Ireland is a place we have wanted to travel to for many years, and finally everything came together for us to visit. And don’t just visit, but do it in style… as van-dwelling digital nomads in Ireland!
Ireland has lived up to its reputation of having spectacular coastlines, stunning green hills, small villages and plenty of places to stop and admire the views.
But the van really brought an extra element to the country. We could somehow track the weather, be spontaneous, work from a comfortable table, and stay connected by connecting our phones to wifi.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to choose a van, the company we went with, the exact van we ended up with, and some tips we learned along the way so you can plan a better digital nomad trip to Ireland. See also: Top Jobs for Van Life
Rent a campervan in Ireland with Indie Campers
Full disclosure, we rented with Independent campers on this trip because they contacted us and asked if we would like to take a campervan trip to Ireland and share our experience with our audience. I mean… who’s going to say no to that?
But we actually have rented with them previously in Portugal and we know it’s a great company, so we were excited to join them anyway.
Even though it was a sponsored trip, we went through the booking process the same way you would if you were renting – so we had the whole experience. It was very easy to book the van directly through their website and there are plenty of add-ons as well.
The vans are all modern and well maintained and the pick up and drop off went very smoothly. It only took about 30 minutes from the time we arrived to leave and the guy who checked us in gave us a very thorough overview of the van and its features.
We opted for the Active Long model. It was spacious, super comfortable and had very nice finishes. We loved that there was a real bed that was quite comfortable (don’t expect a king size mattress topper) and a great kitchen area, plenty of storage and central heating for those chilly Irish nights.
There was also a surprisingly comfortable workspace thanks to the seats that swivel to a pull-out table.
Also, if you were worried that a campervan like this would be too big for the roads of Ireland…it really wasn’t the case. If you’ve driven on narrow roads before, you’ll be fine. And if not, it will just take you a few hours to get used to it.
If I had to make one criticism of the campervan experience it would be that the pots, pans and utensils were pretty minimal and it was a bit annoying having them in a big tupperware bin in the back. It would be better to store them in drawers with some sort of RV shelving to keep them from bouncing around.
Where to go: Our 10-day digital nomad route through Ireland
For this trip we didn’t really have a strict itinerary, which is really the beauty of van life if you ask me. We actually booked this trip last minute, so even though we had a rough idea of where we were going, we still decided day by day where we were going to sleep for the night.
We went to Dublin for one night (we had a a few days in Dublin at the end of the trip), before collecting the van the next day. When we collected the van we headed south to Kilkenny, then through Nenagh, Lorrha and along the coast to Galway.
From Galwaywe drove to Connemara National Park and it was one of the highlights of the trip.
There were plenty of places we could have parked the van for the night and wild camped without anyone noticing, but we opted for a beautiful campsite called Clifden Eco Beach Camping because it was too nice to pass up.
After Connemara in the north we headed south to Doolin where we checked out the famous cliffs of Moherthen southwest to Dingle, then spent a few days visiting Killarney and the Ring of Kerry.
We finished the trip visiting Cobh and Blarney Castle before returning to Dublin. It was quite a long trip across the country, although we didn’t see Northern Ireland or the east coast, but it was easily done in 10 days.
10 essential tips for digital nomads living a van life in Ireland
Before taking this trip, we weren’t sure how well van life and remote working would pair together in Ireland…especially in October.
But it turned out to work wonderfully, but we learned a few things along the way. If you’ve ever wanted to travel around Ireland while working in a campervan, I hope these help.
1. Sort out your phone plan before leaving Dublin.
Irish coverage is good in the cities, but once you head to Connemara or the Wild Atlantic Way it can go from full bars to zero. Get a local SIM card or eSIM from the start so you’re not looking for a signal when you actually need it.
We used our eSIM from our Revolut account, and it was OK, but we probably would have had better coverage with a local SIM card. If you’re traveling as a couple, you can both get an eSIM from another company.
We didn’t think about it until towards the end of the trip, but once we varied our eSIMs it usually meant at least one of us always had coverage.
2. Use rainy days as work days.
Irish weather is constantly changing. We finally learned to live with the rain…work when it rains, explore when it doesn’t. This helps keep the whole trip relaxed instead of trying to force a plan.
3. Expect to work from the van more than you think.
We thought we’d be in cafes all the time, but most of the time we worked straight from the van because the view was better and we could actually get more done. The swivel seats helped and the quiet mornings were ideal for working.
We also had to shoot a few reels on this trip, which would have been okay but the wind made it difficult, even with the good mics we have! If you’re shooting video, the interior of the van on a sunny day is actually quite good acoustically and the lighting was great as well.
4. Charge the van battery every time you pay for a campsite.
If you are at a campsite with electricity, take advantage of it. Load everything. Van batteries, laptops, cameras, power banks… all of it. You never know when the next nights will be wild camping or when a campsite won’t have hookups.
5. Empty gray water and black water every chance you get.
Seriously. Do it even if you’re only half full. There were a few times where we said we would just wait until the next site and then the next two sites didn’t have the necessary facilities so we were afraid we would fill up or run out. Not a great feeling.
6. Bring your own pillows and bedding.
Indie Campers bedding works, but it’s not exactly luxury. I never travel without my pillow and sheet and on this trip I was particularly happy to have it. The blankets Indie gives you are warm and that makes a big difference on cold nights, but these pillows weren’t great.
7. Bring a truly powered external battery.
Between charging laptops, cameras, phones, and hotspots, having an extra battery took some pressure off the van’s system. If you have an external battery, bring it.
8. Download everything before leaving big cities.
Maps, Netflix, playlists, work files… all of it. Once in the countryside, the signal may disappear without warning. To download Google Maps, simply hover over all of Ireland and type “OK Maps” into the search. It will download it to your phone so you can use it offline.
9. Mix campsites with wild camping
This is something we haven’t done, but we would have liked to. We spent quite a bit of time in the towns and villages enjoying the pubs and music, so we stayed at nearby campsites.
But next time I would love to go back and do a fishing trip in Ireland where I wild camped about 50% of the time.
If you read it it says it’s not allowed in Ireland, but if you’re respectful and clean up after yourself and leave early in the morning no one will bother you. At least that’s what the Irish kept telling us.
10. Keep the van tidy from day one.
A small space quickly becomes messy. Once everything had a home, life became easier. Before that…we were constantly looking for keys, chargers, socks, everything.
11. Permanently reserve the outdoor installation add-on.
This comes with just two camp chairs and a lightweight table, but it makes a big difference on sunny days when you don’t want to be in the van all the time. Whenever the weather was nice (and not too windy), we ate at our outdoor table. Indie offers these as add-ons and they are definitely worth it.
12. Keep a few “don’t move the van today” meals in the cupboard.
There were days when we found the perfect parking spot and didn’t want to move the van at all…not to get groceries, not for anything. Having a few easy meals that you can cook without running around looking for stores makes those leisurely work days possible.
13. Build your work hours around your driving hours.
Some days of driving require more energy than expected, especially on Ireland’s narrow country roads. On those days, we reduced the time spent on our laptop and saved the deeper work for days when we didn’t cover many miles.
That’s a lot for the brain to handle if you’re looking at a road and dodging other cars for 5 hours, and then trying to work for 5 hours!
Costs of van living in Ireland
Ireland isn’t cheap, and that’s one of the reasons why campervanning made sense. Hotels located in popular locations can quickly become expensive, so having our bed and kitchen with us made the trip much easier.
We looked at a few small B&Bs and other things along the way and they were around $250 a night for a small, basic room, even though we were there during shoulder season.
Renting a van is obviously the big expense, but it allows you to save on accommodation and some meals. Mind you, we ate out almost every meal because we love the pubs and restaurants in Ireland and meeting people.
Fuel costs were okay. We refueled the van twice for around €140 each time in 10 days. Ireland seems small until you start taking all the scenic routes and taking the detours suggested by locals. We drove way more than expected, but it was certainly worth it for the price of diesel.
Campsites generally cost between 35 and 46 euros for a site with electricity, showers and a place to empty the tanks.
There were a few little extras… tolls, an AddBlue refill, parking fees here and there. Nothing major. Overall, the van made Ireland much more affordable than it would have been traveling between hotels and restaurants daily.
Where to sleep with a campervan in Ireland
One thing we learned pretty quickly is that Ireland doesn’t have the same wild camping culture as countries like the US or Canada.
You can find a few quiet spots with great views, but they’re not everywhere and many coastal places have signs asking campers not to stay overnight. For this reason, we ended up mixing real campsites with a few “found last minute” places.
Campsites were pretty easy to find and most had everything we needed: electricity, hot showers, a place to dump gray and black water, and usually a small kitchen sink area.
Overall, the quality was good in all of them and the owners were always very friendly (is there a grumpy Irishman somewhere?).
We used Park4Nuit a lot. It’s not perfect, but it saved us more than once when we arrived somewhere late and just needed a place to park without going in circles.
The only place we really considered wild camping was around Connemara, but we decided against it simply because there were such lovely campsites up there.
Yet the best campsites in Ireland are grassy pitches with stunning views, and the worst are just cement car parks full of campervans. It’s more about using the campsite as a place to sleep and explore from there.
Digital Nomad Essentials to take for van life in Ireland
Before this trip, we thought the van would have just about everything we needed. There’s plenty when you book the add-ons, but of course it doesn’t have everything a digital nomad would need.
There were some things we were really happy to have brought, and a few we wish we had thought of sooner. If you plan to work from the road, here are the elements that really made the difference for us and made the trip go smoothly.
1. A real external battery (not a small one)
If you stay in a paid parking lot and charge the van every 2-3 nights it doesn’t matter, but if you’re wild camping you’ll definitely need a big power bank. You’ll end up using more energy than you think. It’s worth bringing a suitable power bank that can charge a laptop from home.
2. Your own pillows and bedding
As I said earlier, the rental system works, but it’s not great. At the very least, bring your own pillow if you can, or buy one in Ireland for the trip.
3. An extra long charging cable
Outlets in vans are never where you want them to be. The van we got was pretty well set up, but I know not all of them are like that. A long cable prevents you from working in awkward positions.
4. A small extension cord or power strip
If you’re plugged into the campsite’s electricity, this allows you to charge everything at once instead of fussing with different outlets.
5. Dashboard Phone Holder
You’re constantly relying on Google Maps, and holding your phone or putting it down somewhere gets boring quickly. Surprisingly, the Active Long in Ireland didn’t have a screen in the dashboard so…no Apple CarPlay. Luckily, we always travel with phone holders.
6. A waterproof bag for your electronic devices
The weather in Ireland changes quickly. If you’re walking to a pub in the rain or going hiking, this protects your gear. I love YETI for their waterproof bags. I didn’t bring mine on this trip, but it would have been nice if I had to bring out my gear.
7. Travel Kettle or Easy Coffee Setup
The van is equipped with a stove and a Moka pot, but if you’re not used to brewing coffee in one of these, having your own quick coffee setup makes mornings inside the van a lot smoother.
8. Travel power adapter
Not all vans will be equipped with power strips. If you’re from a country that doesn’t use European-style plugins, bring your own.
9. A second SIM or eSIM
Coverage may extend outside of cities. Having a backup network has saved us more than once.
10. A small, lightweight laptop stand
This is something we forgot about but would have been great, especially for a longer campervan trip in Ireland. If you plan to do a lot of work, it’s always nice to look up at your screen instead of down. The table is comfortable, but it’s lower than most kitchen tables, so a stand would definitely be a bonus.
FAQs about van life in Ireland
Is it difficult to drive a large motorhome in Ireland?
People always say that Irish roads are very narrow, but even on the Ring of Kerry we passed big buses in our campervan and had no problems. Not once did I need to step back to give space.
Can you just stop and sleep anywhere?
Sometimes. We found a few quiet places that seemed just fine, but it’s not a country where you can count on wild camping every night. Campsites ended up being our base most of the time.
Do you need to reserve campsites?
We didn’t book in advance at all in September/October. In the summer we probably planned for a little more, but the shoulder season was wide open. Sometimes it was just us and one other camper on the entire site.
Is WiFi good enough to work?
In the cities, yes. In the countryside, things come and go. Between our own data, having 2 eSims, and the campsite wifi, we have always succeeded.
Is it cold at night?
It can. Our van was heated which made a huge difference. And it wasn’t just a fan heater, it was central heating! If you come in October, you could live with lots of bedding (we’ve seen campers do this), but it’s much more comfortable to have a heated van.
Is a special license required?
Our regular licenses were enough.
Is it safe?
We never felt in danger. The campsites were quiet and the few rural places we stayed in were relaxed. From what we have seen, campsites are always safe and Ireland is pretty safe in general I think, especially outside of Dublin.
Final thoughts on campervan life in Ireland as digital nomads
This was a trip we’ve wanted to do forever, and we highly recommend taking a campervan trip to Ireland, whether you’re a digital nomad or not.
For us remote workersthere’s obviously a bit more to think about logistically, but it was all doable. We almost always had signal and the van was very comfortable for living and working.
Independent campers He was great to work with. Checkout and check in was very quick and easy and honestly this van was much newer than the van we had in Portugalso we were really happy with that.
If you’ve ever thought about visiting Ireland, or if you already have but done it the traditional way in hotels and B&Bs, I highly recommend trying it with a campervan. It was brilliant and I don’t think it will be the last time we do Ireland this way.
I hope you found this article useful. If you have any questions, send us an email from our Contact page.
Happy travels!