For more great information, photos and video about New Zealand, see PleaseTakeMeTo’s New Zealand Travel Guide – www.pleasetakemeto.com Bowentown is a natural reserve headland at the northern entrance to Tauranga Harbour, and was once home to several major Maori coastal villages. Today it is a tranquil holiday destination that encompasses the nearby Anzac Bay, with some idyllic spots for family picnics, fishing and swimming. Just across the inlet and within paddling distance for surfers is Matakana Island, covered with pine forests and a fertile nesting ground for many species of seabirds. This location is most famously the domain of Te Kura a Maia, an impressive historic Maori par – or defensive position, where the terraces cover the headland and reach down to the clear ocean waters.