Right on the shore of the Kai Iwi Lakes, a cluster of freshwater dune lakes known for clear water and white sandy beaches. Pine Beach campground puts you close to the swimming, with the lake foreshore just about on your doorstep.

There are powered sites and bare tent sites, with toilets on hand. Plenty to fill the days, from swimming and mucking about in the lake to walking the tracks around the area, and the coast beach is within reach too. A bar and cafe opens Friday and Saturday nights through summer. One camper reckoned the best spot was below a little clay gully behind the toilets.

It gets busy through the middle of summer, but outside peak season you'll usually find a space to yourself. Good stopover whether you're passing through on the way down from the cape or settling in for a longer stay.