Waipu Caves
Overnight Campervan Parking
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Waipu Caves
One night maximum.
You must park in the designated site that is indicated by signage.
If the site is full, you must move on.
Details
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Organisation |
Whangarei District CouncilCouncil organisation |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Northland ▷ Whangarei |
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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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3.5/5
It's a pretty bad road to the campsite, the toilet was ok, no drinkig water.
The entrance of the cave is very close. It's worth to go there
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2.5/5
Barely no network in this place!
The toilets were dirty. No drinking water and the shower was not working. It was also quite cold and wet. But there is a lot of space to park and you cannot be closer to the Waipu caves.
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3.0/5
Not very big, so risk of it being full.
Small gravel road to reach it. Very dirty toilets during our visit. Big positive point: 2 minutes walk from the entrance to a very beautiful free and accessible cave filled with glow worms! In the middle of nature so very calm
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4.0/5
We stayed here for one night and 5/6 campervans were already there.
Nice spot to enjoy Waipu Caves at night.
Toilets on site.
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4.0/5
Les toilettes n'étaient pas très propres mais étaient proches Fait le job pour une nuit :)
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5.0/5
and locals seeing their own backyard again.
Lovely spot
Great to see tourists back in NZ
Road in is a typical gravel road
Clean functional toilets and clean site
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5.0/5
Awesome stay here!
The gravel road to get there was a bit rough on our van but other then that it was a lovely stay! There was about 9 other camper vans but still plenty more space, public starting arriving around 10am the next day. Toilets were clean and outdoor shower was working. Glow worms were incredible!
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4.5/5
Great free spot right beside awesome caves with glow worms at night time!
Heaps of shade provided by tree too. Plenty of space to park up and the toilets were very clean with TP, soap and lights at night time.
Only down side is the road to Waipu Cave is unsealed and very bumpy for about 5km, someone drove in on a flat tyre while we were there!
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4.5/5
Great experience through these caves!
Nice spot to camp also! A few others were also there, definitely recommend. Tidy bathrooms.
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3.5/5
Beautiful abd quiet, but 2 bathroom stalls are out of order.
Fun to wake up and explore!
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3.5/5
It's a pretty bad road to the campsite, the toilet was ok, no drinkig water.
The entrance of the cave is very close. It's worth to go there
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2.5/5
Barely no network in this place!
The toilets were dirty. No drinking water and the shower was not working. It was also quite cold and wet. But there is a lot of space to park and you cannot be closer to the Waipu caves.
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3.0/5
Not very big, so risk of it being full.
Small gravel road to reach it. Very dirty toilets during our visit. Big positive point: 2 minutes walk from the entrance to a very beautiful free and accessible cave filled with glow worms! In the middle of nature so very calm
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3.0/5
Nice camping spot big field for tent's but with long grass flushable toilets not close to any towns and no service the glow worm caves are spectacular
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4.0/5
We stayed here for one night and 5/6 campervans were already there.
Nice spot to enjoy Waipu Caves at night.
Toilets on site.
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4.0/5
Les toilettes n'étaient pas très propres mais étaient proches Fait le job pour une nuit :)
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5.0/5
and locals seeing their own backyard again.
Lovely spot
Great to see tourists back in NZ
Road in is a typical gravel road
Clean functional toilets and clean site
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5.0/5
Awesome stay here!
The gravel road to get there was a bit rough on our van but other then that it was a lovely stay! There was about 9 other camper vans but still plenty more space, public starting arriving around 10am the next day. Toilets were clean and outdoor shower was working. Glow worms were incredible!
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4.5/5
Great free spot right beside awesome caves with glow worms at night time!
Heaps of shade provided by tree too. Plenty of space to park up and the toilets were very clean with TP, soap and lights at night time.
Only down side is the road to Waipu Cave is unsealed and very bumpy for about 5km, someone drove in on a flat tyre while we were there!
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4.5/5
Great experience through these caves!
Nice spot to camp also! A few others were also there, definitely recommend. Tidy bathrooms.
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3.0/5
We visited this campsite and the glow worm caves but didn't stay.
When we arrived there were 2 or 3 people staying there in their campervans.
It is a long gravel road to get there, which is why we opted out og staying here as we were traveling with a Caravan and didn't want to risk it without knowing the road.
After visiting we would still not stay there in our caravan unless we were desperate.
The parking lot is large and gravel and can accommodate a large number of guests.
There is plenty of space to pitch tents and also toilets, which when we were there were not good. Dirty and blocked!
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3.5/5
Beautiful abd quiet, but 2 bathroom stalls are out of order.
Fun to wake up and explore!
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4.0/5
Absolute silent free campsite, directly at the Waipu Caves.
One of the two toilets was out of order, outdoor shower was working. The photo here doesn't match the signs at the parking, but no one cares about campervans all over the parking area in this wilderness. Tents are also possible at the great grass area surrounding the graveled parking.
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5.0/5
Beautiful campsite with plenty of space and decent toilets.
Cave system was an amazing experience saw countless glow worms and several eels. Definitely bring swimming shorts or something similar in to the caves as it does get waist high if you choose to venture all the way to the end.
Can't argue with free!
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4.0/5
Very good spot with free access to glow worm caves just next to the campsite.
Toilets were adequate but struggled with the locks, and there is a cold outdoor shower. Quite off the beaten track with a long gravel road to get there. Caves were definitely a highlight, much easier to walk in trainers/flip flops in the river rather than on the rocks/mud. WiFi didn’t work which was a shame as no service down there for our first night camping
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4.5/5
Great free spot for a night by the caves.
Place filled up end of Jan but not over crowded. No cell reception. Good serviced toilets and cold outdoor shower.
Caves were mind blowing - wear shoes to get wet and a torch. You can go in quite far to the caves. they get quite narrow but really amazing rock shapes. Glow worms aren’t in too far at all.
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3.0/5
The dirt road to the site appears to be recently re-laid, and is like driving over corrugated iron for about five kilometers, but it'll feel longer.
Grit your teeth so your fillings don't fall out, and drive very, very slowly! Once there, the glowworm caves are amazing, and well worth the breakages and the fact that any milk in your fridge will have churned into butter. The site wasn't managed, so it was full of vans and people sleeping in cars etc, well beyond the marked spot, and at least a dozen tents on the field next to it. Surprisingly quiet however, so thanks everyone for being so respectful of others. Beautiful surrounding countryside. Toilets were dirty, cold outside shower if you're desperate. No fresh water, no dump site. But it's free, so you get what you pay for.
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5.0/5
Camping is good, caves are incredible.
Amazing place to see glow worms for free. As mentioned in previous comments once in the cave go left, cross the river 3 times and stop once you get to where the river goes under a section you would have to wade through. This part has the best glow worms. You can duck and wade through the river to the next cave for an added adventure but the glow worms are less in the next cave. Good toilets and cold shower. Highly recommend you add this onto you trip. We loved it so much we are doing a full YouTube video on just the caves!!!
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3.5/5
A little off the beaten track but worth it once there.
Quite busy but nice little community. Cool to see the glow worm caves.
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5.0/5
Great spot!
Large gravel parking area and a massive mown grass paddock for tents and games. The cave is just across the paddock (less than 1min walk) and the glow worms are 30m inside it. Good idea to wear shoes that you don’t mind getting wet in the underground stream. And a torch...so you see the holes and slippery bits. The toilets are adequate and there’s an outdoor cold water shower. Access is along a gravel road but it’s an easy drive in.
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3.0/5
Campsite is fairly off the beaten track, have to go quite a few miles on dirt tracks to get there and there is no cell reception once you get there.
Toilets weren’t in good shape and only a cold shower available. However worth it if you want to see the glow worms for free (would recommend, were ace), just make sure to bring a torch and go all the way into the cave to see them best
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4.5/5
What an amazing spot!
Stayed 16/7/19.
Really far off the main road through the mountain, so no highway cars to be heard. You go over a bridge into the parking lot and the toilets are right there. The Waipu caves are only a 2min walk across a empty paddock and into the forest and are stunning! 10steps in and you can see the glistening glow worms. The only reason this isn’t a 10/10 is due to no kitchen fascilities and no showers (but there is a foot shower just next to the toilet) really nice location for self contained, non self contained and tents! Highly recommend this spot one of my favourite places, can’t believe it’s free! My self and my partner had no cellphone reception until we came back onto the highway.
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4.5/5
The caves are nice and the hike up to the top of the hill is very lovely.
The hike is kind of hard to find, but basically just go to the left of the caves and you'll find it. There is no service out there, so make sure you know how to leave before you go to the site. Offline maps helped us.
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5.0/5
the picture is not up to Date.
there is lot of space for camping. we think for more than 30 cars. the cave is nice to visit. many glow worms.
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4.0/5
Arrived around 6pm and several campers were already set up, got full throughout the evening despite the listed 5 campervan restriction.
The parking area was large enough so it wasn't an issue.
Short walk to the cave and there were plenty of glow worms right inside the entrance - no reason to wade through the water unless you want the experience.
Toilets were decent and there's an open shower for washing your feet after the cave. Some people went to the cave in the morning around 9 or 10, but the tour groups show up then so I would recommend going at night.
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5.0/5
Very quiet and lovely place.
Toilets were clean and had water and soap.
It is a bit in the middle of nowhere, but worth it.
