
Whether you’re travelling across Aotearoa – New Zealand in your campervan or flying across the world to unfamiliar places, one thing you shouldn’t forget is your digital safety. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) might not be the first thing you pack but it should be.
We use Surfshark VPN when we’re on the road and here’s why it’s become a must-have travel companion.
🧳 What Does a VPN Do?

In simple terms, a VPN protects your privacy by creating a secure, encrypted tunnel between your device and the internet. It hides your real IP address and masks your activity from prying eyes including hackers, ISPs and advertisers. It’s a bit like driving in a car with tinted windows. People can see you’re there, but they can’t see what you are doing.
That means:
- You’re protected on public Wi-Fi (like at airports, cafes or hotels)
- You can access content from back home — like Netflix, local news or banking apps
- You avoid price manipulation by searching flights or hotels from different locations
- You reduce annoying ads and tracking
- And you gain peace of mind when travelling through regions with restricted internet access
🛡️ Why Surfshark?

There are plenty of VPNs out there, but we’ve found Surfshark to be one of the most reliable, budget-friendly and easy to use especially while travelling.
Here’s what we love:
✅ Unlimited Devices
One account, all your devices. Use it on your phone, tablet, laptop, smart TV and even Android or Fire TV.
✅ Travel-Friendly Features
- Fast servers in 65+ countries for smooth streaming and secure browsing
- CleanWeb blocks ads, trackers and malware — saving data and speeding up load times
- Camouflage Mode hides that you’re even using a VPN, perfect for more restricted regions
- MultiHop connects via two servers for double encryption if needed
✅ Privacy That’s Real
- No-logs policy (they don’t track you, ever)
- Kill switch for data protection if the VPN connection drops
- Private DNS and leak protection
And yes — it works great with Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer and more.
🧡 Our Honest Take
We’ve used Surfshark across multiple countries from busy airport lounges to remote DOC campgrounds and it’s never let us down. It’s light, secure and simple to set up.
Full honesty though: once or twice we couldn’t access certain sites. Surfshark’s support team replied fast and explained that switching server locations or pausing the VPN for 5 mins usually fixes it.
If you’re staying in hotels, spending hours in airports, working remotely or simply browsing in a local café, having a VPN like Surfshark is like locking your digital doors.
🔗 Try Surfshark VPN Now and stay safe, private and connected wherever you roam.
📌 Related Travel Tech Tips
- Best Travel Apps for Campervanning in Aotearoa – NZ
- How to Stay Connected on the Road: Mobile Data & SIM Tips
- Packing Essentials for Digital Nomads & Vanlifers
Looking for more helpful tools we’ve personally tested on the road? Explore our full Travel Resources below.
🌍 Travel Planning Resources
These are the tools we personally use and trust when planning our travels from finding a place to stay to booking activities, transport and insurance. Let your Tohu guide you — Trust the Journey and follow what feels right for you.
- ✈️Flights – Compare great deals with Trip.com then Kiwi.com for flexible, affordable options.
- 🚐 Campervans – Compare rental deals with Motorhome Republic across Aotearoa and beyond.
- 🛏️ Stays – Compare hotels on Trip.com and TripAdvisor or Booking.com.
- 🚐 Rental Cars – Compare prices and book through Airport Rentals by Motorhome Republic for trusted brands and easy airport pickup.
- 🎟️ Activities – Browse tours and experiences on Viator, Get Your Guide, or TripAdvisor
- 🛡️ Travel Insurance – Get flexible short-term coverage with Insubuy for your next holiday.
- 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with a VPN – We recommend Surfshark VPN for secure and private browsing while travelling. It’s fast, affordable and works worldwide — perfect for public Wi-Fi at airports, cafes and hotels.
- 📱 Travel eSIM – Stay connected with Airalo
- 💼 Lounge Access – Treat yourself with Priority Pass – for UK or US
- 🎶 Events & Concerts – Book tickets worldwide through Ticketmaster.
🧭 Note: Some booking links can be a bit shy when you’re using a VPN. If one doesn’t open, try pausing your VPN or switching to a different server location or secure Wi-Fi network to get things flowing again.
Mā te whakaaro nui e hanga te whare; mā te mātauranga e whakaū
It is through foresight that a house is built and through knowledge that it is made secure