The name simply means 'Blue Basin' in Haitian Creole, and the colour really is extraordinary. The water is so clear that you can see right down through it, and the sunlight makes it sparkle like a jewel set between green cliffs. The first pool is the largest — big enough to swim in.
Three waterfalls link the pools to each other, each one splashing into the next basin below. Tall trees and ferns lean over the water from the clifftops, keeping the pools cool and shady even on a hot day. Tropical birds call from the branches above.
To reach Bassin Bleu, you walk a trail through the countryside, passing farms and listening to birds and frogs. Local guides know every twist of the path and love sharing facts about the plants and animals along the way. At the end of the hike, that first glimpse of turquoise water through the trees feels like finding treasure.
Swimming in the cool blue water on a warm Haitian day is one of the most refreshing things you can do in the whole Caribbean. Artists and photographers travel long distances just to try to capture that extraordinary blue colour.