Monkey Island, Orepuki
Overnight Campervan Parking and Walk
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Info
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Reviews 86%
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Similar 9
Freedom campers are allowed to stay for up to 28 days per calendar year.
Monkey Island can be reached by foot at a low tide, and offers good views of the beach and distant mountains.
Be a good camper - keep your patch tidy, respect other users of the area, look after the resident flora and fauna (especially any monkeys) and enjoy!
Note - beware the hungry sandfly on on this coast; choose your weapon and keep it handy.
This is a council designated campsite.
http://www.southlanddc.govt.nz/my-southland/freedom-camping/
Photos
Maps
Details
Up to 10 minutes
Easy walk
DOC Managed
Campsite
Timing
You can only cross to Monkey Island at low tide.
Access
Monkey Island is signposted between Colac Bay and Orepuki. Continue 1 km to the roadend where there are toilets and picnic benches by a small beach.
Track
You can only cross to Monkey Island at low tide.
A short stepped climb leads to a viewing platform.
56 reviews with the most recent first, showing page 1 of 5.
Maycamper
Ranking: 7/10
Stayed here one night in a tent. It's a basic free campsite. There's a picnic table and shelter -- we greatly appreciated the shelter for cooking as it was blowing a gale and raining on and off. There is a tap, however the (rain?) water was the colour of tea so we didn't use it!
It's a picturesque spot and as we arrived at low tide we enjoyed exploring Monkey Island. Obviously we were not the only ones enjoying it as the campsite was pretty full up by nightfall.
Sophie Skinner
Ranking: 8/10
Lovely spot by the bay. Can stroll to Monkey Island and beach is beautiful. Site stretches alongside the bay so if you’re further away toilets are a little walk but no bother.
Conservation Campsite Pass
Save up to 70% on campsite fees! Support conservation and experience the natural beauty of NZ. 74 Department of Conservation campsites, one convenient pass.
Claudia
Ranking: 8/10
Good spot! 2 long drop toilets, both clean. Nice beach for a short morning stroll with that first cuppa.
Matt
Ranking: 8/10
Great Freedom Camping spot. Very nice location directly by the beach and the ocean. Two drop toilets.
Even in autumn quite a number of people and vehicles present, so get here early especially in the main tourist season. Stunning view of the ocean and the small monkey island. It's a really great place to stay and camp with the sound of the ocean.
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Access savings worth hundreds of $$ on Top Ranked NZ Accommodation and Activities for just $1 per day.
Kat
Ranking: 9/10
Nice spot right beside the ocean, but protected from the wind. Clean long drop toilets (2x) and big rubbish bins. Just 700m gravel road to the side. Awesome sunset.
Millka Pietikainen
Ranking: 8/10
A beautiful spot, very popular and not that big so everyone is side by side. Gorgeous sunset. Toilets stank so your eyes hurt by evening after a sunny day.
Annina Jarvinen
Ranking: 9/10
Different beach camping. A bit hippie but nice. Taps, but not drinkable water. Very charming!
Avoid Camping Fines!
The only camping map where each location is approved by every regional council in NZ. So if it shows on the map, you’re allowed to stay.
The Rankers Camping NZ app, is also in association with…
Ronald Daigneault
Ranking: 8/10
Busy place but we found a spot for the night. Set up our table and chairs in a small raised bluff beside where our camper was parked so stunning views of sunset. Very clean and well attended toilet. Dolphins swam by in the Southern Ocean in the morning. Quite a nice spot.
Matt French
Ranking: 10/10
Two drop toilets and a shelter for washing/cooking etc. Amazing beach views. Plenty of space but it seemed to be a popular spot. Facilities to throw rubbish. Definitely our favourite freedom camping at the half way point in our trip! Had a really nice vibe and a great sunset. Well signposted.
Sophie Nightingale
Ranking: 10/10
Really lovely spot right on the beach front with loads of space for camping and campervans. Bit of a gravel track off the road but worth it. Clean drop toilets too!
Camping NZ App
Every camping site on your iPhone™, iPad™ or Android™ phone or tablet. Avoid camping penalties using this council approved app. Featuring offline maps.
Geoff Steele
Ranking: 8/10
There is quite a lot of space along behind the dunes adjacent to the beach, and also mown spots along the access road which are surrounded by flax plants for some privacy. We stayed in September for one night. The weather changed from sunshine one day to gusty winds which the dunes offered some protection from, but not completely. The motorhome being so tall still caught the wind gusts over the dunes, and in the morning sea foam was being blown about the camp. Two drop toilets centrally located are clean and provide paper, and there's the remains of a shelter shed that has a water tap with a sign that says it needs boiling for drinking. There is a ramp for vehicle beach access here, and it was very popular with 4x4's on the day we arrived.
Nathan Lal
Ranking: 10/10
Beautiful spot next to the Beach and walking distance to monkey island. A few sandflies but it was winter so less of them around at this time. Be careful with the approaching tide getting across to monkey island as it comes in quickly. We got the timing wrong only slightly and we had to get our feet wet!! Spots can be a bit soggy after rain so choose wisely where to park up.
Nathalie Gobin
Ranking: 8/10
Great spot, wonderful beach. Toilets OK. It gets really very windy at night (was very quiet when we arrived around 8pm), we were glad to be in a car, not in a tent.
Maycamper
Ranking: 7/10
Stayed here one night in a tent. It's a basic free campsite. There's a picnic table and shelter -- we greatly appreciated the shelter for cooking as it was blowing a gale and raining on and off. There is a tap, however the (rain?) water was the colour of tea so we didn't use it!
It's a picturesque spot and as we arrived at low tide we enjoyed exploring Monkey Island. Obviously we were not the only ones enjoying it as the campsite was pretty full up by nightfall.
Sophie Skinner
Ranking: 8/10
Lovely spot by the bay. Can stroll to Monkey Island and beach is beautiful. Site stretches alongside the bay so if you’re further away toilets are a little walk but no bother.
Conservation Campsite Pass
Save up to 70% on campsite fees! Support conservation and experience the natural beauty of NZ. 74 Department of Conservation campsites, one convenient pass.
Claudia
Ranking: 8/10
Good spot! 2 long drop toilets, both clean. Nice beach for a short morning stroll with that first cuppa.
Matt
Ranking: 8/10
Great Freedom Camping spot. Very nice location directly by the beach and the ocean. Two drop toilets.
Even in autumn quite a number of people and vehicles present, so get here early especially in the main tourist season. Stunning view of the ocean and the small monkey island. It's a really great place to stay and camp with the sound of the ocean.
Top Ranked NZ Deals Pass
Access savings worth hundreds of $$ on Top Ranked NZ Accommodation and Activities for just $1 per day.
Kat
Ranking: 9/10
Nice spot right beside the ocean, but protected from the wind. Clean long drop toilets (2x) and big rubbish bins. Just 700m gravel road to the side. Awesome sunset.
Millka Pietikainen
Ranking: 8/10
A beautiful spot, very popular and not that big so everyone is side by side. Gorgeous sunset. Toilets stank so your eyes hurt by evening after a sunny day.
Annina Jarvinen
Ranking: 9/10
Different beach camping. A bit hippie but nice. Taps, but not drinkable water. Very charming!
Avoid Camping Fines!
The only camping map where each location is approved by every regional council in NZ. So if it shows on the map, you’re allowed to stay.
The Rankers Camping NZ app, is also in association with…
Ronald Daigneault
Ranking: 8/10
Busy place but we found a spot for the night. Set up our table and chairs in a small raised bluff beside where our camper was parked so stunning views of sunset. Very clean and well attended toilet. Dolphins swam by in the Southern Ocean in the morning. Quite a nice spot.
Matt French
Ranking: 10/10
Two drop toilets and a shelter for washing/cooking etc. Amazing beach views. Plenty of space but it seemed to be a popular spot. Facilities to throw rubbish. Definitely our favourite freedom camping at the half way point in our trip! Had a really nice vibe and a great sunset. Well signposted.
Sophie Nightingale
Ranking: 10/10
Really lovely spot right on the beach front with loads of space for camping and campervans. Bit of a gravel track off the road but worth it. Clean drop toilets too!
Camping NZ App
Every camping site on your iPhone™, iPad™ or Android™ phone or tablet. Avoid camping penalties using this council approved app. Featuring offline maps.
Geoff Steele
Ranking: 8/10
There is quite a lot of space along behind the dunes adjacent to the beach, and also mown spots along the access road which are surrounded by flax plants for some privacy. We stayed in September for one night. The weather changed from sunshine one day to gusty winds which the dunes offered some protection from, but not completely. The motorhome being so tall still caught the wind gusts over the dunes, and in the morning sea foam was being blown about the camp. Two drop toilets centrally located are clean and provide paper, and there's the remains of a shelter shed that has a water tap with a sign that says it needs boiling for drinking. There is a ramp for vehicle beach access here, and it was very popular with 4x4's on the day we arrived.
Nathan Lal
Ranking: 10/10
Beautiful spot next to the Beach and walking distance to monkey island. A few sandflies but it was winter so less of them around at this time. Be careful with the approaching tide getting across to monkey island as it comes in quickly. We got the timing wrong only slightly and we had to get our feet wet!! Spots can be a bit soggy after rain so choose wisely where to park up.
Nathalie Gobin
Ranking: 8/10
Great spot, wonderful beach. Toilets OK. It gets really very windy at night (was very quiet when we arrived around 8pm), we were glad to be in a car, not in a tent.
