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Countries that allow free camping. Add those you know or search to find out! Countries that allow free camping. Add those you know or search to find out!
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TRAVEL Hints and Tips Post your TIPS to travellers - all the interesting little tidbits you learned on the road about packing, where to get stuff, and how to cope with problems. Please make sure the subject describes the tip clearly!
Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #16  
Old 24 Apr 2010
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POLAND:

NO free camping, or at least according to one source, the land owner's permission is needed, which effectively means the same thing, unless you are staring at a farmer's field and you know where the farmhouse is...

However, plenty to choose from for average € rates:

Regular Campsites

Pseudo-wild camping
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  #17  
Old 24 Apr 2010
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'Stans
We free camped in:

Kazakhstan
Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan

Also in

Romania

In all these places use common sense, don't camp in someones garden, and if you see locals near by ask them. They will more than likely bring you out some tea and bread in the 'Stans. In fact in the 'Stans free camping is more or less encouraged!

The little corner of China (KKH) we visited free camping was positively discouraged, either being told it was not possible, or someone from somewhere appearing to charge you!

In Iran the situation is not 100% clear, but the Iranians camp anywhere, including city centers, in the centre of main roads etc. We were told in Tabriz, by the government sponsored, yet friendly tourist agent (You will find his name in the lonely planet) that free camping is fine, and we did plenty, but it is such a place of contradictions that it is worth being extra sensible.
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  #18  
Old 30 Apr 2010
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Hi Oliver,

We can add the following to the countries we free camped:

Russia, we were moved on just once in a very gentle fashion by a 15 tonne hydraulic excavator though, he happened to need to dig a hole just where we were camped for the evening, he did allow us to finish breakfast so was not too difficult,
Uzbekistan,
South Korea.
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  #19  
Old 30 Apr 2010
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Scotland is another with the usual rules.
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  #20  
Old 2 May 2010
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Australia / Timor
East Coast of Australia is good for free Camps and across to Darwin. There is a book available called Camps Australia great for free camps info and charges / costs in ones you have to pay for. But they have very little information on capitol cities camping or parks .. I have found so far Timor is free I just ask and often the people will even feed you !!! very relaxed
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  #21  
Old 11 May 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by riti View Post
Anyone know if free camping is permitted in:

Poland
Hard to say really. I wouldn't say that it's legally permitted BUT I wouldn't worry. Go for it - just watch that you're not in somebody's private field. Other than that I don't think the police or anybody else for that matter would bother you - unless as I mentioned above somebody phoned for them because you're on their land. Also don't pitch your tent in the middle of a public park in city centre and you'll be fine

To sum up - in my opinion it's easy to free camp in Poland with no adverse result as long as you do it with some sense.

Nice Thread!
Stay safe and if you have any questions about riding / camping in Poland give us a shout!
Andy
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  #22  
Old 21 May 2010
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Belgium not permited - just don't get caught.....
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  #23  
Old 22 May 2010
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Hi all
from uk to india we have free camped every where with no problems. We free camp until somebody says no. Being friendly combined with comon sense has worked wonders for us. More often than not when it has been on private land we have been invited by the owners in for tea and to meet the family resulting in some fantatic experieces.

Im usually more concerned with saftey and and the best view rather than somebody kicking us off. I ow of one van that was swept away by flash floods this year! If they ask us to leave we leave the same as in the uk. Not always easy to find the land owner but if their unhappy for you to be there,they'll find you and tell you so.

I think the hardest thing about this style of travelling is to try and relax and get the notion that somebody is not always after something or has a problem with what you are doing, most of thew time they are just intrigued.
all the best Mark
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  #24  
Old 28 Aug 2010
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In Malaysia, there are no such specific camping sites designate for campers though much of the tourist areas such as beaches and parks do have spaces for camping. So long you dont pitch up camping in somebody private compound I think you are OK. There are cases where bikers pitch up camp at the end most secondary road isolated; nobody care a hood! The best bet is to camp in a Police station and perhaps temples and mosque compounds. Yes, they will say this and that, with abit of sad faces they eventually allow. The trick is, show your best sad face and most Malaysian will get soft.
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  #25  
Old 6 Sep 2010
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In Syria the immigration official told me 'Syria is a giant campsite' and he was right.

Kazakhstan, very easy and people bring food out.

Turkey, not sure if its legal, but any local will let you can and feed you.

Turkmenistan, 100% no problem, the easiest camping country.
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  #26  
Old 16 Sep 2010
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I'll let you camp in my mama's garden for free in Denmark! She's a tough viking and she'll let you borrow the bathroom for sure. Plan on drinking and red wine with her - she's drinks like a fishchug
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  #27  
Old 16 Sep 2010
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In New Zealand a general rule is its legally ok unless there's a sign saying you can't. Some local government rules are different, (eg. West Coast, South Island allow free camping if it's more than 5km from an offical camping ground) mostly due to the thousands of bacpackers in old vans shitting on the beaches and behind the bushes. There's a volunteers group near Queenstown, one of the most popular places for tourists, that goes out every day to shovel up what the dirty bastards leave behind. USE A PLASTIC BAG! That's what I do. It works well, you can easily crap into the bag in your tent. If it's good enough for me when the dog takes a dump, it's good enough for a person, right?

Cheers

Nigel in NZ
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  #28  
Old 28 Sep 2010
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Free camping in scotland is permitted, im positive. I read that they had brought in a law that you can camp for free. Search 'wild camping in scotland'.

France im not sure but, really, in france no one will bother you unless your on the side of the road or in some ones garden. In france your legally allowed to camp on the river side. But im not sure if its legal elsewhere.

in England it is not legal to wild camp.
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  #29  
Old 1 Oct 2010
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Thumbs up Indonesia
I have now traveled most of Indonesia and free camping is fine if you can find somewhere where there are no people Flores Lombok and Sulawesi great but forget Bali Java. I am about to find out about Sumatra.
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  #30  
Old 2 Oct 2010
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Romania - Free camping on every side exept for the private properties
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