Top 10 Campsites in New Zealand for Digital Nomads

Exploring New Zealand in a campervan while having an online business to maintain certainly has its challenges. You wouldn’t expect it from a fairly modern country like New Zealand, but their WiFi is lousy and expensive. We were confused. During those 4 months we spent in Southeast Asia, we had a pretty decent and free connection in most of the places we stayed.

In New Zealand on the other hand, most campsites have no free or very limited WiFi, talking 200-300MB per device. Often it’s not even fast either. Almost every campsite has paid WiFi available though, which usually costs you NZ$5 for 1GB or 24 hours. However, we did find a couple of campsites in New Zealand with unlimited, free and fast WiFi, perfect for those working on the road.

Discounts and membership cards

Before we get to the top 10 campsites in New Zealand for digital nomads, we’ll tell you how we went about looking for campsites and getting discounts.

To find a campsite in our next destination we used 3 apps: WikiCamps, Rankers and CamperMate. Apparently Spaceships Campervans, where we rented our campervan, has its own app as well now: the Spaceships Travel App. It certainly looks promising, but unfortunately we haven’t been able to try it out ourselves. Golden tip: when booking a campsite, always check the Rankers app first, as you might get a 10% discount when booking through them.

During our 3 month road trip through Australia we already bought 2 membership cards. We’re now BIG4 Loyalty Club Members (AUS$50 for 2 years), which grants us a 10% discount on bookings with Top 10 Holiday Parks in New Zealand. Our Family Parks Membership Card (AUS$40 for 2 years) grants us a 10% discount on every stay at Family Parks destinations in both Australia and New Zealand.

Now, without further ado, the top 10 campsites in New Zealand for digital nomads!

Campsites in New Zealand with unlimited, free and fast WiFi

Campsites with unlimited, free and fast WiFi are scarce in New Zealand. When you have to maintain your online business however, WiFi is what your income depends upon. That’s why we went looking for the best campsites in New Zealand for digital nomads. These are the only 4 we found that have unlimited, free and fast WiFi.

On the South Island of New Zealand

Wanaka Kiwi Holiday Park

• Price: powered site, 2 nights, NZ$96 (NZ$48 per night)
• WiFi: unlimited, free and fast
• Amenities: clean
• Friendliness of staff: very friendly
• Entertainment: television room, children’s playground, spa and sauna, bike hire
• Location: gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park
• Laundry room: coin-operated washing machines and dryers, clothes line
• Camp kitchen: clean (cooking fires, microwave, electric kettle, toaster, sinks, fridge and freezer)

We loved our stay at Wanaka Kiwi Holiday Park. The campsite is located just 2 km out of Wanaka’s town centre. Mount Aspiring National Park and Queenstown are within a couple of hours drive as well. During our stay we explored Wanaka and hiked to the Rob Roy Glacier.

All campsite facilities are clean and they even have a free carwash and vacuum bay on site. There’s an indoor camp kitchen and an outdoor one as well, with barbecues and heat lamps. We liked that every site has its own picnic table, so you don’t even need your own camping chair. More importantly though, at least for digital nomads, is the unlimited, free and fast WiFi available on the campsite. There are recycling bins as well, for the eco-warriors among us.

When you need to do some grocery shopping you can do so in the New World in Wanaka or stop at the PAK’nSAVE or Countdown in Queenstown when heading to Wanaka.

Go to Wanaka Kiwi Holiday Park

Te Anau Lakeview Kiwi Holiday Park

• Price: powered site, 2 nights, NZ$76 (NZ$38 per night)
• WiFi: unlimited, free and fast (at largest of both camp kitchens)
• Amenities: nice and clean
• Friendliness of staff: very friendly
• Entertainment: television room with sofas, sauna/spa bath, children’s playground
• Location: opposite Lake Te Anau, gateway to Milford Sound
• Laundry room: washing machines 2 x $2 per load, dryers $1 per 10 minutes ($1 and $2 coins), clothes line
• Camp kitchen: nice and clean (cooking fires, oven, microwave, electric kettle, toaster, sinks, fridge, no cooking and eating utensils)

Te Anau, located at the edge of Fiordland National Park, is known as the gateway to Milford Sound. From here starts the beautiful scenic route taking you to one of New Zealand’s most famous features. Lots of people choose to stay in Te Anau and save some money, instead of staying right at Milford Sound.

When you do, we recommend Te Anau Lakeview Kiwi Holiday Park. It is hands down our favourite campsite in New Zealand for digital nomads. Not only because of the unlimited, free and fast WiFi, but also because of the modern facilities and gorgeous view of Lake Te Anau. There are recycling bins as well, and each site has its own picnic table. We were lucky to see the lake from ours. Breakfast with a view!

There’s a FreshChoice at 2 km of the campsite for your grocery shopping needs. Another option is stopping at the PAK’nSAVE or Countdown in Queenstown when you’re on your way to Te Anau.

Go to Te Anau Lakeview Kiwi Holiday Park

On the North Island of New Zealand

Taupo DeBretts Spa Resort

• Price: powered site, 1 night, NZ$50
• WiFi: unlimited, free and fast
• Amenities: clean
• Friendliness of staff: friendly
• Entertainment: television in dining area, jumping pillow, children’s playground
• Location: Taupo
• Laundry room: washing machines 1 x $2 per load, dryers 1 x $2 per load, ironing board and iron, clothes line
• Camp kitchen: nice and clean (cooking fires, oven, barbecues (outside in shelter), microwaves, electric kettle, toasters, sinks, fridge and freezer, cooking and eating utensils)

Taupo DeBretts Spa Resort is located just outside of Taupo’s city centre, right next to the Hilton Hotel. We stayed here for one night on our way from Tongariro National Park to Rotorua. While we were there, we visited the impressive Huka Falls and watched the geothermal activity on display at Craters of the Moon.

The campsite has nice and clean facilities. We, as digital nomads, especially enjoyed the unlimited, free and fast WiFi on site. And as a wannabe eco-warrior I liked their recycling bins. They have a spa and hot pools on the premises as well. Entrance is not included in your stay, but you do get a small discount.

Both food warehouse chains we preferred for our grocery shopping in New Zealand have a store within 5 km of the campsite: PAK’nSAVE and Countdown.

Go to Taupo DeBretts Spa Resort

Rotorua Top 10 Holiday Park

• Price: powered site, 2 nights, NZ$90 (NZ$45 per night, including 10% discount as a BIG4 Loyalty Club member, as this is a Top 10 Holiday Park)
• WiFi: unlimited, free and fast
• Amenities: nice and clean
• Friendliness of staff: friendly
• Entertainment: tv lounge, swimming pool, mineral pools, children’s playground, bike hire
• Location: Rotorua, known for its geothermal activity
• Laundry room: coin-operated washing machines and dryers, iron and ironing board, clothes line
• Camp kitchen: nice and clean (cooking fires, ovens, barbecues (outside in shelter), microwaves, electric kettles, toasters, sinks, fridge and freezer, limited cooking and eating utensils)

We enjoyed our stay at Rotorua Top 10 Holiday Park for two main reasons. The first one being their unlimited, free and fast WiFi to get some work done. The other one was the relaxing effect of the mineral pools they have on site. They are included in your stay! The facilities were nice and clean as well, and they have recycling bins too.

As for the location of the campsite: no complaints there. It’s located more or less in the centre of Rotorua, within walking distance of Ohinemutu Maori Village and Kuirau Park. All other activities and sights in and around Rotorua are within a 30 minute drive, with Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland the farthest away.

You can do your grocery shopping at the PAK’nSAVE or Countdown, which are both just a 5 minute drive away from the campsite. Or any of the other (smaller) grocery shops in town.

Go to Rotorua Top 10 Holiday Park

Campsites in New Zealand with limited, free and fast WiFi

Most campsites in New Zealand have free, but limited WiFi. The connection is often slow, but we found some campsites where it’s fast. And when it’s fast, but limited per device, I’m sure you digital nomads know a workaround. 😉

On the South Island of New Zealand

Queenstown Holiday Park Creeksyde

• Price: powered site, 2 nights, NZ$116 (NZ$58 per night)
• WiFi: limited, free, and fast (2GB when booking an activity through the campsite)
• Amenities: clean
• Friendliness of staff: very friendly
• Entertainment: television room, sauna and spa (paid)
• Location: within walking distance of the centre of Queenstown
• Laundry room: washing machines 2 x $2 per load, dryers $1 per 10 minutes, clothes line
• Camp kitchen: nice and clean (cooking fire, small oven, microwave, electric kettle, toaster, sinks, fridge and freezer)

Queenstown Holiday Park Creeksyde is located within walking distance of the centre of Queenstown. We stayed here for 2 nights, cramming 3 adventure activities and a couple of hikes in our short stay. There are plenty of things to do in the adventure capital of the world, so you can easily stay a little longer if you have the time.

The facilities at the campsite are nice and clean, they have recycling bins, and a carwash on site that’s free of charge. At the reception you can book almost every activity on offer in Queenstown. Always check with them before booking, as they might have a deal for you. We booked our bungy jump with them and received 2GB of WiFi. They told us we could always come back for more, so we got 2GB a second time. We didn’t dare ask for a third time though.

Both a PAK’nSAVE and a Countdown are within a 10 minute drive from the campsite if you need to do some grocery shopping.

Go to Queenstown Holiday Park Creeksyde

Hanmer Springs Top 10 Holiday Park

• Price: powered site, 1 night, NZ$37.80 (including 10% discount as a BIG4 Loyalty Club member, as this is a Top 10 Holiday Park)
• WiFi: 100MB per device free, decent speed
• Amenities: clean
• Friendliness of staff: friendly
• Entertainment: television and game room, jumping pillow, children’s playground, petanque court, bike hire
• Location: within walking distance of the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa, and town centre
• Laundry room: washing machines $4 per load, dryers $2 per load, ironing board and iron, clothes line
• Camp kitchen: nice and clean (cooking fires, oven, microwave, electric kettle, toasters, sinks, fridge and freezer)

Hanmer Springs was our second to last stop on the South Island of New Zealand, when we were on our way from Punakaiki to Kaikoura. It was a relaxing stop at Hanmer Springs Top 10 Holiday Park, with the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa within walking distance. For NZ$22 per person you can soak in their wide range of thermal pools the entire day. Do check their website for up-to-date prices and opening hours.

The facilities at the campsite are nice and clean, with recycling bins, barbecues underneath a shelter and picnic tables at every site. The WiFi connection has a decent speed, even though we only received 100MB per device for free. They have carwash facilities as well on site.

Hanmer Springs is a pretty small town, so we could even go grocery shopping on foot. There’s a Four Square at just a 10 minute walk from the campsite.

Go to Hanmer Springs Top 10 Holiday Park

On the North Island of New Zealand

Whakapapa Holiday Park

• Price: powered site, 2 nights, NZ$84 (NZ$42 per night, forgot to ask a 10% discount via Rankers app)
• WiFi: 300MB or 3 hours free per night, quite fast
• Amenities: clean
• Friendliness of staff: very friendly
• Entertainment: television in camp kitchen
• Location: close to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
• Laundry room: washing machines $4 per load (25 minutes), dryers $4 per load (60 minutes), both $1 and $2 coins, dry room
• Camp kitchen: clean (cooking fires, ovens, microwaves, electric kettle, toasters, sinks, fridge and freezer)

Whakapapa is a tiny town (one street actually) located in the centre of Tongariro National Park. Whakapapa Holiday Park is the only campsite, but there are a couple of hotels as well. It’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but the closest accommodation to the popular Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

Their facilities are clean and the staff very friendly. They’ll happily answer any questions you have about hikes and activities in Tongariro National Park. We booked transport to and from the Tongariro Alpine Crossing through them, with Roam, as the visitor centre was already closed when we arrived. There are recycling bins and barbecues beneath a shelter. When cooking in the camp kitchen, don’t forget to put on the timer on the wall, or you’ll be waiting a long time for your pasta to be cooked. Even though we were surrounded by nature, the WiFi was pretty fast and we managed to get some work done in the dining area.

When heading to Whakapapa Holiday Park, it’s best to do your grocery shopping beforehand. There is a little (rather expensive) shop at the reception for emergencies, but the nearest store is about 15 km from the campsite.

Go to Whakapapa Holiday Park

Campsites in New Zealand with limited, paid and fast WiFi

Unfortunately we didn’t find a campsite with (un)limited, free and fast WiFi at every town we visited. Sometimes we had no other choice than to pay NZ$5 for 1GB or 25 hours of WiFi.

On the South Island of New Zealand

Fairlie Holiday Park

• Price: powered site, 1 night, NZ$36
• WiFi: no free WiFi, NZ$5 for 1GB or 24 hours, quite fast
• Amenities: clean
• Friendliness of staff: very friendly
• Entertainment: television room with sofas
• Location: 30 minute drive from Lake Tekapo
• Laundry room: washing machines and dryers, both 2 x $2 per load, ironing board and iron
• Camp kitchen: nice and clean (cooking fires, oven, microwave, electric kettle, toaster, sinks, fridge and freezer, cooking and eating utensils)

Fairlie was one of the stops on our way from Christchurch to Mount Cook National Park. It’s a cute little town, with not much to see, but Fairlie Holiday Park is located just a 30 minute drive from Lake Tekapo. And that’s definitely worth a visit!

When we arrived at the campsite, the office was closed. There was a piece of paper put up that invited you to park on whichever site you liked, mentioning the opening hours of the office. Talk about trust! Like expected, the owner was a very friendly guy. The facilities are clean and the camp kitchen is quite nice. They have recycling bins and even a herb garden for you to use. There’s no free WiFi, but we bought 1GB or 24 hours of WiFi for NZ$5, which was quite fast.

There is no PAK’nSAVE or Countdown in the neighbourhood of the campsite, but there is a Four Square within walking distance (4 minutes) to do your grocery shopping.

Go to Fairlie Holiday Park

Leith Valley Touring Park

• Price: powered site, 1 night, NZ$34.20 (including 10% discount via Rankers app)
• WiFi: no free WiFi, NZ$5 for 1GB or 24 hours, quite fast
• Amenities: clean
• Friendliness of staff: friendly
• Entertainment: television room, dining room with ping pong table, pool table, board games, children’s playground
• Location: Dunedin, close to Sandymount Loop Track
• Laundry room: washing machines $4 per load, dryers $2 per 20 minute cycle ($1 and $2 coins), clothes line
• Camp kitchen: nice and clean (cooking fires, ovens, microwaves, electric kettles, toasters, sinks, fridge and freezer)

We only stayed for one night at Leith Valley Touring Park, located at the edge of Dunedin. We didn’t have time to explore this student hub, but we did hike the Sandymount Loop Track, situated on the Otago Peninsula.

No complaints about the facilities on the campsite, they are clean and pretty nice. Like practically every other campsite there are recycling bins on site. Unfortunately there was no free WiFi. We bought 1GB or 24 hours of WiFi for NZ$5. The connection was quite fast, no frustrations there.

Both a PAK’nSAVE and a Countdown store are within 7 km of the campsite if you need to do some grocery shopping.

Go to Leith Valley Touring Park

Alpine Pacific Holiday Park

• Price: powered site, 1 night, NZ$42
• WiFi: no free WiFi, NZ$5 for 1GB or 24 hours, quite fast
• Amenities: clean
• Friendliness of staff: friendly
• Entertainment: television room, swimming pool, hot tubs, trampoline
• Location: Kaikoura, known for its Sperm Whale population
• Laundry room: washing machines and dryers $4 per load, ironing board and iron, clothes line
• Camp kitchen: nice and clean (cooking fires, oven, microwave, electric kettle, toaster, sinks, fridge and freezer)

On our last night at the South Island of New Zealand we stayed at Alpine Pacific Holiday Park. The campsite is located along the main street of Kaikoura. This little town is popular with tourists for whale watching. An experience we didn’t want to miss for the world!

The facilities on the campsite are clean and the camp kitchen is actually pretty modern. They have a swimming pool and some hot tubs on site, but we unfortunately didn’t have time to try them out. We did try out their WiFi connection, which cost us NZ$5 for 1GB or 24 hours. We liked that they have picnic tables on every site and to all eco-warriors, they have recycling bins too!

There are a couple of grocery stores within a 1 km radius around the campsite, but the nearest PAK’nSAVE or Countdown is in Blenheim.

Go to Alpine Pacific Holiday Park

On the North Island of New Zealand

No campsites to mention here! Seems like we often had a rather slow internet connection on the North Island of New Zealand.

Other places where you can find WiFi in New Zealand

If you prefer freedom camping or refuse to pay extra for WiFi, there are other options to stay connected. Public libraries for example almost always have free entrance and free WiFi, just like most shopping malls. The most visited spot for WiFi while travelling however is probably Starbucks. But you usually need one code per device (on your receipt) and your online time is often limited.

We’re sad to report that we only found 4 campsites in New Zealand with unlimited, free and fast WiFi. If we had to choose one, we’d say the Te Anau Lakeview Kiwi Holiday Park is our favourite one. They not only have great WiFi, but an awesome location and modern facilities as well. Hopefully the other campsites in New Zealand will follow the example of these 4 campsites sooner rather than later. New Zealand, get it together!

Have you been campervanning through New Zealand as well? Have you found any more campsites for digital nomads? Or maybe found another solution? We’d love to read all about your experiences in the comments!

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