Festivals & Holidays in Haiti

By air International travellers arrive in Haiti in Port-au-Prince (PAP) at Toussaint L'Ouverture Airport or at Cap-Haitien International Airport in the north. Airline tickets can be purchased through numerous online ticket exchanges and agencies. Intra-Haitian flights are also available. Prices for these flights can fluctuate from time to time due...

By car Cars can be rented from Hertz, Avis, etc. Taxis in Haiti are usually SUVs or trucks, as most roads are long overdue for repair, in addition to the abundance of dirt roads encountered when travelling in Haiti. The price is often reasonable (e.g. 450 gourdes, or $11.53 to...

Regions in Haiti Central HaitiThe centre of Haiti's population in the heart of the country - the sprawl around the capital and the countryside in the north.North HaitiThe country's main towns outside the capital are located here, as are the beaches at Cap-Haitien favoured by foreign tourists.Southern HaitiThe Caribbean part...

The climate in Haiti is tropical with some variations depending on altitude. The temperature in Port-au-Prince varies between an average low of 23°C and an average high of 31°C in January, and between 25 and 35°C in July. The rainfall pattern is variable, with heavier rainfall in some lowlands...

There are many guesthouses all over Haiti. However, it is quite difficult to find them abroad. Most of these guest houses cost around $25 to $35 per night and include 2 to 3 meals per day. Sometimes these houses are connected to orphanages (e.g. Saint Joseph's Home for Boys). Saint...

One thing a missionary or other visitor to Haiti learns very quickly is that Haitians are a very dignified people; they have their pride, despite everything they have been through. There are a few beggars and peddlers in the cities, but they are the exception, not the rule. Don't...

Food in Haiti Haitian cuisine is typical of the Caribbean mix, a wonderful blend of French and African sensibilities. It resembles that of its Spanish Caribbean neighbours, but is characterised by a strong presence of spices. Roasted goat called "kabrit", roasted pork "griot", poultry with Creole sauce "poulet créole", rice...

Port-Au-Prince has a few landmarks, structures and statues, such as a large pair of hands holding the earth. Many of them are located near the airport. This city is the largest in Haiti and was the hardest hit by the earthquake. You will still see traces of the disaster,...

The Haitian gourde is the currency of Haiti. In April 2011, the exchange rate was 40.85 gourdes = 1 US dollar. Although traders are required by law to quote prices in gourdes, almost everything is quoted in "dollars" - not US dollars, but Haitian dollars, which is equivalent to...

The official languages of Haiti are French and Haitian Creole (Kreyòl Ayisien), a Creole language based on French, with 92% of its vocabulary derived from French and the rest mainly from African languages. Haitian Creole is the mother tongue of the masses, while French is the administrative language, although...

Haiti has a unique cultural identity made up of a broad mix of traditional French and African customs, mixed with significant contributions from Spanish and indigenous Taino culture. The country's customs are essentially a blend of the cultural beliefs of the various ethnic groups that have inhabited the island...

Haiti was inhabited by the Taino Indians when Christopher Columbus landed at the St Nicolas breakwater on 5 December 1492; see The Voyages of Christopher Columbus. Columbus named the island Hispaniola. The Taino were a branch of the Arawak Indians, a peaceful tribe that was weakened by the frequent...

Stay Safe in Haiti WARNING: In 2012, Canada advised its citizens to "exercise extreme caution" due to high crime rates and the United States warned its citizens that "the ability of local authorities to respond to emergencies is limited and non-existent in some areas" as some visitors have been assaulted,...