No coffee lover should miss a tour and tasting at the Kaʻū Coffee Mill, found 29 miles south of Volcano Village. The Kaʻū region is producing some of the world’s finest, smoothest coffees and building an impressive reputation. The mill offers tours of the facility and demonstrates how coffee is sorted, ground and roasted. Finished coffee is for sale, along with other local agricultural products like macadamia nuts, gift items, and art by local artists.

Punalu'u beach is just off Highway 11, and 31 miles south of Volcano Village as you drive towards South Point. It is the most accessible of the island’s black sand beaches, and important as a nesting beach for the critically-endangered hawksbill sea turtle. Hawksbills are rarely seen, however. Instead, it is the much more common Hawaiian green sea turtle you are likely to see here, grazing on algae that grows on the shiny black rocks. The glittering black sands underneath the green coconut palms and against the dark blue ocean are simply breathtaking.

The southernmost point of the Big Island, and also the southernmost point of the United States, is called Ka Lae in Hawaiian: The Point. It can be reached after a 49 mile drive south from Volcano Village. Here, the cliffs are high and steep, and the water clear, blue, and dangerous with enormous currents. Still, some people are tempted to jump from the cliffs for fun. Ka Lae is known to local fishermen for excellent fishing, as the deep currents bring valuable sportfish close to the cliffs. Many visit here to experience a green sand beach made of olivine crystals. From the parking area, the walk to the green sand beach is about two miles in the full sun and, often, a strong wind. Dress appropriately and bring drinking water.

Naʻalehu is a quaint small town dating from the old sugar cane empire period, with huge, old monkeypod trees overarching the main road. Most people find it as they travel through on their way to South Point. It is located about 40 miles south of Volcano Village. The main attraction here is the Punaluʻu Bake Shop, with its lines of people eagerly waiting for their chance to choose from the trays of hot, fresh-baked malasadas, a sort of Portuguese donut that can be filled with local jams or eaten plain. Stock up the car here for your adventures.