The cliff at Makapuʻu Point forms the eastern tip and is the site of a prominent lighthouse.
The place name of this area, meaning "bulging eye" in Hawaiian, is thought to derive from the name of an image said to have been located in a cave here called Keanaokeakuapōloli.
The entire area is quite scenic and a panoramic view is presented at the lookout on Kalanianaole Highway (State Rte.
The Makapuʻu area is reached approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) east of Waimānalo Beach on Kalanianaole Highway (State Rte.
72) or from the Honolulu side (south shore; Hawaiʻi Kai) travelling east along the same highway beyond Sandy Beach.