Mike and Caroline
-
North Island ▷ Wairarapa ▷ Ngawi ▷
Cape Palliser
Great camp site right by the sea.
Not too dark as light from the street lights covers the area. Picnic tables available. Toilet is opposite next to the fire station.
-
North Island ▷ Wairarapa ▷ Masterton ▷
Castle Point Lighthouse Walk
We went in the pouring rain and it was great fun.
The wind was so strong! Great sea views well worth a walk, only takes 30 min return max. Be careful if it is bad weather you don't get stuck on the lighthouse side!
-
North Island ▷ Hawkes Bay ▷ Hastings ▷
Evers-Swindell Reserve
Nice camp site (car park) by the river, not pitch black (some light from the road/houses).
Not noisy, only set back is the toilet is a little walk from where you have to park.
-
North Island ▷ Wairarapa ▷ Masterton ▷
Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre
The inside is very good, great for educational purposes.
There are a few birds on show. The baby kiwi feeding was interesting. The kokako was very friendly! $20 to get in isn't that worth it, more less than $15 is appropriate. Still worth a visit if you are around.
-
North Island ▷ Wairarapa ▷ Ngawi ▷
Pinnacles Track
Great walk.
Follow your nose and you won't go far wrong. See how far you can climb in between them! It took us two hours return, which included about half hour there.
Whilst you are here, go further down the road and see the seal colony and lighthouse!
-
North Island ▷ Wairarapa ▷ Masterton ▷
Castlepoint Holiday Park & Motels
Can only review on price so not that good, $16.50pp for a non powered site.
Checked in late (11pm) owner somewhat friendly seeing how late it was! Left early only used the toilet. You do have to pay 50c for the shower I saw. Was very tidy and clean though.
-
North Island ▷ Manawatu - Wanganui ▷ Woodville ▷
Woodville Camping Ground
Excellent and cheap campground, for $5pp (unpowered site) we had a key to the shower and toilet which was in great condition.
Well lit car park. You could potentially stay here for free (you pay at the petrol station up the road), but then you wouldn't get the keys. Would visit again.
-
North Island ▷ Hawkes Bay ▷ Hastings ▷
Haumoana Domain
Unlit car park, some other campers there, clean toilet.
Nice spot by the river.
-
North Island ▷ Hawkes Bay ▷ Napier ▷
Napier isite Visitor Information Centre
Only used i-SITE to buy a postcard but there are very clean and hot showers here, open 9 - 4 daily; $1 for 5 minutes.
-
North Island ▷ Wairarapa ▷ Ngawi ▷
Cape Palliser Seal Colony and Lighthouse Walk
Absolutely brilliant!
You have to see them, there are loads of seals and we saw their pups too. Great views and a real privilege to see them in their natural habitat. We went in April if you are wanting to catch the pups.
You must visit the Pinnacles too, and take a walk up the lighthouse!
-
North Island ▷ Wellington Region ▷ Hutt Valley ▷
Belmont Regional Park
Great campsite, surrounded in bush.
The toilet is quite a walk through it though, however it is clean and flushes! You do get locked in overnight, the gates close at 6pm winter and 8pm summer, unlocked the next morning at 8am. We stayed there two nights, no one came asking us for money.
The camp site is not where it says it is on the map however. You need to go more north, it's by state highway 58. There is a map in this entrance which shows where the correct camping spot is.
-
North Island ▷ Wairarapa ▷ Masterton ▷
Eketahuna Motor Camp
This is the best camp site we have seen in NZ so far.
It is $6pp (unpowered site) and for this you get to use the kitchen which was incredibly clean, no ants or anything and it was fully equipped. You get use of the toilets and showers (it's like a bathroom you'd find in a house) and there is also a free to use washing machine.
We felt as if we should have paid so much more, this is better than the 'Top 10' holiday parks you see. There is a real commitment to this camp from the managers and you could see they enjoy looking after it. We met both managers and they were very friendly.
If you are travelling round here you must stay, in the small town there is an i-SITE and foursquare. The camp is so quiet and there is a river a short walk away from the main camp site.
-
North Island ▷ Wairarapa ▷ Featherston ▷
Bucks Road Campsite
Standard DOC campsite.
Lower score because of the slightly long gravel road that takes you there (quite bumpy). Long drop toilet, no toilet paper when we went so watch out! A lot of dense bush around and right by the river.
-
North Island ▷ Wellington Region ▷ Wellington ▷
Wellington isite Visitor Information Centre
Quite poor really.
Great building however the staff gave us out of date knowledge about the location of a shower. They pointed it out on the map however when we arrived it was closed due to the drought. The point of an i-SITE is the staff are very educated about the city! Gave an accurate price about a campsite, all we used them for really.
-
North Island ▷ Wairarapa ▷ Carterton ▷
The Cliffs East Taratahi
Great campsite out in the sticks.
We parked under the trees by the river. Toilet in a useable condition. No honesty box to be seen nor did a ranger come to collect payment.