Beach campsite with stars galore at Okains Bay, Banks Peninsula

Okains Bay is my ultimate favourite camping spot for a weekend away.

It’s not too far a drive from Christchurch but it takes you to another world.

The drive is actually pretty special too. Weaving along and up across the volcanic landscape of Banks Peninsula the road twists and turns like you wouldn’t believe and offers spell blinding views of the valleys and harbours beyond and beneath. If you have a motor bike this is an awesome place to ride it.

I left the road to Akaroa behind at Hilltop (a fabulous stopping point on any journey around these parts, I will discuss in another blog later) and ventured out onto what is signposted as a tourist drive. It’s actually the road that takes you across to all the northern harbours of the peninsula. Turn off’s indicate roads dropping down steeply to settlments such as Pigeon Bay and Port Levy. Okains Bay is slightly further along the same road, about half way. I turned off down a narrow road for the drive to the bay below. It’s all bush laden beauty and I often to slow for tight turns and birds hopping out across the road.

Before I reached the bay itself I came to the small settlement of Okains Bay which as well as a scattering of houses and a school had it’s own local shop and museum. The museum focuses on the history of this area and is supposed to be well worth a visit – although I confess I haven’t yet squeezed this in yet on any of my many trips.

What I have done though is found myself a good spot, on a regular basis, somewhere on the sandy embankment a short walk from the beach.

Okains Bay is a top campsite, well looked after by Christchurch Council. It’s a large spot so there are plenty of camping options to choose from. I often prefer to camp at the front between the trees, when it’s not so busy this allows some privacy from other campers and means there is no one between me and the beach beyond. A small pathway takes you from the campsite though grasslands and sand dunes to the sea. Grassy spots can be chosen further back, which allow for more sun and warmth in the cooler months. They also tend to be flatter, for those who have issues with slopes! Families tend to camp beside the lagoon at the far end of the campsite which means that kids can frolic to their hearts content in more shallow sheltered waters. It’s also a good spot to launch a kayak or paddle board from.

The campsite has a couple of kitchens, toilet and shower blocks, all handy for washing away that salt water and sand after a day of fun.

Stepping out from the tent to the beach takes a few short strides. The beach at Okains Bay on a summers day is idyllic. The sand welcoming and the sea usually pretty calm – there are usually folk swimming, kayaking and fishing here. You can easily while away a lazy day and forget your cares, the only sounds quite often being the squawk of the Oyster Catchers that patrol stretches of the beach and the baa of the sheep on the steep grassy slopes and hillsides above. There is nothing I love more than rising early, stretching my limbs and heading out onto the beach before everyone else rises.

There is always heaps of choice, whether you want a sheltered spot under the trees or a sunny area by the bush

One thing i never miss when camping at Okains Bay is the night sky. If fortunate enough to camp when the skies are clear heading out onto the beach when it is dark is a must. On several ocassions I have been rewarded with one of the best night skies I have ever witnessed. As you turn around you feel as though the stars are literally falling down on top of you, they appear to twinkle all the way into the sea – it is quite something.