The NZ spots that an avid campervanner calls her favourite. Photo / Getty Images
The NZ spots that an avid campervanner calls her favourite. Photo / Getty Images
New Zealand is a joy to experience in a campervan, with several spots that are worth visiting time and time again, writes Petrina Darrah
Campervan life is rolling open the van door to see sunlight bouncing off the ocean or filtering through native bush. It’s bare feet in the sand, hanging my towel off the wing mirror to dry, crackers and hummus all day, jumping in the sea and calling it a shower. It’s waking up and putting cities and stress in the rearview mirror, window down and one arm in the sunshine.
I’ve travelled all the way up and down both islands in New Zealand and seen some epic spots – these are the ones I keep going back to.
Waikawau Bay
Driving north of Coromandel town always feels like setting off for the last frontier. The already narrow roads whittle away to slivers of gravel winding alongside the pōhutukawa-lined coast. Waikawau Bay is one of my favourite places to head to in the northern reaches of the Coromandel. There’s a sprawling DOC campsite there, right next to the long, sandy surf beach.
Over the hill, Little Bay is the sweetest slice of Kiwiana life with tractors on the beach and baches tucked into the bush.
There’s a sprawling DOC campsite at Waikawau Bay, right next to the long, sandy surf beach. Photo / Getty Images
Raglan
Raglan’s laid-back, bohemian vibe makes it a dreamy campervan destination. A perfect day here is going to yoga and getting coffee from Raglan Coffee Roasters, before heading over to Ngarunui Beach to walk, swim, or surf. If you stick around long enough, the lookout point above the beach comes alive at sunset, with people settling on picnic blankets and benches to enjoy the show.
Castlepoint has a special kind of magic. The lonely lighthouse on its tower of rock, the sandy shores around the lagoon, and the jutting lump of Castle Rock make this section of the wild Wairarapa Coastline unique. Blissfully, there’s not much to do here other than stroll the beach and walk to lookout points.
Castlepoint Holiday Park has parking spots right by the water, and a single store doubles as a cafe for your morning coffee.
Castlepoint has a special kind of magic for campervanners. Photo / Getty Images
Pelorus Bridge
The Pelorus River is an exceptionally clear, green ribbon of water carving through a pocket of towering native forest. On my way to or from the Interislander ferry, I always stop at the Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve. It feels like a quiet green haven, with the added bonus of a cafe. A series of short walks lead through the reserve and down to rocky riverbanks and pools of water. Plunging into the liquid glass water after a long drive is sublime.
The Pelorus Bridge campground is right next to the river, a lovely place to stay if a few hours aren’t enough.
The Pelorus Bridge campground is a lovely place to stay if a few hours aren’t enough.
Photo / Getty Images
French Pass
The drive out to French Pass is a little hair-raising. The narrow road follows an impressive ridgeline with sweeping views of the sounds and offshore islands, tapering off to gravel for the last 20 kilometres. If you make it to French Pass, you’ll be rewarded with a waterfront campsite in a quiet bay. Massive black stingrays sweep through the calm waters, close enough to touch. A rustic wharf juts out of the centre of the beach, and sitting here watching the rays glide underneath is mesmerising. There are also a couple of short walks to explore. From the French Pass lookout, you can watch the power of the French Pass current spin water into thick swirls between D’Urville Island and the mainland.
If you’re not up for driving all the way out to French Pass, Elaine Bay is roughly at the halfway mark of the Croisilles-French Pass Road. Here you’ll find a gorgeous DOC camping area right by the water of Pelorus Sound.
Cruise out to Pūponga to discover a wild corner of Golden Bay. Farewell Spit is a beautiful long arc of sand which acts as a beacon to migratory birds. There are short walks you can do around the base of Farewell Spit and the adjacent Pūponga Farm Park. Hike to a lighthouse, meander along the tops of granite-coloured cliffs, or stop by Cape Farewell, the northernmost point of the South Island.
Wind-swept Wharariki Beach is reached by a 20-minute walk across farmland. It’s a wild beach, with vast dunes and views out to the Archway Islands, as well as a resident seal colony.
Soak up the peace for longer by staying at Farewell Gardens Holiday Park.
Wind-swept Wharariki Beach is a wild beach with vast dunes. Photo / Getty Images
Ōkārito
Tiny Ōkārito is a sleeping beauty. The main activity here is kayaking the surreal Ōkārito Lagoon in search of ethereal white herons. The Ōkārito Coastal Walk is also a great way to take in the surreal landscapes of wetlands, coastal forest, and mountains. The track runs high along a bluff before arriving at a tannin-dark lagoon. If it’s low tide, you can loop back along the beach and keep an eye out for Hector’s dolphins playing in the waves.
Right by the beach is a small, community-run campground, the perfect place to spend a night or two.
