David
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South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Blenheim ▷
Taylor Dam Reserve
3.0/5
Parking area slightly sloped, otherwise alright.
Not quite at the lake, but close. Watch out, currently no toilets. The “new toilets” mentioned by others were closed for repair and no alternative was provided. But it was free, and there are public toilets about 5 minutes away driving next to a biking park. Easily 8/10 if the toilets were working.
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North Island ▷ Rotorua Region ▷ Waiotapu ▷
Lake Ōkaro Reserve
2.0/5
Very nice spot next to the lake.
There are only a few parking spots on the park itself, but quite a lot of space on the grassy hill above where people can stay as well.
That being said, for charging 8$/adult, the state of the bathrooms is absolutely shameful. Bird shit everywhere, birds nesting inside and attacking you. We’ve visited multiple freedom camp spots that were in a better state than this, without having to pay for “maintenance”. Shame.
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South Island ▷ Fiordland ▷ Te Anau ▷
Deer Flat Campsite
2.0/5
Gorgeous nature, but an absolute ripoff from DOC.
Barely one working dry toilet, and ~$35 for a 2 ppl campervan is what DOC asks. Shameful robbery, but still probably the nicest robbery around :(.
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North Island ▷ Coromandel ▷ Thames ▷
Danby Field
2.5/5
Clean, decent view, but bathrooms are pretty far and the street was repeatedly busy with extremely loud vehicles during the night.
Not great, not terrible :).