Spain rewrites motorhome parking rules · VanLife Weekly #30
From October Spain bans blocking motorhome parking, but the Canaries tighten site rules. Also: Honda Trail Master and Turkey's caravan boom.
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Urban district · Hawke's Bay Region, New Zealand
VanSky index for Flaxmere, New Zealand — 50 out of 100 (Acceptable). Decide in seconds: temperature, precipitation, wind and solar output. Data refreshed several times a day from real weather observations.
The main score is weekly (7-day average). The “Today” toggle shows the current day, and the region page compares cities “by area”.
Flaxmere, New Zealand — VanSky 50 out of 100. Acceptable, plan around the weather. Ranked #101 of 106 cities in the country (as of 27 July 2026). Temperature 12°C, wind 11 km/h. Solar panels yield 1.2 kWh/day at 400 W — enough for full autonomy.
Cities with a close score — route alternatives
A weather comfort index for travel: a 0–100 score. Recalculated daily from live weather data — temperature, rainfall, wind and sun.
How it's calculated:
Data: Open-Meteo · Updated several times a day
Flaxmere ranks 100 of 106 cities. Country average VanSky — 64.
Updated: 25.07.2026
Regular 91
$1.70 /l
NZD2.94 · €1.49/l
15 of 17
pricier than 82% of countries
Premium 95
$1.81 /l
NZD3.13 · €1.59/l
102 of 140
pricier than 72% of countries
Premium 98
$1.87 /l
NZD3.23 · €1.64/l
61 of 94
pricier than 64% of countries
100
$1.92 /l
NZD3.32 · €1.69/l
17 of 24
pricier than 67% of countries
Diesel
$1.45 /l
NZD2.50 · €1.27/l
68 of 141
cheaper than 52% of countries
LPG
$1.12 /l
NZD1.93 · €0.98/l
44 of 55
pricier than 78% of countries
DOC has completed the sale of Waikaremoana Holiday Park to Te Uru Taumatua, the Tūhoe iwi authority. The park, located on Māori freehold land, will continue to operate as usual with lake access maintained, while new investment is planned.
Anastasia and Hayden Tristram, along with their two young daughters, plan to start a caravan journey across New Zealand in October to learn about different farming systems and find their own farm. The couple lost their leased sheep and beef farm in central Hawke's Bay when it was sold for pine plantations. They have bought a caravan and intend to work as farming contractors, gathering information on various agricultural sectors, including dairy and horticulture.
Reporter Kathrin Steevens embarked on a camper trip through New Zealand. On the Wanganui River Road she encountered gravel, mud and steep drops, making the journey tense.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council has made permanent restrictions on freedom camping at two hotspots in Wānaka. Camping is now prohibited at the Allenby Pl carpark at the foot of Mt Iron due to health and safety issues, including a narrow access way with limited visibility for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. The council also proposed banning camping at Beacon Point Rd during December and January. Three additional designated spaces were added at Wānaka Recreation Centre.
Tasman Miranda Holiday Park near Auckland offers guests access to thermal pools, which are not closed for renovations as rumored. Visitors can stay in motorhomes or caravans and enjoy the hot springs on site.
The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association (NZMCA) has applied to Christchurch City Council for a 10-year transitional lease of 5,000–10,000 sq m at 60–80 Owles Terrace, New Brighton, to accommodate up to 100 motorhomes and caravans. The site is on vacant red zoned land, previously affected by earthquakes. Basic amenities would include rubbish bins and potable water, with a possible wastewater dump station. The park would be restricted to NZMCA members in certified self-contained motorhomes and caravans, with a maximum stay of 10 days per 30-day period. Opening is optimistically targeted for summer 2026–2027, but more realistically late 2027 if resource consent is required.
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