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Summer by the sea

Kiwi families love to spend their summer holidays beside the seaside. Alistair Hall consults Jasons free campground directory to find some top places to pitch the family tent

In recent years New Zealanders have cried foul as foreign owners and wealthy developers have snatched the best coastal properties in the country and turned them into private playgrounds. Coastal farms have been the most common acquisition for those with a few million in the bank, but coastal campsites - those treasure troves of childhood memories and family holidays - have increasingly been marked for development, destroying the chance for affordable family holidays at the beach for many people.

Hot Water Beach Holiday Park on the Coromandel Peninsula is one example of a beachfront campground passing into the hands of developers who sell sections for hundreds of thousands of dollars, while families who used to spend just a few tens of dollars to hire out a spot to park their caravan or pitch their tent for a few weeks each summer are left to find alternative holiday spots.

But fear not, the iconic beach holiday enjoyed by millions of Kiwis over the years is still possible. The latest Jasons Holiday Parks and Campgrounds directory lists hundreds of campgrounds around the country - many by the sea or at the edge of a lake. Here's 10 of the best, long may they stay open to all.

Glendhu Bay Motor Camp, Lake Wanaka

An iconic lakeside campground which fronts onto Lake Wanaka, New Zealand's fourth largest lake, and is surrounded by spectacular Southern Alps mountain scenery. The lake itself is a playground for boaties of the motorised and self-propelled variety.

But the real treat in staying here is the amazing amount of walking and climbing that can be done. Mt Aspiring National Park has a massive 355,453ha to explore and Wanaka is one of the closest towns to it all. From Wanaka head up the Haast Highway to Haast Pass, one of the premier alp crossing routes. Day walks and extended walks abound from many road ends around Wanaka and for mountain climbers the impressive Mt Aspiring is up the Matukituki Valley, not far from the Glendhu Motor Camp.

Campground Location: Glendhu Bay, Wanaka
Facilities: Tent sites, power sites, cabins and one 16 bed unit. Communal kitchen, TV lounge, playgrounds. Kayaks and motor boats for hire.
Rates: Tent sites from $12 an adult and $6 for children. Cabins start at $17 for adults and $8.50 for children.
Booking: Phone: 03 443 7243 Email: glendhucamp@xtra.co.nz 

Okains Bay Motor Camp, Banks Peninsula

"We like to think all Kiwis can come here," says manager John Hetrick, "so kids can have the holidays we used to have." The beach is safe - being very shallow for quite a distance before it gets deep.

A stay here also helps out the community. The campground is owned by Ngai Tahu and all profits get ploughed back into the campsite and local community. "We plant native plants, ensure we have a good water supply," Hetrick says. "We also do things in the community and the next big project is upgrading the Okains Bay town hall and other things like that around the village that help to keep it historic."

Money made at the campsite is The beach store has most supplies. The motor camp is set beside the estuary and beach providing plenty of places for children to play as well as a playground and flying fox.

Christchurch is nearby and the Port Hills overlooking the Garden City are a walker's paradise. Mountain biking tracks are numerous, as well.
Water sports off Banks Peninsula are popular. Kayaking and spotting hectors dolphins are common pursuits.

Banks Peninsula is also home of Akaroa, New Zealand's own French community and the oldest town in Canterbury - founded in 1840 by French and German immigrants. The quaint town has many streets still named in French.

Campground Location: Okains Bay, Banks Peninsula
Facilities: Kayaks for hire, on-site kitchens, laundry, freezers, showers.
Rates: $7 for adults and $4 for children. Under fives free.
Bookings: Phone: 03 304 8789

Totaranui, DOC campsite, Tasman Bay

A natural campground at the northern-most tip of Abel Tasman National Park. Fishing, boating, diving, kayaking and walks abound. Pretty basic, but when you've got Golden Bay to the north and the Marlborough Sounds to the south to play in, who needs things such as hot showers?

Campground Location: Abel Tasman National Park, 33km from Takaka
Facilities: Tent sites. Onsite shop and visitor centre in summer. Boat ramp, Water, toilets, picnic table, rubbish, cold showers
Rates: From $8 per person
Bookings: www.doc.govt.nz 

Oakura Beach Holiday Park

This holiday park is popular with surfers due to the frequent swells hitting the beach. Even when the swell isn't coming in, the beach can be much rougher and windier than other more sheltered beach campsites mentioned in this article, and hence not so good for those that aren't strong swimmers. However, the range of outdoor activities that can be done in the area makes this an excellent choice for outdoor-minded holiday makers - as the holiday park manager Al Rawlinson says: "It's got everything - the mountain, the beach, it's not overcrowded - it's great!"
Egmont National Park is just a hop, skip and a jump away. Climbing to the top can be accomplished by most experienced trampers, but even novices are well catered for with tracks ranging in length from a few minutes' walk up to five days. The region has a high rainfall, so be prepared for the worst, even in high summer, if going into the bush. A highly recommended walk is through the Goblin Forest to Wilkies Pools - a series of plunge pools formed by the scouring action of waterborne sand and gravel. More waterfalls are in easy reach of Dawson Falls, on the southern side of the mountain.

Campground Location: Jans Terrace, Oakura, New Plymouth
Facilities: Tent sites, powered sites, cabins. Kitchen, laundry, summer café.
Rates: $24 (2 adults), child $6. Cabins from $45.
Bookings: Phone: 06 752 7861; Email: oakurabeachcamp@internet.co.nz

Anaura Bay Motor Camp, East Coast

The East Cape has been a favourite for many and even more so since Whale Rider was filmed here. This is a remote coastal site with all the beauty of the Cape. The motor camp is a blast from the past with none of the amenities of the 'Top 10 Holiday parks'. It's campsites only here - no cabins, lodges or caravan sites, but there is a children's play area.

The campground overlooks the beautiful Anaura Bay and out into the Pacific Ocean, providing wonderful sunrises. The fishing and diving in the area is second to none, though you're likely to need your own boat for trips out to sea. The crayfishing is particularly good.

There are views to nearby Motuoroi Island and pets are welcome during off-peak times.

Getting into the outdoors - away from the beach, that is - is easy enough. The Raukumara Range, and the Raukumara Forest Park, loom large to the west.

Campground Location: On the East Coast one hour north of Gisborne
Facilities: Camping tent sites and powered sites for vans. Large kitchen, showers, laundry and camp store.
Rates: Tent sites from $9.50
Bookings: Phone: 06 862 6380

Blue Lake Top 10 Holiday Park, Rotorua

Not all coastal campsites are by the sea. Blue Lake Holiday Park is on the edge of the lake that the park takes its name from and is just a few kilometers from Rotorua and all the tourist attractions the city offers.

But if it's some quality camping you want to do, you could do much worse than here.

The lake is close to another Rotorua icon - Lake Tarawera, renowned for its trout fishing opportunities and the historic buried village which was destroyed by the eruption of Mt Tarawera in 1886. The buried village - Te Wairoa - was completely covered in ash and mud and was excavated in 1931. The village has won NZ Tourism awards and is a link to New Zealand's Maori and colonial past.
Walking opportunities are just as good - the 5km walk around Blue Lake to get warmed up with and the more extensive biking and walking tracks in Whakarewarewa Forest. The forest is an anomaly in New Zealand as many of the trees are giant Californian redwoods planted in 1901. Many of the trees are now 60m high. The forest has plenty of short walks lasting from 30-minutes to two-hours.

Horse riding and mountain biking are also done in the forest.

Campground Location: 723 Tarawera Road, Blue Lake, Rotorua
Facilities: Tent Sites, Power Sites, Deluxe and Kitchen Cabins, Self contained units and Park Motel. Communal kitchen, shop, TV Lounge and Internet kiosk. Playground, games room and spa.
Rates: Tent sites from $12 per person; park motel from $85; units from $69; cabins from $45.
Bookings: Phone: 07 362 8120; Website: www.bluelaketop10.co.nz

Hahei Holiday Resort, Coromandel Peninsula

Walkers can warm up on the popular Hahei Coastal Walkway - a 45-minute up and down track starting at Hahei Beach and finishing at Cathedral Cove, so named for the massive walk-through cave that splits the cove in two.

Back at Hahei Beach, another track leads to Te Pare Point, at the eastern end of Hahei, where evidence of a Maori pa can be seen. There are more walks around the area, but you'll need a car. One good day walk is the Lynch Stream walk that takes you through kauri stands and regenerating forest to Sailor's Grave Beach. It's a solid tramp of mostly downhill one way. A return trip would take about six-hours, or take two cars and leave one at Sailor's Grave to ferry you back to the start of the track.

Hotwater Beach is just eight-kilometres from Hahei (the Hot Water Beach Holiday Park has been bought by developers intent on selling off coastal sections). At low tide, you can dig holes in the sand and sit in your own thermal pool.

Swimming is best at Hahei, where offshore islands protect the beach from large swells, though on occasion far off storms do generate large waves that unceremoniously dump swimmers on the sand.

The campground itself has excellent facilities and provides an excellent family-friendly atmosphere.

Campground Location: Harsant Avenue, Hahei
Facilities: Camping and campervan sites, self-catering units, cabins and lodges.
Rates: Tent sites: $13-$14 per person, campervans from $13 per person. Cabins from $48, lodge from $20.
Bookings: Phone: 07 866 3098; Email: info@haheiholidays.co.nz  Website: www.haheiholidays.co.nz

Miranda Holiday Park, Firth of Thames

Just across the road from the Firth of Thames and right next door to the Miranda Hot Springs is Miranda Holiday Park, a place for walkers and nature lovers.

A short drive down the road will take you the Shore Bird Sanctuary and information centre - a bonanza for bird lovers keen to catch a glimpse of migratory wader birds spending the summer in the Firth. The Miranda Coast is the most important wintering ground for wrybill, plover and at least three endemic species breed at Miranda; the New Zealand dotterel, variable oystercatcher and black-billed gull. The region is also an important wintering ground for thousands of Arctic nesting shorebirds. Most common species are bar-tailed godwit and lesser or red knot.

But even without binoculars, there is plenty to keep campers busy. Waharau Regional Park is a scenic coastal drive down the road. The park is the eastern gateway to the Hunua Ranges. There are plenty of short walks and mountain biking tracks to keep the family entertained for days.

More walks across the Firth of Thames on the Coromandel Range can be reached within half an hour's drive.

If you have a boat, there are plenty of places to launch from along the Firth coast.

Campground Location: Miranda Road, Waitakaruru RD6, Thames
Facilities: Tourist flats, backpacker rooms and sites for motor homes and tents. Tennis courts, swimming and spa pools and children's playground. Guest BBQ areas.
Rates: Two people from $32, children $7.
Bookings: Freephone 0800 833 144; Website: www.mirandaholidaypark.co.nz

Whakanewha Regional Park, Waiheke Island

On Auckland's scenic Waiheke Island, this beautiful 270ha park is mainly bush-covered with some lovely bushwalks through mature stands of kohekohe and taraire forest. Whakanewha has the island's only campground which fronts onto a tidal sand/shell beach, with safe swimming and foreshore picnic areas. The large wetland here is home to some of New Zealand's rarer birds, including bittern, banded rail, spotless crake and the New Zealand dotterel. A small section of the road to the campground is unsealed, and rubbish must be removed to the transfer station at Ostend.

Location: Whakanewha Regional Park, Gordon's Road, Waiheke Island.
Facilities: Basic tent sites (no electricity) for up to 30 people with vehicle/boat access, picnic areas, gas barbecues, drinking water and toilets. There is small boat access at high tide, with anchorage available at nearby Rocky Bay (Omiha).
Rates: From $5 a night for adults and $3 for children.
Bookings: Auckland Regional Council, 09 366 2000; Email: info@arc.govt.nz

Whatuwhiwhi Top 10 Holiday Park, Northland

Located in the small town of Whatuwhiwhi on the Karikari Peninsula in the far north of New Zealand. There are some beautiful beaches and bays up this way, including Doubtless Bay and Karikari and Rangaunu Bays.

The campground looks out over Doubtless Bay and is just a 50m stroll to the water.

Doubtless Bay is a fisher's and diver's heaven, with plenty of snapper, kahawai, kingfish, crayfish and tua tua to be collected from Tokerau Beach. Park owner Jeanette Narbey says the largest snapper caught by campers weighed 12.7kg.
"People mainly come here for the fishing and diving," she says, "but people also come because it's peaceful and an off the beaten track campsite. The bay is safe - there are no rips - so it's good for families."

Matai Bay, a short drive or walk from the campground is beautiful and offers sheltered swimming, sunbathing and a Department of Conservation campsite. Karekare Beach and Tokerau Beach are more exposed to the weather and can be quite windswept on days - but there is safe swimming at all these beaches.
Dolphins and blue penguins are frequently seen.

Visitors wanting to dive can hire equipment or learn from New Zealand's most northerly PADI Dive Center, located at the beach in Whatuwhiwhi.

Tramping and walking opportunities are rare, but there is plenty of water to kayak, swim, fish and dive in. Ninety Mile beach is not far away and tour busses heading to Cape Reinga can be booked from the campsite.

Campground Location: On the Karikari Peninsula 18km from the SH10 turnoff. Turn right at Whatuwhiwhi Road.
Facilities: Campsites, power sites, cabins. kitchen, laundry, freezer space for the fish caught, hire boats, smokehouse and dive tank filling.
Rates: Campsite: $14-$16 adult, $7-$8 child; Cabins/studios from $50
Bookings: Phone: 09 408 7202; Email: whatuwhiwhi@xtra.co.nz