Life's a beach at Castlepoint

Holidaymakers at Castlepoint Beach made the most of the sunny weather on Tuesday by swimming, playing beach cricket, flying kites, boogie boarding and having picnics.

Devon Oakley, owner for the past 10 years of Castlepoint Store along with his wife Anne and family, said the crowds at the beach this year had been great.

"We had one of the best Boxing Days ... it's been reasonably busy," he said.

"But I think they're more day travellers."

Mr Oakley said people seem to be working right up until Christmas, which may have accounted for the slow start to the crowds, but "they seem well-behaved".

"I would think we would [also] have a big New Year's crowd," he said.

Hayley Fraser of Masterton spent Boxing Day camping with her family, including sons Angus and Billy, near the beach.

Although they have been to the beach before, this was their first time camping.

"So we've beached yesterday, camped the night and beached today ... we roughed it," she said. "It was really cool."

Felicity Henwood of Masterton was having a holiday at a rented bach with her family. "There's generally family out here, so we usually come out," she said.

Masterton's Margaret Brooks said there had been "lovely weather".

"Hopefully, it stays this way until January," she said.

Castlepoint Holiday Park manager Lynell Ellis said they had had an excellent, well-behaved crowd this season.

"The weather's been great, which helps as well," she said.

Whakataki Hotel manager Jeanette Adam said there had been a steady build-up of people this year. "Any crowd's a good one out here," she said.