Camping in tropical areas is one of the most widely dreamed about and romanticised locations – we have all seen the Instagram posts and YouTube videos of the stunning scenery, lush tropical vegetation and crystal clear waters. But whats it really like, and what should you know before making a dash to your nearest set of coconut palms?
Where is the tropics?
The tropics is defined as an area between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 Degrees North) down past the equator to the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 Degrees South). Therefore the tropics spans 47 degrees of latitude, and encompasses a very wide area.
Tropical countries include Mexico, Central America, Caribbean islands, The top of South America, Most of Africa, India, South-East Asian nations like Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand, Papua New Guinea and northern Australia.
Some of the most common and safest locations for Van life tropical camping includes Mexico and Northern Australia. Subtropical locations such as Spain, Southern USA and the Eastern Australian Coast (Townsville down to Sydney) are also very popular with people seeking warmer, subtropical climates that don’t have the full-blown ferocious humidity as places closer to the equator
Tropical Camping weather
The thing that makes tropical camping so attractive is the weather; warm, pleasant sunshine with light cool breezes right? Sometimes. The weather can be a double edged sword depending on when you decide to take your trip.
The weather is in the tropics is typically defined as either tropical rain-forest climate, tropical monsoon climate or tropical savanna climates. An average temperature for the tropics is between 21 and 30°C (70 to 85°F) for the majority of the year, with up to 340cm of annual rainfall (133+ inches). The weather is fairly consistently warm, but with the monsoon causing two fairly distinct seasons – wet and dry seasons.
You definitely want to do your tropical camping during the dry season – this is a cooler season which is less humid. This is often referred to as the tourist season or peak season – since during the wet season (hotter season) it fairly consistently rains with extremely high humidity and frequent thunderstorms, washing out most of the area consistently.
Tropical weather patterns
You need to understand that unlike weather at higher latitudes (that is to say, more Mediterranean or even polar climates), tropical weather systems are dominated by something called the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone or ITCZ for short.
The ITCZ is the belt of weather patterns that go around the equator where the Northern hemisphere and Southern hemisphere trade winds converge. The higher temperatures and converging trade winds work together to form a low pressure system, and the air ends up going one way – up into the atmosphere!
The ITCZ therefore is a region of low pressure, which is characterised with typically gentle weather and slight winds, punctuated by frequent and powerful thunderstorms which can be extremely large.
Tropical weather Thunderstorms
Tropical thunderstorms generate some of the biggest hail I have ever seen, and can be a serious threat to aviation operations. Actually, we try to avoid them by over 50 kilometers as standard practice – hail can rip holes in aircraft and smash windows!
Its important when doing tropical camping (or planning it) to make sure you have access to shelter in the event of a thunderstorm or hailstorm. If your #Vanlifing it, you had better have some kind of protection for your solar panels and windows (Blanket or towel or a custom made foam insulation?).
Tropical weather Cyclones (Hurricanes)
Another threat in the tropics are Hurricanes or cyclones – giant self-propagating cyclonic low pressure systems which suck up warm ‘oceanic energy’ and churn masses of humidity into the atmosphere causing extreme thunderstorms, deadly winds and flooding. Due to the weak Coriolis force you generally don’t see cyclones or hurricanes build within 5 degrees of the equator, but they typically form around 10 degrees of latitude but have been known to drift significant distances once ‘mature’ and wreak havok over larger areas.
How to predict weather for Tropical Camping
Weather reporting for extreme weather like cyclones, strong winds and thunderstorms is very good with modern satellites. Check out apps like Windy.com which use satellite data to provide end users (us) with awesome weather prediction tools and reporting.
Tropical Camping activities
There are a heap of awesome activities that you can get involved in during your tropical camping. From exploring the rain forests, floating down lush rivers, relaxing sunny beaches and sipping coconuts, even just thinking of tropical camping gets you excited and relaxed at the same time. Its a great place to be outside, enjoying the sunshine and warm weather.
Exploring the rain forests
Hands down exploring lush rain forests is probably my number one motivation for wanting to explore tropical camping opportunities. I love hiking and exploring the bush, and the sheer volume of lifeforms – beautiful plants, flowers, animals and insects that you might get to see is pretty exciting. Other than the residents, tropical rain forests often have some of the most amazing scenery with cascading waterfalls, rivers and giant trees.
Swimming
With the warmer temperature, you will be itching to go swimming. Before you do, make sure you know exactly what is in the water beforehand. Speak to locals and tourist organisations and thoroughly research where you are going because if you just dive in, it might be your last swim.
For example, during Irukandji season in Northern Australia (November to April) you can be killed swimming by unprotected in the ocean by these 2cm small jellyfish – But tropical campers beware, these are not just native to Australia, and can be found all over the world in places like South East Asia, the Caribbean and Africa! You want to wear a full body wet suit and face mask if your snorkeling, and its almost best to avoid swimming in risky areas and seasons all together.
If deadly box jellyfish wasn’t enough, in Northern Australia you will also have to contend with both Fresh water and Salt water crocodiles. The Salties are the man eaters, and have been known to hunt and eat swimmers and people fishing. It is best to avoid these areas entirely, and thankfully there are many signs.
Relaxing on the beach
The tropics is hands down, probably the best place in the world to relax on the beach. Just make sure you’ve got some sunscreen on or you will turn red. NO ONE likes camping when they are sunburned, so be sensible.
A big beach towel, an umbrella, and a refreshing coconut cocktail beverage is starting to sound like heaven, right? There is a reason most of the worlds premier holiday and vacation destinations are in the tropics!
Seriously though, you can make an awesome tropical cocktail called ‘lime in the coconut’ which is basically a fresh coconut (with its coconut milk) that you squeeze a lime into, add a shot of Bacardi, a sprinkle of salt and crushed ice and top with soda or lemonade.
Tropical delicacies
The tropics is renown for its delicious and lush varieties of tropical fruits and foods. You put the lime in the coconut and drink it all up, right?
I am a bit of a self confessed fruit bat, and having access to locally grown fruits like mango, guava, pineapple, starfruit, passion fruit, bananas, Lychees, Avocado, snake fruit, jack fruit and dragon fruit is enough to send my taste buds into a salivating frenzy. The best bit – these are dirt cheap and can be purchased nearly everywhere.
The tropics truly are a paradise for Vegans, Vegetarians or those on majority plant based diets due to the sheer availability and diversity of beautiful plant based foods.
Types of tropical Camping
There are many ways you can enjoy camping in the tropics, but the main theme explored here is Van life.
It is possible to hike in the tropics (back packing), but due to the high humidity and temperatures it is a serious endeavour which requires a high degree of physical fitness, and expertise for things like simply gathering enough water to sustain your high water consumption.
Furthermore, it can be risky in some areas if you are just using a tent, swag or lean-to as your accommodation, due to problems with local wild-life, insects or even criminal gangs.
There of course are resorts or private secure areas that you can camp in, which are a great option in places that might be known for being dangerous or hot spots for criminal activity. There are actually a large number of companies offering ‘Glamping‘ packages which are similar to a ‘rustic’ resort but still feature many of lifes modern comforts.
Accessibility during tropical camping can be difficult in a van, so its going to be important to plan ahead for this type of tropical camping, and you may even need to pay a deposit ahead of time for certain parking areas or campgrounds. Don’t assume you can simply park up in a beach carpark as these are often paid carparks and patrolled by parking inspectors.
What do I need for Tropical Camping?
Tropical camping or Tropical Vanlife has some unique aspects.
First up, the heat. Its hot. If you are from a cooler climate, you are going to experience climate shock. Thankfully if you are driving your van, or potentially having it shipped across, you might have a bit of time to slowly aclimatise to the new weather.
Because the weather is not only hot but humid, it makes you feel even hotter. This is because the humidity makes your sweat ineffective.
A couple of small purchases are really going to help you in the tropics. The first is non negotiable and that is a Fan
Secondly, you are going to want windows with fly screens. You will be desperate for fresh air, and you wont want to open windows willy nilly and let an all manner of flying insects and mosquitoes invade your home. You might also want to invest in a large magnetic fly screen for your slider side door, or back doors, to allow maximum airflow.
Thirdly, your going to want some form of venting Fan, like the max flow ventilation fan. This is going to let you get nice cross flow and ventilation in the van and help keep you cool
If you are going with an all out build, it might be worth even considering beefing up your battery bank, solar panels and inverter to be able to support a dual cycle air conditioner. This will have the bonus effect of dehumidifying the air in your van, which makes it less ‘muggy’ inside the van at night and potentially help you get a cooler nights sleep.
Of course you are going to need to bring masses of sunscreen and insect repellent, long sleeve and pants clothes, boardies and bathers, sunglasses and a big hat. Don’t underestimate the power of the tropical sun! Just to be sure, bring a tube of aloe vera as well (sunburn soothing gel). Because you will likely be spending a lot of time in the water, consider a full length wetsuit and dive boots to help protect you from stingers and coral, and of course your boogie board, surfboard or stand up paddleboard!
Summary of Tropical Camping
Hopefully this article has given you a bit more of an understanding about tropical camping, and you are thinking a bit more about planning before just hitting the road to your nearest tropical destination. A small amount of planning, a few purchases and an in depth understanding of your local tropical camping destination will keep you safe, comfortable and happy!
