Haiti

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“The Atlantic has my jaw in its fist because my teeth

and tongue have curled into knuckles.

The Atlantic has Africa in its fist

because they’ve been trading ghosts for centuries.

The Atlantic has Haiti in its fist

because the slaves had so much fight

it filled up the moon;

the moon moves everything.”

― Jacqui Germain, When the Ghosts Come Ashore

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Being a traveler is about exploring new places often off the beaten track. This offers the possibility to explore places free of tourist traps and hustlers, and also going for an adventure of experiencing something not many people are able to do. Haiti is one of these destinations but it comes with a risk; a real risk that makes it not worth the hassle right now. Haiti is really unsafe at night and generally do not recommend it for traveling at this time.

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Haiti has been in the media spotlight for tragic reasons since the earthquake back in 2010 that killed about 200,000 people. As of 2019, it is advised by many embassies to avoid traveling to Haiti due to the ongoing economic and social unrest. It is simply not safe for foreigners and reports of kidnapping to theft are regularly reported.

For due diligence, I contacted some locals and asked about the actual safety on the ground. Their assessment is that it is truly unsafe and one must avoid going out at night, and attracting too much attention during the day. It was however safe to go out during the day.

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Highlights

Attractions: Bassin blue near jacmel, and the Citadelle Laferrière near Cap-Haitian.

Itinerary: Itinerary: (1) for a 3-4 days trip, one can visit Porte-au-Prince city, Jacmel city, and Bassin Blue pools. (2) For a 4-10 days trip, one can add Cap-Haitian, and visit the Citadelle Laferrière nearby. Note that although the distances are short between the main cities, the roads are in a terrible state and takes a very long time to get to places.

Avoid: driving at all costs, eating street food, going out at night, visiting unsafe neighborhoods during the day, and flashing expensive gadgets anywhere. Public buses within the cities, called guagua, are terrible and unsafe and must be avoided.

Watch out: Taxis are very expensive and there is no Uber. Inter city minibuses operate between the main large cities and depart when full but are unpredictable although feel safe.

Food:

Recommended book:

Ranking: ★ Read more

Top 5 Favorites

1. Bassin Blue

The highlight of visiting Haiti is Bassin Blue. It is a series of pools and water-falls with light blue/turquoise waters. It is however not easy to get to it. I took a moto-taxi to get there, which I really don’t recommend.

2. Jacmel

Jacmel, a known touristic city nearby the capital (by distance, but driving is 3h) is also not worth really the visit. I took public minibus from downtown bus station to Jacmel and it took 3h each way. The bus leaves when full.

3. Porte-au-Prince

The capital city Porte-au-Prince is unsafe, and its downtown is dirty, by far the dirtiest place I have seen on earth. Sorry Haiti, I call it as it is!! A far better place near the capital is Petion-ville where the wealthy Haitians live. It is better to stay there for a short visit.

4. Labadee

Labadee is secluded area owned by the Royal Caribbean International cruise company. With white sandy beaches and crystal water, it is one of the best destinations on the island.

5. Citadelle Laferrière

Situated nearby Cap-Haitian in the north of the country, the Citadelle is a magnificent fortress originally built after Haiti gained independence. It is a matter of pride for Haitians, symblozing their strength when faced with threat. The Citadelle provides beautiful views of the surrounding green fields.