Kai Iwi Beach Holiday Park

Kai Iwi Beach Holiday Park is a spacious, well-established campground set across nearly five hectares of idyllic park-like grounds, just 300 metres from one of the west coast’s most striking beaches. Established in the 1960s, the park sits about 10 minutes’ drive from Whanganui and roughly 2.5 hours north of Wellington, making it a popular stopover for travellers heading to or from the Interislander ferry. The beach itself features dramatic iron-sand shores backed by impressive coastal cliffs with sweeping views across the Tasman Sea.

The park offers around 70 powered sites along with plenty of unpowered tent sites, all spacious at 8x10m. Cabins range from self-contained sea-view units to simple single-room options with double beds. Communal facilities include a kitchen with hotplates, stoves, microwaves, toasters, kettles, fridges, and freezers, plus a lounge area. Hot showers are coin-operated ($1 for six minutes), and there’s laundry on site ($3 wash, $2 dry), a dump station, and Wi-Fi available throughout the park. BBQ facilities and a children’s playground with a flying fox over a stream and a pirate climbing ship keep families entertained. Dogs are welcome outside of peak holiday periods.

Kai Iwi Beach is patrolled by lifeguards during summer and is popular for swimming, surfing, surfcasting, and long walks along the soft iron sands. The captivating coastal cliffs are well worth exploring, and the fishing is excellent. Whanganui itself offers rich arts and heritage attractions, including the Whanganui Regional Museum, the Sarjeant Gallery, and the New Zealand Glassworks. The Whanganui River is one of the country’s great natural features, with jet boat tours and kayaking available.