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BerryD
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North Island ▷ Taupo Region ▷ Taupo ▷
Huka/Aratiatia Rapids Scenic Reserve
A great overnight stop.
Long drop loo is a bit chilly at night, and you need your own loo roll. Lakeside parking, plenty of space, 4 nights in one month max stay. At 10am you can walk onto the bridge at watch them open the dam gates into the lake below which is a pretty sight.
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North Island ▷ Coromandel ▷ Thames ▷
Waiomu Domain Beachfront Reserve
A great wee overnight spot.
Toilets 2min away with cold outdoor showers but they’re in full view of the state Highway so togs on! Right in the waterside so great sunset views.
Cafe across the road is dog friendly and does good coffee and pastries.
Overnight is at the very northern end only between the signs.
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North Island ▷ Wellington Region ▷ Wellington ▷
Owhiro Bay Overnight Campervan Parking
True to Welly this wee place is windy as heck, but that’s part of its charm.
Freedom camping is only at the very far end, loos are a two min walk (or a minute’s sprint in the chillier september temperatures) and are clean with loo roll. Parking can be a bit tight, as many cars take up the spaces also but seemed to clear up as the afternoon wore on. Would recommend getting here by 1700-1800 to secure a place.
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North Island ▷ Manawatu - Wanganui ▷ Whanganui ▷
Kai Iwi Beach Holiday Park
I really wanted to like this place.
It started raining so we were looking for power and wifi to spend a cosy night watching Netflix and keeping dry. The front desk was friendly and welcoming, and it was fairly easy to find.
At $38 for a powered spot for 2 people, we were surprised this didn’t include showers.
Showers are a dollar coin per 6minutes, including the time for the older setup to warm up. The front desk will give you change but you need either an NZ debit card or cash to do this.
The wifi is spotty at best and cuts out every 15-20min so you have to re-login, defeating our night in. There is no mobile signal, so you are a bit reliant on it.
We had to mop the van out after staying here as while the spot to park is hard standing, it’s very narrow and getting in and out meant going through the deep muddy tracks left by previous guests and then dodging the potholes filled with water to get to the shower block.
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North Island ▷ Manawatu - Wanganui ▷ Dannevirke ▷
Dannevirke Holiday Park
At $28 for two adults on a powered site with flat hardstanding, kitchen facilities, hot showers and even a hairdryer, this was the best value we’ve had in NZ!
Owners friendly and helpful, dumpsite available, ovens and hobs and seating in the kitchen, well worth the stop to reset your van and just enjoy a hot shower!
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North Island ▷ Hawkes Bay ▷ Hastings ▷
Haumoana Domain
Absolutely gorgeous.
A bit difficult to find some hard standing in the wet but we got there eventually. Toilets are clean and modern and well lit. Beach is right next door, as is a coffee shop doing great pies and pastries. Couldn’t have asked for better really! Peaceful, quiet spot that we’d come back to in a heartbeat.
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North Island ▷ Hawkes Bay ▷ Hastings ▷
Evers-Swindell Reserve
Not somewhere I would want to stop as a solo female camper, but is okay if you have someone else with you.
Flat hard standing. Beautiful views and peaceful during the daytime, but turns into a bit of a different place once the sun sets. Loud cars playing music at full volume and people arguing, and the toilets are a dark trek past an aggressive dog behind a fence that about frighten the daylights out of you. Wish we’d moved on once the sun set but that’s hindsight for you.
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North Island ▷ Coromandel ▷ Whitianga ▷
Tangiora Avenue
A beautiful spot right on the waterfront, clean toilets open all night.
Cold outdoor showers but in full view of the park so you’d need your togs. Two spaces only, we were the only ones there on a weeknight. Childrens park nextdoor has a rather irritating bell toy that gets rung early on in the morning so we were up early!
Beautiful views and a lovely wee stay, shop next door does a half decent coffee.