24/11/2015
USA Today: Haiti for beginners: A guide to 2015's hottest Caribbean destination-
by Mark Rogers, Special for USA TODAY | Published on November 23, 2015- One tip: if you're main activities are going to center around Port-au-Prince, it would be a mistake to book accommodations in Petionville. Traffic between the city and the suburbs slows to a crawl during peak travel periods, and a lot of time will be wasted in transit.--
Over the last decade or so, travel to Haiti from the U.S. was usually predicated on business or being a member of a NGO providing aid after the horrific earthquake of 2010. Times are changing, and Haiti has bounced back and now finds itself on a variety of vacation "hot lists." Part of the country's fresh appeal is its vitality as it continues to dig out from under the remaining effects of the earthquake. New hotels are springing up, infrastructure is being improved, and new resort destinations have made their way from the drawing board to works in progress.
Along with this vitality come challenges, and the level of services in Haiti can at times fall short of those a traveler will experience at more fortunate destinations in the Caribbean. The upside of these challenges is no one will go to Haiti for the first time and express an attitude of "been there, done that." In my experience, Haiti is a thrilling vacation destination for enthusiastic travelers, rather than blasé tourists.
Touching Down in Haiti
On arrival at the Aéroport Toussaint L'Ouverture in Port-au-Prince, it can be a bit of a mad swirl at the exit, with Haitians pressing forward with offers of rides and help with luggage. It's best to arrange an airport pickup in advance with either your hotel or a reliable tour operator. The main language is French and Haitian Creole, so communication will sometimes be a challenge. Currency is the Haitian gourde, which hovers around 55 Haitian gourdes to one U.S. dollar. It's important to note that while Haitians are friendly, they can also be quite reserved; always ask first before you snap a person's photo.
Safety is still an issue in Haiti. I'm looking forward to the day when I can write otherwise. Until then, it's best to travel accompanied by a savvy local tour operator. During my visit, I was whisked around the country by Bobby Chauvet at Agence Citadelle in Port-Au-Prince and Jean Lionel Pressoir at Tour Haiti in Petion-Ville. Both kept things rolling, packing the most into a day, all the while imparting a lot of insider knowledge about the country.
Visitors will have a wide choice of hotels to choose from, especially in the capital city of Port au Prince and the outlying suburb of Petionville. Some hotels have been around for decades, including such first class properties as NH Haiti El Rancho and Hotel Montana. There are newer builds also, including familiar brand names familiar to US travelers, such as Best Western Premier Petion-Ville and Marriott Port-au-Prince Hotel. Those in search of colorful lodgings may want to give the historic Hotel Oloffson a try. This is one of the most famous hotels in the country, and over the years has hosted such luminaries as Graham Greene, Mick Jagger, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
One tip: if you're main activities are going to center around Port-au-Prince, it would be a mistake to book accommodations in Petionville. Traffic between the city and the suburbs slows to a crawl during peak travel periods, and a lot of time will be wasted in transit.
Seeing the Sights
There are a number of not-to-be-missed attractions in Port-au-Prince. A standout for me was the Iron Market, which was recently renovated. Here, visitors can browse display after display, from simple household items and produce to stalls displaying authentic Haitian artwork, including intriguing works associated with Vodou, such as Voodoo flags and Vodou spirit bottles. Travelers should also get themselves up to L'Observatoire, a mountaintop restaurant overlooking Port-au-Prince; they'll enjoy expansive vistas of the city, the Caribbean Sea and the surrounding countryside.
Haiti has some of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean and there are a variety of beach regions being developed. Meanwhile, the country's Arcadins Coast is convenient from Port-au-Prince, and has a selection of beach resorts.
Not all of Haiti's sightseeing treasures lie in Port-au-Prince. Travelers with time in their schedules can set off overland or by domestic flight to visit the awe-inspiring Citadelle Laferriére, a mountaintop 19th century fort in the northern region of Haiti. The fort was completed in 1820 and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sans-Souci Palace lies nearby, and was the residence of Haiti's first black king, Henri Christophe, a leader in the country's successful slave rebellion.
I've been traveling around the world for over 40 years, and have visited 54 countries. Touching down in Haiti last year was a beautiful shock to the system and brought me back to those exhilarating years of travel in my early 20s, when I was experiencing new cultures and countries for the first time. Haiti reinvigorated my passion for travel, and I'm already planning a return trip, where I can delve even deeper into the country's beauty and mystery.
