A Visit to Thornton Beach Holiday Park - by Alice

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Thornton is located at the point where the Rangitaiki River, the Bay of Plenty's longest river, finally flows out to the sea.  The beach itself is not really a good choice for swimming and is most popular for fishing due to the complex interaction of river and sea.  There is a small fishing wharf a little bit into the river that is mostly enjoyed by children for swimming and fishing.


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We heard that the owners of Thornton Beach Holiday Park have recently completed a lot of work on the place, so on Saturday, I drove out to take a look.
Thornton Beach Holiday park already has a very impressive website, so my main purpose was to check that it is all it claims to be.  My main impression of the park was that they run a pretty tight ship.  Everything is shockingly clean and well-maintained.  Things are nicely laid-out, too.  There's a spacious eating and BBQ area that is thankfully shaded, and the cleanest kitchens and laundry facilities I've ever seen in a holiday park!

The camp is right by the beach, you can hear the waves and see the sea over the fence.  At the same time, the area is fenced and secure and has some play facilities for children, so if you have kids, you really can relax!  There's a good range of accommodation available:  tent sites, caravan sites, cabins and motel units.

My two big reservations about this park were that it is terribly exposed to the sun, and that I found the high degree of order a little intimidating and a trifle dull.  The problem of too much sun, I think, is one that the owners are aware of as they have planted some trees around the place.  However, in the meantime, there aren't really that many places where you can hide out from the sun.  The New Zealand sun has a kind of burning quality to it.  There are times I feel like my clothes might catch fire.  That said, it's not particularly hot.  As soon as you are in the shade, you feel cool.  Of course, this doesn't stand in the hottest months of summer, February and March.  At any rate, anyone who has ever been baked in their tent just to avoid sunburn will understand just how annoying the lack of shade can be.  

As for my second complaint, the orderliness, I guess this is a matter of taste.  Many people would agree that such a well-organised, secure, quiet, and clean place is necessary for ensuring a harmonious holiday for everybody.  Nobody wants to be kept awake by the partying of others (their own partying is another matter), or have to keep their food in a stinky fridge.  At the same time, I found the signs fascinating and photographed them.  I guess they tell a story about the trials and tribulations of running a camp ground.

In summary, I would recommend the campground to anybody who values an orderly, child-safe area, and especially if you enjoy fishing on the beach.  If you hate the full sun as much as I do (I didn't get over to the beach to take photos because I felt like I was going to melt) , want to party after 10pm or are occasionally possessed with the urge to do exactly what the sign says you shouldn't do, then you'd better try another place!

I would also hesitate in recommending this camp ground to you if you are not confident in using English, as the owner has a pretty brisk attitude towards people who can't speak English, and he speaks very fast.