Rebecca Lindsey
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North Island ▷ Waikato ▷ Waitomo ▷
Juno Hall Backpackers and Camping
We stayed here for one night in an unpowered camper van site, and very much enjoyed our stay.
There was definitely a backpackers vibe to the common areas (go figure), with a group watching movies together in the common living area, and the bathrooms can get a bit crowded.
We were told to basically park anywhere we liked overnight, but you need to be weary of uneven pitches. We didn't realize how uneven our spot was until we were too tired to fix it, making for an uncomfortable night's sleep. We loved the convenience for staying here after a trip to the caves, and at $34 for the two of us the price was a bit better than some other places we stayed.
Loved the animals! And we recommend checking out Rose Hall for dinner, as was recommended to us.
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Lake Tekapo ▷
Lakes Edge Holiday Park
We paid $46 for a powered site for 2 in a campervan, with an additional $2 for internet and showers.
As we were going to the Thermal Pools that day anyway, we appreciated the tip that the showers there are free for paying customers! Beautiful view of the lake from this site and nice, even, if unexciting, spots to park. Fine bathroom facilities. My only complaint aside from it being not the BEST value out there, is that the lighting at night is awfully glaring. I'd love to be able to see Tekapo's world-famous stars a bit better and the campsite lights seemed totally antithetical to this experience!
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Greymouth ▷
Rapahoe Beach Holiday Park
Staying here was a highlight for us.
We paid 34 for 2 people in a beachfront powered campervan site, plus $2 for internet access, a pretty good value overall. The beachfront part is what really made this a great value for us, such a lovely location. The beach was empty when we were here, making it feel even more special. The area doesn't have much going on, though you can walk down to a pub down the beach, and at low tide if you want to take a half hour walk along the beach you'll run right into a seal colony!
There is a quirky common room, the bathrooms and kitchen are fine, and there's a (cold) swimming pool to enjoy as well! I loved the vibe of this place and would highly recommend it. Convenient location coming from or going to the Pancake Rocks, or Hokitika Gorge.
You could have also have looked on the beach for pounamu (greenstone) for making into highly prized jewellery, and other semi-precious stones, or walked on the unique bush walk out to the headland, where youl can look for dolphins , or explored the mine shafts let into the banks along the beach , or picked a feed of mussels, or fished off the beach or rocks. Your visit must have been in winter when the volleyball, badminton, basketball were all stored. Howver thank you for your positive comments, we are glad you enjoyed it
Jan Surname
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South Island ▷ Coastal Otago ▷ Dunedin ▷
Dunedin Holiday Park
I took an amazing LONG HOT FREE shower here.
So there's that.
This is a perfectly fine campsite with little personality. It feels clean and the internet is included.
Its location felt neither super convenient nor inconvenient.
We paid $40 for a powered campervan site for two people.
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Queenstown Township ▷
Moke Lake Campsite
Does it get any better than this?
What a gorgeous remote campsite, framed by the lake and the mountains, and with a stable with handsome horses just next door.
The pros: location! Yes, you can get away from the crowds while still only being 15 mins. From Queenstown. Clean bathrooms, and a good "kitchen" facility for a DOC site.
The cons: Long drop toilets with no lighting, and no showers or internet, as you may expect from a DOC campsite.
We paid $26 for two people on an unpowered campervan site.
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South Island ▷ Wanaka Region ▷ Wanaka Township ▷
Lake Outlet Holiday Park
We paid $41 for a powered campervan site for two here.
Internet and showers are both $2 here in addition.
This site has a spectacular view over Lake Wanaka. The location otherwise isn't anything special - you're not close to shops or eateries. The facilities are a bit run-down and not particularly welcoming - I couldn't find a common area/lounge of any sort, which is unusual from what I've experienced. There are a lot more "permanent" or long-stay residents here than at the other places we stayed; people had some very fancy set-ups going on here! The path down to the bathrooms from the campsite where we stayed is a bit treacherous. It is not safe for flip flops/thongs and you definitely need to bring your flashlight. This could definitely stand to be re-graded for safety.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Geraldine ▷
Waihi Gorge Campsite
We paid $16 for two people in an unpowered campervan site.
This is a big grassy area with nice views and very basic facilities, though the toilets do flush. Sand flies were present and annoying here. The spot seems to be in the middle of nowhere, so I wouldn't recommend driving far out of your way for it, but if you're in the area this a fine spot to spend the night! Good value overall.
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North Island ▷ Taranaki ▷ Patea ▷
Waverley Beach Camping Ground
Quite possibly my favorite campsite in NZ.
We paid $12 for two people for a powered camper van site, which is on an honesty system by paying at the Library in town. The kitchen was nice for cooking our pasta in, bathrooms were fine, and the location next to a gorgeous black sand beach is great! This was a nice halfway point for us to stop off at for the night between Waitomo and Wellington. Highly recommended for being a great value!
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Christchurch ▷
South Brighton Holiday Park
We paid $34 for an unpowered campervan site for 2 people here.
We enjoyed being so close to a nice beach, but didn't feel that this campsite had much else going for it. The campsite itself is a bit confusing to navigate and the facilities were very industrial, nothing very welcoming. A fine place to camp but no special views or amenities.
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North Island ▷ Wellington Region ▷ Hutt Valley ▷
Wellington TOP 10 Holiday Park
Top 10 Holiday Parks are my least favorite of all of the holiday parks, because they charge more for an experience that just doesn't feel as special.
The Wellington Top 10 is in an out-of-the-way location, with no special views but nice privacy between lots and great cleanliness. We paid $50 for two in a camper van with power and internet access. There's not much in the way of good food in the area, but there are some nice cats on the campground, and it seems a good place for families with young kids. Overall, a fine and clean stay but nothing special.
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South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Picton / Marlborough Sounds ▷
Cowshed Bay Campsite
Our first experience at a DOC campground did not disappoint.
This campsite was a fun place to stop over after taking the ferry in to Picton that morning.
There are two halves to the campsite, one right on the water and one up across the road. We scored a spot right next to the water, which was also convenient to the sink and bathrooms. The site seems well-maintained and has an easy vibe. The location is quite pretty, but watch out for the wekas! They are very present and will happily steal anything you leave out for them. They also have no problem climbing up into your vehicle if you leave it open, so beware. Sand flies were a pain here as well. With friendly campers as neighbors, we had a very nice stay here and enjoyed the varied bird life and their songs.
We paid $13 per person to stay here. Also, word to the wise: the roads getting here are true NZ - verrrrry windy with lots of blind turns! So drive safely!
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North Island ▷ Auckland Region ▷ Auckland ▷
Clarks Beach Holiday Park
We paid 44 for a powered site for our camper van in early January.
We chose this particular place because a few others closer to Auckland were already booked, and here they answered the phone! We were very pleased with this find for our first night in NZ. The location is lovely, with some very nice facilities (including a pool), obviously a family-friendly place as many Kiwis were having a fun holiday weekend. There are views of the water from some spots on this site. Pretty friendly. There is a great takeaways shop a short drive away.
Up the road by the fish and chip shop there is also a cafe and a lovely restaurant for those that would like a night off cooking on their last night. They do have Monday and Tuesdays off though. Thank you for the positive review.
Suzanne Cooper
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Greymouth ▷
Jacksons Retreat Campervan Holiday Park
Very convenient spot to stay for those about to drive Arthur's Pass.
The location is beautiful, with glow worms nearby and lovely touches around the camp site like fresh flowers in the bathroom and fresh bread available for purchase in the morning. The kitchen and common area is very welcoming, though I did wish it had been kept a bit warmer on the rainy, chilly night I was there. We paid $44 for an unpowered site, not the best of values, and although we were able to do our laundry here it was costly! The additional charges for laundry, internet, etc. are why I rate this place an 8 rather than a 10 as it could certainly get if it were a better value. The showers are hot and free though, in very clean and beautiful bathroooms.
As for the glow worms, make sure each person in your party has their own individual (red-wrapped) flashlight, as it is DARK! I'm frankly surprised we didn't get lost, although I did almost lose my shoes to mud piles several times (as I mentioned, it was a chilly and very rainy night)...
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North Island ▷ Coromandel ▷ Whitianga ▷
Seabreeze Holiday Park
We paid 44 for an unpowered site in the beginning of January.
This holiday park is in a great location, convenient to Hot Water Beach in particular, and the on-site brewery is very tasty for dinner and drinks. They will hire you a spade for the beach here as well, a nice touch. Showers are limited to 6 minutes for 50 cents, but at least the proceeds go to charity! A perfectly fine, clean, and welcoming site overall but nothing outstanding.
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South Island ▷ Fiordland ▷ Te Anau ▷
Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park & Motels
This was our second stop in Te Anau, after we first stopped by the Te Anau Top 10 Holiday Park, which did not impress us with prices or view.
We found this campsite to be a better value, and friendlier as well.
We paid $48 for a powered campervan site for 2. We had a nice view of the lake and enjoyed the amenities just fine.
If you walk down the lake a short ways, you'll come across a neat bird sanctuary, which we enjoyed very much.
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North Island ▷ Waikato ▷ Cambridge ▷
Horahora Domain
We enjoyed our freedom camping experience here, staying for one night after visiting Hobbiton.
The bathrooms are clean and have flushing toilets, though no lighting at night. There were probably about 10 other camper vans here when we stayed, but there was still plenty of room and plenty of water views. The lake is very pretty but does attract some biting insects (maybe mosquitos? They didn't seem to be sandflies...). I definitely reccomend this spot if you're in Matamata and looking for a relaxing water view.
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South Island ▷ Southland ▷ Invercargill ▷
Central City Camping Park
There's nothing too special about this campsite in terms of view or bonuses, but it is close to good restaurants in Invercargill and is clean and quiet.
Fine bathrooms and common areas. We paid $37 for two in a powered campervan site and took advantage of free internet.
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South Island ▷ Coastal Otago ▷ Oamaru ▷
Harbour Tourist Park Oamaru
We paid $39 for a powered campervan site for 2 people, and paid $2 for internet.
This location is very convenient to seeing the sights of Oamaru, being situated just across the street from the harbour and just next to the Steampunk playground and Victorian quarter. You are also next to a fantastic coffee shop, and close to a nice brewery.
As for the penguins, if you want to see some, this is the place to stay! You can definitely see Little Blues once they come ashore at night, and you are a short drive from a beach where Yellow-eyed penguins come ashore as well!
This was one of our favorite places to stay due to Oamaru being such a quirky town, and the penguins, despite the slightly industrial feel of the buildings - bathroom, kitchen, etc.
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North Island ▷ Rotorua Region ▷ Rotorua ▷
Rotorua Tasman Holiday Parks
This was my first experience at a "Top 10", and I didn't particularly think this Holiday Park deserved to cost more than any other holiday park I've stayed at.
We tried a few other places first but this was the only place that wasn't already booked. The location in Rotorua is nice in that you are within walking distance to Eat Street, and the other big bonus is that there's a mineral hot tub, a wonderful way to relax at the end of the day. However, there is no view to speak of and the campsites have no privacy barriers between them. It's all just a bit blah, not what I'm looking for when I pay $55 for an unpowered site with no internet access. Nice and clean, though, with nice bathroom facilities.
Thanks for the review, We have been giving away free unlimited internet the last 12 month to all paying guests so I must apologize if you did not get this and will look into it in case. Thanks for taking the time to make a review and we hope you enjoy the rest of your travels.
Jared Adams
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South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Murchison ▷
Riverside Holiday Park
We stayed here on our drive over to the West Coast, and paid $25 for an unpowered camper van site for two - not a bad value!
We made use of the dump station here, as well as the kitchens and showers. The shower was $2 and when you run out of time it turns ice cold without warning! Not my favorite thing. Although there is wifi in theory, it was not working when we stayed here. Also, sandflies were bad! All of these add up to a 7 out of 10 rating for me despite the fair price. The town doesn't have much going on aside from river activities, but this campsite is truly right on the river.