TARANAKI: SOUTH TARANAKI

Patea Beach Motor Camp is a spacious campsite at the entrance to the Patea River in a peaceful environment.

We arrived after dark to meet up with some friends who had checked in earlier. The office was closed so we just found a powered site beside our friends motorhome paid the modest fee to the campsite owner when he knocked on our door about half-an-hour later.

It was a good choice, being very quiet and close to the water. All the parking was on grass, but it was quite firm, and well maintained.

While it is quite a large campsite, there was only one toilet-shower room, along with separate toilets and a kitchen. The shower was excellent, but you might have to wait your turn if the campsite is busy.

It's a traditional  no-frills 'Kiwi' camping experience with an enthusiastic owner, and is a good place to just chill out and unwind for a while.