Camping Grounds

Beachfront or Bust

Kaikoura camping is really about one thing: location. The spots out on the peninsula are the ones to aim for. Jimmy Armers Beach is the free self-contained option and it's a cracker right on the water, but only six spots and it fills up fast. The Pier Hotel is the reliable backup, flat rate per vehicle, good views, and you can get a crayfish and a beer while you're at it. That combo is hard to argue with.

If You Want the Full Facility Setup

If you need power, hot showers and the whole thing, Alpine Pacific Holiday Park is the pick in town. Solid spot with a good reputation. The advice though is not to just plant yourself there for the day. The holiday park is inland and doesn't have the views. Get out to the peninsula, do the wildlife stuff, then drift back when you need to. Up the road at Kekerengu, The Store is worth knowing about too, basic camping right on the coast with that raw back-to-nature feel people come to this region for.

If you're parking up for the wildlife, the whale watching, dolphin swims, and seal kayaking are all right there. A few of those experiences have promo code RANKERS for 10% off, which is a nice little win when you're already spending a couple of days here doing all the things.