Pikowai is a rural community located near the beach on the shoreline of the Eastern Bay of Plenty

Bay of Plenty

The Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name...

 in the North Island

North Island

The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...

 of New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. It is located 34 km south east of Te Puke

Te Puke

Te Puke is a town located 28 kilometres southeast of Tauranga in the Western Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. It is particularly famous for the cultivation of kiwifruit...

 and 10 kilometres north west of Matata

Matata

Matata can be:*Matata, a religious figure in Georgia *Matata, a town in New Zealand.*Matata, a New Zealand bird.*Matata, a bonobo.*J.C. Matata, a hip hop musician.*The latter part of the phrase hakuna matata....

. Known for its fishing, the beach itself is well used for surf casting and is graced with a small camping ground with showers and toilets.

The name of 'Pikowai' means literally piko = bend + wai = stream, and well describes the ever changing stream bed which leads fresh water down into the sea. This fresh water stream often forms a recreational ponding area where children can play.