Queen’s Bath — Attraction in Kauai

I've been to Kauai 4 times now, and Queen's Bath is still my favorite place. I heard about it first in a travel book on Kauai, and picked it out as my adventure on our first trip. We have gone every trip since, and it never disappoints.

Parking : Parking is extremely limited, so try to get there early or expect to wait to get a spot. You can also pay for parking in the nearby golf course, but you will have to walk down the street to get to the trailhead if you do so.

Hike : The hike is fairly easy, a bit of up and downhill. If it's been raining, expect mud. Don't go here in your white sundress and expensive sandals. Expect to get dirty. I usually do this hike in shorts and a swimsuit top, with my phone in a waterproof sling around my neck and either barefoot or in tennis shoes. The two most difficult parts of the hike you may need to get down on your butt, and expect the smallest amount of climbing over rocks and down a little steep stretch, but if my 54 year old mom can do it, so can you.

Wildlife : You will constantly hear chickens in the distance, and may see them on the path. On our first two trips, we didn't see any turtles, and were surprised that it was named as a good place to view them, however on our most recent visit in June 2023, we spotted them over 12 times floating in the water. In the pool of Queen's Bath itself, there are lots of little fish, and if you get in the pool, you will be swimming with them. They are small and tropical, and a joy to sit and watch.

Safety : The first part of the hike is very safe, though the path is small. The second half, once you get down onto the lava rocks between the cliff and the coast, if you are with small kids, please keep your eyes on them at all times. The path is wide and safe, but the waves are large and standing on the edge could prove dangerous. Once you get down to the pool that is Queen's bath, be very cautious if you're on the side where the waves hit. A lot of people seem to underestimate how water actually gets into the pool, and I've watched countless people get drenched by waves they weren't expecting to crash in.

All in all, as long as you know what to expect, this hike is an easy and fun experience that you do NOT...

This is a gorgeous place to see, but please be CAREFUL , you need gym shoes or ankle strap sandals, No-flip-flops as the trail is extremely uneven, slippery. There are 2-ways you can go down there to enter. The 1st … is with a gated entrance which is the last street to the right…before you hit the dead end at the roundabout. There is a gate on that street & few parking spaces after you make a right, with lots of warning signs. Please be aware everything it says is TRUE. if you go this way it is the safest trail to Queens bath….but its very muddy, slippery.

The 2nd..way to enter is if you go all the way to the end-of the roundabout…there will be a piece of small land in-between 2 houses that says “Do not Enter private property”. well, actually i heard it’s not private and most locals go right through this yard to get to Queens bath. That’s what we did. the only thing is that this way is kinda steep, please stay away from the edge. No guard rails…just be careful. No small children in his way.

Once you get down you will see ONE of Queen’s baths…as there are a few. THIS FIRST one you encounter which is huge and has an opening to the Ocean is DANGEROUS. Please DON’T jump or swim in this one. The currents are super strong and you might Not be able to get out. There is a SAFER smaller bath pool to the left facing the Ocean. Just walk a bit like 40-50 feet and you will find an awesome small/medium pool that is safe in between the rocks where everyone swims. Please remember while walking around this area to stay away from the edges or …and wet rocks by the edge…this means waves just crashed here… which out of nowhere ..can knock you down and sweep out to sea. No joke!!. Many have died too close to the edges. Overall, it was a wonderful experience, you just have to be careful and stick to the small queens bath down towards the left as you can see in the video the small one is quite safe and nice to swim in.

One Note: please don’t go to Queens bath during rough weather as the waves will get extremely high and can sweep...

Okay I’m going to make this as helpful as possible. We went here on August 5, 2024 at around 9:30AM. Parking lot was full. It’s a small parking lot. You can wait until spots open up, that worked for us. If not park at the golf course and walk. Hours are 7AM - 7PM. You need to be out at that time because they will lock the gate.

What to bring: Tennis or hiking shoes Hat and reef friendly sunscreen Optional but I recommend: water shoes.

Hike: If you’re young and/or fit/active hike is easy. At times you need to hold on to vines and roots but the jungle helps you. We went when it was dry!! I could see how it would be more difficult when muddy. Go at your own risk and pace, plan accordingly. Don’t go when it just rained.

Do not jump into the first queen’s bath you see. Continue until you see the second one and there you will find more people.

I watched the ocean before getting in, I also got out in between waves when I felt it was a series of waves or a big one came in that made me think hmmmm that was a little scary.

Others enjoy playing with their life, I like to adventure but plan to live until I’m 100 years old. Don’t be directly where the water pours in from the ocean. Stay on the other side of it. I won’t explain myself on why because it should be obvious.

I watched a father allow his toddler daughter to be in the hole without him and that made me angry. Don’t be that type of parent. You will stress out people like me who can’t help but supervise unattended children.

Treat the place with respect. Take all your belongings and leave nothing behind. This place is well worth the adventure! You will not be disappointed. 🤩

You do need to have common sense to be here. If you follow my guidelines you’ll be fine. If it doesn’t look safe to go in then don’t. It’s that simple. Be safe, have...