When most people think of Haiti, their minds fill with the images broadcast on television stations immediately following the earthquake that shook the small island nation in January 2010. The crumbling buildings, seas of tent cities that popped up all over the place, or the feature articles of amputees who lost precious limbs during the quake. Or perhaps people think of the visuals shared during the cholera outbreak later that same year that claimed the lives of over 5000 people. Or, maybe it is the dramatic image of tires burning in the streets from the election protests in late 2010. I recently spent 1.5 years living in Haiti, and while all of those images are real, I am here to share a different side of Haiti.

I lived in Haiti from August 2010-March 2012, based in Port-au-Prince and traveling frequently to the countryside. Many people who have been to Haiti have visited the gorgeous beaches – one of which used to be a Club Med resort – and hiked through glorious mountain trails, visiting quaint village dwellings on the way.  While these experiences were incredible, I am writing today about a special place that I am sure will stay in my memory forever: Bassin Bleu.

Bassin Bleu, which means “Blue Basin” in English, is a stunning site located between the cities of Port-au-Prince and Jacmel. Accessing the spot can be a bit of a challenge; both times I visited, our vehicle had to drive across a robust river. Both times, I was grateful that I wasn’t driving.

Upon arrival at the parking lot, we were greeted by guides who were very willing to accompany us along the way. Together, we walked along the path to reach the basins and the guides assisted us down a huge rock that we needed to climb down using rope – rock-climbing style. Once we got to level ground, there it was: magnificent Bassin Bleu. Bassin Bleu is made up of three deep, crystal blue pools of fresh, cool water. We walked from the first basin to the second, and then, we had to swim across to a massive boulder a short distance from the rock shore. Swimming was a bit of a daunting task for the less confident swimmers in our group, understandably so since the guides informed us that the second basin is approximately 80 feet deep!

Once we reached the boulder, beyond it we saw a large waterfall, gushing with full force. The contrast between the crystal clear water and the grotto-like surroundings was incredible. Coming from the city of Port-au-Prince where grey is the colour, the waterfall felt like a mirage – almost too good to be true.

Visiting Bassin Bleu was the first time I realized that Haiti is a country filled with lesser known treasures – treasures worth making the effort to seek out. I look forward to my next trip to Haiti, and exploring more aspects of the nation so far off the tourist track that few travelers get to experience it!

*Photos Courtesy of Zahra Esmail.