Sailing Family (UK)
North Island ▷ Hawkes Bay ▷ Te Awanga ▷
4.0/5
Very large site, masses of space for everyone, mostly gravel / dirt - not much grass.
Lots of trees / bushes to separate campers. Clean toilets. Drinking water. Road was intermittently noisy with fast cars but not many during the night. Stones and then a sandy beach with rolling waves breaking. Recommended.
North Island ▷ Taupo Region ▷ Taupo ▷
4.5/5
As hot as a bath - a very well kept secret!
We actually much preferred this to Hot Water Beach as we were on our own here, and the tide didn’t come in and fill our hot pool with cold sea. Feel the sand with your toes to find the hot area. It’s just north of the rocky area in front of the car park / toilets. You’ll need a proper spade. Dig a big hole! We enjoyed ours with our three kids for hours - in and out of the lake for swimming. Fantastic! We handed our hot pool on to some other tourists when we left..
North Island ▷ Rotorua Region ▷ Tikitere ▷
5.0/5
Great shady family-friendly loop walk through beautiful forest, just off the main road.
Good big car park, clean toilets and picnic tables at start. Options to have a swim near trout falls - careful of current. The highlight for us was watching kayaks and rafts coming over the 7m waterfall and disappear completely beneath the water before popping up again. Our kids (9, 6 and 4) loved this!! Highly recommend.
North Island ▷ Hawkes Bay ▷ Napier ▷
5.0/5
Excellent overnight stop between Taupo and Napier, good road from SH5.
Lots of space. Love DoC campsites. Beautiful setting by river. Good swimming. Big field for football and frisbee. Toilets clean. Lots of insects at dusk - close windows / doors! Would highly recommend.