Camping Grounds

The Camping Is As Good As The Scenery Here

The Nelson Region is genuinely great campervan territory. You've got everything from beachside holiday parks to basic DOC sites deep inside Abel Tasman National Park, and the range means you can pitch pretty much wherever your day takes you. My pick for location is the Collingwood Holiday Park up in Golden Bay - spotless facilities, waterfront setting, and the kind of place you end up staying an extra night without meaning to. The Wharariki Beach Holiday Park has the location going for it too, but service can be a bit hit and miss, so Collingwood is the safer bet.

Inside the Park Is a Different Story

If you're doing Abel Tasman properly, the DOC campsites along the coast track are the real deal. Totaranui Campground is as bling as DOC gets and a great base for the northern end of the park. Quieter options like Mutton Cove and Anapai Bay are harder to get to, which is exactly why they're worth it. Just note the peak season window - Dec 27 to Jan 20 is very busy, and even the campgrounds feel it. Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve is the main holiday park hub for Abel Tasman access and it's well set up, but I'd aim for shoulder season if crowds aren't your thing.

For something a bit different on the way in or out, the Pelorus Bridge campground is a genuinely beautiful riverside spot among big kahikatea trees - brilliant at most times of year, just avoid it in the peak holiday rush. And if you want something quieter with a coastal feel, Cable Bay Holiday Park is run by a local who deliberately keeps it low-key. You'll get a genuine experience there, not a processed one.