Haiti
This land of vivid contrasts is at the heart of the Caribbean. Echoes of distant Africa act as a counterpoint to the familiar landmarks of Caribbean life. In fact, the description Afro-Caribbean could have been coined for Haiti.
It is the region’s third largest state and a gem that has yet to be discovered by mass tourism. Almost all of Haiti’s 7.5 million people are of African origin and it shows – in their art, their passion for music and their undaunted optimism.
It is the region’s third largest state and a gem that has yet to be discovered by mass tourism. Almost all of Haiti’s 7.5 million people are of African origin and it shows – in their art, their passion for music and their undaunted optimism.
Occupying the western part of the island of Hispaniola – which it shares with the Dominican Republic – Haiti can satisfy the needs of Caribbean beach-lovers and visitors looking for adventure and history.
Capital: Port au Prince
Currency: Gourde US Dollars widely accepted
Population: 7 million
Area: 27,560 sq km
Languages: French
Population: 7 million
Area: 27,560 sq km
Languages: French
Economy: Tourism
Religion: Roman Catholic 80% (of which an overwhelming majority also practice Voodoo)
Government: independent state
Telephone Codes: 509
Airport Departure Tax:
Passport/Visa requirements:
Health Certificates: None required. Contact health authorities for latest information.
Shoping Hours: Shops keep long hours but generally take a good lunch break
Banking Hours: Banks are open 9am-1pm and 3-5pm, Monday to Friday.
Time Zone: 14 hours behind Sydney (EST).No Daylight Saving Time is observed.
Electricity: 110v, 60 cycles
Weather: tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Transport:
About 75% of the population live in abject poverty. Agriculture is mainly small-scale subsistence farming and employs two-thirds of the work force. The majority of the population does not have ready access to safe drinking water, adequate medical care, or sufficient food. The lack of employment opportunities remains one of the most critical problems facing the economy, along with soil erosion and political instability. One of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. Over three decades of dictatorship followed by military rule ended in 1990 when Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was elected president. Most of his term was usurped by a military takeover, but he was able to return to office in 1994 and oversee the installation of a close associate to the presidency in 1996. ARISTIDE won a second term as president in 2000, and took office early in 2001. However, a political crisis stemming from fraudulent legislative elections in 2000 has not yet been resolved.
Improvements to Haiti's existing amenities and new developments are planned for its coastal areas. Haiti has a range of accessible beaches – both the classic white sand and volcanic varieties – and many are served by hotels, cafés and waterports operators.
There are also many secluded, sandy coves that can only be reached by rowing boat and are ideal for swimming and snorkelling. At Labadie on quiet Pointe Ste-Honore, you’ll find more than 200 acres (800,000 sq m) of Caribbean perfection, with undulating hills, nature walks and flawless beaches for sun-bathing, swimming and snorkelling.
Inland, adventurous visitors will find a country of fertile, forest-covered mountain chains, cactus plains and deserts and banana and coffee plantations. You’ll see – and hear – parrots, parakeets and hummingbirds. At Saumatre Lake, in the east by the Dominican border, there are crocodiles, flamingos and jacanas. In the Artibonite Vallee you'll see paddy fields, complete with water buffalo – a hint of southern Asia in the Caribbean.
There’s much rugged natural beauty, much of it in protected national parks, in Haiti, but perhaps the most awesome spectacle is man-made. The Citadelle LaFerriere, at the top of a 3,000ft (915m) mountain near the town of Milot, is the largest fortress in the Caribbean, if not the Western hemisphere.
Built on the orders of Haiti’s self-appointed king, Henri Christophe, its vital statistics are as daunting as its terrifying appearance – the walls are more than 100ft (30m) high and, in some places, 45ft thick. It took 200,000 people from 1804 to 1817 to build and the 10,000 soldiers the fortress housed were defended by 365 five-ton (4.5 tonne) cannon. Visitors don’t have to make the journey up on foot – they can get to within half a mile in a car, or right to the top on a horse.
In the capital, Port-au-Prince, you’ll find history and culture on a more human scale. It’s a large, vibrant city of markets, squares, museums, art galleries, historic monuments, hotels and restaurants – but most of all a city of people happy to offer visitors a welcome as warm as their famous Barbancourt rum.
There are also many secluded, sandy coves that can only be reached by rowing boat and are ideal for swimming and snorkelling. At Labadie on quiet Pointe Ste-Honore, you’ll find more than 200 acres (800,000 sq m) of Caribbean perfection, with undulating hills, nature walks and flawless beaches for sun-bathing, swimming and snorkelling.
Inland, adventurous visitors will find a country of fertile, forest-covered mountain chains, cactus plains and deserts and banana and coffee plantations. You’ll see – and hear – parrots, parakeets and hummingbirds. At Saumatre Lake, in the east by the Dominican border, there are crocodiles, flamingos and jacanas. In the Artibonite Vallee you'll see paddy fields, complete with water buffalo – a hint of southern Asia in the Caribbean.
There’s much rugged natural beauty, much of it in protected national parks, in Haiti, but perhaps the most awesome spectacle is man-made. The Citadelle LaFerriere, at the top of a 3,000ft (915m) mountain near the town of Milot, is the largest fortress in the Caribbean, if not the Western hemisphere.
Built on the orders of Haiti’s self-appointed king, Henri Christophe, its vital statistics are as daunting as its terrifying appearance – the walls are more than 100ft (30m) high and, in some places, 45ft thick. It took 200,000 people from 1804 to 1817 to build and the 10,000 soldiers the fortress housed were defended by 365 five-ton (4.5 tonne) cannon. Visitors don’t have to make the journey up on foot – they can get to within half a mile in a car, or right to the top on a horse.
In the capital, Port-au-Prince, you’ll find history and culture on a more human scale. It’s a large, vibrant city of markets, squares, museums, art galleries, historic monuments, hotels and restaurants – but most of all a city of people happy to offer visitors a welcome as warm as their famous Barbancourt rum.
