Camping Grounds

The West Coast Was Made for This

The West Coast is genuinely one of the best regions in New Zealand for campervan camping. Not just because there's heaps of options, but because the best spots here - the ones that stick with you - are the kind you can only reach in a campervan. Okarito is the classic example. First-come, first-served, beach camping with the Southern Alps behind you and the Tasman out front. Light a driftwood fire, pull out the camp chairs, and you've got 360-degree views that no motel can touch. Gillespies Beach is the same deal but even quieter - just be comfortable on a winding gravel road to get there.

The Full-Facility Anchors

For nights when you want a proper shower and a flat powered site, the coast has solid options all the way down. Around Punakaiki, the Beach Camp is a cracker - right between the beach, the river, and the national park. The McMillan Road freedom camping spot just south of town is also special, especially if you're there during petrel season. Down south, Haast River Holiday Park is the last full-facility stop for a good stretch, so worth knowing about. Around Franz Josef, Rainforest Retreat has some nice little nooks tucked in among the trees, and the Fox Glacier TOP 10 is well set up if you're basing yourself at Fox. Up near Karamea, Gentle Annie is a genuinely lovely place - DIY pizza oven, natural maze, and a warm family vibe that's pretty rare in a holiday park.

A Note on the Haast Pass Campsites

Worth flagging: if you're driving the Haast Pass, the DOC campsites inside the pass itself are best skipped. Pleasant Flat and Cameron Flat both cop heavy road traffic noise and the sandflies are ruthless. Enjoy everything the pass throws at you during the day, then push on to somewhere better for the night.