Camper Van - With or Without Toilet and Shower ?
Jul 27th, 2017, 07:59 PM
#1
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Camper Van - With or Without Toilet and Shower ?
Hi all,
Me, my wife and our 3 year old daughter are planning for a trip to South part of New Zealand for 9 Days this end of October. We are planning to get a campervan/ motorhome to get around NZ but having a hard time deciding which one we should take.
Me and my wife are still debating if we should take the one with the toilet and shower or without.
My wife thinks that we can save a lot if we use campervan without the toilet and shower (about NZD 100 per day) and we'll just stop around for toilet and use the public bathroom to take shower.
well, i think its a bit troublesome since we also bring our 3 years old daughter with us.
So if you guys can give us some tips and suggestions on this matter, it'll be really helpful.
Thanks!
Me, my wife and our 3 year old daughter are planning for a trip to South part of New Zealand for 9 Days this end of October. We are planning to get a campervan/ motorhome to get around NZ but having a hard time deciding which one we should take.
Me and my wife are still debating if we should take the one with the toilet and shower or without.
My wife thinks that we can save a lot if we use campervan without the toilet and shower (about NZD 100 per day) and we'll just stop around for toilet and use the public bathroom to take shower.
well, i think its a bit troublesome since we also bring our 3 years old daughter with us.
So if you guys can give us some tips and suggestions on this matter, it'll be really helpful.
Thanks!
Jul 28th, 2017, 01:18 AM
#2
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Having a toilet classifies as a self-contained vehicle and will offer you more options of where you can freedom camp.
"A self-contained vehicle must meet the Caravan Self Containment Certification standard. You'll need to be able to live in it for 3 days without getting more water or dumping waste. It must have:
a toilet
fresh water storage
waste water storage, and
a rubbish bin with a lid."
Link here:
https://www.govt.nz/browse/recreatio...eedom-camping/
When you say you'll "use the public bathroom to take shower," do you mean you'll take a sponge bath out of the hand basin?
"A self-contained vehicle must meet the Caravan Self Containment Certification standard. You'll need to be able to live in it for 3 days without getting more water or dumping waste. It must have:
a toilet
fresh water storage
waste water storage, and
a rubbish bin with a lid."
Link here:
https://www.govt.nz/browse/recreatio...eedom-camping/
When you say you'll "use the public bathroom to take shower," do you mean you'll take a sponge bath out of the hand basin?
Jul 28th, 2017, 09:46 AM
#3
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If your campervan does not have a toilet, you must overnight at a site that has at least a long-drop.
Public bathroom do not have showers.
If your daughter needs to pee in the middle of the night, do you think she can hold it while you put on shoes and jacket (October nights will be chilly) and walk to the campground loo?
Holiday Parks are found throughout New Zealand and will have hot showers, kitchens, and laundry facilities. Some will even have a TV lounge and playground. They are usually about $20 per person (reduced rate or free for child).
DOC sites are usually rather basic with a water source and long-drop. Most of them cost $8 per person, under age 4 are free.
A good source for finding campsites online is www.rankers.co.nz/respect - it's an interactive map.
A good app with campsite locations (plus petrol stations, laundry, grocery stores, free wifi locations, and more) is the campermate app.
Please be responsible and don't leave human waste in the woods.
Public bathroom do not have showers.
If your daughter needs to pee in the middle of the night, do you think she can hold it while you put on shoes and jacket (October nights will be chilly) and walk to the campground loo?
Holiday Parks are found throughout New Zealand and will have hot showers, kitchens, and laundry facilities. Some will even have a TV lounge and playground. They are usually about $20 per person (reduced rate or free for child).
DOC sites are usually rather basic with a water source and long-drop. Most of them cost $8 per person, under age 4 are free.
A good source for finding campsites online is www.rankers.co.nz/respect - it's an interactive map.
A good app with campsite locations (plus petrol stations, laundry, grocery stores, free wifi locations, and more) is the campermate app.
Please be responsible and don't leave human waste in the woods.
Jul 28th, 2017, 11:34 AM
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"My wife thinks that we can save a lot if we use campervan without the toilet and shower (about NZD 100 per day) and we'll just stop around for toilet and use the public bathroom to take shower."
Don't come to New Zealand then! We have a huge problem with visitors with this attitude and spoiling our wilderness areas by dumping their human waste where ever they like.
What does 'stop around for the toilet exactly' mean - pee in the bush? You may think it's only one pee but if everyone does this it all adds up.
Go for the self contained one for goodness sake.
I'm not sure where you are from but the equivalent action is for me to take a toilet stop in the middle of Central Park, NY and leave my s@@t there!
Why do people have this attitude?
Don't come to New Zealand then! We have a huge problem with visitors with this attitude and spoiling our wilderness areas by dumping their human waste where ever they like.
What does 'stop around for the toilet exactly' mean - pee in the bush? You may think it's only one pee but if everyone does this it all adds up.
Go for the self contained one for goodness sake.
I'm not sure where you are from but the equivalent action is for me to take a toilet stop in the middle of Central Park, NY and leave my s@@t there!
Why do people have this attitude?
Jul 28th, 2017, 01:10 PM
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>>What does 'stop around for the toilet exactly' mean - pee in the bush? You may think it's only one pee but if everyone does this it all adds up.<<
The OP might mean they would stop at a store or petrol station or the like to use the restroom.
For the OP - I don't camp, but if I was going to rent a campervan, I would go ahead and get one with the toilet and shower, especially if I had a 3yo.
Lee Ann
The OP might mean they would stop at a store or petrol station or the like to use the restroom.
For the OP - I don't camp, but if I was going to rent a campervan, I would go ahead and get one with the toilet and shower, especially if I had a 3yo.
Lee Ann
Jul 29th, 2017, 04:29 AM
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I have never camped in New Zealand but I have once in Australia and extensively in North America in all manner of conveyances: canvas tents, converted vans, hardtop camper, small trailer, mid size RV. I have never had one with a toilet and shower although we used to travel with 3 young children and now do so with “senior's bladder”. It does require a stop now and then at a gas station, or preferably, a coffee shop, where in return for a small purchase you can have access to washrooms. You can buy a lot of coffee for the $100 you save!
I think it all depends on your preference. I find the communal washrooms quite acceptable and actually a sort of friendly place where you meet other travellers when you go in to brush you teeth at night. The biggest drawback is the quality of the toilet paper which is usually abysmal: bring your own. Also, try not to leave your shampoo in the shower--that will eat into the $100 you are saving!
In Australia one holiday park had a washroom block for each 4 sites where we actually had our own facilities. I would guess that the showers at most campgrounds would have more room than the shower/toilet cubicle in the RV which could pose problems if you are trying to fit in with your daughter.
How about a potty like you would use for toilet training for your 3 year old for night time and emergencies? Of course I agree with the above posters that you shouldn’t despoil the natural surroundings with your waste but I doubt that that is your intention. Do have a plastic bag on hand and make sure you leave nothing behind if nature calls loudly at an inconvenient location.
Enjoy your travels.
I think it all depends on your preference. I find the communal washrooms quite acceptable and actually a sort of friendly place where you meet other travellers when you go in to brush you teeth at night. The biggest drawback is the quality of the toilet paper which is usually abysmal: bring your own. Also, try not to leave your shampoo in the shower--that will eat into the $100 you are saving!
In Australia one holiday park had a washroom block for each 4 sites where we actually had our own facilities. I would guess that the showers at most campgrounds would have more room than the shower/toilet cubicle in the RV which could pose problems if you are trying to fit in with your daughter.
How about a potty like you would use for toilet training for your 3 year old for night time and emergencies? Of course I agree with the above posters that you shouldn’t despoil the natural surroundings with your waste but I doubt that that is your intention. Do have a plastic bag on hand and make sure you leave nothing behind if nature calls loudly at an inconvenient location.
Enjoy your travels.
Jul 29th, 2017, 05:12 AM
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Just about to embark upon our third campervan trip aroundNZ. We have always gone for the fully self contained option partly because of the additional flexibility it provides but mainly because it just makes life a lot easier.
Fully self contained, you can stay wherever you like subject to local rules and regulations. We use a mixture of commercial sites, DOC and permitted free camping sites. With a three year old in tow, I would strongly suggest using commercial sites like Top10 or Kiwi which have hot showers, kitchens and play facilities for daughter.
Cooking in a camper is fun and waking up in th middle of nowhere to amazing scenery is fun but the 3 year old may have different ideas.
If cost is a major concern, compare the cost of renting a car, plus staying in cabins at aforementioned sites with rentinga a fully self contained camper and maybe staying half in paid and half in freer low cost Doc sites. The Rankers link provided by deShenke above is an excellent app and one I have used extensively to plan our current trip.
Fully self contained, you can stay wherever you like subject to local rules and regulations. We use a mixture of commercial sites, DOC and permitted free camping sites. With a three year old in tow, I would strongly suggest using commercial sites like Top10 or Kiwi which have hot showers, kitchens and play facilities for daughter.
Cooking in a camper is fun and waking up in th middle of nowhere to amazing scenery is fun but the 3 year old may have different ideas.
If cost is a major concern, compare the cost of renting a car, plus staying in cabins at aforementioned sites with rentinga a fully self contained camper and maybe staying half in paid and half in freer low cost Doc sites. The Rankers link provided by deShenke above is an excellent app and one I have used extensively to plan our current trip.
