New Zealand Camping - Beach Camping At Purakaunui Bay
Purakaunui Bay Scenic Reserve Campsite
Purakaunui Bay Road
Purakaunui Bay
Catlins Coast
Otago
South Island
New Zealand
46.54262S 169.6101E
LOCATION...
Beach Camping New Zealand Purakaunui Bay
This is a beautiful DOC campsite on a windswept sandy beach flanked either side by a rocky headland.
The best campsites are to the right of the beach, just before the gravel road goes up the hill (just be careful if it is wet. We couldn’t reverse out of our campsite...just wheel-spinning hopelessly, so some other kind campers gave us a push). There are no campsites at the top of the hill.
If you walk along the beach, around to the right, you will come across a small hot spring that flows out onto the sand (which feels hot under your feet and steams). The spring is not big enough to bath in, but you can dig a hole in the sand and sit in the warmth :o)
Just before the sun went down, a New Zealand Sea Lion came onshore and bedded down for the night amongst the rocks. Pretty special. Pretty real.
Beach Camping New Zealand Purakaunui Bay
Directions to Purakaunui bay:
Adult (18+ years): $6 per night
Child (5 - 17 years): $3 per night
Under 5 years old are free
40 campsites (as described by DOC, but it is a gravel area and a grass area with no designated campsites. It would be a really tight squeeze to fit that many vehicles in this campground)
All year
First come first served
Unknown
Beach Camping New Zealand Purakaunui Bay
Note: No drinking water. No campfires.
Yes, but on a leash
Gravel
Gravel
If you have stayed at this camp ground we would love to hear from you...
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