My little Motorhome Republic campervan underneath the stars in Rotorua

Must-dos on any North Island road trip

I have been living in New Zealand for almost five years, the vast majority of which has been spent down on the iconic South Island, mostly because I have been living in Wanaka but also because I JUST can't get enough of the wilderness. But the longer and longer I spend in New Zealand, I've actually been yearning to experience more of the North Island and road trip to new places. In many ways it feels like the cliche 'real New Zealand,' with bigger cities, has a more local vibe with plenty of culture to be had, whereas the South Island definitely can feel more touristy, clean cut and privileged. I often talk with my friends here how living in Wanaka feels like such a bubble, so distant from the rest of the country and world for that matter. I was eager and ready for a North Island road trip.

I've been on a mission to return to the places I first visited years ago and also to discover other new ones too, and I find myself now more keen to return north than to the mountains around south that I love so much. Where should I start? In August I had the chance to explore the North Island on a campervan road trip with Motorhome Republic who I've only recently discovered. I dub them the Skyscanner of campervan rentals around the world because they search all the hire camper sites and then poll the results together to give you the best deal. Where have you been all my life?

I picked up my van in Auckland, and immediately made my way south towards Mount Maunganui, a spot I had been hoping to visit for years but never got around to. Having the freedom of a campervan is one of my favorite ways to travel especially in New Zealand. It means I can go wherever I want without worry about booking hotels or having a strict itinerary. I prefer to play it by ear, what about you?I spent five days exploring new corners of the North Island and stopping by some old haunts on my campervan trip and it was glorious. Without any worries or cares, I really had the freedom to travel where I wanted, and to fall even more in love with this part of the world.

One of my favorite things about the North Island is the collection of three stunning volcanoes bang in the middle of the island. These three iconic peaks almost erupt out of an otherwise flat and desolate land, making them unmistakable.When I used to live in Wellington, I drove by these mountains several times, and they were almost always covered in cloud, just teasing me for the day when I would get to see them shine in all their glory, which only happened once when I did the Tongariro Crossing a few years ago.To see them on a mint winter's day, all white and covered in snow was remarkable. Mt. Ruapehu is a monster of a mountain volcano, with two ski fields on it, Whakapapa and Turoa, both of which were slammed with visitors on a spring bluebird ski day. You can't do a North Island road trip and skip these mountains.

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