Celebrity Treasure Island unveils camping secrets from New Zealand. Photo / Supplied
Celebrity Treasure Island unveils camping secrets from New Zealand. Photo / Supplied
The new season of Celebrity Treasure Island begins on Monday, September 18, with this year’s cast of famous faces surviving the wilds of Te Waipounamu - the South Island. We asked some of the contestants to share their top camping tips with us so you can make your next holiday under canvas a lot more comfortable than their next few weeks are going to be...
Matilda Green
Matilda Green recommends Kai Iwi lakes as a unique camping spot with white sand next to a lake. Photo / Supplied
Kai Iwi lakes is a great spot for camping. It’s a unique spot as it’s white sand next to a lake. It’s good for the little ones too, as there’s a huge shallow part of the lake before the drop-off, so it’s a great spot for kids that aren’t yet confident swimmers. I quite like a freshwater camping spot, as you don’t constantly feel like you need to wash off all that salt. It’s an ideal spot to stop in if you’re heading further north, and it’s close to Tane Mahuta. Well worth a visit if you haven’t been there before.
Growing up me and my family never really went camping, but we did have a tent. I learned that you don’t need to leave home for a great camping holiday. Here are my top tips for a camping staycation:
- Set up the tent in your backyard.
- Don’t camp out alone. It’s too scary.
- Sleeping bags are preferred but if you only have one blanket, make sure you’re in the middle so it never gets pulled off you.
- Make sure you have scary stories. I had two older sisters, they had the stories. The scarier the better. It makes it way harder to go to sleep but when you wake up safe, you feel like a champion. Honourable mention: “Johnny I want my liver back.”
- Best to do if it’s pouring down with rain. The more wind the better. Don’t check any weather apps, just set up your tent and hope for the best.
- If you don’t have a tent, sleep on the trampoline. If you don’t have a tramp, put a mattress on the deck. If you don’t have a deck, I’m sorry.
- When you have finished camping, pack away the tent, don’t be lazy or it will leave a big brown patch on the lawn where your grass used to be.
Miriama Smith
Miriama Smith swears by a cocktail of Dettol and Babyoil to keep mosquitos and sandflies away. Photo / Supplied
Splore, in 2012, was my last camping excursion but we spent more time dancing. So, I’m probably not the most qualified outdoor enthusiast. However, one family camping recipe I swear by is a cocktail of Dettol and Babyoil, to keep bloodthirsty pests like mosquitos and sandflies away.
I’m also a light sleeper - not even earplugs can save me - so I immediately sort out the snorers from the non-snorers. That was one of the first things I asked when we got put into our Celebrity Treasure Island teams, then placed my sleeping bag as far away from said-snorers as possible.
Megan Alatini emphasizes the importance of packing light, especially ditching unnecessary shoes. Photo / Supplied
I have always been an avid traveller and thought myself well equipped for a camping holiday, whether flash or no-frills. But I realised differently on my most recent camping experience at Ruakaka and Waipu. In hindsight, this trip actually prepared me somewhat for my Celebrity Treasure Island experience.
A couple of girlfriends knew me well and knew I wouldn’t have packed for camping, more so for glamping. And they were right. My packing was a big fail. So, to help your future camping endeavours here are some tips from my experience ...
- Pack light. Forget the high-heeled shoes or boots (I had a suitcase of shoes) and instead fill that bag with good thick socks because even with warmer days the temperature drops dramatically in the night and there’s nothing like cold feet. Make sure woollies or jackets are quality and compact. I love the ones that can be rolled or shoved into small spaces easily.
- Invest in a good air bed. And don’t forget the pump! While our CTI hammocks look great, the timber planks at the base aren’t the most comfy.
- Take books or reading material. There was no time to read or rest and relax during my stint at CTI but during my camping experience, it was awesome to get back to old-school pastimes and away from devices and technology. I loved reading a book, doing the old crosswords and Sudoku.
- Make sure you have good games and great company. During my camping experience and CTI I’m happy to say I had a bit of both.
I am so grateful that we live in this gorgeous Aotearoa. There are so many great spots. Get out there, peeps, and explore our own backyard - gems abound.
Eli Matthewson
Eli Matthewson decided to camp at Abel Tasman around his 30th birthday. Photo / Supplied
Around my 30th birthday I realised I hadn’t been camping since I was a teenager going to Easter Camp - and I don’t even know if that counts as a real camp - so I decided my boyfriend and I should go and do the Abel Tasman, the non-bougie way, where you carry your tent and all your clothes and gear on your back the whole time. It was stunning, but our backs and feet were excruciatingly sore and we didn’t really know how to wash our dishes properly. My top tip would be to set a limit on how many rounds of Monopoly Deal you play each night, as that game can destroy relationships.
Courtney Dawson
Courtney Dawson with fisher-lady friends who catch fresh seafood for the group during camping. Photo / Supplied
I love camping. Every year I go to the Far North where my whānau are from (shoutout Ngāti Kurī), and the campsites are straight long-drop, minimal reception, no-power vibes. Being on the whenua away from technology is a gorgeous way to reset at the start of the year (albeit positively harrowing during a cyclone), and I’m very fortunate I have some serious fisher-lady friends who catch us fresh kaimoana every day so we can fully live our Millennial-back-to-the-land delusion. The only downside is that the mosquitos are demonic in summer. One year I got bitten directly on the forehead. So to avoid bringing back gigantic red facial welts as your camping souvenir, my number one Far North camping tip is: to take heavy-duty mosquito repellent with Deet, because these mozzies do not play.
Celebrity Treasure Island premieres on TVNZ2 and TVNZ+ on September 18, and screens Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
