Camping Beside the Whangapoua Lagoon
Heading northwest on Aotea Great Barrier Island, you reach the quiet Whangapoua Campsite, on the edge of a wide tidal lagoon. The campground feels remote even by Aotea standards, surrounded by wetlands, farmland and bush-covered hills. It’s a simple, peaceful place with easy access to the lagoon from a flat grassy clearing suitable for tents and small campervans.
Exploring the Lagoon
The lagoon itself is the real attraction. At low tide, it opens into a broad, pale sandflat that’s perfect for photography and long, barefoot explorations. At high tide, water channels snake around the sandbanks, creating calm pools for paddling. Early mornings often bring mirror-like reflections of the sky and hills, while birdlife is significant, especially around the wetland margins.
At low tide, it is a 900 metre walk and wade to the southern end of Whangapoua Beach, a 3 km stretch of pale sand surf beach.
How to Get There
Follow Aotea Road across the island’s interior from Medlands. After crossing the main range, a signed turn-off leads toward the Whangapoua Campsite and lagoon. If you continue west on Aotea Road, you will come to Maybey Road. Following this road north also gets you to Whangapoua Beach, about two-thirds of the way up the beach from the lagoon.
Other nearby places with campsites include Harataonga Bay, with the Harataonga Loop Track, and Awana Bay.
