When you first decide that you want to travel Australia the biggest decision you will have to make, after choosing a vehicle, is what your travelling home will be. There are so many options available and working out what will suit your needs can take a lot of research. Is it best to choose a tent, camper trailer or caravan? What other options should you consider?
Budget of course is going to be the biggest factor in what you ultimately choose. But other factors such as your age, whether you are travelling with children and how long you are going to be travelling for all need to be considered. Will you just be doing short trips here and there or will your trips be for a year or longer?
Should you choose new or second-hand?
So we are here to try and help you take some of the guess work out of this decision.
So far we have travelled with a tent, a camper trailer, a motor home and now a caravan.
Our decision to upgrade from a camper trailer to a caravan was largely based on the fact that it will be our home for a few years whilst we travel ‘All Around Oz’. Also we wanted something that was quick and easy to set up.
So what set up will work for you and what are the pros and cons of each? Here’s a look at what we think are the main contenders.
SWAGS
PROS
- Super quick and easy set up
- Can set up in a small area, such as under a car awning
- Suited to rugged conditions
- Gives you the ‘camping under the stars’ feel
- Can be lower in price
- Great for short trips
CONS
- Only accommodates one or two persons
- Can be cold in winter/hot in summer
- Can be bulky to carry
- Low head height
TENTS
PROS
- Come in a variety of sizes.
- Can be really easy to set up/pack away
- Can be set up by one person
- Lightweight
- Take up less room in vehicle
- Don’t need a lot of space to set up in
- Low cost
CONS
- Can be hot in summer and cold in winter
- Not a lot of storage space
- May have the whole family sleeping in one space
- Can be a challenge in wet weather
- May need two people to set up
ROOF TOP TENT
PROS
- Minimal set up required
- Easy to set up
- Off the ground
- Reasonably priced
- Can be set up by one person
CONS
- Have to pack up to go exploring
- Will only sleep two adults
- Have to climb up into it
CAMPER TRAILER
PROS
- Bigger living area
- Proper bed
- Storage and kitchen area
- Outdoor living area when awning attached
- Smaller and more compact than a caravan
- Can be taken into more places
- Can be towed with a car or smaller SUV
CONS
- Almost always need two people to set up
- Set up time – 30 to 45 minutes is typical but can take up to an hour
- Lots of wet canvas to pack up if the weather gods are in a bad mood
CAMPER TRAILER (FOLD OUT)
(Think Jayco Swan or similar)
PROS
- Smaller and easier to tow
- Some models can be towed with a sedan
- Can sleep more people in some models
- Have a proper kitchen
- Can easily be set up by one person
CONS
- Requires a bit of time to set up/ pack up
- Not a lot of storage
- Smaller beds
- Smaller living area
MOTOR HOME/CAMPERVAN/CONVERTED BUS
PROS
- Only need one vehicle
- Has on-board kitchen and storage
- Wide range of sizes available
- Many different configurations available
CONS
- Have to pack up completely to go exploring or tow a second vehicle
- May need an upgraded class of licence
- May be unable to access some areas due to low clearance
You can check out our post on the Winnebago Motor Home we had when we did the Follow the Sun Relay for our thoughts.
CARAVAN
PROS
- Bigger living area
- On-board kitchen and living area
- Can have on board shower/toilet
- Can be set up for free-camping
- Lots of storage
- Come in a variety of sizes
CONS
- Restricted access to some locations
- Larger van requires larger vehicle to tow it
- Heavy
BEFORE YOU DECIDE
Before you decide what is going to be best for you, make sure you do some research. Join Facebook groups and ask questions in forums. Read a few camping and caravanning magazines. There is a wealth of information available to help you make a decision that is right for you.
Visit a few Caravan and Camping shows or take a look through good camping stores like Tentworld. That way you can check out things like swags and tents to see how they look and feel.
And remember there is no right or wrong! What suits you might not suit the next person. Make the decision on what is going to be best for you and your family.
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Thanks for sharing pros and cons of Tent Camping,Camper trailer and Caravan.This is good info. I really appreciate your research. I love these ideas. Thank you so much.
Particularly if you have a 4×4 cab chassis, a slide-on camper such as Trayon is a good option.
Quick to set up for a short stop.
A little more time (15-30 mins) if unloading to release the car for exploring the area
Virtually a caravan that unfolds (i.e. kitchen/stove, small dining area, fridge, queen size bed and some come with shower and porta potti. Mine is also equipped with diesel hot water and heating. As with a caravan, power is 240v, 12v, solar and gas for the stove plus diesel for the heating system. 110 lt of water storage with 12v pump. I also have an annexe which quickly zips and clips onto the unit to give equivalent area of a 16′-18′ caravan. Surprising amount of storage space in such a compact unit.
Big advantages are that you can go where trailers can’t, driving and reversing is safer and much easier, lower fuel consumption and gentler on the tug. Dust and waterproof and fully lockable.
Sounds like a great option!Thanks for sharing.
Thank you great summary. We are looking at caravan for a year long trip in 2019. Lots of home work to do regarding brands and styles. We are thinking of purchasing a second hand caravan and sell when we are finished, I am told they hold their value well.
Depending on the brand and age I agree. There are some that definitely hold their value well. Especially if they are well-set up for free camping. Check back here soon as we will be doing some posts in the next few weeks on how to choose a second hand van and also reviewing some popular models.
Thanks Melissa looking forward to those posts.
Craig
My parents had a bus and they towed a small car behind it so the can go to other places. We find that we use our tent for a few days getaway rather than taking the camper trailer as it takes a while to set up.
I kinda like the idea of a bus. I think it would be fun. Camper trailers certainly can take a bit longer to set up but after 6 years we have it down pat and can be sitting down with a beer in about 50 minutes!
Great overview Mel. We started with a tent when the kids were little and slowly upgraded to a popup caravan, then a full size caravan to do our trip around Australia. There isn’t one perfect solution. A lot of caravans these days can be towed offroad so that is another good option for those wanting to get off the beaten track in comfort. I would love a motorhome but it does have restrictions.
We didn’t do many trips in our tent but we have sure covered some k’s with the camper trailer. Can’t wait to progress to the next level!
Nice Summary. We’re happy with our caravan and like yourselves hope to go around Australia when the gods permit it.
I know what you mean Jan…some days I think it’s never going to happen!