Papatowai Campsite
Catlins coastal area
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Papatowai Campsite
This is a standard campsite in the Coastal Otago area on the Catlins coast is nestled in the bush. It has easy access to the beautiful beach and estuary at Papatowai, and there are short walks nearby.
This campsite at Papatowai on the Catlins coast is nestled in the bush. It has easy access to the beautiful beach and estuary, and there are short walks nearby.
DOC Campsite Pricing
Papatowai 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 |
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| 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 |
Dunedin DOC Visitor CentreLocal government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Southland ▷ Papatowai |
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Categories |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
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Websites |
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Basic Camping
Reviews
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5.0/5
Great spot super close to the beach.
We tent camped here during a very stormy night and found that there was some surprisingly good bush to protect from the wind. The sights are mostly grass and despite arriving late we were able to find a nice private spot to pitch our tent. Also has a cook shelter, water that needs boiling, and toilets. The convenience store and restaurant at the entrance to the campsite was amazing
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4.0/5
Great little place.
Clean basic kitchen for washing up dishes. No cooking facility. Easy access to estuary. Peaceful.
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5.0/5
After being at Purakaunui Bay for a few nights we headed 20 minutes south to Papatowai.
The campground is fabulous. Really nice little pockets of level, sheltered ground. We pick a corner site so our doggies wouldn’t go mental when people walked past. The easy stroll to the estuary and out to the ocean was fantastic. The toilet/kitchen block was clean. A bonus having a store and food truck onsite. Have to be my new fav place for the moment.
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5.0/5
Has the best Longdrop loo ever!!
I know! But it’s great. Worth a visit just for that experience!
Also lovely quiet site in a great estuary setting.
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5.0/5
Amazing spot.
Plenty of room to camp and flushable toilets and an indoor cooking area. The river is right next to you and at low/mid tide the ocean beach is accessible. Listen for sea lions!
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5.0/5
Real nice clean camping with flush toilets and nice grassy spots to set up a tent.
It is quite small and seemed very popular so be on time. We got one of the last available spots arriving at 6pm. Great base for discovering the Catlins area. Gas pump up front if your low on gas and even a campsite store that has everything you might need. 10/10 would recommend staying here.
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5.0/5
Fabulous spot elephant seals lolloung about and stunning calm even rolling waves when i was there.
Clean longdrop toilet
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5.0/5
Clean campsite with toilets / cooking space.
Access to estuary and beach from the campsite very much enjoyed. There is a corner store at the entrance to the campsite - a rare sight in the Catlins area. (Wasn't open in sep.22 off season)
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2.5/5
Not the place to go for a quiet New Years.
Packed in like sardines, very unpleasant for a solo female traveler. Heaps of out of control uni students. Fireworks going off right next to my camper for two hours. Obviously a free for all, do as you like site. If everyone had paid, DOC would have done well but I find it hard to believe they allow fireworks at their sites.
Beautiful surroundings and beach.
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5.0/5
This is a fantastic basic campsite with flushing loos and a kitchen area plus shelter for BYO BBQ.
All were cleaned daily by friendly DOC staff. We had a flat site with trees surrounding that gave some privacy and shelter from the wind. There is no potable water so come prepared. Payment options include online or cash onsite at the registration booth.
Don't come thinking you can buy supplies as it's not currently open and the owner indicated she isn't planning on reopening it in the immediate future. However, you can by fuel using card facility.
Highly recommend a visit to the lost gypsy and coffee cart which are a short walk away as well as the estuary and beach/forest walks.
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4.0/5
Great stop off on way through Catlin's.
The campsite has good amenities for a DOC site (proper flushing toilets etc) including a kitchen space and a few benches around the grounds. The local village has a few stores and cafe which are normally open during peak periods.
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5.0/5
Nice and quiet site, out the way.
Was there at start of season, with a few people just arriving to settle for a few days, but with the space available everyone was very spread out. Good basic facilities, toilets and indoor seating area.
Nice beach to walk along, with track directly down from campsite. Had fun wandering through village spotting all the home made postboxes.
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5.0/5
Great spot super close to the beach.
We tent camped here during a very stormy night and found that there was some surprisingly good bush to protect from the wind. The sights are mostly grass and despite arriving late we were able to find a nice private spot to pitch our tent. Also has a cook shelter, water that needs boiling, and toilets. The convenience store and restaurant at the entrance to the campsite was amazing
-
4.0/5
Great little place.
Clean basic kitchen for washing up dishes. No cooking facility. Easy access to estuary. Peaceful.
-
5.0/5
After being at Purakaunui Bay for a few nights we headed 20 minutes south to Papatowai.
The campground is fabulous. Really nice little pockets of level, sheltered ground. We pick a corner site so our doggies wouldn’t go mental when people walked past. The easy stroll to the estuary and out to the ocean was fantastic. The toilet/kitchen block was clean. A bonus having a store and food truck onsite. Have to be my new fav place for the moment.
-
5.0/5
Has the best Longdrop loo ever!!
I know! But it’s great. Worth a visit just for that experience!
Also lovely quiet site in a great estuary setting.
-
5.0/5
Amazing spot.
Plenty of room to camp and flushable toilets and an indoor cooking area. The river is right next to you and at low/mid tide the ocean beach is accessible. Listen for sea lions!
-
5.0/5
Real nice clean camping with flush toilets and nice grassy spots to set up a tent.
It is quite small and seemed very popular so be on time. We got one of the last available spots arriving at 6pm. Great base for discovering the Catlins area. Gas pump up front if your low on gas and even a campsite store that has everything you might need. 10/10 would recommend staying here.
-
5.0/5
Fabulous spot elephant seals lolloung about and stunning calm even rolling waves when i was there.
Clean longdrop toilet
-
5.0/5
Clean campsite with toilets / cooking space.
Access to estuary and beach from the campsite very much enjoyed. There is a corner store at the entrance to the campsite - a rare sight in the Catlins area. (Wasn't open in sep.22 off season)
-
2.5/5
Not the place to go for a quiet New Years.
Packed in like sardines, very unpleasant for a solo female traveler. Heaps of out of control uni students. Fireworks going off right next to my camper for two hours. Obviously a free for all, do as you like site. If everyone had paid, DOC would have done well but I find it hard to believe they allow fireworks at their sites.
Beautiful surroundings and beach.
-
5.0/5
This is a fantastic basic campsite with flushing loos and a kitchen area plus shelter for BYO BBQ.
All were cleaned daily by friendly DOC staff. We had a flat site with trees surrounding that gave some privacy and shelter from the wind. There is no potable water so come prepared. Payment options include online or cash onsite at the registration booth.
Don't come thinking you can buy supplies as it's not currently open and the owner indicated she isn't planning on reopening it in the immediate future. However, you can by fuel using card facility.
Highly recommend a visit to the lost gypsy and coffee cart which are a short walk away as well as the estuary and beach/forest walks.
-
4.0/5
Great stop off on way through Catlin's.
The campsite has good amenities for a DOC site (proper flushing toilets etc) including a kitchen space and a few benches around the grounds. The local village has a few stores and cafe which are normally open during peak periods.
-
5.0/5
Nice and quiet site, out the way.
Was there at start of season, with a few people just arriving to settle for a few days, but with the space available everyone was very spread out. Good basic facilities, toilets and indoor seating area.
Nice beach to walk along, with track directly down from campsite. Had fun wandering through village spotting all the home made postboxes.
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4.5/5
Lovely, green grassy spot.
Plenty of spaces but some sloping sites - finding a flat spot would be difficult in busy periods. We were there in shoulder season so it was only us and about 3 others! Facilities pretty old but clean. General store and fuel at entrance and short walks to beach nearby.
Only $8 per person - can’t complain!
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5.0/5
one of the best doc sites we have eher seen.
lot of space and really good facilities. a cooking shelter ja available. 8$ per person is ok and much better than the scenic docs without everything
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5.0/5
Reasonably priced campsite, $8 per person, plenty of flush toilets, you can disregard the previous comment about being pit toilets.
Running water with nice roomy washing up facilities. Nice, green, grassy spots. Not too many lights.
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5.0/5
Great site with epic beaches views and the best smelling drop toilet I might have ever encountered.
Only downside were all the people who showed up late with their blinding headlights and then left without paying. Shame on them. If you want to enjoy a nice beach with nice toilets please pay the measly $8.
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5.0/5
Beautiful campsite with walking access to the beach at during low tide, good fishing out off the rocks at the southern end off the beach, running water an flushing toilets, kitchen with benches, tables
an chairs inside on out, camp site is well sheltered for tents. and it's pet friendly which is great.handy little shop out the front on road which also has petrol an diesel on pumps 24/7 bank card access been here many times and plan to stay again.
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4.0/5
Good - easy to find , a lot room, the camp provides a kitchen area and good toilets.
It is conveniently located next to a general store.
Bad - I didn't have signal in my phone. Plenty of campsites even late in the day.
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4.0/5
Nice spot for camping, $10 a night for me and my tent.
There is some nice bush and soft grass to find a pleasant spot to camp in. The facilities are basic, but clean.
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4.0/5
Lovely open grassey campground surrounded by Forrest, with clean toilet facilities.
Bring cash to leave your DOC campground fees in the box at the entrance to park. Approx. $8 per person per night.
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3.5/5
Perfect place for one or two nights.
The sites can be a little boggy after rain, has a camp style kitchen connected to toilet block. Easy to find as it is in front of a shop/petrol station.
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4.5/5
Nice sheltered DOC site with an enclosed kitchen and flushing toilets and plenty of benches.
More than I was expecting. $8 per adult.
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4.0/5
Big open campsite on the grass.
Bit wet underfoot when raining. Good facilities. Easy walk down to estuary and beach. Sandflies a little troublesome...
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3.5/5
Good doc campsite, lot of space.
Flushing toilets, kitchen area with basics. No views from the campsite, but you can walk to the beach. The Lost Gipsy Gallery is just across the road and definately worth while visiting!
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4.5/5
Large grassy area, very friendly people in the camp, flashing toilet with a kitchen area and picnic tables!
Would definitely go back.
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4.5/5
May 2016 - Very nice area, close to estuary & walks.
Clean flushing toilets. Quiet when we were there in May 2016 in our motorhome. Some of the grassy plots could get a tad boggy though when wet. However, we found nice level, protected gravel plot right beside where you pay your camp fee, near the entrance.
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3.5/5
DOC site $6 pp.
For that you get a toilet and camp kitchen with only sinks. Nice sheltered wet grass sites. Catlins not worth the drive except for a few nice walks and the petrified forest at Curio Bay. Interesting museum just before Curio Bay.
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3.5/5
Good grassy area, but no view.
There are trees and you can choose your desired level of sun/shade and privacy. The toilets are clean, there aren't any showers, and there is tap water. No soap, but they do have toilet paper. The kitchen has sinks, tables, chairs. You need your own gas cooker. $6 per person per night.
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4.0/5
This campsite has a bathroom with flush toilets and a 'kitchen' with taps, which is nice!
But no nice views and a lot of bugs!! It was very quiet, so we could sleep well.
