Attractions
Jacmel and the South Coast
Traveling along the well-signposted mountain road, the drive to Jacmel is a pleasant two-hour drive through stunning scenery. The south coast offers numerous beaches; the high mountain town of Kenscoff is a popular vacation spot with locals.
Cap Haïtien and the north coast
On Christmas Eve 1492, Columbus was stranded on the coast of Hispaniola, not far from what is now Cap Haïtien. The wreck of the Santa Maria is nearby. Nowadays, Cap Haïtien can be reached in 40 minutes by plane from the capital. The city lies at the foot of mountains and is surrounded by beaches. The citadel in the mountains 40 km south of Cap Haïtien and the nearby ruins of Sanssouci Palace are must-sees. Both are accessible from Milot. The ruins illustrate the influence that Versailles also had on this »Sanssouci«.
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Port au Prince
The capital Port-au-Prince has over 750,000 inhabitants. Sights include the Marché de Fer, the two cathedrals, the art museum, the statue of the Unknown Slave and the houses and villas from the turn of the century with their curious mix of different architectural styles. One of them is now the Musée Defly. The hillside suburb of Pétionville is quieter and has some of the city’s best restaurants, galleries and nightclubs.
Shopping
Overview
At the Marché de Fer there are local goods of different quality, e.g. B. carvings, printed fabrics, leather goods, paintings (especially the famous naïve painting), straw hats, necklaces and jewelry made of fruit pits, cigars and food. Port-au-Prince offers a good selection of shops and boutiques with a wide range of local and imported items. Trading is common. Shop opening times: i. A. Mon-Fri 08.00-12.00 and 13.00-16.00, Sat 08.00-13.30.
Nightlife
Introduction
The offer is varied and ranges from casinos to African drum music to western music and dance. In the evenings there are events in at least one of the big hotels, the main attractions being folk groups and performances of voodoo dances and songs. On Saturday nights, the folk dance Bamboche is performed on the open-air stages.
Culinary
Overview
In addition to French cuisine, you will find Creole specialties, French, tropical and African influences are combined in an interesting way. We recommend Guinea chicken with sour orange sauce, tassot de dinde (dried turkey), grillot (pork), diri et djondjon (rice with black mushrooms), riz et pois (rice with peas), langouste flambé (flambéed lobster), ti malice ( small banana), Piment oiseau (hot sauce) and Grillot et banane pese (chops with bananas). The tempting array of sweets and desserts includes sweet potato pudding, mango cake, fresh coconut ice cream, cashews and fresh fruit. Drinks: French wine is offered in better restaurants. However, the island drink is rum.
Culture
Religion
Predominantly Roman Catholic (80%) and Protestant (16%), in April 2003 the cult of voodoo was also recognized as an official religion in Haiti. About 70% of the population are considered voodoo followers. Although voodoo is often equated with »black magic«, especially in the Western understanding of religion, it is a polytheistic religion with dance rituals and songs.
Social Rules of Conduct
Casual attire is accepted, bathing suits are required on the beach or pool. Evening wear is only expected in very elegant restaurants. Valuables should not be displayed because of the risk of robbery, and extreme caution is advised, especially after dark. Photographing: The negative attitude of many Haitians against this should definitely be respected. Tipping: Hotels and restaurants charge 10%. Taxi drivers do not expect tips.
Climate
Best travel time
Tropical with intermittent rainfall throughout the year; much cooler at high altitudes, very humid on the coasts.
Country data
Phone prefix
+509
Area (sq km)
27750
Population
11,402,528 (Source: homosociety)
Population density (per square km)
360
Population statistics year
2020
Main emergency number
118
