Queens Bath
morning dips fit for a queen
Chances are if you have heard or read anything about the island of Kauai before, you have probably heard of two things: the Na Pali Coast and Queens Bath. And no matter what pre-conceived notions you have about either of them, go and see and experience them! They are just as magical as Instagram makes them out to be. Queens Bath is a giant Tidepool located on Kauai's North Shore in Princeville.
To start I had read online that the trial was in a neighborhood which made me so nervous that
1. It was going to be impossible to find and
2. Parking would be a nightmare.
But lucky for me and you it was neither! If you type in the address of Queens Bath into your phones it will actually take you right there! I quickly learned that the lack of roads on Kauai make your chance of getting lost or making a wrong turn really slim! Once you reach the trail head their is even like a mini 'parking lot' for you to park! It was actually packed full when we got there so we asked some friendly visitors if we could tag team and park behind them! Never hurts to ask :) Their is a sign where the trail starts to the right of the cars (when facing them).
The trail is less than 1/2 a mile and fairly easy! Regardless if you want to go to Queens Bath hiking the tail is SO worth it. Imagine my shock when we saw this beauty on the way down! There is a small swimming hole at the bottom, we almost got in, but I will be honest the water in the stream didn't look like the best swimming water. But it is still so cool to be so close to such a big fall.
You will stumble upon ANOTHER waterfall just a few more minutes down the path! I was in heaven :) Some people started playing on those rocks later and I was freaking out for them every wave that came and crashed into them. Please use your noggin while on vacation!!
Once you pass the second waterfall You will now make your way across the rocks along the ocean to reach the tidepool. I love looking out into the water, it is endless! And make sure you look because by Queens Bath is literally Turtle Town! We saw at least 20 turtles and some of them were so big! It was so so cool. Keep your eyes peered at any areas where you can see visible rock or coral because thats where the love to hang out!
Once you finally get to the Bath be ready to pick a spot and DIVE IN! We jumped from the big jumping rock, dove in from the sides and even stepped right in! One thing I was not expecting was that it was actually deep enough to dive and jump in. It is probably about 8-9 feet deep in the deepest areas. So, you still have to be very careful when entering, especially if you tall!! But Rashawn did (eventually ;)) jump in too and he did not hit the bottom!
I am big on exploring so we had a great time walking around and taking in all of our surroundings. We stumbled on a few of these mini tidepools and gosh did I just want to jump in them! The water was so untouched and pretty.
The backdrop almost looks fake because it was so pretty! The North Shore is like the gateway to the Na Pali so to see the start of the mountain range is so stunning. Plus if your like me and obsessed with the ocean you won't be able to get over the water here.
We had so so much fun playing with my new Knekt Lens! I am so exited I can start to capture moments how I see them and feel them. I can finally truly show what the underwater world is really like.
BUT, I was disappointed in one thing while playing at Queens Bath. The water quality was on the poor end of the scale. I am not expert but looking around at the number of tourists who come to Queens Bath each day, you can infer it's all of those bodies! All the sunscreen, makeup, waste, and other 'gunk' we have on us gets washed aways into this water. And because it is a tidepool, and summer time, the water just sits there! Maybe right after winter the water is better because the waves will have refilled the pool. Do try to avoid the Bath in the winter months because it can be very dangerous to be there. The big waves can easily knock you down and sweep you away.
I also got quite a few compliments on my swim suit while adventuring through Kauai! I was so flattered because each of them could have rocked this thing way better than me! But it is from PacSun. They have so many cute suits I want them all! This one is soooo comfy, perfect price, and it is such a beachy suit!
how to get here
Queens Bath is located on the North Shore of Kauai in Princeville. This spot is a geotagged spot so inputing it into your GPS will take you right there! Once there, the parking is minimal but available. The hike down is marked by a sign and a very clear trail that you can follow all the way down to the bath!
warning
And now I want to say a few words on an issue that I feel needs more attention. I recently read this article and a few others concerning the topic of tourist deaths in Hawaii. It is becoming more of an alarming topic in our community. Simply put, when people come to 'paradise' they kind of loosen their expectations on how to live life. They are more willing to try things they normally would not. Especially with Social Media and Instagram people will see things and want to do them to, not realizing it's dangerous, sometimes illegal, and done by locals here. The article didn't truly resonate with me until I arrived to Queens Bath though and saw this 'Free in Paradise' first hand. People were playing in the current, by the rocks where the water was crashing, and plunging off of giant cliffs. I was like WOW this is an actual real problem! People who come here don't understand the ocean, tides, and currents as well as someone living here. It can be very dangerous and the ocean can sweep you out to sea faster than you think. What I thought was special at Queens Bath is tally of drownings that happen here. Like I said before try to avoid the Bath in the winter as water is rough and a wave can easily knock you over and pull you out.
I want everyone to experience the same beauty and experiences I do, but SAFELY! I will do a better job posting some tips and maybe more details about the safety concerns of each place I go. Just use common sense when doing things! And I have mentioned it before like in my Hanalei Pier Post, I may do illegal things, but I do them in good taste. And my rule of thumb is always: If the locals aren't doing it, you shouldn't either.
pin gallery
It is hard to believe a shore line could out-do the Na Pali Coast but coming to the Kileaua Lighthouse will surly take your breath away. Between the pure beauty of protective nature, the possibility of a whale watching, and seeing a historical landmark makes a stop here more than worth it.