Simon
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South Island β· Marlborough β· Blenheim β·
Marfells Beach Campsite
None of reported 'permanent dwellers' there early Dec, and place well-maintained ands tidy.
Flush toilets and cold showers. Very pleasantly located, with lovely long beach to explore, and we got a couple of hours of (Southern Right?) Whale activity (feeding? they hung around and were very active) to watch the first day I was there π
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South Island β· Marlborough β· Picton / Marlborough Sounds β·
Whatamango Bay Campsite
Good basic DoC site, with flush toilets (well maintained) and nicely laid out campsite.
Nice beach, level and safe for swimming and fishing.
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South Island β· Marlborough β· Blenheim β·
KiwiCamp Blenheim
Very noisy, right next to SH1 and with trucks in nearby truck park moving in and out.
The 'KiwiCamp' bit of this large site was very dodgy with 'permanent residents' coming straight over to look in windows of my van. Not a safe place for solo traveller as vehicle would be untended when shower etc used. No potable water available in Kiwicamp section of site, and Kiwicamp laundry facilities not working due to poor wi-fi, I used facilities of non-Kiwicamp facility. Avoid unless desperate
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North Island β· Manawatu - Wanganui β· Whanganui β·
Turakina Beach Camp / Koitiata Camping Ground
Delightful spot.
Good, clean facilities (flush toilets, and two-dollar-a-go showers) and undercover food prep area with microwave. 15 bucks non-powered, 20 powered. Book via custodian 027 662 9040 06 3273733 www.rangitikei.govt.nz. Huge beaches, kids play area
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North Island β· Taranaki β· Opunake β·
Middleton Bay Carpark
Nice spot by the water.
3 allocated spaces fill quickly, but then there is cliff-top car-park as plan B. Very basic flush toilet. Good boat-launch watching spot, and good 'rock-hopping'. Wonderful geology. A bit of bogan activity, it seems to be 'on the circuit' for local hoons with loud vehicles, maybe do not stay if you are only camper.
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South Island β· Marlborough β· Pelorus β·
Moetapu Bay Campsite
Site Closed 2025/26
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North Island β· Wellington Region β· Waikanae β·
Waikanae River Mouth
Very pleasant spot by estuary.
Length-of-stay limits do not seem to be being enforced as Council apparently made the person concerned redundant and added duties to those of already-busy Dog Warden. Toilet very impressive, plays Burt Bacharach whilst you have a poo π.
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North Island β· Wellington Region β· Otaki β·
North River Bank
Excellent view and lovely natural spot.
Very exposed in windy weather, and make sure you are on firm ground (ie not just sand) if it is going to be wet. Toilet is decent flush type and near the entrance (follow the signs, it is tucked off to the right behind bushes).
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North Island β· Waikato β· Waitomo β·
Tui Park Piopio
Lovely spot in quiet rural town (cafe, supermarket).
Facilities have been upgraded (hot shower and powered sites, all Penny paid). Parking restricted to gravel 'carpark' bit the night I was there as Very heavy rain had made grass area impassable. Traffic noise, much of it rural, ie big tractors.
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North Island β· Waikato β· Tokoroa β·
Ngaherenga Campsite
Very boggy, but visited during Spring rainy season.
Access road from West includes a very decrepit bridge labelled "under assessment" and with a 5000kg weight limit. DoC staff noticeably all went via the (bumpier) Eastern access route.
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North Island β· Waikato β· Te Kuiti β·
KiwiCamp Te Kuiti
Checked with the Kiwicamp/Penny folks and this camp withdrew from Kiwicamp system, and has now been closed down (according to Penny) by council.
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North Island β· Ruapehu β· Ohakune β·
Ruatiti Domain
Wonderful 'unspoiled' basic campsite, very well maintained.
Toilet, flush plus basic ones elsewhere. Water has to be boiled. No phone reception from a few km in off the nearly 20 km of occasionally narrow access road through very scenic super-hilly sheep-country from SH4, so some folk might get withdrawal symptoms π. Bring birdseed, handsaw for fire-wood and carrots for rabbits.
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North Island β· Waikato β· Putaruru β·
Jones Landing
Lovely spot, peaceful and scenic.
Has small 'playground' for the kids. Showers not working (vandalised), toilet basic flush type.
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North Island β· Waikato β· Putaruru β·
Arapuni Landing
Lovely scenic site.
Working flush toilets. Overlooked by house and has security cameras so feels quite safe/secure.
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North Island β· Waikato β· Putaruru β·
Bulmers Landing
Lovely spot, stone cliffs etc very scenic.
Flush toilets, but not working (water supply issue?) Aug 2025
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North Island β· Waikato β· Tokoroa β·
Arohena Campsite
Lovely scenic site.
Lots of space. Flush toilets. Access road (gravel) is long and steep so maybe not suitable for larger vans esp in bad weather.
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North Island β· Auckland Region β· Pukekohe β·
A & P Showground Pukekohe
Well maintained facilities, amenities (shops etc) not too far away.
Would recommend. Circus setting up at other end of grounds at beginning of July 2025 so following few weeks might be interesting.
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North Island β· Auckland Region β· Clevedon β·
Tainui Camping Ground
Really difficult to book/find out about through the infamous Auckland Council system.
Found out after two phone calls that the campsite is closed until Sept 2015.
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North Island β· Waikato β· Cambridge β·
Keeleys Landing
Nice spot, basic facilities in reasonable order.
However a bit of a gathering-spot-for-loud-hooligans problem and I left before nightfall to find somewhere else for the night.
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North Island β· Waikato β· Te Aroha β·
Morrinsville Recreation Ground freedom camping area
OK for Municipal carpark.
Toilet well maintained and not too much noise at night. Can get noisy on a Saturday morning (soccer etc and generator from coffee cart) ditto weekday evenings. Shops etc not too far.
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North Island β· Taupo Region β· Wairakei β·
Wairakei Thermal Valley Campground
Delightful campsite, with assorted chooks (some seemingly with Tina Turner inspired feathers), ducks, guinea fowl and a couple of peacocks wandering round, plus alpacas and sheep.
And a huge sow in the next paddock (who loves having her back scratched).
Showers and kitchen etc all handy, plus cafe. Recommend the 'geothermal walk', very up-close and interesting.
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North Island β· Waikato β· Putaruru β·
Little Waipa Reserve
Scenic and well-run campsite.
Good facilities (hot showers, long-drops and a BBQ wotsit) in a lovely riverside spot.
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North Island β· Waikato β· Tokoroa β·
Lake Whakamaru Reserve
Well-run campsite (thank you South Waikato Council) with hot showers and long-drop toilets.
Lovely scenic spot, plenty of room for folk to 'have a bit of space'.
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North Island β· Rotorua Region β· Reporoa β·
Orakei Korako Geyserland Resort
Tour is worth doing, up-close with some breath-taking geothermal activity.
Pleasant stay in carpark overnight, with breakfast watching black swans appear out of the mist and the lake gradually clear to show the steamy opposite shore.
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North Island β· Bay of Plenty β· Edgecumbe β·
MatatΔ Campsite
After making a booking I received a Confirmation email telling me that users of Certified vehicles are not permitted to use the ablutions at Matata.
I had thought the maintenance/upgrade issues around the facilities there must be complete (previous reviews were a couple of years old) but it seems this site is possibly best avoided until upgrades are complete. Maybe phone/email before booking. I will be going elsewhere.