2015 Review May - Excellent overnight stop en-route to Dunedin, we were in a Motorhome, temporary facilities were fine.

Heater in kitchen. New facilities planned for 2016. No dump station as yet (2016?). Right on the harbour, you are well primed to catch the sunrise! First in best dressed for site selection, front row is best view. 24hr self check-in pay at cafe in the morning. Just 5 mins walk to the Victorian precinct, the architecture there is a photographers delight!

2016 Review May - visited again in 2016. Still sam old basic facilities, have not been upgraded since last visit, but good location right on Harbour. Walking distance to old Victorian part of town. Perfect for snapping those early morning Harbour sunrise photographs. Main Toilet/shower block is unisex and is a bit run down & drafty.

Reviewed over 8 years ago

10/10 for convenience.

Free. Walking distance to everything, great restaurants etc. Located on the left just as you come into Akaroa. Room for only 7-8 self contained vehicles only. Fills up fast, so you have to to get there early. We visited in May, nabbed our spot at 3pm, lot was full by 5pm with others still trying to find a spot there well after dark. More town councils should provide self contained parking lots close to their towns like this, as tourists are more likely to spend their $ in the shops and restaurants if they can easily walk to them :)

Reviewed over 8 years ago

Loved my night here as was very quiet, slept well.

Has pretty old facilities, but it is low cost after all. Flush toilet and a funky old-school washing wringer over the sink! Run by locals. Many old vans permanently parked up under the trees on waterfront, most likely only used in Summer and on weekends by local fisherman. Cool playground for the kids! Nice drive in.

Reviewed over 8 years ago

Big area to choose you plot from, we picked nice spot right by River.

Close to main road, but we didn't hear any traffic noise due to rain on roof! Used own own motorhome toilet so can't comment on the toilets. Not many other low cost options near Wanaka, heard many people arriving into the night late. Suggest you get in early to get best plot.

Reviewed over 8 years ago

Set among the ruins of the old Lindus Pass Hotel.

Make sure you camp/park well clear of the hotel ruins. Shingle 6 km road runs parallel to main highway. Drive not too difficult in a motorhome. Drive a short distance further on to see old Miners cottage near ruins of old bridge that used to connect to the main road. Had some fun with night photography here! Didn't feel at all spooky, full of good "spirits" I think (LOL).

Reviewed over 8 years ago

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.

Reviewed over 8 years ago

Free spot, quite exposed.

Not too busy when we visited in May. Clean toilet and rubbish bins provided. Difficult to find a level spot though, but it is free. Bit boggy near dunes in rain.

Walk over to and climb to Monkey Island at low tide. Views to Rakiura Island (Stewart) on clear day.

Reviewed over 8 years ago

One of the cleanest, tidy and freshest facilities we have ever encountered in New Zealand.

The bathroom floor was even heated! How good is that?! About 10 mins walk from main centre. Friendly staff. Showers included in overnight price, token operated laundry (wash & dry), tip: remember to get your tokens before Reception closes :) Visited in shoulder season, so fairly quiet.

Reviewed over 9 years ago

Free, scenic, heaps of lazy seals.

Enroute to photograph the sunrise, I almost stood on a sleeping seal, they really DO look like rocks! As with all stops along this coast, you will get trucks and trains rolling by during night, but noise of crashing waves mostly cancels this out.

Reviewed over 10 years ago

If you want to photograph the last rays of sunset over this amazing beach, then camp here, otherwise not much point, as it is expensive for what you get.

Long drop toilets, plus other facilities require extra payment by coins. Make sure you walk to south end of beach at low tide for caves and rock formations, for a perfect view of Archway Islands.

Reviewed over 10 years ago

Excellent low cost option as a last night stopover prior to departure from Christchurch next day.

Approx 50 km drive to Airport, allow 1 hour to be sure. Just $15 for powered site, no hot water but has clean flush toilets. South side is best, plus dump station located there. Friendly long termers.

Reviewed over 10 years ago

Free camp site, easy to drive past and miss.

Look out for Pawson Rd on left hand side (park on gravel area next to workshop with wire fence), clean public toilets nearby. Right by stream in forest park.

Reviewed over 10 years ago

Million dollar view right by ocean beach for free!

Private land, owners permit camping. No toilet or fresh water, need to bring your own! Walk south on low tide for 2-5km to view interesting rock formations along the beach. Beware rising tide. Beautiful when we were there, but probably not good idea in a howling westerly gale!

Reviewed over 10 years ago

By far the best holiday park we have stayed in.

Exceptionally clean facilities, very friendly staff, well maintained grounds with lovely views over the surrounding countryside.

Reviewed over 11 years ago

We chose Wilderness Motorhomes based on the reviews we found here at Rankers.

We hired a Basejumper2 diesel Fiat Ducato for a 10-day tour of The Coromandel Peninsula in the late Autumn. We chose this model due its ability to freedom camp without need to be connected to the mains power at a commercial motor camp. DOC (Department of Conservation) campsites cost 50% less per person than commercial camping grounds. DOC only have minimal facilities (long drop toilet, usually no showers, water or power), but are in extremely beautiful and remote locations. When freedom camping, the shower/toilet combo was great to have onboard and was very simple to service. NZ has tightened up on Freedom Camping laws so you need to ensure you park where camping is allowed, or you may get hit with a $200 fine! Some towns have allocated free spots for self contained campervans – enquire at local iSite. Bed in BaseJumper2 is surprisingly comfortable. There is plenty of room if you sleep on your side, but as a 6ft tall back sleeper, my toes did touch the side of the van. Loved the way the back doors opened fully out for an unimpeded view. We took our Basejumper2 on some “hairy” shingle roads and it handled well. It was economical to run with Diesel at 60 cents cheaper per litre than Petrol. Kitchen layout is intelligent, with quality utensils, crockery and cookware, and stows well. Roomy, quiet fridge. Tip: take zip lock bags to store food. Gas cooktop & grill did virtually everything we wanted. Great music system, simply plug in your ipod (cable to connect is provided). Diesel heater took edge off the chilly mornings, van nicely insulated to keep us warm. We will be posting a couple of short videos of our trip on the Wilderness website over upcoming weeks, so keep an eye out! In summary, we can highly recommend both the company and the product, however the experience is entirely up to you!

Reviewed over 12 years ago