The river flows south through a valley between two hill ridges to the north of Tolaga Bay, and for most of its length runs parallel with the Pacific coast, which lies 5 kilometres (3 mi) to the east.

The Hikuwai river section ends at the confluence with the Mangatokerau River, 10 kilometres (6 mi) before the Ūawa River flows into the sea at Tolaga Bay.

In March 2022, heavy rainfall in the region caused the river to rise by over 9.6 metres, causing the nearby town of Mangatuna to be evacuated.

[1] "Place name detail: Hikuwai River".

This article about a river in the Gisborne District is a stub.