FAQs

Campervans offer such a unique way to explore the island. You don't ever have to worry about a long drive back to your hotel, you are already home wherever you are! You get to see more of the island and enjoy your time that much more out in nature. Big Island is a Big Island, all of the islands fit inside of Big Island! So there is no better place to try out a campervan than here, especially with the ease of never needing to drive back hours to get to your airbnb or hotel. Our vans are all hand built by Jonathan and I (Veronica) and we build them with you in mind! So each van has solar giving you the ability to charge your phones, run our provided fans, even an inverter for charging laptops/drones, each van comes with a sink, a 12V mini fridge, a rinse kit, a portable toilet with privacy tent (select this for free on checkout), camping stove with propane bottles, camping cook kit, adjustable height table for the camping stove, all bedding and pillows, all the water tanks already filled up for you, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, smoke/carbon monoxide detector, jumper cables, camping lights, overheard van cabin lights, phone holder, Bluetooth adapters on the radio to play your own music and much more! We also have add-on options you can purchase during checkout such as a beach and chill kit, body boards, snorkel kit, tent packages, extra bedding, extra cookware, and even Early Check-in and Late Check-out options. Save time & money with a home on wheels! We offer a more affordable way to experience Hawaii with our self-converted campervans, stocked with everything you need for you to enjoy the Island. Both of us love everything we do from designing, building and taking care of our vans to offer you the sweetest ride to those adventurous memories.

Absolutely! We know of great and safe places to camp overnight. There are some Private, multiple County Campgrounds, and lots of Hipcamps around the island. The security guards will check you in at your campervan here on the county campgrounds on Big Island. We are a rural and campervan friendly island. Please keep in mind each island is its own county and each county have different rules for campervans. Big island is the friendly one and we should know, we've lived here a long time and have camped all over our beloved island. Hawai'i Volcanoes: https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/camp.htm The Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park also has 2 campgrounds that are great for campervans. All the sites are first come first serve and generally pretty available (even during lava flow season). It’s cash only $15 and you pay with the envelope by the restrooms County of Hawai'i: https://hawaiicounty.ehawaii.gov/camping/welcome.html County Parks on Big Island allow vehicle camping and the ones we recommend are: Spencer Beach Park(has an enclosed shower), Kohanaiki Beach Park (Pines), Punalu’u Beach Park (Black sand beach), Laupahoehoe Beach Park and Kapa’a Beach Park. There is also Ho’okena Beach Park (Private Campground) https://www.hookena.org/camping.html Hipcamps also offer plenty of private camping all around the island and are also great for campervans. We recommend Garden of Eden hipcamp on the north side of the island, hippocampus and many more. We do list more on our google guide map that you will receive once you book with us. When searching for those hipcamps please make sure it doesn’t say 4x4 accessible only. Here is a a $10 off sign-up link Hipcamp: hipcamp.com/i/veronicar8d6c3d State of Hawai'i: https://camping.ehawaii.gov/camping/welcome.html Kiholo State Park is our only recommended State Campground accessible by car. Other State Campgrounds are cabin rentals or backpacking sites. Kiholo State Park does have nice drive up spots right on the ocean. State parks are only tent camping, but we do offer a tent camping package which you can find on our booking page when checking out Big Island is a very chill and outdoorsy island and we love that you are considering alternative travel with our self-converted campervans for your stay <3 Once you have booked, we will send you a Google Map link with pin-points of our recommendations: Campgrounds, scenic drives, restaurants, things to do, and even water filling stations

Yes! Our Campervans are about the size of a large Minivan with more space inside. Since they are medium-high campervans, they are also easier to handle on the road. They are all automatic transmission and easy to drive. Take it nice and slow, enjoy the scenery, give Aloha and no worries.

Yes! Hele-On is the Bus Company that runs around Big Island, check their Schedules and Maps with the link below. This is a Free coach bus with a few times that they travel directly from the Kona airport to the Hilo bus station and vice-versa. If you already have your flight booked from or to Kona Airport, no worries there are a few Bus Lines (Route 2 & 80) that go between Kona and Hilo. It is a comfortable Coach Bus with cold AC, plenty of space for luggage, and it is FREE :) Feel free to send us a message and we can help you navigate the schedule. We will also have the van ready for you in Hilo for your arrival! Just give us an advance notice if you are taking the bus so we can plan our drop off accordingly. Hele-On Bus Link: *** Want to Pay for a Delivery? *** Feel free to inquire with us for a Kona Airport Delivery. We know of a 3rd party driver that can deliver the van for you they do have an upcharge cost of ($200 plus tax, for each way). Let us know if advance if you would like this option and we can set up the invoice to pay the driver. Please let us know as advanced as you can to ensure the driver can make the delivery your checkin day. The cost is $200 plus taxes for checkin and an additional charge of $200 plus tax for a checkout (7-9hrs for a checkin due to obtaining the van, buses and driving north around the island, and an additional 7-8hrs for checkout).

Absolutely! We very often have families in the 5 seater vans! We usually recommend using some Hipcamps and campgrounds so you can mix van camping with tent camping around the island. Please let us know in advance so we can best support you. 5 seater vans: DiscoVana, RastaVana, LaniVana, HinaVana & AleaVana: These vans seat 5 people with seatbelts, and have Queen sized beds that can fit 3 people, we do also have an add-on package for tents/sleeping pads and linen. Car seats do fit in these vans as well. Please note the vans are by default stocked for 2 people, but you can add extra bedding and tent kits during the checkout process. 2 seater van with potential to seat 4: TikiVana: We have changed her couch mode to be in a bed mode so that we can keep a comfy 3inch gel mattress on the bed. She can seat 4 people with seatbelts, if you choose. In this case it would be up to you to roll up the gel mattress and keep it stored in the van while you transition the bed to couch mode (with a push of a button). Please note the vans are by default stocked for 2 people, but you can add extra bedding and tent kits during the checkout process.

Aloha! We are Veronica and Jonathan and we love building out every single one of our campervans with you in mind! Jonathan and I build and stock them with everything you could want and need for your VANcation! We are huge lovers of camping, and whenever one of the vans are available we are out there camping too! We know each and every van extremely well from building them, giving them solar, cosmetic repairs and in general from camping in each one very often, so you can count on us to assist you during your rental :) We live here on Big Island with our newly growing family and so we are always around and available to help you in anyway we can during your rental. We know plenty about the camping areas here on Big Island, so we are always able to help guide you along with the Google Guide Map we have curated for you with pinpoints of places to camp, scenic drives, things to eat, things to do etc! Mahalo, we hope to see you soon and we thank you for your supporting our small family-owned business! You can follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Check out our tagged section on Instagram and our story highlights for more reviews and van build pictures. Instagram: @campervans_bigisland YouTube Channel: Campervans Big Island We are a registered Hawaii Business and go by the name Campervans Big Island LLC, our DCCA file number is 253044 C5. For more information, please see the Hawaii State Business Express linked here: https://hbe.ehawaii.gov/documents/business.html?fileNumber=253044C5 We are also licensed to pay the required Hawaii State Taxes (GE Tax and Rental Vehicle Surcharge Tax) and can legally offer short term & long term rentals.

Each van comes with: USB Ports (for Fans & Phones) and an Inverter (for Laptops) 12V Fridge (NirVana has a full size Propane RV Fridge) 2 Shower Towels, All Bedding (2 Pillows, Sheets and a Blanket) Portable Toilet (NirVana has a built-in toilet) Shower/Toilet Pop-up Tent (NirVana has a small built-in shower & outdoor), Camping Table, Coleman Stove with Propane Bottles and Lighter (NirVana is a built-in induction and Coleman stove), Cookware: Pots, Pans, French-Press Coffee Maker, 2 Coffee Mugs, Salt & Pepper, Spoons/Knives/Forks, Spatula/Tongs, Cutting Board, Wine & Bottle Opener, Scissors, Plates/Bowls/Cups, Cooking Spray, Dishwashing Basket & Drying Mat, Hand/Dish Soap & Sponge, etc. Portable Vacuum or Dust Pan/Broom, First Aid Kit, Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detector, Fire Extinguisher & Jumper Cables **Add-on Packages ** Beach & Chill: Beach Shade Pop-Up Tent, Beach Chairs (2), Beach Towels (2), Outdoor Shower Rinse Kit Camping Tent: 2-Person Pop-Up Tent with Inflatable Sleeping Mattresses Extra Linen Snorkels (2) Bodyboards (2)

Just head on over to our Book Now page and find your campervan! You can use the main filter to find a van that fits your dates or select a van to find available dates for that van. Once you are ready to book enter your details on the site and select your payment choice. Once payment is complete you are booked! You will receive a confirmation email as well as an email to e-sign our rental agreement via DocuSign. You will be able to upload your Auto Insurance Policy and valid Drivers License (minimum 25 years old) via DocuSign. A refundable security deposit will be due on check in day and refunded after checkout (allow 1-2 business days). We will also add you to our Google Guide Map to help you plan your trip. If you have any questions hit the 'chat' button or send us an email and we will answer any questions you may have.

We do accept most forms of payments via our booking page. We utilize stripe 3-D secure authentication. You can also select off-line payment to pay via venmo to our business Venmo account. Yes we do also take international payment! This can be done either utilizing TransferWise or PayPal. Please note additional fees may apply.

You need to be at least 25 years old to rent one of our Campervans (like the majority of car rental companies). MiniVana is the only exception (minimum 18 years) as long as you supply and use your own valid car insurance. If you are international please make sure you are covered in the United States or have a travel insurance that includes auto insurance. Mahalo!

This process is simple! When you arrive to Big Island, the van will be waiting for you in Hilo (or Kona if agreed and paid in advance with us). Once you book we will send you a walkthrough video of the van so that you can be familiar with everything you need to know in advance or ask us any questions in advance. On Check-In day, we will have the van dropped off for you in Hilo ready to hop in and drive off! We will send you a pinpoint of the van along with the information on how to get into the van. So no worries, if you are arriving really late in the night, the van will be there ready for you when you arrive! If you want to pick up the van earlier than the 3PM Check-In Time, we now have early check-in and late check-out options! You can select those options on the checkout page when booking. You can also choose other add-ons such as Snorkel Sets, Bodyboards, Tent Kits, Extra bedding/cookware etc. We will also be available for FaceTime/Call/Text/Whatsapp during your check-in time and checkout time. Jonathan and I always do our best to answer all your calls and texts before and during your rental to assist in anyway we can :)

We only cover up to the State minimum limits for our included insurance coverage option. In the case of an insurance claim, you are liable to cover the cost of anything above the state minimum limits. We do still require you to provide us with and utilize your own insurance coverage during your rental. Your insurance will be the primary coverage and we offer ours as a backup less the deductible. If you are from out of country or are seeking to use an outside full coverage policy reach out and we can point you to outside sources we trust for our campervans, which range from $25-40 per night.

We have a 72 hours from booking cancellation policy. You can cancel within that time frame for a refund minus any bank and company processing fees of 10% depending on the bank fees from your payment method. If you book within 10 days of your check-in time we do not offer a refund for cancellation. There is a rescheduling fee of $200 if you need to change the entirety of your dates with at least 1 month notice prior to check-in. Rescheduling does not mean cancelling a portion of your trip, it is to move your entire trip to another time in the year. If you are within 30 days of booking we do try our best to help you, we can open up the calendar and if anyone books your dates then you will be refunded for the days that get booked that correspond with your original booked dates, minus our bank and processing fees. If you have paid the refundable security deposit you will be fully refunded should you cancel prior to your check-in. Please keep in mind that it is difficult to replace your dates last minute as we are on an island, and we are at the very end of the island chain. Though we understand situations come up, please also understand that if we have these dates blocked and reserved for you it is very difficult to find last minute bookings. Mahalo for your understanding while we do our best to operate our small family-owned business.

Check-in is at or after 3PM Check-Out is at or before 11AM Please keep in mind we are a small family business and we do have to wash, deep clean and prepare all bedding, dump waste tanks, refill tanks, do a mechanical check, wash inside and outside of the van, sanitize the van and more before each rental as well as account for delivery time. We do stick to our check-in and check-out times. However, for an additional cost we do now offer Early Check in (between 11am-3pm) and Late Check-out (between 11am-2pm). You can also select the early or late checkout twice to signify an extra early or extra late checkout, please let us know if you have selected this option. This requires us to block the rental availability the night before and/or the day after your checkout, which is why we charge for those. We do charge $30 an hour for unauthorized late check-out. Please keep in mind, we are a small business and we have multiple vans to clean and check mechanically as well as deliver prior to the next persons check-in time. We just want to keep all our renters happy with on-time deliveries. Mahalo!

Yes. In order to keep our vans and small business up and running we do ask you to take the safest roads possible. This means there are a few prohibited roads (steep inclines, see below) and off-roading is strictly prohibited. You will see these marked in red on the Google Guide Maps we provide to you as well as a hardcopy provided in the campervan. Please take time to know these roads as you are agreeing to not drive these prohibited roads when accepting our Terms & Conditions as well as when signing our Rental Agreement. Mahalo for your understanding and care. Prohibited Roads: Directly Crossing the Island (known as Saddle Road HWY 200 or Daniel K. Inouye HWY) Mauna Kea & Mauna Loa: This is only accessible via Saddle Road/Daniel K. Inouye so is already on a prohibited road. Should you want to go up Mauna Kea, there are a few excursions companies you can book. We have some listed on our Guide Map. Mauna Kea does require a 4x4 to get to the top. Kekaha Kai State Park: Park at the first parking area, and walking is possible to the beach (access to Mahai'Ula Beach) Kaiminani Drive: Steep incline up the hill from the lower highway (Route 19) and the higher highway (Route 190). Alternative Route available. Absolutely NO Off-Roading: If it is not a paved road, do not take it. Please be sure your Hipcamps do not require 4x4 to enter. No off-roading in South Point, No off-roading at Kekaha Kai State Park (off of HWY 19), All off-roading is strictly prohibited. We thank you for your understanding and the help to maintain these vintage beauties as much as possible :)

Yes! We do have provide 24hr road side assistance to all our renters. We are also pretty handy ourselves. If you need any assistance don't hesitate to call us or text us, we will also provide you with the insurance number for road side assistance in the rare case we don't answer your call or text in a timely manner!

We are currently offering Unlimited miles!!

Absolutely!! Should you have any questions before and during your rental don't be afraid to text, call or facetime us! We respond promptly and can help you navigate the island, troubleshoot any components or help in any way we can. We do also send you text messages or emails along the way to update you on information about your van rental as the dates get closer. We do also provide you our google maps link which includes scenic routes, things to do, places to eat, places to park, bus schedules and our prohibited roads.

Definitely try to pack light for your campervan adventure. We reccomend packing in backpacks or collapsable bags. A small suitcase is okay. We do also offer free storage for your larger suitcases in the case that you want to leave them behind. Pack a wind/waterproof jacket and a set of warmer clothes and hiking shoes for your Volcano National Park and Mauna Kea trips (please remember Mauna Kea needs to be booked with a tour company). Reef safe sunblock and watershoes are also great, especially for snorkeling here on Big Island due to the volcanic rock. Even though there is lighting in the vans for night time, we reccomend bringing headlamps/flashlights if you want to hike at night or be outside at night since the island doesn't have much outiside lighting. Which makes for absolutey gorgeous night skies and star gazing. *wind/waterproof jacket & a set of warmer clothes *reef safe sunblock *watershoes *headlamps/flashlights *hiking shoes *bathing suits *waterproof phone bags or a go pro

Not at all! We take care of the dirty work for you! You just enjoy your campervan vacation. Each van comes with one free dumping at the end of your trip. If you book for a weekly stay we will also include one additional meet up in Hilo to dump and refill your water tanks.

We will send you a list and google map with pin-points of free water refill stations.

Yes we do! Every single van we have is designed and built with love and attention by Jonathan and I - with renters in mind! We are very avid campers, til this day we take any van available and go camp in it around the island - many years later and we still love what we do! So we do build and stock the best and most effecient way possible for you to enjoy your van-cation as much as possible! Jonathan and I have loved building the vans and giving all these vintage vans a chance to shine again! You can see some of our older van build videos on YouTube and our Instagram story highlights! We are working on finally recording and editing videos of the before and afters, we love working on them so much that we while we work on them we often forget to record the transformations! But we are excited for new recordings and videos in 2023 :)

Our vans are very reliable! We know they are vintage, but they are built strong and to last. Each van has been operating and cared for with us for years. This means that these vans are accustomed to the VERY hilly (constant thousands of feet inclines and declines of) Beautiful Big Island. Each van has stayed with us since the day she/he was introduced to the rest of the vana family, meaning no vans have been retired! This is because we select them very carefully in order to join our fleet, and before it is on the market it gets a complete mechanical inspection and tune-up, and all our vans are on a strict maintenance schedule! Each van is very thoroughly tracked and have on time maintenance performed, and believe us each van is on a thorough maintenance schedule due to how often they go out. Not only do they get their on time maintenance, but before EVERY SINGLE rental each van gets a mechanical check. This check looks at all fluid levels (engine oil, transmission oil, power steering fluid, coolant, windshield washer, etc.), checks tire pressure and tire thread levels, along with visual inspection of engine bay. All of this is also documented via pictures with time and date stamps, which will be done the day before or of your rental. Each van gets on time brake checks and brake changes, along with on time oil and fluid flushes and everything mechanical that it should be getting. We do keep detailed records of all the garage receipts as well. So yes we do take very good care and give loving attention to all of our vintage vans, and believe that we do because we depend on them as well! We do have almost 10 vans now so we do also do our best to rotate the vans to keep them in top shape.

You may have noticed our van series is called Vana. Vana means fulfillment and also conveniently has the name van in there ;) NirVana - She was our first van that we built and lived full-time in. She means the state of being in perfect peace and happiness. We built NirVana first and lived in her full-time, she is where the 'vana' naming comes from :) MiniVana - She is our second build after NirVana so she is our lovely little mini-me, and also conveniently is a minivan. Works out again! DiscoVana - No, not from the Disco era, but she can take a bigger party than MiniVana & NirVana. DiscoVana is actually from the Discovery Series of Ford, we rebuilt her but kept the memory of her old Discovery days with new discoveries in mind to come. RastaVana - Rasta gives us the vibes that Bob Marley does everytime...a higher state of happiness and fulfillment from enjoying the beauty and closeness in nature that this - and in all our vans bring. LaniVana - Lani means sky which is perfect as LaniVana is white like the clouds and has gorgeous sky views. AlaeaVana - Alaea is the red Hawaiian clay formed by the volcanic ash that is deposited by Mauna Kea cinder cone eruptions. With AlaeaVanas beautfiul color, how could we not be inspired to her name. HinaVana - Hina is the Hawaiian Goddess of the moon. HinaVana's moon roof has inspired this vans name. We love the moonrises and watching how the moon influences the ocean, especially here in Hawaii. Big Island has such clear night skies with almost no light pollution, so the moon and star views here are out of this world. Enjoy this views as you fall asleep.

We are happy to answer any questions you may have! Either hit the chat button on the bottom right corner of your screen or send us an email at campervansbigisland@gmail.com. You can text/call us at (808) 425-9504 or you can also find us on Instagram: @campervans_bigisland