most important, all the equipment was clean! (even the water boiler and the toaster) From day one I knew that I was gonna have the best vacation ever. After almost 2 months in that superb camper we delivered it back to the depot in Christchurch and started our trip home. Even after almost a year we think back to that fine vacation and that nice camper! Keep up the good work! It was really lovely to drive that van! Greetings Wannes
Lots of Hippie Camper clients take their campervans on a grand tour of New Zealand, travelling around both islands in one foul swoop. And why not? Both the North and South Islands have so much to offer backpackers. Beautiful scenery, sheep, adventure, sheep, culture, sheep, nightlife and sheep.
But of course, if you’re going to island hop, you’re going to have to take the ferry. We wish there was a big beautiful bridge connecting the islands – but alas, for now you will have to rely on a boat.
The good news is that the boat is pretty schmick one (comfy seats, food, and souvenirs to buy all on board). At Hippie, we work with Interislander – which is the most popular ferry operator. The Interislander runs around 5 ferry crossing services a day between Wellington on the North Island and Picton on the South Island. It is around a 3 hour journey.
You’ll need to book your spot on the ferry in advance. We can book your ferry trip for you, but be aware that if you wish to keep your dates flexible cancellation fees may apply. You pay for each passenger and your Hippie Camper. The cost of the campervan is determined by its length, so the longer the campervan, the more it costs. The Hippie Deluxe is about 4.51m long.
Relax: Taking your campervan on the ferry is easy peasy
You may be worried about driving your camper on board the ferry, but don’t worry – the Interislander staff will provide clear directions. We have had very few reports of difficulties.
And that’s all we have to say about the ferry for now. Stay tuned for more campervan travel tips on the blog in the near future…
Today we’re delighted to share a story from Bec Woods, a Pro Surfer who is sponsored by our parent company Apollo. First of all, here’s a quick intro video about Bec:
The last few months have been quite eventful as a Pro Surfer. This was supposed to be my downtime between World Tour events and for majority of it I was on the Gold Coast for training and enjoying the warm winter of Queensland.
However as a surfer you tend to move around a lot searching for the perfect wave. For people traveling on the east coast of Australia I recommend heading to Lennox Head and Byron Bay in the cooler months of winter. These small coastal surfing towns have such epic vibes, great coffee and many waves to choose from. Cruising from one to the next is a great way to spend a weekend and how I generally spend mine whilst around the Gold Coast.
Between training I spent a bit of time shooting for a TV segment and working on a proposed surfing event I am planning to have in my home town of Copacabana (NSW, Central Coast).
Which brings me to my next point. Driving from the Gold Coast to Copacabana is 9 hours if you do it straight. However if you have time and are driving your accommodation (a camper) please, please stop in at:
1. Angourie- It is a beautiful place with much national park and a hidden gem of the east coast. It is about 1 and a half hours south of Lennox Head.
2. Point Plomer/ Crescent Head- Point Plomer is where I learnt to surf. You take a right before hitting Crescent main town. There are 4 beaches to choose from all protected from different winds, the fishing, surfing, trails and wildlife are amazing. It is off the coast of Kempsey which is about 4 hrs south from Lennox head or 5 hours north from Sydney.
3. Boomerang Beach/Pacific Palms- Another of the hidden Gems of east coast Aus. So many white sand beaches, hidden cafe’s and lush national Parks to explore as well as cute cafe’s scattered around, it is worth exploring 3.5 hrs north of Sydney, 6.5 hrs south of Lennox Head.
I am now at Copacabana which is one and a half hours north of Sydney and getting ready for my next stint of events overseas starting with the Rip Curl Pro Search event in Peniche, Portugal early October. I need a solid end to my year currently sitting in 9th on the World Rankings and hoping to finish strongly.
Hippie Camper is pleased to advise that after the recent earthquake in Christchurch, our rental branch remains fully operational. Customers are still able to pick up and drop off campervans as usual. The team’s thoughts are with all those affected.
Hippie has a variety of motorhomes and campervans on site in Christchurch which would be suitable temporary accommodation for locals whose houses have been damaged. Please contact media@hippiecamper.com for a special rate.
Packing is boring, we know – but it’s important. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of six essentials you should bring with you on any campervan road trip in Australia or New Zealand.
“Why six?” we hear you ask. Well, we think it’s a pretty great number – particularly in New Zealand. Just ask any local! Anyway, here’s the list. We hope you find it useful:
Soft bags for your stuff - they will fit more easily in your campervan storage compartments.
Thongs/Flip Flops/Jandles – Whatever you call them, you need them if you’re showering in public bathrooms.
Camera – Don’t miss the action, or the opportunity to win another camera from us if you take an amazing shot of your Hippie!
Sunscreen – Whether you’re trekking Aus or traversing New Zealand, sun protection is important. Even in winter you need to slip slop slap to avoid harmful UV rays.
Your favourite tunes – Self explanatory. Hippie Campers aren’t equipped with iPod docks (one day?) but they do play MP3 cds.
Map (or rent a GPS from us) – Getting lost is half the fun, but you want to be able to find your way back eventually…
