Rarangi Campsite
Blenheim area
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Rarangi Campsite
Camp next to the beach. Fish, walk, picnic, or simply sit and enjoy the roar of the waves.
Take in the beautiful Cloudy Bay area, great walking on the beach, not far from Blenheim.
Notices
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Monkey Bay Walk partial track closure
The track down to Monkey Bay beyond the lookout is closed due to storm damage. Please supervise children and do not go beyond the barrier. The track will not be open for the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
First published on 8 May 2025. Last reviewed on 20 November 2025.
DOC Campsite Pricing
Rarangi Campsite is categorised as a DOC Standard Campsite. The following pricing indicates usual pricing. Prices vary for some campsites and may include seasonal pricing. Visit the DOC website for exact pricing.
DOC Standard Campsite
Standard campsites have a more limited range of facilities and services than Serviced campsites. These campsites have toilets, a water supply that could be treated or untreated tap water, or from a stream or lake, and vehicle or boat access. Bring your own soap for washing hands. Untreated water should be boiled before use to ensure it's safe. Wood BBQs and fireplaces, cold showers, picnic tables, a cooking shelter and rubbish bins may be provided; this will vary from site to site.
| Feature | Value | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Unpowered Site | Adult | $10.00 to $15.00 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Child | $5.00 to $7.50 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Infant | $0.00 per night |
Adults are 18+ years, children are 5-17 years, infants are 0-4 years.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
|---|---|---|
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Organisation |
DOC MarlboroughCentral government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Blenheim |
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Categories |
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Operating Season And Hours |
All year. |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
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Websites |
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Basic Camping
Google Maps
Reviews
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$6pp.
dring -
Great spot, Parked up under the trees.
Jason Furness -
Really loved it here!
Katie -
The campsite itself is nice and simple.
Shauna Stueve -
Stayed for 2 nights on pretty rainy days.
Laura
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Rarangi Campsite is a lovely spot, we stayed one night and really enjoyed it.
The campsite has toilets, a cold shower, and sinks. There were a few joyriders making noise during the night, but after that it was very peaceful and quiet. We didn’t go to the beach as it was raining, but it looks like it would be a beautiful place to relax on a sunny day!
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Good little spot, we had to stay here since whites bay was shut off during the floods.
Clean toilets, and a shower if needed.
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Stayed for 2 nights on pretty rainy days.
Nice place, lot of space, decently clean wc. Direct access to beach. Very quiet at night.
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A great spot right on the beach.
There are gravel spots for vans or grass if not too wet. Be sure to check where to park for sun given the mountain behind. Price is $10 per adult. There is coverage here to allow you to do the right thing and book. There is a cold shower in the toilet block. A handy spot for a walk to Monkey Bay or Whites Bay. The drive to Whites Bay is windy but sealed. Beyond here to Picton is dirt and narrow.
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Beautiful and safe site, sea, beach, mountain.
A row of residential houses along the road.Toilets and cold showers are clean and well maintained. Great first freedom camping experience. Take you DOC.
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Nice site - easy to find, even at night (when we turned up).
Can't give full marks as didn't use facilities but was quiet even though surprisingly busy
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Looks nice and clean.
A woman told us to go 10min south to the river to wairau diversion reserve. Before the bridge go left,ignore the signs that forbid camping,because just a few meters further there are signs of freedom camping. GREAT freedom Camping area at the River.Toilets at the end of the road by the sea.nice view over river,sea and mountains
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Great little spot.
We pulled in late after getting off the ferry in Picton and it was easy to find. In March it was free. Cold showers and toilets very clean. Bit of an issue with inconsiderate people parking and taking up too much space so you might need to be a bit creative to find a spot
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Site is a mixture of gravel and grass with pine trees on the pebbly dunes of the pebbly beach.
Beach itself was pretty dumpy so no swimming or boogie boarding possible.
Cold shower was nice and toilets were clean. Not the prettiest site and no view to speak of
Very accessible
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Great location right on the water, nearby short walks.
Tidy area, clean toilets and a bonus (cold) shower. Well done DOC 10$pp what more could you want!
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Lovely place, directly at the beach, clean facilities, stunning area.
The only missing thing was an sitting area.
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We stayed here because the wairau diversion Reserve is now closed for all camping was a lovely place to stay tucked under large Cliffs beautiful beach amazing old stone staircase to climb, lookout at
the top to bay round the corner which was beautiful
nice clean toilets
water supply available for drinking
all in all a lovely stay
This doc camp as not on the doc website so you can't pay online there was a lady there in the morning taking the $10 per person per night tariff
On the way out back to State Highway 1 you will drive past the whites Bay doc camp looks very exposed but you could park close to the beach with a view of the beach this camp is $15 per person per night and you can pay online
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Great campsite, felt safe as a solo female traveller, handful of other vans here when I stayed in Winter 2022.
Beach just behind the trees so could hear the waves which was nice, very quiet spot in general. Clean toilets too. Much better than staying at any of the rather lacklustre holiday parks in Blenheim!
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Really nice spot next to scenic rugged beach (too rough for swimming but stunning scenery).
Lots of spaces, price was $8 per person to be paid by cash. Clean flushing toilets, sinks, and even a couple of cold showers. Would definitely stay here again, and easier access than going over the extremely long and windey gravel road to Robin Hood bay (which had no taps). Has walks to do nearby too. Also noticed fewer mosquitos here than at other sites which was a bonus
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Great place to stay for the night much nicer than other small doc campsites.
Lots of people staying there and lovely doc host. Good clean toilets. Beach was very rough when we went.
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Great spot, Parked up under the trees.
Pebble beach, cold showers and clean toilets. DOC host was lovely, told us about the glow worms and the pirate style cove around the corner, made the night stay even better. Nice and quiet, was a great first night in a DOC site
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It is what it is......
cold shower is somewhat of a nice touch next to the ocean. Peaceful, if you are on a budget then just stay here.
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Rarangi Campsite is a lovely spot, we stayed one night and really enjoyed it.
The campsite has toilets, a cold shower, and sinks. There were a few joyriders making noise during the night, but after that it was very peaceful and quiet. We didn’t go to the beach as it was raining, but it looks like it would be a beautiful place to relax on a sunny day!
-
Good little spot, we had to stay here since whites bay was shut off during the floods.
Clean toilets, and a shower if needed.
-
Stayed for 2 nights on pretty rainy days.
Nice place, lot of space, decently clean wc. Direct access to beach. Very quiet at night.
-
A great spot right on the beach.
There are gravel spots for vans or grass if not too wet. Be sure to check where to park for sun given the mountain behind. Price is $10 per adult. There is coverage here to allow you to do the right thing and book. There is a cold shower in the toilet block. A handy spot for a walk to Monkey Bay or Whites Bay. The drive to Whites Bay is windy but sealed. Beyond here to Picton is dirt and narrow.
-
Beautiful and safe site, sea, beach, mountain.
A row of residential houses along the road.Toilets and cold showers are clean and well maintained. Great first freedom camping experience. Take you DOC.
-
Nice site - easy to find, even at night (when we turned up).
Can't give full marks as didn't use facilities but was quiet even though surprisingly busy
-
Looks nice and clean.
A woman told us to go 10min south to the river to wairau diversion reserve. Before the bridge go left,ignore the signs that forbid camping,because just a few meters further there are signs of freedom camping. GREAT freedom Camping area at the River.Toilets at the end of the road by the sea.nice view over river,sea and mountains
-
Great little spot.
We pulled in late after getting off the ferry in Picton and it was easy to find. In March it was free. Cold showers and toilets very clean. Bit of an issue with inconsiderate people parking and taking up too much space so you might need to be a bit creative to find a spot
-
Site is a mixture of gravel and grass with pine trees on the pebbly dunes of the pebbly beach.
Beach itself was pretty dumpy so no swimming or boogie boarding possible.
Cold shower was nice and toilets were clean. Not the prettiest site and no view to speak of
Very accessible
-
Great location right on the water, nearby short walks.
Tidy area, clean toilets and a bonus (cold) shower. Well done DOC 10$pp what more could you want!
-
Lovely place, directly at the beach, clean facilities, stunning area.
The only missing thing was an sitting area.
-
We stayed here because the wairau diversion Reserve is now closed for all camping was a lovely place to stay tucked under large Cliffs beautiful beach amazing old stone staircase to climb, lookout at
the top to bay round the corner which was beautiful
nice clean toilets
water supply available for drinking
all in all a lovely stay
This doc camp as not on the doc website so you can't pay online there was a lady there in the morning taking the $10 per person per night tariff
On the way out back to State Highway 1 you will drive past the whites Bay doc camp looks very exposed but you could park close to the beach with a view of the beach this camp is $15 per person per night and you can pay online
-
Great campsite, felt safe as a solo female traveller, handful of other vans here when I stayed in Winter 2022.
Beach just behind the trees so could hear the waves which was nice, very quiet spot in general. Clean toilets too. Much better than staying at any of the rather lacklustre holiday parks in Blenheim!
-
Really nice spot next to scenic rugged beach (too rough for swimming but stunning scenery).
Lots of spaces, price was $8 per person to be paid by cash. Clean flushing toilets, sinks, and even a couple of cold showers. Would definitely stay here again, and easier access than going over the extremely long and windey gravel road to Robin Hood bay (which had no taps). Has walks to do nearby too. Also noticed fewer mosquitos here than at other sites which was a bonus
-
Great place to stay for the night much nicer than other small doc campsites.
Lots of people staying there and lovely doc host. Good clean toilets. Beach was very rough when we went.
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Great spot, Parked up under the trees.
Pebble beach, cold showers and clean toilets. DOC host was lovely, told us about the glow worms and the pirate style cove around the corner, made the night stay even better. Nice and quiet, was a great first night in a DOC site
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Very good place !
It’s 8$ pp.
You have toilet, water and cold shower. It’s clean.
Behind the Doc you have a beach with black sand. And they are wormcave and a view point.
Ranger is very nice.
Be careful there are few sandflies and mostiquos.
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February - We had a great one-night stay, although very windy.
When we arrived, a volunteer from DOC came by to inform us about the place and explain a lot of walks and caves with glow worms near the area. Amazing!
The campsite is right next to a beautiful, long beach with dark sand. Sunrise over the sea and sunset over the mountains. We enjoyed!
The facilites were great, clean flush toilets, cold shower (not the worst I've had) and sinks. A lot of campers when we were here, both tents, campervans and motorhomes. Easy access and worth the money. We had a Conservation Campsite Pass.
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Very nice campsite close to Picton.
Good and clean facilities (toilets - we didn't use the shower).
Lovely DOC manager who recommended to us to enjoy 'free' glowworme caves next to the campsite and to enjoy sunrise on the beach early in the morning.