Find places in Haiti

Must-Haves

• Cathédrale Notre-Dame de l'Assomption (Place d'Armes)
  The cream coloured cathedral on the main square, the heart of the old town and its festivals.
• Vertières Monument (Vertières)
  The memorial to the 1803 battle that sealed Haitian independence, busiest on 18 November.

Off the Beaten Path

• Bois Caïman (Morne-Rouge)
  Site linked to the 1791 ceremony that launched the slave uprising, a powerful place for history lovers.

Must-Haves

• Place d'Armes (Old town)
  The main square, shaded and lively, ringed by colonial era houses with painted balconies.
• Old town gingerbread streets (Rues 17 to 24)
  A grid of two storey houses with wooden balconies and shutters, best explored on foot in the morning.

Fun for Everyone

• Le Boulevard (Seafront)
  The seafront promenade where families stroll at sunset and vendors sell grilled corn and juice.
• Labadie water taxis (Labadie wharf)
  Small boats shuttle between Labadie and nearby beaches, a fun and easy way to explore the coast.

Off the Beaten Path

• Labadie village (Labadie)
  A fishing village of painted houses beside the cruise enclave, reached by road and water taxi.

Off the Beaten Path

• Fort Picolet (Pointe Picolet)
  Ruined colonial fort guarding the harbour mouth, with cannons and wide views across the bay.
• Amiga Island (Off Labadie)
  A tiny sandy cay offshore, an easy boat hop for snorkelling and a lazy afternoon.

Must-Haves

• Plage Paradis (Cormier coast, by boat)
  A crescent of sand reached only by boat, with calm water and seafood lunches.

Fun for Everyone

• Cormier Beach (Route de Labadie)
  Sheltered beach with gentle water, easy for families and a short drive west of the city.
• Belly Beach (Labadie)
  Public beach beside Labadie village with simple bars, boats and grilled fish.

Must-Haves

• Hotel Roi Christophe (Rue 24, old town)
  A colonial building with a courtyard garden and pool, a classic base in the centre.
• Hotel Mont Joli (Carénage)
  Long running hotel on the hill with a pool, views and a restaurant popular with returning visitors.

Great for Date Night

• Habitation des Lauriers (Carénage hills)
  Hillside hotel with terraces looking over the bay and the old town rooftops.

Fun for Everyone

• Cormier Plage Resort (Cormier)
  Beachfront hotel on its own cove, a relaxed base for swimming and boat trips.

Must-Haves

• Lakay Restaurant (Boulevard)
  Seafront favourite for griot, lambi and grilled chicken, with music on busy evenings.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Fritay vendors on the Boulevard (Seafront)
  Evening stalls frying plantain, griot and akra, the classic Haitian street supper.
• Hotel Mont Joli restaurant (Carénage)
  Reliable Haitian and international dishes and a terrace with a breeze.

Great for Date Night

• Habitation des Lauriers terrace restaurant (Carénage hills)
  Dinner with the lights of the bay below, good for a quiet evening.

Fun for Everyone

• Cormier Plage beach restaurant (Cormier)
  Fresh fish and lobster lunches with your feet almost in the sand.

Fun for Everyone

• Seafront terrace bars (Boulevard)
  Open air bars along the bay where locals meet for Prestige beer and konpa music.

Great for Date Night

• Hotel Roi Christophe courtyard bar (Rue 24, old town)
  A calm courtyard for a rum sour under the trees.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Marché Cluny (Rue 8, city centre)
  The city's sprawling main market of produce, spices and household goods, best with a local friend.

Off the Beaten Path

• Boulevard craft sellers (Seafront)
  Paintings, metal art and carvings sold along the bay, good for small gifts.

Must-Haves

• Vertières Day (Vertières)
  National holiday on 18 November with ceremonies and parades marking the decisive battle.

Fun for Everyone

• Fête Notre-Dame (Old town)
  The city's patronal festival in mid August with processions, music and street food.

Must-Haves

• Citadelle Laferrière (Bonnet à l'Évêque)
  The largest fortress in the Americas, built after independence and crowned with cannons and views.
• Sans-Souci Palace (Milot)
  The grand ruined palace of King Henri Christophe, with staircases and arches climbing the hill.
• Chapelle Royale de Milot (Beside Sans-Souci)
  The domed royal chapel next to the palace, still used by the town's parish.
• Citadelle cannon galleries (Bonnet à l'Évêque)
  Long vaulted galleries still lined with bronze and iron cannons and piles of cannonballs.

Off the Beaten Path

• Site des Ramiers (Above the Citadelle)
  Quiet ruined outworks beyond the Citadelle that few visitors bother to reach.

Fun for Everyone

• Horse ride up the Citadelle path (Milot)
  Local handlers lead horses up the steep paved path, a fun option for kids and tired legs.

Off the Beaten Path

• Milot town walk (Milot)
  A short wander through the town's streets and church square after the crowds leave.

Must-Haves

• Citadelle summit views (Bonnet à l'Évêque)
  On a clear morning you see across the northern plain to Cap-Haïtien and the sea.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Milot craft stalls (Near the Sans-Souci entrance)
  Metal art, paintings and wooden carvings sold by local artisans at the foot of the climb.

Must-Haves

• Hotel Florita (Rue du Commerce)
  A restored coffee merchant's mansion with high ceilings and balconies in the old town.

Great for Date Night

• Hotel Cap Lamandou (Cyvadier road)
  Clifftop hotel with a pool facing the sea, a romantic base for a few nights.

Fun for Everyone

• Cyvadier Plage Hotel (Cyvadier)
  Garden hotel above its own small cove, popular with families for swims and seafood.

Great for Date Night

• Hotel Florita bar (Rue du Commerce)
  An atmospheric old town bar for a rum punch in a historic house.

Fun for Everyone

• Cyvadier Plage restaurant (Cyvadier)
  Fresh grilled fish and lambi on a terrace above the cove.

Great for Date Night

• Hotel Cap Lamandou restaurant (Cyvadier road)
  Dinner by the pool with the sound of the sea below.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Raymond-les-Bains fish shacks (Raymond-les-Bains)
  Simple beach kitchens grilling fish and serving bannann peze at plastic tables.
• Jacmel street fritay (Old town)
  Evening stalls of griot, akra and plantain near the squares, cheap and filling.

Must-Haves

• Historic quarter (Rue du Commerce and Place Toussaint Louverture)
  Iron balconies, warehouses and mansions from the coffee era, best explored slowly on foot.

Fun for Everyone

• Mosaic seafront promenade (Bord de Mer)
  A seafront walk decorated with colourful mosaics made by local artists, lovely at sunset.

Off the Beaten Path

• Cayes-Jacmel village (Cayes-Jacmel)
  A quiet coastal village east of town with fishing boats and simple seafood.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Jacmel wharf (Bord de Mer)
  Watch fishing boats land their catch at the old wharf in the early morning.

Must-Haves

• Marché en Fer de Jacmel (Old town)
  The town's iron market hall, buzzing with produce sellers and everyday life.
• Cathédrale Saint-Philippe et Saint-Jacques (Old town)
  Jacmel's historic cathedral near the market, a landmark of the old town.
• Papier-mâché workshops (Old town)
  Artists shaping carnival masks and animals by hand, busiest in the weeks before carnival.

Must-Haves

• Artisan galleries on Rue Sainte-Anne (Old town)
  Paintings, masks and metal art bought straight from the people who make them.

Must-Haves

• Bassin Bleu (Hills north of Jacmel)
  Turquoise pools linked by waterfalls, reached with a local guide and a short scramble.
• Ti Mouillage (Cayes-Jacmel)
  One of the prettiest beaches on the southeast coast, with palms and clear water.

Fun for Everyone

• Raymond-les-Bains (East of Jacmel)
  A long beach with food shacks and weekend crowds, Jacmel's favourite day at the sea.
• Plage de Cyvadier (Cyvadier)
  A small, sheltered cove below the hotel, good for a calm swim.

Off the Beaten Path

• Marigot beach (Marigot)
  A fishing village beach further east, quiet on weekdays and good for fresh seafood.

Must-Haves

• Carnaval de Jacmel (Old town and seafront)
  A parade of extraordinary papier-mâché masks and satirical characters, usually in February.

Off the Beaten Path

• Grotte Marie-Jeanne (Port-à-Piment)
  One of Haiti's largest cave systems, an adventurous trip far to the southwest.
• Pic Macaya National Park (Massif de la Hotte)
  Cloud forest with rare frogs, orchids and birds, for serious hikers with a guide.

Must-Haves

• Pointe Sable (Port-Salut)
  A long golden beach with calm water and fishermen pulling in nets.
• Saut-Mathurine (Camp-Perrin)
  Haiti's largest waterfall, plunging into a deep pool you can swim in when calm.

Fun for Everyone

• Gelée beach (Les Cayes)
  A popular beach just outside Les Cayes, crowded with families during the August festival.

Must-Haves

• Auberge du Rayon Vert (Port-Salut)
  Small hotel steps from the beach, a relaxed base for the south coast.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Pointe Sable beach grills (Port-Salut)
  Lobster and fish grilled over wood and served with plantain and pikliz.

Great for Date Night

• Auberge du Rayon Vert restaurant (Port-Salut)
  Seafood dinners near the beach as the sun drops into the sea.

Fun for Everyone

• Beach bars at Pointe Sable (Port-Salut)
  Weekend bars with music where families and friends gather by the sea.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Les Cayes market (Les Cayes)
  The busy market of the south's main city, full of produce, spices and fabric.

Must-Haves

• Cathédrale Notre-Dame des Cayes (Les Cayes)
  The main church of the southern city, at the centre of its religious festivals.

Off the Beaten Path

• Port-Salut coastal walk (Port-Salut)
  Walk the beaches west of town past palms and fishing boats.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Les Cayes wharf (Les Cayes)
  The busy waterfront where boats leave for Île-à-Vache and fishermen sell the day's catch.

Must-Haves

• Port Morgan (North shore)
  A small hotel on a sheltered bay, the classic base for island stays.

Great for Date Night

• Port Morgan restaurant (North shore)
  Lobster and fish dinners on the water with a calm evening view.

Great for Date Night

• Port Morgan bar (North shore)
  A sunset drink over the bay, the island's gentle evening ritual.

Must-Haves

• Abaka Bay beach (Abaka Bay)
  Soft sand and clear water on the island's best known beach.

Fun for Everyone

• Mangrove boat trip (Island coast)
  Small boats explore the mangroves, fishing villages and quiet coves.
• Boat crossing from Les Cayes (Les Cayes wharf)
  The short sea crossing to an island with no cars is part of the adventure.

Off the Beaten Path

• Village walk (Madame Bernard and Cayes-Coq)
  A walk on car free paths between villages, meeting island life at its own pace.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Madame Bernard market (Madame Bernard)
  The island's weekly market, where villagers trade fish, produce and goods.

Must-Haves

• Champ de Mars (Downtown)
  The capital's central square beside the site of the National Palace.