Pikowai is a camp ground run by the Whakatane district council.
Last week, on the way to Tauranga, we stopped at Pikowai (near Matata) to have a look around........
There are many different kinds of campgrounds and often the only way to get the feeling of a place is to go there and look around. For example, some family holiday parks might be big, noisy and tightly-packed, but perfect for families with children because of the entertainment provided by the management. Other camp grounds might be the kind that houses long-term residents, and consequently might be a neighbourly haven, or a glimpse into hell.
In the case of Pikowai, it seemed very laid-back, peaceful and private, with just enough peace-loving people around that you would feel safer at night. It had enough shady trees to make Alice happy, and it had beautiful beach with white sand, which was good for me. The light was so bright, it was hard to photograph. The toilet facilities were basic but clean. There were two sets of toilets, and separate showers for women and men. The shower door locked, but there was no roof, so you could shower under the open sky. There wasn't any electricity, and I noticed some campers had their own generators.
The beach is quite steep, making it excellent for fishing. People say it's good for swimming too, but you'd have to choose your spot and be a confident swimmer.
An interesting thing about the camp is that an endangered bird, the New Zealand Dotterel is known to nest in the sand dunes around Pikowai, so there are a lot of signs asking people to stay out of the sand dunes, leave the birds alone, and keep their dogs on the leash. Nevertheless, when we were there, some people let their labradors off the leash once they were on the beach itself and away from the dunes.
Some more nice things about Pikowai are that it's not too far away from civilization (and yet you wouldn't know it from looking at the place), and that you can camp there with dogs (as long as they are tied up).
It's $15 per night for two adults and two children. Extra adults (up to a total of 8 per site) are $5 a night.
The downside with Pikowai is that you can't book in advance. It's first-come-first-served. For this reason, you need to arrive there with money in your pocket to stay somewhere else if the place is full. In December, before Christmas, it is still summer and most New Zealanders are still working, so the chances of finding a camp spot then are pretty good. After January 4, most people will be back at work and the camp grounds will start to empty out again. But between Christmas and January 4, it might be an idea to stay in places where you can book in advance.
Here are some more photos of Pikowai:
As you can see, the beach is steep and corroded in places. In this respect, you can find many interesting places to enjoy.
Toilets and showers are pretty much the only facilities. There is limited water, so campers are asked to avoid using too much.
I guess you better make sure you arrive on schedule!
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