West Coast

The Spots Worth Stopping For

The West Coast has some of the best basic camping in the country, and the good news is the best spots are often the least busy. Okarito is hard to beat. First-come, first-served, no bookings needed, and they'll pretty much always squeeze you in. Light a fire on the beach, drag out the camp chairs and just sit with it. Tasman Sea on one side, Southern Alps and Mt Cook on the other. Genuinely ridiculous views.

Know What to Skip

Not every DOC site here earns its overnight stay though. The Haast Pass campsites at Pleasant Flat and Cameron Flat sound appealing on paper but it's road traffic noise plus sandflies, which is a rough combo. My advice is to enjoy everything the pass has to offer during the day, then push on to somewhere quieter for the night. Up near Westport, Kohaihai at the end of the Karamea road is a proper reward for those who make the detour, especially paired with the Nikau walk and Scots Beach.

The One for the Adventurous

If Okarito is a bit full or you want something even more out-there, Gillespies Beach is the move. Same 360-degree views, fewer people. It's down a winding gravel road so not one for larger motorhomes, and take it slow if you meet oncoming traffic. But on the right night with a beach fire going, it's one of my favourite places on the whole coast. Near Punakaiki, the Punakaiki Sunset Campsite is worth knowing about if you're timing a sunset stop there too.