Basic Facility Camping

The Peninsula is the Pick

Camping out on the Kaikoura Peninsula is genuinely hard to beat. Beachfront spots with the Seaward Kaikoura Range behind you and the Pacific in front. It's one of those setups where you wake up and just feel pretty good about life.

Free vs Paid

The free spot at Jimmy Armers is great but it fills up fast, especially in summer. My pick if you want a more reliable option is The Pier Hotel, which has heaps of space and charges per vehicle regardless of how many people are in the camper. Good value, and the pub does decent seafood including crayfish if you want to eat well after you've set up.