Ka Lae, Cape and National Historic Landmark at the southernmost point of Hawaii Island, US

Ka Lae is the southern tip of Hawaii Island, a low lava headland whose fractured volcanic rock, reddish brown and gray, rises in stacked slabs to a blocky overhang above the sea. The rock wall drops straight into churning blue water on the east side. The name means "the point" in Hawaiian.

Polynesian voyagers first landed at this location roughly 1000 years ago, making it one of the earliest known entry points for settlement in Hawaii. The archaeological remains show that people chose this spot despite its challenging waters.

The drilled holes visible in the rocks along this coast show where ancient Hawaiians secured their fishing boats against the ocean's force. These marks reveal how people shaped this place to work with nature rather than against it.

The road to reach this point is rough and exposed, so wear sturdy shoes and watch your footing carefully as you walk. The currents here are too strong and unpredictable for swimming, though locals do fish from the rocks.

The current off the point is called the Halaea Current, after a chief said to have been carried out to sea and drowned. Locals still fish from the lava ledges, and the offshore waters hold red snapper and ulua.