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The Beans
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Queenstown Township ▷
Queenstown Holiday Park Creeksyde
We stayed on a powered site (with a campervan) for one night.
This site had everything we needed and the toilets/shower facilities were very clean and a good standard. Walking distance to the town centre and overall, a pleasant site. Would definitely use again if visiting Queenstown.
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Twizel ▷
Lake Pukaki Overnight Campervan Parking
Very easy to find, and at the end of November, we did not have any difficulties finding a secluded spot along Hayman Road.
This is an absolute MUST if you want to dine beside and wake up to one of the most spectacular backdrops in NZ. We will definitely continue to go back to this spot every time we visit. The intense colour of the lake is not a result of camera filters, it is real. This location was much less 'touristy' than nearby Lake Tekapo, which we preferred. We simply sat by Lake Pukaki and marvelled at the stunning views around us for hours. Highly recommended.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Fox Glacier ▷
Gillespies Beach Campsite
Unfortunately we did not enjoy our experience here.
We arrived at the site (after a long gravel road trek), and managed to bag the very last spot. Two other campervans trailed us into the campsite and were very quick to take the first spots on arrival. We couldn't open the doors of the campervan due to the high sandfly concentration and the only public toilet was sealed off. We left first thing in the morning (as did many others) without walking on the beach. I have given 3 stars solely on the basis that this was a free spot and good proximity to Lake Matheson for a morning visit.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Haast ▷
Monro Beach Walk
Found this by sheer luck.
We thought this was near Knights Point, but you have to actually drive a couple of miles down the road where the Monro Beach Walk sign is on the left. Allow plenty of time for the return walk. We are reasonably fit and this took approximately 45mins each way - not including time on the beach looking for penguins! We did see a few Fjordland Crested penguins arrive back on the beach from feeding around 6pm, which definitely made the walk worthwhile despite the masses of sandflies on the beach. Recommend that you take binoculars for the best viewing experience. Please be respectful to the penguins and keep your distance if you see them. Camera zoom will pick up the detail when you get home :)
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South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Golden Bay ▷
Cobb River Campsite
Please think twice about attempting this drive in a campervan for just one night.
It took almost 2 hours to reach the campsite. We were so tired and disillusioned with the long gravel road drive that we could not appreciate the serenity of the area. It was extremely windy and cold, and the only highlight of the night was being able to light a campfire and BBQ in the open. Lots of mosquitoes (and sand flies) so ensure you take repellent. Two weeks on and we are still covered in red welts! Recommended if you are planning to stay for more than one night and enjoy walks and tramping. If not, I highly recommend looking for somewhere less remote because it just wasn't worth the drive for us, regretfully.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Akaroa ▷
Akaroa Dolphins
We had a great time using this company.
The boat is modern, funky and clean with various seating options. We sat upfront - be prepared to get wet on rocky days - but this was all part of the fun! Very informative throughout and we were also entertained on board by Buster the dolphin-hearing dog. We were given a complimentary drink on arrival (wine, beer or soft) and an enormously tasty home baked cookie during the cruise. A storm had just passed through Akaroa the day before, so we were advised the cruise would be rough (TIP: If you are prone to sea sickness, purchase some Sealegs tablets from the Akaroa pharmacy at least an hour before. Worked wonders for us and ensured we enjoyed the cruise, no matter how rough the sea was). Because of the weather conditions, the route was slightly limited but we still saw plenty of seals and geographical sights. We did catch a short and unexpected glimpse of a dolphin - they just didn't want to make a big appearance that day - which is apparently quite rare. We would definitely use this company again. Great value and excellent customer service and communication to ensure the cruise still went ahead safely, despite the lingering bad weather.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Punakaiki ▷
Pororari River Track Carpark
Freedom camping for self-contained vehicles only (small print on the car park sign confirms this below the NO CAMPING print!).
Overall, this was a decent little spot. Not too crowed for November (maybe half full) and reasonable walking distance to the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks up the road. We enjoyed a cold cider and beer in the pub across the road at the end of the night (also serves food inc pizzas). Access onto the river track is directly from the car park and not far to walk to the beach on the other side. Recommended for a free overnight stay close to Punakaiki shops/ cafés and the rocks. There are some sand flies later on and in the morning, so beware.