There
are many different companies where you can hire backpacker campervans.
While many backpackers get around Australia by long distance buses
and the buses do take you almost everywhere, it is not cheaper than
hiring a campervan when you look at the total cost.
And it is
definitely not more comfortable!
Hippie backpacker campervans by alexispz via Flickr.com
As opposed to buses and trains, a campervan gives you
* the freedom to go at
your own pace
and not worry about time tables. Stop for a lunch when and
where
you want, not when and where the bus stops.
* the opportunity to get
to spots the
buses and trains don't take you. Take photo stops where
you
want, don't miss out things that the bus would just drive past.
* somewhere to sleep
- this is
of course the most important thing and the thing that saves you most
money. No need to pay for hotel and motel rooms - camping grounds are much cheaper, and there is even a lot of FREE
camping in Australia!
* somewhere to cook
- this
also
saves you money as it is of course much cheaper than eating out. You
may be used to backpacker hostels in cities and towns where there is a
kitchen anyway.. but this is not the case everywhere!
OK, you find a few backpacker hostels in Coober Pedy and Alice Springs
- but that is as remote as they get. There are thousands of more
kilometres to do and there won't be backpacker hostels nearly
everywhere.
As soon as you leave the east coast and cities/towns, without a
campervan you would have no choice but pay for hotel and motel rooms.
Outback hotels, which really are the old pubs, may be a bit cheaper,
but motel rooms are $100ish a night.
A site in a caravan park / camping ground is $30ish at the most, but
often cheaper as soon as you get a bit inland.
And if you want, you can
look into FREE
camping
in Australia, stop in designated FREE
camping spots, and don't pay anything for accommodation at all!
There are enough of
designated free
camping spots that with a bit of planning you can do entire trips
totally for zero cost of accommodation!
Which Backpacker Campervans Are Best?
There
is no single
answer to which backpacker campervans are the best,
and it would be impossible for me to
recommend any one because it really depends on your needs, your budget, the
type of trip you
are planning, and length of the
time you
plan to spend...
There are different companies, each have different choices of vans, it
may even come down to what's available.. Have a look here:
Some Things to Bear in Mind
* When you check prices, often the insurance
is not included but comes
on top of it, and the amount may well vary between different companies
and even vehicles. Check if the insurance is included and how much it
is.
* If you want to get off the bitumen and do some back tracks, consider
renting a four wheel
drive. It
may be more expensive, but it gives you
the freedom to get off the main roads.
When renting a four wheel drive remember to check if there are any
restrictions
about where you
are allowed to go. There often are restrictions,
unless it's a real Trooper.
* Short of money but not
too short of
time? Consider buying
a
campervan
instead! It's
cheaper, but worth if the trip is not too short, as the buying and
selling may take a bit of time (however you can now get buy back
guarantee so no reason to worry about not being able to sell it in the
end of your trip).
Got something to post on backpacker noticeboard?
Looking for a job?
Buying/selling a vehicle?
Hitchhiking?
Anything else??
Post it here!
P.S. This page is brand new so don't be shy to be the first!
Note:
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find words like "traveller", "harbour" and "realise", and they are all
correct in the language used in Australia.
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