Backpackers may choose to buy
gap year travel insurance after a fire struck a hostel in New Zealand's North Island.
NZPA reports that Woodlands Lodge, a two-storey backpacker hostel and restaurant near Sanson, caught fire when a gas canister exploded inside the building.
Fire crews from several different nearby stations tackled the blaze which began in the mid-afternoon of Thursday, although the building was reportedly empty at the time.
Water had to be sourced from a nearby swimming pool to make up for a general shortage.
Hostels are popular among backpackers seeking a budget accommodation experience and encounters with other people on similar journeys.
Conditions have dramatically improved in hostels around the world in recent years, with many offering internet access, personalised power points and winning global tourism awards for quality.
Online travel insurance could be handy for people planning a hostel stay as their communal nature can leave backpackers more vulnerable to theft.
A recent poll declared a hostel in Rotorua in New Zealand's North Island to be the best in Australasia.
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