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Boukje Diijkstra
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Christchurch ▷
Waihora Park Domain Camping Ground
Very nice toilet block with four clean toilets for the women, a fountain and soap.
For the men one toilet and outdated/dirty urinal. Lights at night. It's a very big area of grass, so you can pick a private place if you want to. We stayed at the lovely play ground, our kids loved it! The distance between the toilet block and play ground is a little bit big, but it was our own choice to stay there. There is some noise of traffic. The distance to Christchurch is half an hour, so a great place to visit Christchurch or on your way to the peninsula. The place is very cheap and I will recommend this place to everybody.
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South Island ▷ Coastal Otago ▷ Oamaru ▷
Katiki Point Lighthouse Walk
More than a hundred seals swimming, playing and lying around.
You can see them from above (20-30 metres), but some of them were lying in the grass and you could walk along side them. Also four penguins, fantastic! Very windy at some places.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Akaroa ▷
Bruce Terrace
It is not sign posted so we couldn't find it, but the police confirmed the place.
During the night the street is very quiet. At the end of the street nearby the sea is a public toilet block. Around the corner there are also a lot of very nice restaurants. A good opportunity to visit the town.
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South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Golden Bay ▷
Takaka Labyrinth Rocks
Very nice shaded walk between rocks and vegetation.
The kids, 3 and 5 years old, liked it very much. For the first time no complaining because of walking. You can spend half an hour to 1.5 hour in this Labyrinth. The hidden toys are everywhere, but sometimes a little too high for them. You can get a map at the entrance, please recycle them!
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North Island ▷ Rotorua Region ▷ Waiotapu ▷
Waikite Valley Thermal Pools Campground
The hot pools are amazing, so is the short walk along the bubbling river.
During the day we found it too hot to swim, but after dinner we liked it very much, so did our two kids of 3 and 4 years old. The camp ground is a little bit more than a parking place, some grass and some places have some shade, specially for the lucky ones with a tent (and needing electricity). During the afternoon it filled up quickly and all places with electricity were full (end of February). The kitchen is way too small, with only two cooking plates and one table for about 28 camping places. Toilets are fine. You pay for the fantastic hot pools and a little more for the campsite (50 NZD for 2 adults and 6 NZD for 2 small kids per night).
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North Island ▷ Coromandel ▷ Hahei ▷
Hot Water Beach
On a very sunny Sunday in February, it was very busy.
We were 1.5 hours before low tide and a lot of holes were already there. The benefit was that we could use an abandoned hole. We didn't want a hole in the middle of the hot water, but just nearby. For the kids it was too hot otherwise. We dug a canal to the hot water and mixed it with cold water. The kids played well and we enjoyed the spectacle of bubbling hot water. Everyone was nice and sharing holes was no exception.
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North Island ▷ Taupo Region ▷ Taupo ▷
Five Mile Bay Recreation Reserve
Nice view, small black beach, clean toilet, but very busy with campervans.
Everyone was quiet, so nice place.
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North Island ▷ Northland ▷ Hokianga ▷
Rawene Holiday Park
Beautiful campsite with clean and well maintained facilities: nice kitchen, hot showers, some picnic tables etc.
We liked the swimming pool very much. The temperature of the pool was very nice in mid February. There are 8 campervan places nearby the pool, but on gravel and in two rows. The play ground was small and very outdated. A little bit up hill there are nicer and more quiet places for camper vans, but further away from the swimming pool. They were very friendly and together with the price, only 32 NZD for 2 adults and 2 small kids, it is one of our favourites.
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North Island ▷ Coromandel ▷ Thames ▷
Danby Field
Near to shops, free wifi at McDonalds and a very big play ground.
Nice to stay for a functional overnight stay. The nearby road was quiet during the night and because not directly at the coast, the wind was very acceptable (compared to other freedom parking places). Thanks for this opportunity.
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North Island ▷ Coromandel ▷ Whitianga ▷
Cathedral Cove Recreation Reserve Carpark
Nice parking place to camp your campervan before or after a walk to Cathedral Cove.
The view is spectacular and toilets acceptable. There is alcohol available to clean your hands and toilet seat. During the day it is very busy.
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North Island ▷ Northland ▷ Waipu ▷
Waipu Caves Track
This was a great adventure!
The cave begins immediately after the parking site (50 meters). With 2 kids, 3 and 4 years old, we went half way. We had to help them, but they liked it very well! The glow worms and the adventure makes it a great experience. You need a torch, short trousers, and flip flops / swimming shoes. Let the fun begin! Mid February there were quite some people, but most of them stayed at the beginning of the cave. We were with a camper van and overnight at the parking site. During the evening it became quite busy with campervans and tents doing the same. But still it was very quiet and nice. There is a toilet (not very clean) and a cold shower.
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North Island ▷ Auckland Region ▷ Warkworth ▷
Whangateau Holiday Park
Very nice camping at a bay with play ground.
At low tide there is almost no sea water, but we loved that. It is nice walking and looking for little fish, crab, etc. At high tide we could go for a swim with no waves, very lovely for little children. Everything was very clean and maintained. Very good cooking area, but no pots, pans, cutlery etc. At sea side there is some shadow, other sides (on grass) have no shadow at all. We paid 52 NZD for 2 adults and 2 small kids at sea side. Nice camp site to go snorkeling at Goat Island.
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North Island ▷ Coromandel ▷ Whitianga ▷
Tangiora Avenue
Only two places available.
The police are actively checking, one was fined the day we arrived because not self-contained, the day we left a car was sent away because they slept in a normal car. The site is wonderful, almost directly on the white beach (separated by stairs), but quite some waves and under current.
Toilets were clean, but were not cleaned during our two night stay in the weekend. The cold showers were closed unfortunately (February 2016). There is a very nice play ground area and two picnic tables. They are upgrading this place by adding a lot more picnic tables (in preparation).
At Friday night there was a local middle age group of six or seven at one of the tables drinking alcohol and listening music. They were nice and not loud and left around nine. At Saturday afternoon there was a lot of youth hanging around and drinking beer, they left around seven. We had also some noise of throwing bottles in bottle containers early in the morning. So, it is not a real quit place, but we loved it. People are nice and we felt welcome.
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North Island ▷ Northland ▷ Dargaville ▷
Kai Iwi Lakes Campsite
There is almost nothing, toilets up the hill are also used by passers by, but the lake is fantastic, very warm in mid February, starting shallow and a nice white beach.
It was very quiet when we were there. We heard that the other camp site also has a playground, but we haven't checked that out. If the weather wasn't getting bad, we would definitely stay another night, although you pay for the location, not the facilities.
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North Island ▷ Bay of Plenty ▷ Waihi ▷
Waihi Memorial RSA
A parking site from Waihi Memorial RSA next to the road, nearby all the facilities of the town, including shops and super market.
Only useful for an overnight stay, be prepared of a lot of machinery noise during the night coming on and off from one of the nearby buildings (we think). It could also come from road works during the night.