PictonNZWaitohi · Marlborough Sounds
Calm water and bush hills at Whatamango Bay

Beach & bay

Whatamango Bay

A DOC campsite bay 10 km east of Picton on Port Underwood Road — about 15 minutes from the ferry.

Photo: Krzysztof Golik / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

A basic, conservation-style DOC campsite on a quiet bay reached by a sealed, narrow, winding road. Fishing, walking and boating; stream water only, and pack out your rubbish.

  • Beach
  • Camping
  • On the water
Show on the Picton map Open in OpenStreetMap Directions

At a glance

Distance
10 km from Picton, heading east past Waikawa on Port Underwood Road; roughly 15 minutes from the ferry terminal (DOC)
Cost
DOC campsite fees apply for camping
Facilities
Basic DOC campsite: stream water only, no rubbish collection
Swimming
Not stated by DOC
Road
Sealed, narrow and winding

About Whatamango Bay

Whatamango is the nearest DOC campsite to Picton — DOC gives it as roughly 15 minutes from the ferry terminal, which makes it useful for an early sailing or a late arrival. It is a basic site (stream water, take your rubbish with you) on a sheltered bay; DOC lists fishing, walking and boating in general terms, but publishes no formal track here. The road in is sealed but narrow and winding.

Know before you go

  • Basic campsite: no drinking water supply, no rubbish collection.
  • Road access only.

Official information

Sources for this page

Location: OpenStreetMap contributors via Nominatim (Whatamango Bay; feature).

Facts on this page were checked against the sources listed on 5 Sep 2026.

Nearby

Straight-line distances from Whatamango Bay.

A carved pou and the view over the sound from Karaka Point

Karaka Point Historic Reserve

A headland lookout beyond the Snout on the road to Whatamango Bay.

15 min – 1 hrsShort driveFree1 km away
Yachts and launches moored at Waikawa Marina

Waikawa Bay

The next bay north of Picton, home to Waikawa Marina and the Te Ātiawa community that moved here in 1850.

1 hrs – half a dayWalk from townFree2.2 km away
Looking down on Waikawa Bay and its marina from the Snout track

The Snout Track

The classic Picton walk: along the headland between the two marinas to a lookout, then on to the point.

1.5 hrs – half a dayModerateFree2.3 km away
Yachts and launches moored at Waikawa Marina

Picton to Waikawa Track

The easy, dog-friendly walk between Picton and the next bay.

45 min – 1.5 hrsEasyFree3 km away

Related

A carved pou and the view over the sound from Karaka Point

Karaka Point Historic Reserve

A headland lookout beyond the Snout on the road to Whatamango Bay.

15 min – 1 hrsShort driveFree
Tents and vans on grass beside the water at Momorangi Bay campsite

Momorangi Bay

A fully serviced DOC campsite on Queen Charlotte Drive, 25 minutes from Picton, with a playground on the reserve.

1 hrs – half a dayDriveKids
Yachts and launches moored at Waikawa Marina

Waikawa Bay

The next bay north of Picton, home to Waikawa Marina and the Te Ātiawa community that moved here in 1850.

1 hrs – half a dayWalk from townFree