So when we heard about cliff jumping at a place called The End of the World, we...well...jumped at the chance! We parked at the south end of Alii Drive in Kona and took the short walk toward the cliffs, quickly spotting a group jumping and slack lining (slack lining consists of walking a tightly strung strap over the ground, or in this case, water). The drop is 15-40 feet, your choice, and is into nice deep water that surges into a cave*. Here I (Nannette) am, on my first jump from 28 feet.
There is no secret to cliff jumping here. All you have to do is take a breath and step off. The hard part comes when you want to get back up. After you swim to the side, you plant your feet on the submerged rock, wait for the surge to give you a push, get a grip (but watch out for sea urchins), and stand up. Then start the challenging climb up the rock face and do it all over again! Here goes Jay from 30 feet.
We think it's important to note that we found out later that the jumping spot is located near a sacred burial place and that many of the Hawaiian people consider it disrespectful to jump here. So while there are no signs warning you away from the location, there is another cliff jump you might consider choosing instead at the southern most tip of the Big Island. This one even has a ladder!
*We strongly recommend doing your research and scouting out an area before jumping, diving, or any other potentially dangerous activities. Rocks and other debris shift constantly on the ocean bottom and surf can be rough as well. Use your best judgment and consult experienced locals when possible.
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