As we know that one of the biggest concerns of a backpacker in New Zealand is to find the places to park with the van, we have created a list with the “campsites” where you can park and sleep for free and legal with a van in New Zealand, with a description of our opinion of each one. At the moment here goes the first part: North of the North Island.
SITES WHERE TO SPEND THE NIGHT FOR FREE
Whangarei:
It is a beautiful city with all the necessary services (shops, library, fastfoods, supermarkets, pubs ...). A great city to do something along the way. The place where they allow you to sleep is in the parking lot next to the i-site, at the entrance of the town. It has very clean bathrooms 24 hours and hot showers of 5 minutes for 2 dollars (you will have to ask for the card and password on the i-site, if you are two, you can save a card and shower together). From here to the center of the town, where the library is, there is a short time, so it is best to move with a van.
Urquharts Bay:
A few km from Whangarei, located in the area called "Whangarei Heads". The site is very beautiful facing the sea and quiet, is at the end of a truck that connects the chalets of ricachones with the main road. There are very clean 24 hours bathrooms and running water. It has a few picnic tables on the beach where breakfast is a privilege! From this car park there are some very interesting hikes along a hill, and if you are lucky you can see some kiwi, as it is a protected area.
Kawakawa:
It is a parking lot on the outskirts of the town where trucks usually stop to rest. It has a fairly shabby bathroom open 24 hours. The site is quite ugly and a little scary. The only thing that is saved are the sunrises, next to the road and with a few mountains around and cows, the photos are quite interesting.
Tapatupotu Campside:
The best place where we have stayed overnight! It is a DOC campsite that costs 6 dollars per person per night. It is a little before reaching Cape Reinga, taking a detour to the right and down a dirt road to a spectacular beach. There are lots of green spaces and the sea water is quite calm, especially on the river side, so bathing is easy. It has several clean bathrooms (non flush) and running water. There are free showers, but cold! The place is incredible! For the payment, you will have to take a bag and fill in your information, then put the money in the bag and put it in the box set for this purpose. The ranger spent one of the two days we were there, so be careful!
Raetea North camp site:
Next to the main road, in a field in the middle of the forest. The site has nothing special, a shabby non-flush bath (of the house) and a river. Be careful if it catches you in the rainy season, because to access the bathing area you have to cross the river. If it rains all night maybe the next morning you find yourself trapped! There is no water intake.
Forest Pool campsite:
A site similar to the previous one, but more beautiful. It is next to a river in the middle of the forest. It has a non-flush bath (from the shabby) at the end of the road. From there there is an uninteresting hike. Good for one night.
This is the map
This article continues in PART II
IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE GENERAL SUMMARY OF NEW ZEALAND CLICK HERE
