Haiti

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Quick Facts

[edit]

Capital

Port-au-Prince

Population

9,296,000 (2005 est.)^[1]

Government

Elected government

Religions

Christianity (Catholic, Protestant)

Languages

French, Creole

Calling Code

+509

Nationality

Haitian

Local name

French: Haïti, Creole: Ayiti

Contributors

• Utrecht (57%)
  from http://utrecht.travellerspoint.com
• Peter (22%)
  from My Shout
• dr.pepper (21%)
  from Tea Blog

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Introduction

My nieces sweet 16 cruise

© All Rights Reserved peter al

Nestled alongside the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola, Haiti has a favourable location in the heart of the Caribbean, promising a fine getaway. Promising, but not necessarily delivering. While the wealthy suburb of Petionville presents a palette of fine dining, luxurious hotels and modern shopping centres, neighbouring slum areas reveal the disturbing inequality of Haitian society. For visitors, this means that extra caution must be taken. It is recommended that slum areas such as these are not ventured into.

Of course, for those visitors able to overlook Haitian social injustice, the island promises much of the standard Caribbean attraction: nice beaches and great diving. And interesting places such as Jacmel, an old coffee port boasting French colonial architecture, make Haiti a destination of cultural merit.

Brief History

Geography

Departments

Haiti is made up of 10 departments.

• Artibonite Department
• Centre Department
• Grand'Anse Department
• Nippes Department
• Nord Department
• Nord-Est Department
• Nord-Ouest Department
• Ouest Department is home to the national capital Port-au-Prince
• Sud-Est Department
• Sud Department

Cities

• Port-au-Prince - The capital
• Cap-Haïtien
• Port-de-Paix
• Hinche
• Les Cayes
• Saint-Marc
• Jacmel
• Gonaïves

Sights and Activities

National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers

The National History Park is the only sight in Haiti that is on the Unesco World Heritage List. The Haitian monuments date back to the early 19th century, when Haiti proclaimed its independence. The Palace of Sans Souci, the buildings at Ramiers and, in particular, the Citadel Laferrière serve as universal symbols of liberty as they were the first monuments to be constructed by black slaves after gaining their freedom. The park is located near Cap Haitien and offers great views as well.

Bassins Bleu Falls

The Bassins Bleu Falls are three deep blue pools, connected by spectacular waterfalls. Because of the special minerals in the water these waterfalls have a very special colour. Legend has it that that there are water nymphs living in the caves near the waterfalls, who enjoy the sun on the rock in Palm Lake. But they disappear whenever they hear people's footsteps.

Étang Saumâtre

Étang Saumâtre is the main place to visit if you are interested in seeing the local flora and fauna. It is Haiti's largest saltwater lake and supports over 100 species of waterfowl, flamingos and American crocodiles. It offers a fantastic natural feature with great colours and dotted by brush and cacti. The western part of the lake is a bit salty, while the eastern part is actually freshwater!

Other sights and activities

• Voodoo. Haiti is known because of its voodoo practices
• Cap Haitien. This is probably the nicest city in the country, with its nearby beaches, lush forests and mountains.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Haiti is a tropical destinations, with warm or hot weather and high humidity. Daytime temperatures hoover around 30 degrees Celsius or more throughout the year while most nights are well above 20 degrees still. The north has slightly more variation regarding temperatures, mainly a bit colder during wintermonths of November to April and warmer from May to October. The wet season lasts from May to November, with hurricanes being a real threat from August onwards. The north is also somewhat wetter than the south.

Getting there

By Plane

Toussaint Louverture International Airport (PAP) near the capital Port-au-Prince serves as the gateway to and from Haiti. Air D'Ayiti operates several flights in the Caribbean and to Miami. Other airlines have flights to New York, Montreal, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Curacao and Air France flies to Cayenne in French Guiana.

By Train

There are no train connections with neighbouring Dominican Republic.

By Car

You can use the same border crossings as mentioned below, but driving in Haiti really is not recommended. It's much worse than in the Dominican Republic.

By Bus

There are three border crossing between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The two best places are the crossing between Ouanaminthe and Dajabón in the north which is convenient when traveling from Santiago to Cap-Haïtien, and the Malpasse/Jimaní crossing more to the south which is on the route from Santo Domingo to Port-au-Prince. A thrid crossing in the centre, between Beladere and Elías Piña, is difficult when using buses.

Terra-Bus has direct daily departures between Santo Domingo and Port-au-Prince in large comfortable, air-conditioned buses. It costs around 60 USD for a ticket. You can also travel in smaller buses for less than half this price, but it's much less comfortable and can take twice as long. Most buses leave during the late morning, arriving late afternoon.

By Boat

Currently there are no international boat services to and from Haiti.

Getting around

By Plane

Tortugair has domestic flights in Haiti. Destinations include Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, Cap Haitien, Les Cayes and Port-de-Paix. Caribintair flies between Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien, Hinche and Jérémie.

By Car

It's not recommended for travellers to rent cars, but if you insist there are agencies at the airport. An international driver's license is required. Outside Port-au-Prince, petrol might be scarce. Roads are in a bad condition and so are most private cars on the road.

By Bus

Buses are generally old American school buses and most buses originate and terminate in Port-au-Prince or Cap-Haitien. Buses are slow but cheap. Other destinations include Les Cayes, Jacmel, Jérémie, Hinche and Port-de-Paix and bus travel is not scheduled - they leave when full.
Smaller station wagons travel between Port-au-Prince and Pétionville and a few other towns.

By Boat

Several of the islands of the coast of Haiti are served by regular ferries, among which those from the capital Port-au-Prince. Cargo ships operate on the route between Jérémie, Cap-Haïtien and Port-au-Prince and sometimes are able to take passengers on board.

Red Tape

Most people can now enter Haiti with just a valid passport for stays up to 90 days. People from the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Panama and China, however, are required to apply for a visa.

Money

See also Money Matters

Work

Study

Language

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

See also Travel Health

Safety

See also Travel Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

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