Document Checklist for Haiti

• Confirmation of a round-trip ticket photocopied.
• Your present employer’s letter
• Filled-out and signed application
• Two color photographs the size of a passport
• A letter outlining the purpose of the trip, the planned duration of the stay, any hotel references or host information
• A passport with a minimum six-month expiration date

Essential Haiti Travel Information

Currency: HTG or Haitian gourd. $1 is equivalent to around 130 HTG.

Daily budget for one person: $30 or so per day,

Languages: French and Haitian Creole are Haiti’s two official languages. Few people are fluent in English.

Socket type: A and B types. 110V supply voltage and 60Hz are used in Haiti.

Time zone: Eastern daylight time (GMT-04:00)

Top 3 cities to visit: Labadee, Les Cayes, and Port-au-Prince.

Top 3 landmarks/monuments: Citadelle Laferrière, Bassin-Bleu, and Cathédrale Notre-Dame de L’Assomption

Visa Information for Haiti

Only a few individuals need to apply for visas to enter Haiti.

Typical Costs and Budget for Haiti

Daily spending per person – $30

Meals – $5.00

Transport – $2.50

Hotel – $22 for one person or $45 for a couple

Entertainment – $6.59

A week generally costs $212 for an individual and $424 for a pair. Most travel advice for Haiti recommends having emergency cash for unforeseen circumstances like natural catastrophes or medical evacuation.

Transport and Ways to Travel Around Haiti

The majority of villages and tourist attractions in Haiti are connected to the country’s major cities, including Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, Jérémie, and Cap-Hatien, by a network of roadways.

Buses, tap taps, motos, and taxis are just a few of the many forms of public transit you may encounter. To guarantee their safety, travelers are typically recommended to stay with tour groups or buses. If you opt to drive, have a valid international driving license.

Safety in Haiti

In underdeveloped or urban regions, Haiti may be highly dangerous. However, if visitors follow the recommendations of local officials, they should have a safe trip to Haiti. Some pointers are:

• Get up-to-date travel health insurance that includes a continuous 24-hour emergency support service. Also, bring the essential medical items you’ll need because they can be hard to acquire in Haiti.
• Ask your tour guide for recommendations about the location you intend to visit before you go.
• Watch the local news for updates on the politics, climate, and safety of the area you are visiting.
• Avoid crowded locations, protests, demonstrations, and strikes.
• Avoid taking a taxi, a tap-tap, or a motorbike taxi.
• Be careful to get ready if there are power outages, food shortages, or basic amenities like fuel and water.
• Always have your identity and vehicle’s paperwork on hand if a security checkpoint is required.
• Kidnapping is possible in Port-au-Prince and other parts of the Department of Ouest. So be alert and ensure you have backup strategies for getting out of tricky situations.
• Avoid going out at night and in remote locations.

Weather in Haiti

With daily highs in the summer ranging from 23°C to 33°C and lows in the winter running from 19°C to 28°C, Haiti is noted for its mild climate.

Several unforeseen catastrophes involving hurricanes and storms, earthquakes, heavy rain, and floods have sadly struck Haiti over the years. The typical hurricane season in Haiti runs from June to the end of November.

So, from December through March, Haiti’s festival period falls typically during the season of colder, drier weather.

Popular Cities and Towns in Haiti

On Haiti’s north coast, near the port city of Cap-Hatien, is the only other international airport. The city, which has gorgeous beaches and is known for its French colonial architecture, was once known as the Paris of the Antilles.

The capital city of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, is situated on the Gulf of Guinea. Only two international airports serve Haiti, and one of them is located in Port-au-Prince. In addition, the National Haitian Museum, the Iron Market, and Notre-Dame de L’Assomption Cathedral are all in the city.

In Haiti’s Nord-Ouest division, the Port-de-Paix Arrondissement contains the commune of Bassin-Bleu. The stunning Bassin-Bleu waterfall, one of the biggest tourist attractions in the nation, is its most famous feature.

Another port city in Haiti is Jacmel, which has several structures in the colonial style, including the renowned Raymond Les Bains beach, the Salubria Gallery, and the 19th-century Maison Cadet.

Must Do and See in Haiti

Visit Saut-Mathurine, Haiti’s most splendid waterfall, which is located in the southwest. The waterfall offers paddling and swimming holes that are simple to get to, and the drive there provide spectacular views of Haiti.

Visit the waterfall at Bassin-Bleu, which is tucked away in the Jacmel hills. Hike through the woods, plunge in the blue waterfall, or relax beneath the thick flora and take a peaceful picnic.

Enjoy a birds-eye perspective of Haiti’s clear ocean and lush, tropical terrain by going on a ziplining excursion. One of the most well-liked routes on the island descends from the mountaintops to Labadee Beach via the Dragon’s Breath Flight Line.

With its white sand, sparkling water, and towering palm trees, Kokoye Beach is the ideal Caribbean beach retreat. The snorkeling conditions are perfect. Only a boat or a long hike will bring you to the beach, though.

Typical Haitian Foods to Try

Banana fritters are known as benyen or beignets de carnaval in Haiti. One of the numerous well-known delicacies connected with the Haitian carnival, this distinctive delicacy is a famous street cuisine that serves as breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

The temperature on the island is ideal for fresco, which is simply Haitian shaved ice. Shaved ice is topped with rich, sweet syrup in this typical delicacy.

Typically eaten as an appetizer, marinad is a Haitian chicken fritter. To make the recipe, combine the shredded chicken with the garlic, scallions, pepper, and herbs. Fry the mixture until golden. Although it was initially prepared for festivities, it is now a well-liked street snack in Haiti.

Vaccine Information for Haiti

The CDC strongly advises following up-to-date vaccinations before visiting Haiti: Hepatitis A, typhoid, flu, Measles-Mumps-Rubella, Shingles, malaria, rabies, COVID-19, hepatitis B, yellow fever, and cholera are among the illnesses that can infect people.

Fun Facts about Haiti

1. Only 27,750 square kilometers wide, Haiti is a little smaller than Maryland.
2. January 1, 1804, marked Haiti’s declaration of independence from France. In the Western Hemisphere, it is, therefore, the country with the second-oldest freedom.