Himatangi Beach Holiday Park

For residents of this village, the name is less “Himatangi” and more “Hima-Hawaii” — and, indeed, holidays here are all about the beach. A mere 2-minute, towel-wrapped stroll from the shore is the Himatangi Beach Holiday Park, owned and run by the Ebrey family. Reuben and Alice have made steady improvements since they bought the park in 2015, including adding a playground, egged on by their own two children. It's all about family fun, they say. With a capacity of about 300 people, the holiday park has a range of accommodation levels, from camping spots and powered parks to superclean bunkrooms and self-contained cabins.

Reuben worked as an army chef, then a builder, and is embracing his role as the camp's fix-it man, while Alice is a nurse and volunteer firefighter. Despite being hugely busy every night, they do a walkabout each evening in summer, chatting to as many guests as possible. Summer bookings are best made early as the camp is always full over Christmas, with a good 60% of guests rebooking each year.

“The adults know they can come here and just relax," says Reuben. "They don't need to entertain the kids — they can go off and play, and the adults know they are safe. They also know the only thing they can be hassled to buy is ice cream.” 30 Koputara Road, Himatangi Beach. (06) 329 9575, himatangibeachholidaypark.co.nz