Meghan Markle's New Zealand visit will be very different to her last in 2015

Newlyweds Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to head to New Zealand later this year, but the Duchess of Sussex fell in love with the country well before she met her prince.

Markle hired a campervan, on the advice of fellow Suits star Gabriel Macht, and spent 10 days touring the South Island with a friend before renting a holiday home and relaxing for four days on Waiheke Island in 2015.

The actress credited the "staggering" scenery in New Zealand and she also went swimming with dolphins. Photo / The Tig Instagram

Markle shared details of her trip on her lifestyle website The Tig under a post titled "My love letter to all things Kiwi", which was deactivated early last year after she began dating Harry.

In the blog, she talked about feeling a "gravitational pull towards what is said to be one of the most beautiful countries in the world" and spoke of its stunning lakes, welcoming wine country, glaciers, forests, farmland and beaches.

Meghan said that camper vanning appealed to parts of her childhood. Photo / The Tig Instagram

"New Zealand is undoubtedly spectacular," she added.

Markle started her campervan trip in Queenstown where she instantly recognised the "kindness and beauty of the land".

"I didn't even know it was a verb," the Duchess joked to Conde Nast Traveller about the activity "camper vanning".

The trip was Meghan's first experience of "camper vanning". Photo / The Tig Instagram

"I was told to let go of my impressions of RV culture in the US, that it was a totally different thing in New Zealand," Markle said.

She then became acquainted with some of Queenstown's popular dining spots including standout restaurants Botswana Butchery, Vudu Restaurant and Larder.

It is known Meghan has a love for a certain brand of Pinot Noir - Tignanello - and spent much of her time in Marlborough visiting wineries. Photo / The Tig Instagram

From there she went fly fishing, to a theatre performance in Wanaka, hiked Franz Josef glacier and snapped photos of seals before tasting wine in Marlborough and enjoying large green-lipped mussels.

Near the end of her South Island leg she whale-watched in Kaikoura before feasting on cassoulet and indulging in more wine.

Markle also shared a photo of herself enjoying fish and chips alongside the quintessential southern beer, Speight's.

Markle ate fish and chips and drank beer while on the road, posting this picture to social media. Photo / The Tig Instagram

"After ten days in a camper van, you may want to end your trip with something a bit more spacious (as I did)," Meghan told Conde Nast Traveller.

And so, she then ditched the camper van and took a ferry to Waiheke Island where she rented a bach and dined at Mudbrick Winery, sipping on Sauvignon Blanc and enjoying the sunset.

Markle shared her view on Waiheke Island. Photo / The Tig Instagram

The 2018 Royal tour, however, is sure to be a quite different affair.