Pohowera (South Bay), Kaikoura
Overnight Campervan Parking
7 Rankers Reviews
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Information
Pohowera (South Bay), Kaikoura
Camping for free in a certified self-contained vehicle
Pohowera (South Bay)
- Camping for free in a certified self-contained vehicle is allowed for a maximum of 1 night in
any four week period.
- Vehicles must park within defined spaces.
- One vehicle per space.
- All personal effects must be kept within the vehicle.
- Maximum 15 vehicles.
Closed 15 August to end of February the following year to protect the nesting banded dotterel/Pohowera
threatened species.)
New Zealand’s Banded Dotterel (Pohowera) nest on this beach and they need your help! Pohowera are as endangered as Kiwi. Their numbers have reduced by 60% in the last 5 years and they are disappearing from many sites across NZ.
Pohowera are ground nesting and their nests are very hard to spot so please, stay on tracks, do not light fires on the beach and keep any dogs on leads
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
Kaikoura District CouncilCouncil organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Kaikoura Region ▷ Kaikoura |
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Categories |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Freedom Camping
Nearby
Reviews
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4.5/5
Nice large beachside campsite.
No water No toilet. A bit noise from motorway in night but it's ok. It's shame to see someone left a few bags of rubbish somewhere around the bushes.
J![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(85,182,55)" /><path d="m 150 550 Q 129 171 -250 150 Q 129 129 150 -250 Q 171 129 550 150 Q 171 171 150 550 z" fill="rgb(181,39,135)" /><path d="m 150 410 Q 147 153 -110 150 Q 147 147 150 -110 Q 153 147 410 150 Q 153 153 150 410 z" fill="rgb(74,216,120)" /><path d="m 150 132 Q 99 201 168 150 Q 99 99 150 168 Q 201 99 132 150 Q 201 201 150 132 z" fill="rgb(170,73,200)" /></svg>)
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2.5/5
A great place for a few nights, if you arrive late its Probably full.
If it looks full don't drive in as getting out will not be easy and there is no reason to wake the entire campsite. The signs tell you the rules , if you don't understand , you should go somewhere else.
R![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(53,245,72)" /><path d="m 150 549 Q 167 133 -249 150 Q 167 167 150 -249 Q 133 167 549 150 Q 133 133 150 549 z" fill="rgb(218,247,13)" /><path d="m 150 322 Q 244 56 -22 150 Q 244 244 150 -22 Q 56 244 322 150 Q 56 56 150 322 z" fill="rgb(37,8,242)" /><path d="m 150 227 Q 92 208 73 150 Q 92 92 150 73 Q 208 92 227 150 Q 208 208 150 227 z" fill="rgb(202,10,183)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
Wow! Maybe the most beautiful free campsite so far.
Amazing view, clean toilet and nice people. Thank you New Zealand! :)
A![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(205,169,192)" /><path d="m 150 680 Q 172 128 -380 150 Q 172 172 150 -380 Q 128 172 680 150 Q 128 128 150 680 z" fill="rgb(197,121,141)" /><path d="m 150 309 Q 55 245 -9 150 Q 55 55 150 -9 Q 245 55 309 150 Q 245 245 150 309 z" fill="rgb(58,134,114)" /><path d="m 150 161 Q 63 237 139 150 Q 63 63 150 139 Q 237 63 161 150 Q 237 237 150 161 z" fill="rgb(50,86,63)" /></svg>)
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4.5/5
The site was great but definitely overcrowded.
There’s only three toilets, which is great for the limits set by the campsite (20 vehicles), but there were over 70 cars parked by the end of the night. We got there around 2-3pm and there was plenty of room, we went for a walk and came back around 6-7 and there were tons of cars! This made the toilets a bit smelly and we had to queue up for them in the morning. However, being a free site, can’t complain. Beautiful ocean views and a good 30 min walk into town. Easy access to the Peninsula walk and a great little food truck (Kaikoura Cheeky Lobster Sea View Food Trailer) with cheap and delicious dumplings and amazing crepes. Not a bad stop at all :)
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3.5/5
Busy campsite so get there early and don't get stuck in the sand in the lower section.
Portable toilets which were fine, as you'd expect. Beautiful sunset and a good location.
RM![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(108,32,118)" /><path d="m 150 629 Q 185 115 -329 150 Q 185 185 150 -329 Q 115 185 629 150 Q 115 115 150 629 z" fill="rgb(13,66,109)" /><path d="m 150 517 Q 57 243 -217 150 Q 57 57 150 -217 Q 243 57 517 150 Q 243 243 150 517 z" fill="rgb(242,189,146)" /><path d="m 150 249 Q 190 110 51 150 Q 190 190 150 51 Q 110 190 249 150 Q 110 110 150 249 z" fill="rgb(147,223,137)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(123,5,43)" /><path d="m 150 628 Q 125 175 -328 150 Q 125 125 150 -328 Q 175 125 628 150 Q 175 175 150 628 z" fill="rgb(66,241,120)" /><path d="m 150 471 Q 236 64 -171 150 Q 236 236 150 -171 Q 64 236 471 150 Q 64 64 150 471 z" fill="rgb(189,14,135)" /><path d="m 150 146 Q 233 67 154 150 Q 233 233 150 154 Q 67 233 146 150 Q 67 67 150 146 z" fill="rgb(132,250,212)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(127,157,170)" /><path d="m 150 611 Q 244 56 -311 150 Q 244 244 150 -311 Q 56 244 611 150 Q 56 56 150 611 z" fill="rgb(116,54,246)" /><path d="m 150 400 Q 165 135 -100 150 Q 165 165 150 -100 Q 135 165 400 150 Q 135 135 150 400 z" fill="rgb(139,201,9)" /><path d="m 150 305 Q 189 111 -5 150 Q 189 189 150 -5 Q 111 189 305 150 Q 111 111 150 305 z" fill="rgb(128,98,85)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
If it’s open during your stay, go there!
One of the best sites we stayed at!! Such a beautiful view and the sunset is amazing on a sunny day. There’s a ranger coming around in the evening to make sure all is in order and everyone follows the rules. Really nice guy. There’s marked spots for each vehicle at the top of the parking lot, so only camp there. The ranger confirmed it’s possible to stay 2 nights.
M![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(118,130,146)" /><path d="m 150 687 Q 215 85 -387 150 Q 215 215 150 -387 Q 85 215 687 150 Q 85 85 150 687 z" fill="rgb(169,119,83)" /><path d="m 150 453 Q 189 111 -153 150 Q 189 189 150 -153 Q 111 189 453 150 Q 111 111 150 453 z" fill="rgb(86,136,172)" /><path d="m 150 278 Q 271 29 22 150 Q 271 271 150 22 Q 29 271 278 150 Q 29 29 150 278 z" fill="rgb(137,125,109)" /></svg>)
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4.5/5
Nice large beachside campsite.
No water No toilet. A bit noise from motorway in night but it's ok. It's shame to see someone left a few bags of rubbish somewhere around the bushes.
J -
2.5/5
A great place for a few nights, if you arrive late its Probably full.
If it looks full don't drive in as getting out will not be easy and there is no reason to wake the entire campsite. The signs tell you the rules , if you don't understand , you should go somewhere else.
R -
5.0/5
Wow! Maybe the most beautiful free campsite so far.
Amazing view, clean toilet and nice people. Thank you New Zealand! :)
A -
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4.5/5
The site was great but definitely overcrowded.
There’s only three toilets, which is great for the limits set by the campsite (20 vehicles), but there were over 70 cars parked by the end of the night. We got there around 2-3pm and there was plenty of room, we went for a walk and came back around 6-7 and there were tons of cars! This made the toilets a bit smelly and we had to queue up for them in the morning. However, being a free site, can’t complain. Beautiful ocean views and a good 30 min walk into town. Easy access to the Peninsula walk and a great little food truck (Kaikoura Cheeky Lobster Sea View Food Trailer) with cheap and delicious dumplings and amazing crepes. Not a bad stop at all :)
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3.5/5
Busy campsite so get there early and don't get stuck in the sand in the lower section.
Portable toilets which were fine, as you'd expect. Beautiful sunset and a good location.
RM