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Boardwalk Blss
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Hanmer Springs ▷
Waiau Motor Camp
Well kept camp with generous sized caravan/camper sites.
Powered $16 for 2pp(July 2020). Facilities very clean, and young owner/hosts friendly, helpful & knowledgable
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Fox Glacier ▷
Gillespies Beach Campsite
Despite the road warnings our 6 meter Fiat Ducato camper handled it fine tho road can be narrow in places.
If you want to experience some West Coast isolation this could be it (we were there July 2020). Flush toilets w/paper. Bring your own water; pack out rubbish. Learning the history of the area made it even more interesting ... visit the old graveyard nearby.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Reefton ▷
Ikamatua Holiday Park
Arrived on a Westcoast winter rainy night (July 2020).
This is a large grassed area behind the local hotel. Greeted by the pub owner/bar tender who set us up with a grassed ‘free of puddles’ powered site. Enjoyed a very good meal and chat with the locals. Basic kitchen, toilets & shower. Cheaper than average for the site. Best part was getting a feel for this coal mining area and the locals stories.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Westport ▷
Gentle Annie
This low key relaxed campground (with cabins and houses also) is great to chill out for a bit.
We arrived for 1 night and spent 4 here! The campground has all the necessary basics - flush toilets (2 per gender), showers (2), kitchen - with limited number of pans; gas burners (4) are in the covered outdoor area along with a wood fired pizza oven (make your own pizza) and outdoor fire pit. Washing machine tho no dryer - clothesline and clothes racks instead. The above was plenty for usage at the time we were here (Sept 2020) but in peak season may be a bit stretched. The center is the “Cowshed” , a cafe and hangout space with excellent free WIFI and plenty of charging outlets for devices open 24/7. Coffee available in the morning plus biscuits/cookies any time. During summer muffins and a breakfast menu is available. Much of the smaller payments are based on an honesty system which is very refreshing eg. Showers $2/five mins but no timer; washing machine $2; cookies - put money into the honesty box and help yourself. The owners are always helpful, kind, willing to answer questions and suggest places to visit. In like manner the success of this camping spot is consideration to your fellow campers, so there’s requests to cleanup after using kitchen etc.
All pitches are on grass - find your space and set up; many areas are protected with plantings and give privacy, close enough to hear the surf and walk to the beach for your own driftwood fire at night.
There’s a large grassed area for games, soccer balls and net supplied.
This is not your Top 10 Holiday Park but a family run genuine Kiwi experience on the wonderful West Coast of the South Island where you get to meet and chat with other campers - don’t miss it!
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South Island ▷ Wanaka Region ▷ Wanaka Township ▷
Kidds Bush Reserve Campsite
Great campsite right on Lake Hawea - we were there by ourselves early Aug 2020.
It’s easy to miss the road into this DoC site as its not well signposted and referenced only as Kidds Bush reserve on an old “camping prohibited” sign - as Hwy 6 heading east drops down to Lake Hawea look for Meads Rd signpost. Gravel road through farmland and several cattle grates but no gates to open/close.
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South Island ▷ Kaikoura Region ▷ Kaikoura ▷
Jimmy Armers Beach, Kaikoura
As others have said you do need to be here early - in winter (July 2020) & NZ border closed b/c COVID - we got the last spot ~ 6pm and there were others who missed out.
Close to the seal colony and cliff walkway which is well worth doing. Very clean new toilet facilities, rubbish/recycling; quiet tho parked right next to the road.
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North Island ▷ Taranaki ▷ Mokau ▷
Seaview Holiday Park
This is one of those older NZ campgrounds which has its own charm.
Facilities kept clean and in good order. Paid for extra WiFi which worked fine at our site closer to the office and near the beach. Showers and toilets clean; owner friendly. Local pub with meals 3 mins drive away. Perfect for our July 2020 overnight.
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North Island ▷ Taranaki ▷ Hawera ▷
Rotokare Scenic Reserve
Wonderful overnight spot for up to 6 SC campers in a fenced predator free preserve.
Well worth a visit with the possibility of seeing kiwis at night (tho we were not lucky enough!) 1.5hr walk around the lake with lots of native birds to see and hear. Clean public toilets and information on wildlife available 24/7. Quiet when we were there in winter mid week tho it may not be during the summer months as boating on the lake is allowed. Suggested donation of $10pp to help support local volunteers and the Taranaki Regional Council in improving and maintaining the preserve.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Okarito ▷
Okarito Camping Ground
Would endorse everything written in the reviews over the past year!
We were here in July 2020 and although its a bit off the main highway that makes the camp ground so much more attractive. Love the community run aspect and the person we met was very friendly and helpful. Facilities clean and monitored daily. Wild West Coast beach within easy walk and sites protected by mainly large flax plants
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North Island ▷ Taranaki ▷ New Plymouth ▷
Lake Rotomanu, New Plymouth
Very pleasant camping spot which was not overcrowded while we were there.
Freedom camping anywhere around the lake but there are 4 designated placed near the toilets for NSC vehicles. Below this level are designated spots for SC vehicles. We camped further round the lake in a large pullout which is “legal” tho locals did “check us out”. Close to central New Plymouth - we found the i-Site folk very helpful and encouraging of SC freedom camping in the area in designated spots
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South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Blenheim ▷
Marfells Beach Campsite
As others have described a beautiful stretch of quiet sandy coastline with lots of grass sites looking directly onto the beach.
In July 2020 looked as tho some sites were boggy. Clean flushing toilets. Medium height bushes provide some shade and privacy and some picnic tables available. No hot or potable water. If you are short on green vegetables take a walk beyond the end of the road .... there’s self sown silver beet all over!
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Greymouth ▷
Cobden Beachfront, Greymouth
Just as others have described.
We’ve been here twice - July & Sept 2020 - choosing to return says it all and that was through a period of westerly gales and rain. Impressed that Greymouth provides such good service for freedom campers - check out the other freedom sites in the area.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika ▷
Linksview Holiday Park
This is a very new campervan/tenting/cabin small scale holiday park & the facilities are well designed & kept in excellent condition.
We paid lower than one would expect for a powered site and very good free WIFI, (shower & laundry extra) - July 2020 - b/c of the fallout from COVID lockdown. Hoping that Kevin & Jules can recoup some loss as Kiwis head out for the spring and summer. Camper/caravan sites look wide enough to park a vehicle alongside. Suggested visits - “Tree Tops”, walk to the beach at sunset, Hokitika Gorge ... and the glow worms!
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North Island ▷ Taranaki ▷ New Plymouth ▷
Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park
This was our first experience of a modern holiday park (July 2020).
It certainly delivers on up to date facilities and cleanliness tho lacks the ambiance of “original” NZ campgrounds. Helpful/pleasant holiday park staff; dump station and water; showers included; great cafe/coffee at the Surf Lifesaving Club nearby and make sure you go upstairs to the lookout room for sun and views. Park is close to central New Plymouth with the bonus of a walk/biking path into town and north of the park. Also check out the iSite and very good small museum in the same building.
Thank you. We're so glad you enjoyed your first holiday park experience! Love your tip about the lookout room at the kiosk - so many people don't know about it, and it's a real hidden gem.
Hope to see you again another time,
Jenn and the team at Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park
Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park
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North Island ▷ Manawatu - Wanganui ▷ Whanganui ▷
Turakina Beach Camp / Koitiata Camping Ground
Basic older first come small campground with only one functioning flush toilet; shower $2; powered site $16 for 2 pp -cash; dump station and water; minimal cell signal; WiFi can be purchased online.
Across the road from the longest sand beach in NZ - strewn with lots of huge tree logs, wild and worth the 5 min stroll. OK for overnight July 2020 but other (more expensive) choices in the general area.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika ▷
Lake Mahinapua Campsite
Very few campers (July 2020) Grounds well maintained tho choose site carefully because of wet conditions.
Clean flush toilets w/paper, small outside shelter area with cold water and sink. Beautiful lake views and walks through the bush.
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North Island ▷ Waikato ▷ Kawhia ▷
Oparau Roadhouse and Bills Backpackers
Midwinter campervanning (late June 2020).
We were the only ones at this flat grassy spot next to the Roadhouse. Paid $5 for the one power hookup. Toilet basic but clean; dump station; no potable water but friendly staff pointed us in the direction where locals get their spring water. Good spot to stock up on basic foods if you’re spending time in this rural area.