Munchkjn

Do any of you know if it's too late to book a holiday in NZ?

We've left it late and I'm getting the impression that basically its no hols for us this Christmas..

We were just thinking we'd find a camping pitch somewhere nice etc.. like you can in France/Spain.

If anyone knows of a half decent place we could camp possibly in the south island around early Jan, could you give me a steer? Thanks.

Munchkjn

Or even in the northland oop north?

Bo-Jangles

It will likely be tricky as people book up from one year to the next at their favourite spot and many places have a minimum number of nights, so you can't just rock up and camp for a night or two. All the popular beach places will be rammed out and usually packed in like sardines and too busy to be enjoyable anyway.

I expect you will have more luck with remote places; try Stay at a campsite

garethwm

I think it will be hard to find something between Boxing Day and about the 8th January now, at least in the upper North. After the 8th you should be fine if you have your own tent or campervan.

escapedtonz

We used a great app on the smartphone called CamperMate. Shows you where all the camp sites are with prices and contact phone numbers etc. Very easy to use and clear. Has a host of other info as well.
Not sure if you'll struggle for a place to stay as we holidayed just outside of the peak season. I expect it'll be busy but surely there'll always be room for another tent :-)

Can definitely recommend Northland. We did the whole circular over 10 days from Auckland. We headed over to the East coast and did it clockwise going all the way up to Cape Reinga. Particularly liked Mangonui, Paihia, Whangarei, Kerikeri and Russell. There's heaps of camp sites - not just the Top 10 ones.

Failing that you could always head on up to Tauranga if you get stuck and failing getting any camp site pitch at Mount Maunganui or in Tauranga / Papamoa you could always chuck the tent up on our section in Te Puna where our house is being built.
No access in to the house as it is still in the hands of the builder, but there is a site electricity supply, we have an outside cold water tap and a portaloo.....all mod cons
Unlikely there'll be anybody working, and if there is it'll only be a tiler.
Best of all, the accommodation is free and you can eat as many avacado's as you wish

Bo-Jangles

Don't forget that camping over Christmas is fraught with danger and usually means that there's every possibility you might make the News at 6. The whole country gets to amuse themselves every Christmas by watching mother nature rearrange all the lovely new tents. It's almost as if TVNZ have a stock news piece with annual footage of kids canoeing across the paddock and heart-wrenching stories of those stoic families whose belongings have all washed away downstream.

SSky

Aw I hate it when that happens, kiwis invented glamping as far as I'm concerned. They practically move their whole house including whiteware into those tents and it's horrible when the weather turns nasty.

wez130

We hired a camper last December and we booked into different accomodation on the day with no issues, we were not turned away once for them being full. We even booked into Ahipara holiday park in a cabin with no issues too.

Kotare

If you get desperate (like Escaped to NZ's offer) you are welcome to a plot on our (4 acres) lawns - water and electricity available but ideally a portapotti.

We are about 15 km from Kerikeri and the same from Paihia (thats Northland) :-)

simonsi

Getting there this year might be a challenge, quite possible the entire South Island will be a giant Coromandel peninsular due to losing SH1.

Kotare

Golden Bay is great and only a few hours from Picton

BEVS

Pohara Top Ten over in Golden bay still has some space.

It will be busy but it is a good spot with a fab beach. A couple of places to eat and a shop. Takaka township is a short drive away and there is plenty to see and do.

That would be a 2/3 hour drive from the Picton ferry.

BEVS

This is Mapua Holiday Park . It may have space but you would be best to phone them.

This has a swimming pool and sauna. 30 mins from Nelson. 20 mins from Motueka. The village has several eateries, a shop and all facilities.

The area is semi rural surrounded by vineyards and orchards. There are plenty of summer activities and things to see and do.

Like anywhere it does get busy but hey, it's a holiday .

Kotare

But take sandfly repellent

Pom_Chch

If you can't find anywhere your best bet might be to hire a camper van and do the whole freedom camping thing or look around for DOC campsites - have a proper adventure!