Slip into your own island

It’s almost impossible to find a beachside campground empty during the summer break in New Zealand. Except here.

At this time of year, many campgrounds resemble an Auckland suburb – jammed and loud. Which is why I couldn’t believe finding an idyllic little campground on a beautiful private island, completely empty.

There wasn’t a tent peg or Speedoclad camper in sight.

Ok, so it must be crazy expensive to pitch here I assumed, or be closed. Completely wrong: it’s open, and costs $15 a night, per person.

I was on Slipper Island, a 15-minute water taxi from Tairua off the Coromandel coast, doing a story about renting the island for a night.

It’s one of only a few private islands in New Zealand, with perfect turquoise bays and sheer volcanic cliffs.

It is also a working farm with cattle, sheep, two horses, a kunekune pig, ducks and chickens, and four llamas.

During a tour of the island, we ventured down to South Bay, where an empty campground sat, framed against a beautiful powder-white sandy beach.

It’s almost impossible to find a beachside campground empty between Christmas and New Year in New Zealand.

Except here.

And the reason appears to be simple: people just don’t know about it.

In an age where almost everything is on the internet there’s almost nothing online about this campsite except people who have obviously been here before asking in forums if it still exists.

The next day, a group of 10 friends arrived and had the place to themselves.

The campsite is basic – akin to a DOC camp with cold showers – but there’s plenty of nature to keep you distracted.

The campground is occasionally shut if a group of guests at nearby Slipper Island Resort has booked out the entire island – but otherwise, you’re free to explore, including wandering over to the breathtakingly beautiful swimming beach at Home Bay.

You may even be lucky enough to be camping by yourself – but those days are probably numbered.

❚ The writer was a guest of Slipper Island Resort, which owns the campsite. Last year Brook Sabin and his partner Radha Engling quit their jobs and sold everything to travel. Each week Kiwis in Flight takes you on their adventures. See

SABIN BROOK Slipper Island campground can accommodate up to 60 people but when we visited it was empty.

BROOK SABIN The turquoise waters of one of the beaches bordering the campground.

Home Bay is a safe haven for swimming.

BROOK SABIN The campground is only accessible by boat - the island provides a water taxi service if you don’t have your own.

BROOK SABIN It will take two to three hours to walk around the island, taking in the many bays and sheer cliffs.