Dare I tell you about Simpsons Beach?

From the Kiwi Annisons Archives:

There is a beautiful sandy beach in a stunning Coromandel bay surrounded by rolling green hills, where you can camp just a stones throw from the water’s edge (and I do mean that literally) and the payment for this paradise…
Just $5 a night.

I write this in the hope that it does not lead me to be stoned by other users of Simpsons Beach who want to keep it secret.
Sorry Fellow Campers but sometimes a place is so good that you do have to share it.

I’m going with the karma thing… you get back what you give and all that stuff.
And it will be my own fault if next time we visit the place is packed and we cannot get anywhere near!

On the Eastern Coromandel coast just passed Whitianga, and excellently placed for popping back to town for any necessary shopping, is a little settlement called Simpsons Beach.

Situated by the beautiful sparkling waters of Mercury Bay, Simpsons Beach consists of a smattering of beach houses (baches), a curved sandy beach and a very friendly lady that lets campers stay in the field placed between her tidy little house and the beach.

There are no facilities and toilet blocks. It is not a campsite as such.
But if you have a self-contained campervan with your own loo etc then you can stay for an extremely reasonable $5 a night.
There were some families camping in tents when we stayed last January so perhaps there was a long drop I never visited (shame) or maybe they bought a porta-loo and toilet tent.

But you definitely couldn’t ask for better positioning.

We were close enough to be deafened when the waves grew loud and crashy one night, and it was no trouble to carry the kayaks down to the beach for a paddle when the waters calmed down the next day.

Rolling green fields of the Hobbiton variety hug one side of the beach while the other side dwindles off into bush-clad hillside with Pohutukawas nestled shore side amongst the rocky crags.

We spent an enjoyable, and very relaxing, few days at Simpsons Beach and next time we’re up near Whitianga it will definitely be on our list again.

And now… a spot of history:
Captain James Cook sailed on the Endeavour into the calm bay on 3rd November 1769. He anchored at Cooks Beach off Purangi and spent several days exploring the area and taking astronomical readings.
It was while he was there that he observed and recorded the transit of Mercury. And there we have the reason behind the naming of Mercury Bay. Fact.