What are your favourite memories from childhood family holidays in New Zealand?
Being jammed in the back of Mum's mini station wagon with my carsick sister and brother. Camping, sunburn, mosquito bites, long drop dunnies, sand in your food, hunting crabs in rock pools and playing spotlight all night. I loved it.
If you were heading on a family getaway now, where would you go?
Central Otago. The only negative about that place can be when there are too many tourists. There are few right now, so let's go!
Where is your favourite off-the-beaten-track/secret spot in NZ to get away from it all?
Dusky Sound, Fiordland. It truly is wild New Zealand that looks the same today as it did hundreds of years ago.
What's your best tip for sustainable, eco-friendly travel in NZ?
Take your own drink bottle and fill it from the tap. Aside from the idiocy of paying $5 for 300ml of mini-bar water, plastic bottles are bad news.
What's your dream Kiwi road trip?
Going from North Cape to Bluff to visit all the people I've met while filming. I've been treated to some incredible spots with some great Kiwi characters and I'd love to take up all the offers to "come back and bring the family". I'd take a good six months to do all the same spots, only stay a little longer and get to know the people and the areas a little more. Rural and regional New Zealand is like heaven for me.
If you could choose one ultimate, luxury, dream holiday in NZ, where would you go?
The Landing, Bay of Islands. It's in my neighbourhood so that may seem unusual, but when you say "ultimate" and "luxury", The Landing is the first place that comes to mind. It's up there with the most elite properties in the world but it's not pretentious. Sure, you can sample fine wines in the underground cellar, but you can also drink beer from a bottle next to the beachfront fish smoker, while the chef is roasting crayfish in the pizza oven, and the platters of the day's catch just keep coming. It's like the six-star version of a weekend at the bach.
Matt Watson hosts ITM Fishing, Sundays at 5pm on Three and available on ThreeNow
For more New Zealand travel ideas and inspiration, go to newzealand.com
Don't return from that long-awaited break feeling burnt out.