The yellow baths in Guadeloupe

Almost four years have passed since we moved to Guadeloupe, and nearly eight years since we started this travel and photography blog. Things have changed quite a bit for us, and we’ve always found it challenging to write concise, accurate articles about places. However, I’m gradually changing the way I work, and things are improving. In this article, I’m going to tell you about a popular tourist spot on the island of Basse-Terre: the Yellow Baths in Guadeloupe.

At first, you might think it’s silly to write an article about such a small place, but many of you are looking for information to help you plan your trip to Guadeloupe. Very often, people visiting Basse-Terre come to this area, especially when climbing the Soufrière volcano. Click on the link above to find out everything you need to know about hiking on this volcano.

As I was saying: I don’t want to write a long article, but I’ll cover the key points you need to know about yellow baths!

To give you an idea of what to expect, there are simply two pools built into the slopes of the Soufrière volcano. Water flows naturally from the rock here at around 26°C, and the pools were built to collect this water and allow people to bathe in it.

Today, they are a must-see for anyone who wants to climb the volcano or go hiking in the area. The area is obviously touristy in high season, but if you can ignore the number of visitors, it’s still a beautiful place.

After returning from a hike up La Soufrière or La Chute du Galion, most people decide to take a dip here, and it’s often a real treat. At the very least, you can soak your feet and stretch your legs. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can immerse yourself in these beautiful pools for a while.

You’re probably not here for a history lesson, but I thought it would be helpful to provide some background information about the site. Without going into too much detail, here are the main points to remember:

• The site was inhabited long ago by Native Americans, before the arrival of Europeans.
• In January 1885, Louis Adolphe Rollin, the former mayor of Vieux-Habitants, requested that the current ‘Pas du Roy’ be laid out. This is the famous paved path that leads from the yellow baths to the start of the hike to the Soufrière. It was originally built to take the Count and Countess of Bardy to the summit of the volcano.
• In 1887, soldiers from the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment constructed a stone basin, a convalescent home, and a shooting range.

I would say there are two ways of looking at it. If you decide to come in the middle of the day during peak tourist season, the site can be absolutely packed with twenty or thirty people in and around the pools. This is far from an ideal atmosphere for relaxation and enjoying the natural surroundings!

However, you can enjoy it in peace and quiet if you come early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Many locals do this, as do we: we sometimes drive up at 5:30 pm, when almost all the visitors have left. This means you can spend fifteen minutes lounging in the pools, surrounded by beautiful tropical vegetation. Even if it rains a little, the water is warm, which feels great. I say ‘warm’ because the water isn’t hot — certainly not as hot as you might imagine!

As I mention below, be careful not to submerge your head due to the potential presence of amoebas (this is clearly stated on site).

If you would like to visit another pleasant spot that is less well known and less touristy, albeit this is changing, you could visit the Bain des Amours hot spring in Gourbeyre. If you arrive very early in the morning, around 7am, you can enjoy this idyllic setting all to yourself.

As this is a short article, the practical section will address the most common questions.

At 950 metres. Many of you asked this question, and here is the answer!

Everything depends on your starting point. The Yellow Baths are located in the municipality of Sainte-Claude, in the south of the island of Basse-Terre. From Grande-Terre, without traffic jams, allow about an hour. Here is the itinerary from the airport.

It’s pretty simple here, too. There is free parking for around fifteen cars at the end of the road. The only issue, if you can call it that, is that it can get busy if you arrive too late, for example in the morning. If you arrive at around 9 or 10 a.m., it’s worth waiting a while at the top in the hope that someone has just come for an hour’s swim and will leave soon. It sometimes works! In most cases, however, arriving late means turning around at the small car park and parking further down the road where tourists park to go hiking in Guadeloupe National Park.

As I mentioned earlier, you will receive a notice upon arrival with more information. Amoebas have been found in this bath in the past, as well as in any hot water bath in Guadeloupe.

There’s no need to be paranoid, but you should obviously avoid putting your head under the water and drinking it. The main risk is a condition known as ‘PAM’, or primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, which is almost always fatal. A child died from it in 2008.

If you’re passing through Basse-Terre, there’s a good chance you’ll be staying nearby. There are plenty of accommodations close by to suit all tastes and budgets.

We often recommend the Bananes Vertes Écolodges: the spot is set in the heart of a tropical garden and offers eco-designed bungalows and studios with kitchenette, outdoor pool, Wi-Fi and free parking. The setting is peaceful and the welcome is top-notch.

Alternatively, you can check the map below to find your accommodation based on where you prefer to stay 🙂

Things are quite simple : all nature lovers will take pleasure in discovering the beautiful landscapes and trails of Basse-Terre on hikes. We even have a page that lists all the hikes we’ve done since we’ve been living in Guadeloupe (dedicated articles + GPS tracks).

Clearly, if you’re around here, you absolutely have to climb La Soufrière and consider other hikes in the area. You can read our article on the subject. For those who are interested, I really recommend attempting the ascent with a guide ; it was amazing.

You can also go canyoning with Vert Intense, a local company that offers tours of beautiful canyons in the area. Our friend Valérie tried it out for us ; we’d love to do it ourselves too, haha !

Alright, I’ll stop here on the Yellow Baths in Guadeloupe. I’ll see you soon for a new article. If you’re in the middle of planning, don’t hesitate to read our article to learn about the cost of a trip to Guadeloupe.

Written by Sylvain PONS

Since 2021, I've been living in the Guadeloupe archipelago with Mélanie and our two children. We are exploring these beautiful islands and discovering the treasures that we are happy to share with you!

Despite our care, a mistake may have slipped into this article. If you find any, please don't hesitate to let us know so we can correct it as soon as possible and keep our information up-to-date!