Tony Maroulis
South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Christchurch ▷
5.0/5
This camp site which is free (donations taken but not required), puts standard DOC campsites ($6-10 per night) to shame.
Clean bathrooms with running water and flushing toilets, plenty of taps apart from that, big drums that serve as bins. It does not look like it could ever be full.
South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Geraldine ▷
5.0/5
Owner does not live up to the "Grumpy" name.
Friendly and very relaxed instead! Cabins available for reasonable prices, but also plenty of open space to tent/park campervans. Everything within sight (except for dryer) is included: laundry, clothes line, WiFi, tennis courts (rackets provided), kitchen, pool table, TV access etc.
South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Queenstown Township ▷
5.0/5
Great location, about 20 minutes outside of Queenstown.
Lots of open grassy areas to tent. A few good places to enter the lake to swim as well. Nice size cooking shelter, toilets were a bit smelly but always had toilet paper. Water taps generally available and the water was drinkable.
South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Mount Cook ▷
5.0/5
Very close to Mount Cook, can be seen on a clear day.
Can get very windy, which can also be a problem in some parts of the camp which are mainly rocky. This is the kind of place where you use rocks to keep your pegs in place if you are tenting as pegs won't go very deep. Good kitchen shelter and bathrooms. No showers though - have to go into the public shelter in the village for those $2 for 5 minutes of hot water.
South Island ▷ Wanaka Region ▷ Wanaka Township ▷
5.0/5
Great location (bit of a drive from the road [6km]).
Plenty of space, beautiful lake with a pebbly beach allowing easy entry in case one wants to swim. The water is pretty cold, but when the sun is out it is nice. Friendly ranger, good toilets, decent kitchen shelter and two sinks to wash up in. Lots of water outlets apart from that.
South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Springfield ▷
5.0/5
Nice views, free campsite, not too crowded if you are okay with a longer walk towards the toilet (not in a great state but decent).
Inquisitive ducks might visit you.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Charleston ▷
4.5/5
Price was $15 per person per night (up from $12.50 previously.
Friendly staff, lots of space. Decent kitchen although it can get completely taken over by two families. Good freezer and fridge. Female toilets were being renovated so male were unisex, but it was alright. Good showers.
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Murchison ▷
3.0/5
Price has gone up to $10 per night per person, even though signs still say $9 (Feb 2016).
Two shower/toilet capsules, one of which did not have a shower unit at all, and one that had either boiling or freezing water with no in between. Positives - large field and cooling shelter. Negatives - stated above + sandflies.
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Mapua ▷
4.0/5
Decent campsite, right on the beach.
As far as I could tell there were two showers/toilet combos with plenty of other toilets. Access to drinking water. Can get very busy, especially towards the evenings when campervans come in. We were in a tent and could not park our car next to our tent (February).
South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Picton / Marlborough Sounds ▷
5.0/5
Quiet location, about 30 minutes away from the ferry terminal.
Self-service payment booth at the entrance is easy to miss. Great view. Great place to stop before or after the ferry.
North Island ▷ Taupo Region ▷ Turangi ▷
5.0/5
You need to turn at the power plant sign and from there it is signposted.
Basic toilets, large field with multiple fire pits. Running water is at the stream, a bit of a walk down a forest path. Lots of insects buzzing but they do not bite.
North Island ▷ Waikato ▷ Putaruru ▷
5.0/5
Great place.
Stayed in February (peak season) and there was plenty of space. Basic toilet facilities but very clean, right on the water.