Pilot Bay is on the harbour side of Mount Maunganui and on a calm day and the right tide you can be treated to a beautiful reflection photo of Mount Maunganui. I've visited this spot many times and in my opinion the best time is at sunset or golden hour. You'll need your wide angle lens for this one.

Right next door is Pilot Bay Fish & Chips which is a great place to grab your dinner after shooting sunset! Located right on the beach, the restaurant serves up freshly-cooked fish and chips, as well as other seafood dishes.