Awatoto is a coastal suburb area within the city of Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "stream for hauling canoes" for Awatōtō.

[6] Waitangi Mission Station was set up on the north bank of the Ngaruroro River for the Church Missionary Society by William Colenso in 1844.

[18] It was a flag station, on the first 18.8 km (11.7 mi) section of the Palmerston North–Gisborne Line, which opened on 12 October 1874, from Napier to Hastings.

[20] By 1896 Awatoto had a shelter shed, platform, cart approach and a passing loop for 18 wagons, extended to 23 in 1898, 45 in 1911 and 100 in 1954.

[21] Awatoto is on a flood plain,[23] separated from the Pacific Ocean by a shingle spit,[24] just north of where the Clive, Ngaruroro and Tutaekuri River estuaries meet Hawke Bay.

[27] Awatoto is some 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the Napier city centre at 39°S 176°E, on the coast of Hawke's Bay.

Water activities take place at the Awatoto river mouth just south of the industrial area.

[48] Waitangi Regional Park covers about 300 ha (740 acres) and extends about 5 km (3.1 mi) along the coast between Awatoto and Haumoana.

The area is home to several species of seabirds and water fowl such as herons, spoonbills, godwits, and gannets.

[50] In 2017, the Ātea a Rangi star compass was installed just north of the bridge over the Ngaruroro River.

[49] The celestial compass is also used to pass the art of Whakatere waka (traditional navigation) to new generations.

[51] Just to the north of the wetland is the largest superphosphate factory in the country, producing around 250,000 tonnes a year.

[53] UEB Industries, parent company of Bremworth Carpet, built a woolen yarn spinning factory at Awatoto in 1967.

Originally a comminutor station, the plant was upgraded with milliscreens in 1991, and with biological trickling filters in 2014.