Papamoa

Papamoa (population 20,100) is the largest suburb of Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty region on the northeastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand.

Papamoa has miles of white sandy beach stretching from Mount Maunganui in the west to the Kaituna River in the east. Widespread settlement of the area did not start until the early 1980s. Prior to this Papamoa had been largely a rural area. The town is now one of the fastest growing areas in New Zealand due to the increase in popularity of coastal communities, close proximity to Tauranga and recent local shopping developments. Once a small and tight knit community, many of Papamoa's sweeping paddocks have been swallowed up by urban development. Real Estate prices have also skyrocketed in recent times.

Papamoa is also renowned for its fishing, surfing and the Papamoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park. As a surfing spot, the area is underrated and has often been seen as the 'poor cousin' to Mount Maunganui.