1.
Saarnensee, big organised campsite
Seefeld Park. Difficult to find free pitch in summer without a booking. Only possible with tent. There's access to the lake from campsite, also onsite free pool. Pool is very busy during the weekend, it's public.
Good facilities, even kitchen for guests. Sarnen has a few supermarkets, restaurants and there's walking path along the lake.
…enjoy being our guest… and welcome to Seefeld Park Sarnen! Idyllically nestled between the Melchaa and Lake Sarnen, in the midst of a natural environment, the Seefeld Park host team looks forward to welcoming you. Of course, we still adhere to the (hygiene) regulations and are already looking...
www.seefeldpark.ch
There's another campsite at the other end of the lake, but I didn't try it.
Lake Sarnen, view towards higher mountains.
2.
Lake Lungern, small but very picturesque, beautiful colour of water.
There's campsite by the lake
https://obsee.ch/
It's smaller, quieter, a few fields depending on the car/van you have.
Alternatively, you can drive and park just in front of the campsite, 5CHF for 24h (public car park) and get to the lake through campsite or through the field. I saw people driving down with boats and launching from campsite area.
There's a path around the lake, so you can walk or cycle. There's also cable car to the mountain above the lake. Lovely views. BBQ place at the top or restaurant. BBQ places with wood provided are quite popular in Switzerland.
View from the cable car.
Meadow by the lake.
3.
Lake Brienz, Aaregg Familiencampingplatz near Brienz. It advertises as 5* campsite and it does have very nice facilities. It's possible to stay without booking, they leave map with available spaces during lunch time when reception is closed and you can choose one of the free pitches and set yourself up on it. There are some emergency places outside as well.
Direct access to the Brienz Lake, which is quite big, so it gives a lot of kayaking options. Short walk to town to supermarket, train station and restaurants. It's a good base for hiking, cycling, sightseeing. You can rent electric bike for 25 CHF per day, which I think is decent price.
I really enjoyed my stay here and definitely coming back.
There are few more camping places beside this one, but they are small, crowded and mostly unavailable.
Pitches.
Lake Brienz.
4.
TCS Camping Bönigen Brienzersee, other side of the lake, close to Interlaken. Small site, reservation on TCS website. Directly on the lake.
5.
Camping au Lac Ringgenberg AG - even smaller site, directly on the same lake. You will have to book well ahead or be lucky to find free pitch. Narrow access road, under railway bridge. They have website and email address for booking.
6 and 7. Other side of Interlaken, on Lake Thun there are two campsite close to each other.
6.
Camping Alpenblick, it's not directly by the water, but there's tunnel under the road so you can tow/carry your kayak from campsite. Or drop it off by car by the lake. This campsite is cheaper of the two, but it's suffering from road noise and light pollution, depending where you pitch. It's possible to find free pitch without booking.
7.
Camping Manor Farm more expensive option directly on the lake. Price structure is very complicated, almost every pitch has different price. There are pitches close to the lake and pitches across the road, which are cheaper. Underpass under the road, so you don't have to cross it.
Both campsites 6 & 7 issue guests with visitor card which offers free public transport in Interlaken. There are bus stops outside both of them. One is just by the pitches of Alpenblick, hence the noise and light pollution. A lot of people is coming to Neuhaus beach and restaurant, so there are always people waiting at the bus stop across the road.
Walking and cycling path to Interlaken. Free bus all the way to Beatenbucht.
View from Manor Farm.
Kayaking on Thun.
Lake Brienz and Thun have scheduled boats, so be aware of them. Also, on Brienz Lake, there are jet boats and jet ski, which make extra waves.
The boat on Brienz Lake.
8.
Campsite Moratel, Cully on Geneva Lake. They don't seem to have their own website.
https://www.camping.ch/en/campsite/waadt/cully/moratel
But I think, I found email somewhere and booked ahead. It's open until mid-October, I was there in first week of October and weather was very nice.
Small site with around 20 grass pitches and 5 on concrete. Small bathroom block, marina onsite, access to the lake. Relatively cheap. Every guest gets travel card for the whole Lausanne area, so you can travel for free between Lausanne and Montreux, all the way to Villeneuve.
You can enjoy water sports, cycling and hiking. Vine terraces have a lot of different routes. And in September you can watch grapes picking and wine making. And if you're into angling/fishing, I can confirm you can catch quite big fish.
Campsite is by the marina, in the middle of the photo.