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Waikanae River Mouth. Top freedom camping!
zoomStay near a river estuary, with beach and river walk options. Overnight parking for up to 4 self contained campervans that can stay a maximum 1 night at the end of Tutere Street, Waikanae Beach
Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
Kapiti Coast District CouncilCouncil organisation |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Wellington Region ▷ Waikanae |
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Categories |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Feature | Value | Info |
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Overnight Camping Site Cost |
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Overnight Camping Site CostWhat is the approximate per-person cost to camp or park your vehicle overnight? ![]() Free Camping It costs nothing to stay overnight. In general this means that you should not expect any facilities. |
Overnight Stay Rules |
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Overnight Stay RulesWhat are the accommodation rules for overnight stays at this campsite? ![]() Self-contained motorhomes only Overnight stays are only permitted if your vehicle is certified as being 'self-contained'. The vehicle must display the "Responsible Camper" sticker. |
Maximum Stay Duration |
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Maximum Stay DurationHow many consecutive days can you stay overnight at this establishment? 1 night You are permitted to stay only one night here in a row. |
Maximum Sites Available |
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Maximum Sites AvailableHow many camping or parking sites are available for staying overnight in? Up to 5 sites There are only between one and five camping/parking sites available. 4 sites available each night |
Booking Required |
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Booking RequiredIs it necessary to book a campsite in advance in order to stay overnight? First Come, First Served Sites are allocated in a first come, first served basis. Get in early for the best spot. |
Dogs |
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DogsDoes this establishment allow dogs? ![]() Dogs allowed The location allows dogs. There may be conditions that may be met eg. dogs must be on a leash. Dogs must be on a leash at all times. |
✓ Beautiful sunset views
✓ Clean and convenient toilets
✓ Close to Wellington
✓ Near bird sanctuary and beach
✓ Easy drive to ferry
𐄂 Noise from teenagers and motorbikes
𐄂 Odd behavior from locals
Loved this campsite!
Nice view with toilets, only 4 spots
Lovely camp spot with a clean toilet.
Nice spot, felt very safe.
One of the best free campsite we had.
Rating | Count | Percentage | |
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10/10 | 9 |
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30% |
9/10 | 8 |
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27% |
8/10 | 8 |
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27% |
7/10 | 3 |
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10% |
6/10 | 0 |
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0% |
5/10 | 1 |
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3% |
4/10 | 0 |
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0% |
3/10 | 0 |
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0% |
2/10 | 0 |
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0% |
1/10 | 1 |
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3% |
4.0/5
Lovely clean public toilet facilities, was really quiet the night we stayed.
Beautiful view of the sunset over Kapiti island and the estuary :)
Reviewed 7 months ago
0.5/5
Truly awful experience unfortunately.
Seemed so highly reviewed however the teenagers drinking until after 12, their choice of music blasted from the beach, the groups of couples in cars all arriving at the same time and behaving very oddly, the motorbikes doing laps of the camp between 2-5am shouting, flashing their lights and genuinely beeping their horns, and the absolute influx of fisherman arriving at 5:30 meant it didn’t exactly live up to expectations. We felt incredibly unsafe early hours as we were being lapped by lads on motorbikes screaming and shouting. Sounds like a lovely spot in the summer but would avoid off season.
Reviewed over 1 year ago
2.5/5
Seemed very well reviewed, we were the only ones here and arrived at about 1900.
Soon after a group of cars with couples in started coming and going... Not long after that large groups of teenagers were coming in and out round the van with mopeds making us feel very uncomfortable. Clearly a locals haunt, wouldn't camp here again on our own.
Reviewed over 1 year ago
5.0/5
Loved this campsite!
It's a small one with online 4 spaces. Even in winter three out of four spots were taken. Overnight camping only at designated spots, they do check. The toilet is closeby (left hand side as you leave the parking) and very clean and convenient. Take a walk around the beach and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Reviewed over 1 year ago
5.0/5
Small (only 5 places) but beautifull spot near a bird sanctuary and the beach.
Only 45 minutes to Wellington. Great to get a goodnight rest if you need to catch a late night ferry. You can only stay one night, would have liked to stay longer.
Reviewed about 2 years ago
5.0/5
Nice scenery, perfect spot to see the most beautiful sunset!
Talking toilet with music was hilarious.
Reviewed about 2 years ago
4.5/5
Very nice spot to stay for a night next to the beach and a great view of Kapiti Island.
Toilet is the one with the music and auto lock, and was cleaned in the morning. Nice toilet however abused by one of the other campers who stayed there. It was open 24hours during our stay. Local construction workers tend to use the toilet also. Only 4 spots and those were filled around 17.00h. during the evening there was some traffic, not sure what they were doing. Didn't feel unsafe.
Reviewed over 2 years ago and experienced in November 2022
5.0/5
Lovely camp spot with a clean toilet.
Toilet only open daylight hours. 2 minute walk to the beach.
Reviewed over 2 years ago
4.5/5
Great spot.
Very clean toilet. We got the ferry next morning & was an easy drive to there. Felt safe.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in May 2021
4.0/5
Beautiful location with lovely local walks.
Can get busy with locals visiting and fishing. All four spaces were taken. We got our space at 4pm with the last remaining taken much later.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2020
4.5/5
Nice spot near the estuary with plenty of birds to observe and great for fishing.
One modern toilet with jazz music! Walk around on the beach and see Kapiti island in the background.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in October 2020
5.0/5
Nice spot, felt very safe.
Modern toilet. Space for 4 campers. I arrived around 7PM mid-February 2020 and there was one space available.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2020
4.5/5
Nice view with toilets, only 4 spots
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2019
5.0/5
One of the best free campsite we had.
Got there around 3pm. Apart from some visiters (kite surfers, dogs) we were the only one staying over night. Toilet closes before 12 pm, but it's very clean and big.
Walks along the beach& sunset.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2019
4.0/5
Lovely place to stay and you are on the coast so there will be wind.
We really enjoyed our free stay but we abide by the rules. Our only objection is that so called self contained small vans park 3 vans in two spaces and no one checks. It needs to be policed continuously. 9.12.18
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in December 2018
5.0/5
Brilliant campsite in the reserve, though very exposed and windy.
Loads of kite surfers. Very clean toilets - that even speak to you and play music when the door is locked. No showers. A playground about 1.2km walk down the road. If you love driftwood, this is the place for you.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2018
4.0/5
We stayed in December, lovely spot in the nature reserve near the beach.
Respect the 4 camper only rule please, security do come & check. Lovely beach full of driftwood. We would of loved to stay 2 nights, but 1 night is the max. Nice & quiet.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2017
4.0/5
Lovely clean public toilet facilities, was really quiet the night we stayed.
Beautiful view of the sunset over Kapiti island and the estuary :)
Reviewed 7 months ago
0.5/5
Truly awful experience unfortunately.
Seemed so highly reviewed however the teenagers drinking until after 12, their choice of music blasted from the beach, the groups of couples in cars all arriving at the same time and behaving very oddly, the motorbikes doing laps of the camp between 2-5am shouting, flashing their lights and genuinely beeping their horns, and the absolute influx of fisherman arriving at 5:30 meant it didn’t exactly live up to expectations. We felt incredibly unsafe early hours as we were being lapped by lads on motorbikes screaming and shouting. Sounds like a lovely spot in the summer but would avoid off season.
Reviewed over 1 year ago
2.5/5
Seemed very well reviewed, we were the only ones here and arrived at about 1900.
Soon after a group of cars with couples in started coming and going... Not long after that large groups of teenagers were coming in and out round the van with mopeds making us feel very uncomfortable. Clearly a locals haunt, wouldn't camp here again on our own.
Reviewed over 1 year ago
5.0/5
Loved this campsite!
It's a small one with online 4 spaces. Even in winter three out of four spots were taken. Overnight camping only at designated spots, they do check. The toilet is closeby (left hand side as you leave the parking) and very clean and convenient. Take a walk around the beach and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Reviewed over 1 year ago
5.0/5
Small (only 5 places) but beautifull spot near a bird sanctuary and the beach.
Only 45 minutes to Wellington. Great to get a goodnight rest if you need to catch a late night ferry. You can only stay one night, would have liked to stay longer.
Reviewed about 2 years ago
5.0/5
Nice scenery, perfect spot to see the most beautiful sunset!
Talking toilet with music was hilarious.
Reviewed about 2 years ago
4.5/5
Very nice spot to stay for a night next to the beach and a great view of Kapiti Island.
Toilet is the one with the music and auto lock, and was cleaned in the morning. Nice toilet however abused by one of the other campers who stayed there. It was open 24hours during our stay. Local construction workers tend to use the toilet also. Only 4 spots and those were filled around 17.00h. during the evening there was some traffic, not sure what they were doing. Didn't feel unsafe.
Reviewed over 2 years ago and experienced in November 2022
5.0/5
Lovely camp spot with a clean toilet.
Toilet only open daylight hours. 2 minute walk to the beach.
Reviewed over 2 years ago
4.5/5
Great spot.
Very clean toilet. We got the ferry next morning & was an easy drive to there. Felt safe.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in May 2021
4.0/5
Beautiful location with lovely local walks.
Can get busy with locals visiting and fishing. All four spaces were taken. We got our space at 4pm with the last remaining taken much later.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2020
4.5/5
Nice spot near the estuary with plenty of birds to observe and great for fishing.
One modern toilet with jazz music! Walk around on the beach and see Kapiti island in the background.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in October 2020
5.0/5
Nice spot, felt very safe.
Modern toilet. Space for 4 campers. I arrived around 7PM mid-February 2020 and there was one space available.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2020
4.5/5
Nice view with toilets, only 4 spots
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2019
5.0/5
One of the best free campsite we had.
Got there around 3pm. Apart from some visiters (kite surfers, dogs) we were the only one staying over night. Toilet closes before 12 pm, but it's very clean and big.
Walks along the beach& sunset.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2019
4.0/5
Lovely place to stay and you are on the coast so there will be wind.
We really enjoyed our free stay but we abide by the rules. Our only objection is that so called self contained small vans park 3 vans in two spaces and no one checks. It needs to be policed continuously. 9.12.18
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in December 2018
5.0/5
Brilliant campsite in the reserve, though very exposed and windy.
Loads of kite surfers. Very clean toilets - that even speak to you and play music when the door is locked. No showers. A playground about 1.2km walk down the road. If you love driftwood, this is the place for you.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2018
4.0/5
We stayed in December, lovely spot in the nature reserve near the beach.
Respect the 4 camper only rule please, security do come & check. Lovely beach full of driftwood. We would of loved to stay 2 nights, but 1 night is the max. Nice & quiet.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2017
4.5/5
Well located campsite with a clean flush toilet nearby.
However, we were exposed to extreme wind during our stay so check the weather before coming.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in December 2016
4.5/5
Well located free campsite with walk along the beach and good views.
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2016
4.5/5
Calm and directly by the river.
Very nice spot to stay. Someone came by and wrote down our register number (only stay for one night). Clean toilet with music. Funny!
Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2016