Whakatāne is a town situated in the Bay of Plenty Region on the North Island of New Zealand. It is located at the mouth of the Whakatāne River, positioned approximately 90 kilometres east of Tauranga and 89 kilometres northeast of Rotorua.
The town is contained within the Whakatāne District, which serves as the local territorial authority. This district covers the land to the south and west of the town, with the exception of the Kawerau District enclave.