Tips for a Good Night's Sleep

Nervous about your first night in a campervan? These tips can help you get a good night's sleep during your hire:

• Park on flat terrain: When you choose your campsite, try to pick one that's as flat as possible so you aren't sleeping lopsided.
• Heating/cooling: If available, use your air conditioning or heating to get the temperature right before you go to bed.
• Ear plugs: In a 4 or 6 berth, the beds are very close to each other. If anyone in your group snores, we recommend ear plugs.
• Curtains: There will be curtains available for the windows in the main cabin of the vehicle but there may or may not be one for the opening to the driver cabin. If your vehicle doesn't have one, you may want to use a makeshift curtain to block sunlight from the windscreen.
• Open windows: If your vehicle has fly screens on the windows and the weather's not too cold, consider leaving the windows open for fresh air.
• Lock doors: Campsites in Australia are generally very safe places to stay, and some even have security guards. Lock the doors anyway before you go to bed.
• Pack up outside: Try not to leave loose items, such as camp chairs or tables, outside overnight. Strong winds can blow them into your vehicle or nearby vehicles. Packing them away also protects them from theft.
• Cooking: Try not to cook anything smelly inside the vehicle. Use outdoor BBQ facilities when they're available, or bring an air freshener.
• Torches: Keep a torch by the door in case you need the toilet during the night. Some parks may not be well lit, so a torch is essential for getting to the toilet block and back to bed quickly.

Next steps

• Overnight parking: where you can stay
• Heating and cooling: which vans have living-area climate control
• What to pack for your campervan holiday: bring a torch and other essentials

Part of During Your Trip in the Campervan Hire Handbook.