ULTIMATE South Point Hawaii Guide: Jumping, Green Beach, & More

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We would drive past South Point to Volcanoes National Park. Of course, we’d stop at Punalu’u Bake Shop and Punalu’u Black Sand Beach. We didn’t give South Point, Hawaii, a chance.

We finally made a day of it! With the help of a local farm manager, we mapped out a perfect itinerary in South Point, Hawaii. We explored the rolling green hills, jagged cliffs, and hidden gems of Ka Lae. 

We didn’t plan to go cliff jumping at South Point, but we learned about this famous (notorious) spot.

Here is everything you need to know about South Point, Hawaii, and things to do! Consider this your South Point Hawaii Travel Guide.

Last-minute Big Island planning and even more to do!
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Video: South Point, Hawaii Guide

See how to make a day out of a visit to South Point! Watch our video below for details on visiting South Point and some of the things to do listed below. See what stops speak to you.

Additionally, it’s beneficial to explore the first part of the hike to the Green Sand Beach to determine if the hike is suitable for you.

South Point, Hawaii Maps and Directions

Few people visit South Point, Hawaii, a remote area on the Big Island. High winds, being far from Hilo or Kona, and not being well-publicized, make it an area few folks visit.  

We recommend taking a hard right turn on South Point Road when driving from Kona to explore South Point Park. A detour to South Point will add about 60 minutes to your trip to Volcanoes National Park. 

The drive from the start of South Point Road to the point is about 18 minutes.

If you don’t like these things to do, at least you can tell your friends that you’ve stood at the southernmost point in all 50 states.

South Point is in the district of Kaʻū, which is large, remote, and rural. It is home to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

With few roads along the volcano’s slopes and along the ocean, Kaʻū is a challenging location to explore. The main things to do in South Point are located along Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) and South Point Road, which connects the highway to the point. 

On our last trip to South Point, we stayed in Fern Forest. It made for an easy drive to all of these South Point things to do. As you can see below, a drive from Kailua-Kona isn’t much further.

Travel Times from Popular Big Island Areas to South Point, Big Island:

• 18 minutes from the Mamalahoa Highway to the South Point
• 2 hours from Waikoloa Resorts
• 1 hour 30 mins from Kailua-Kona
• 1 hour 15 mins from Fern Forest
• 1 hour 30 mins from Hilo
• 1 hour from Hawaii’s Volcano National Park

While lying between two of the Big Island’s can’t-miss things to do, South Point is still rarely visited. Which begs the question: Is South Point, Hawaii, worth visiting?

Is South Point, Hawaii, Worth Visiting?

We find South Point worth visiting for local food, excellent coffee, and exploring the area’s unique landscape. 

The most popular things to do in South Point are the following:

• Visiting the Kahuku District of Volcanoes National Park
• Punalu’u Black Sand Beach
• Papakōlea Green Sand Beach
• South Point Cliff Jumping – safety information is listed below
• Punalu’u Bake Shop for malasadas, sweet breads, and deli sandwiches

You don’t have to spend a whole day exploring the southern point of the Big Island, but we recommend including a few of these activities on your Big Island Itinerary. 

What is South Point Known For?

The area of South Point, Hawaii, is known as Ka Lae in Hawaiian. It means the point. South Point is known for the following things to do and unique features: 

• A confluence of ocean currents at the cape makes for excellent fishing. The deep waters are home to large fish such as ahi (yellow tuna), mahimahi, and marlin.
• The Kau Cliffs are a popular cliff-jumping spot
• Papakōlea Green Sand Beach is one of four green sand beaches worldwide
• The southernmost point in the United States

Ocean currents come together at the cape, making the waters rich in marine life. South Point is an excellent fishing ground for local fishermen. 

During our visit, the main visitors were fishermen and their families. While the kids played on the lava rocks, the fishermen tended to their long lines out at sea. They used garbage bags as kites to move their lines into the deep and as visual aids.

Due to the confluence of ocean currents at the cape, South Point experiences strong currents and high winds. 

In the past few years, I’ve found that local farmers and businesses have increased their marketing efforts to highlight the area’s benefits. South Point is overdue for a travel guide and to be highlighted for visitors.

Driving the main Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) through Ka’u, you will find numerous farm stands, coffee shops, art galleries, and food trucks. I see that Ka’u Coffee is an underrated Hawaiian drink. 

Coffee grown in South Point is starting to gain recognition as an alternative to the more expensive Kona Coffee grown 45 minutes north. Ka’u Coffee farm stands and coffee shops serve up local beans. They are not hard to spot as you drive through the area. I’ve highlighted a few in our South Point Things to Do list below.

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Tips for Visiting South Point, Hawaii

Here are tips on visiting South Point, Hawaii, from our friend who lived and worked in South Point, working at Paradise Meadows Orchard Farm.

1. You don’t need to dedicate a day to exploring South Point, Big Island! Pick one or two of these South Point things to do for your trip to Volcanoes or Hilo. 
2. South Point cliff jumping is dangerous. Kau Cliff Dive experiences strong currents and high surf. According to Hawaii Police Department records, four deaths have occurred in the past six years. More details on cliff jumping are below.
3. Speed traps! The area is prone to having speed traps. Watch your speed and for changes in the speed limit as you approach villages. 
4. Paradise Meadows has free, rustic showers for folks returning from local beaches to rinse off the sand and dust.
5. Expect high winds at South Point. The deformed trees are proof that the strong winds are always present.
6. If you plan to hike South Point Park, like to the green sand beach, bring Hawaii reef-safe sunscreen and sun-protective clothing.
7. Port-a-potties are available in the South Point Park complex.

South Point, Hawaii Cliff Jumping

South Point cliff jumping (Kau Cliff Dive) is the most famous, notorious, and dangerous thing to do in South Point, Hawaii. Understanding the risks and what to expect when you arrive will help you decide whether to jump.

We do not endorse jumping from the cliff.  Sorry for being a downer, we want to ensure you understand the risks, as many websites don’t share all the dangers.

Safety Warning: South Point Cliff Jumping

Here at the Hawaii Vacation Guide, we are all about respectful tourism. We don’t like to highlight dangerous or off-the-beaten-path locations. Such “hidden gems” are on private property, sacred land, put our Hawaii First Responders at risk, or hurt or kill visitors. We want visitors to come back to Hawaii!

South Point cliff jumping is on public property and is easily accessible. The ease of access and rapidly changing ocean conditions at the cape are some of the reasons for the high number of fatalities (four in the past six years as of 2024).

Deaths and injuries are the result of strong currents and large waves at the cliff. Divers jump without understanding the ocean conditions. Strong swimmers can be pulled to sea or bashed into the lava rock. Jumping is at your own risk.

Even ancient Hawaiians, skilled watermen, wouldn’t take chances in the currents here. Hawaiians drilled holes into the cliff walls. They would use rope to tie their canoes securely to the cliffs, so they could fish in the deep waters without the risk of being swept out to sea.

You can consult fishermen at the cliffs, but they don’t understand all the hazards and are not lifeguards. Their standard recommendation is not to jump, as they all know or have seen people drown at the Kau Cliffs.

Here is What to Know About South Point Cliff Jumping

While I visited the cliff-jumping location, I was not planning on jumping. Here are observations and pictures from our visit to Kau Cliff Dive.

• To reach the cliff jumping spot, take the right-hand turn at the fork as you approach the point on South Point Road. A left will take you to the Green Sand Beach Parking Lot. 
• There are a couple of parking areas near the cliffs. It is a 25- to 75-yard walk to the cliff edge from the parking lots.
• Click for directions to South Point Cliff Dive
• The cliffs are made of lava rock, so closed-toe shoes are recommended. From the top of the cliff, caves drop down to the ocean. I recommend holding onto young children.
• The cliff-jumping spot is at the old fishing hoist. The hoist was built to lift fish and supplies from the ocean. It does not look like the hoist is maintained or used, as fishermen now use kites and long lines from shore.
• A first aid kit is available at the cliff.
• Signs warn visitors of the dangers of jumping, and a memorial to a 2020 death is painted on the hoist.
• A wooden ladder dangles from the hoist toward the sea. But jumpers must climb the rock after jumping, as the ladder is precariously attached to the cliff.
• The jumping height looks to be about 20 to 25 feet. That is my estimate; see the pictures below.

South Point, Hawaii Things to Do

Cliff jumping at South Point is far from the only activity available here. I am dividing this section into two parts: things to do in South Point Park and things to do in the greater South Point area of Ka’u.

1. South Point Park

Taking South Point Road south leads to the South Point Park, a large, undeveloped area of rolling green hills on a windy plateau.

It is a 10.7-mile drive (about 20 minutes) from pulling off the main highway to the parking for South Point Park. You will enter South Point Park about halfway down the road after passing a few residential houses, ranches, and small farms.

The area is remote, but we had cell phone coverage.

While the park is managed by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, the expansive area has a few trails, sights, and amenities. 

You can find port-a-potties at the parking spots, no parking fees, and paved and dirt roads. 

The South Point Complex, located at the southern tip, is considered one of the first settlements in the Hawaiian Islands. Archeologists have unearthed thousands of artifacts, hale (houses), and other remains for a thousand years of settlements at the point.

The Hawaiians built Kalalea Heiau, a fishing shrine to the god of fishing (Ku’ula). The large heiau can be seen when hiking to the green sand beach. The area is also home to saltwater evaporation ponds carved into the cliff (salt was made to dry the fish), holes to hold canoe lines, and sacred rocks.

The heiau and other artifacts at South Point make the South Point Complex a National Historical Landmark.

2. Green Sand Beach Trail (Papakōlea)

South Point cliff jumping and the Green Sand Beach are South Point, Hawaii’s two most popular attractions. 

The Green Sand Beach, known as Papakolea in Hawaiian, is one of four green sand beaches worldwide. The sand is green from the mineral olivine, which erodes from the surrounding cinder cone, Pu’u Mahana, which is 49,000 years old. The olivine crystals stay behind as the lighter grains of sand wash off the beach.

Take a left at the fork in the road to find the Green Sand Beach parking lot. The large, gravel lot has port-a-potties and usually has a local snack stand selling sodas, water, chips, and other snacks.

Park your car, wear sun-protective clothing, and sunscreen to head out on the hike.

Guidance for Hiking to the Green Sand Beach

• 5.5-mile out-and-back hike
• Click for directions to the Green Sand Beach Parking Lot
• Moderate to an advanced hike due to the heat and wind
• Gravel, rock, and paved in small parts
• Flat as you follow the top of the cliff
• It can be extremely windy, hot, and dusty
• Locals may be in the parking lot offering rides to the green sand beach. 
• We do not recommend attempting the drive yourself as numerous two-tracks and trails confuse the route and make it easy to get lost.

As far as hiking to Papakolea goes, there are two schools of thought.

1. Cons: Erosion is a real problem along the trail. Hikers and cars are eroding the trail. The area is sacred to native Hawaiians. There is a heiau (Hawaiian temple) along the trail’s path. Please be courteous and avoid climbing or walking near the temple. 
2. Pros: A large group of locals makes their living driving visitors to the green sand beach and back. Some local families work the snack shack at the green sand beach’s parking lot.

I don’t have an opinion on the merits of visiting the green sand beach, due to a lack of objective, deep knowledge, or perspective on both sides of the issue. 

Our family decided not to do the hike due to the wind and the distance with our two young kids.

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3. Southernmost Point in America

A short walk will take you to the southernmost tip of the United States from the South Point Cliff Jumping spot. 

Walk along the lava cliff to the southernmost point.

Standing on the cliff’s edge here means over 136 islands, atolls, and long-lost land stretch from the point to Siberia and Japan. 

Some feel a spiritual connection to the wild, undeveloped coastline at the bottom of the Hawaiian Islands.

Some just want to say they have visited the accurate southernmost tip of the country, while others brag about visiting Key West, Florida. 

At the Big Island’s Southern Tip, you will find fishermen, lava rock, water, and wind.

4. Paradise Meadows Orchard and Bee Farm

Our favorite thing to do at South Point, Hawaii, was a visit to Paradise Meadows Orchard and Bee Farm. This is an easy stop shortly after you leave the main highway. Stop here for an art gallery, lunch, free samples, and excellent Big Island souvenirs. 

The farm manager, Jared, invited us. He gave us a brief walking tour of the 75-acre farm with coffee, bananas, pigs, chickens, parrots, and more. It is a lovely place to visit with kids. 

The farm is home to Hawaii’s Local Buzz honey. You will find their brand in gift stores across Ka’u and in Kailua-Kona and Hilo. Visit their gift shop for samplings of macadamia nuts, Ka’u coffee, honey, shortbread, and chocolate. All locally grown and made.

• Click for directions to Paradise Meadows Orchard
• They are open 9 am to 5:30 pm.

5. Ama’s Kitchen at Paradise Meadows

Do you want local fish from South Point? Visit Ama’s Kitchen at Paradise Meadows for fresh fish caught at the point.

We loved their fish sandwiches and homemade salsa. They serve up poke, tacos, sandwiches, and fish plates. 

They have reasonable prices, and everything is made to order. They are women-owned and operated, with their husbands doing the fishing!

• Ama’s Kitchen is located off South Point Road, in Paradise Meadows. Click here for directions. 
• Open 10 am to 5 pm

6. Hike at Kuhuku Unit

The Kuhuku Unit is an underrated part of Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park. This small park district (116,00 acres) is 60 minutes (43 miles) from the Kilauea Visitor Center, the entrance to the central park. While there is no active volcano here, you can climb a cinder cone and learn about the Big Island’s flora, fauna, and volcanoes.

The park was not busy when we visited, and the Park Ranger was delightful to talk with about the district. The visitor center is a small, barn-like structure containing facts and information on Mauna Loa and the landscape.

Our family took the quick hike up Pu’u o Lokuana Cinder Cone. This short but strenuous climb to the top of the cinder cone was a 0.4-mile loop with a 130-foot elevation change. The trail was grass. At the top, you are rewarded with a view into the cinder cone excavated by the ranch and home to a US Army radio station.

Details on Visiting Kuhuku Unit

• The park is at mile marker 70.5 on Route 11 (Malamalohoa Highway).
• Click for directions to Kahuku Unit.
• The visitor center is open Thursday-Sunday, 8 am to 4 pm
• No entrance fee is required
• Toilets are available
• A large parking lot is available near the visitor center
• The visitor center is handicap accessible 

7. Kula Kai Caverns

We have tried to visit Kula Kai Caverns on two separate trips to the Big Island! The family got sick on the first trip, so we had to cancel. We ran out of time on the second trip while exploring the South Point. 

Viewers and readers of The Hawaii Vacation Guide have recommended exploring the lava tubes of Kula Kai Caverns. The local property owner runs professionally guided tours at a reasonable price.  

We have visited numerous lava tubes in Hawaii, and they are worth the stop! The Hana Lava Tubes were incredibly large and impressive. It is fun to go into the caves with a flashlight to see the lava flows and the length of the tubes. 

Details for visiting Kula Kai Caverns

• Click here to learn more and reserve a time slot: Kula Kai Caverns
• Click for directions to Kula Kai Caverns. Located 15 minutes from Paradise Meadows Orchard and Bee Farm.
• Reservation only, call to book
• Closed-toe shoes are required
• Price: $28 per adult, kids are free (prices are subject to change)
• Duration: 1 hour
• Closed Sundays
• East, lighted trail

It is time to leave the immediate South Point area and enter the greater Ka’u District near South Point, Hawaii.

Things to Do Near South Point, Big Island

We are leaving the immediate area of South Point (La Kae) to venture into the greater Ka’u District. These places to visit are roughly 16 to 20 miles from the southern point.

I list these things to do near South Point in order of the most popular things to do.

8. Punalu’u Black Sand Beach

Punalu’u Black Sand Beach is the furthest stop on our list of things to do in South Point, Hawaii, but it is one of the area’s most popular attractions. 

We consider Punalu’u Black Sand Beach the best black sand beach in Hawaii and, of course, one of the best Big Island beaches. We like this black sand beach more than Waianapanapa Black Sand Beach on the Road to Hana on Maui. 

What makes this beach so impressive is the black sand, the size, and the secluded feeling. When we visit, the beach is rarely crowded.

There is a lifeguard on duty, as it can have a rough shore break.

You will also find Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles resting on the beach. Follow the guidance on the signs to keep your distance from these endangered sea turtles.

9. Punalu’u Bake Shop in Na’alehu

Punalu’u Bake Shop is a gem on the Big Island. It is the perfect stop for breakfast as you drive to Volcanoes National Park. The lively bakery may have a line (it moves fast), but it is well worth the wait for malasadas and sweet bread.

They have a second line at the deli counter for plate lunches, deli sandwiches, and coffee. The prices are reasonable at about $15 a plate and less for a sandwich. 

You can also buy gifts here as they have t-shirts and Hawaii souvenirs. 

Take your box of malasadas to their backyard garden. Sit in the gazebo or at one of their tables. They usually have live music playing.

Click for directions to Punalu’u Bake Shop. It is hard to miss, with its corner location in central Naalehu and large, blue sign. There is ample parking.

10. Na’alehu Town

Na’alehu is one of my favorite Big Island towns. It is a classic plantation and ranch town with a post office, old movie theater (derelict but charming), bakery, and a few food trucks and restaurants.  The old gas station and charming open-air elementary school are also classics.

We enjoy stopping at the Punalu’u Bake Shop for malasadas and walking across the street to Ka Lae Coffee for coffee. We then walk around town to see the architecture of the plantation homes and the shops. It is a small town, so doing a loop only takes about 15 to 30 minutes.

Naalehu is also home to Ka’u Coffee and Tea Company and Honua’s Coffee House. 

11. Whittington Ocean Park

Just south of Punalu’u Black Sand Beach is the small county beach park of Whittington Ocean Park. Click here for directions to this park located off the highway.

The park needs some love and repair. The parking lot is cracked, and the restrooms and showers are not well-maintained. Despite that, this is a nice spot to stretch your legs and walk in the tidepools. 

12. Haleokane Lookout

As you drive out of Na’alehu Town on your way north to Volcanoes National Park and Hilo, stop at Haleokane Lookout. The lookout is located just south of Whitington Ocean Park. 

The roadside lookout provides a fantastic view of the undeveloped Big Island coastline. It is where the green, pastoral hills hit the ocean. It is a great spot for photos.

Click here for directions to Haleokane Lookout so you don’t drive past.

13. Ailani Orchards

We have not had a chance to visit the next two farms, but they are on our list. Plus, we like to share local Big Island farms. 

Ailani Orchards is an organic farm on the slopes of Mauna Loa. Stop by to purchase honey, mac nuts, and Ka’u coffee from their farm. Click here for directions.

14. Manadina Farm

Manadina Farm offers a food-to-table experience and farm tours on their forest farm. It is tucked away near Na’alehu. 

Stroll the farm as you snack on the herbal and medicinal plants, fruits, and vegetables. Click here for directions. 

Final Thoughts on South Point, Big Island

I hope you can visit one or two of these things to do in South Point, Hawaii. It’s a great way to support a local farm or explore a remote part of the Big Island. 

After passing by it on numerous trips to Volcanoes National Park, our family was happy to finally spend time here. As I mentioned, we still owe a visit to Kula Kai Caverns and some farms. I’d love to spend more time in Na’alehu to eat at the restaurants and food trucks.

We love exploring the Big Island. As you’re looking for things to do, I can’t help but recommend our Big Island Wayfinder Itinerary. With planned days across the island, we will finish your planning. Click below to learn more!