The 14 most beautiful places to visit in Haiti

Discover our selection of the most beautiful places to visit on the wild island of Haiti, once nicknamed La Perle des Caraïbes !

Haiti, or Ayiti in Haitian Creole, would mean “the land of the high mountains” or “the mountain in the sea”. This country of the Great Antilles, with nearly 11 million inhabitants, shares an island with the Dominican Republic, in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. The Republic of Haiti was created in 1804, following the defeat of the army of Napoleon Bonaparte during the Battle of Vertières, thus becoming the first black republic in the world!

With its sublime landscapes, composed of cascades, caves, forests, mountains and beautiful beaches, its voodoo practices, its colorful naive art and its culture, Haiti has always fascinated. But the high rate of poverty and the terrible earthquake of 2010 have caused many tourists to flee, before reopening, gradually, to travellers. The wild island in the tropical climate, once nicknamed the Caribbean Pearl, is a true paradise of biodiversity and has not lost its superb, proof in this article on the 14 most beautiful places to visit in Haiti!

It should be noted: due to significant political and social unrest, the utmost caution should be exercised during a stay in Haiti.

1. Island-to-Vache

This small island of the Caribbean Sea is a commune of Haiti that extends over almost 46 km2. Island-à-Vache , which was a den of pirates in the 17th century, including Captain Morgan, is a real little corner of paradise where nature prevails and cars do not have their place. The island-à-Vache is resembling many points to the idea of a paradise island: a turquoise water and fine sand with lush vegetation in the backdrop.

Are you planning to visit Haiti and looking for a peaceful destination to relax? Put the course on Île-à-Vache!

2. The National Park of the Visit

The National Park of La Visit , of an area of 30 km2, is one of the things to do in Haiti. Created in 1983 to fight deforestation by protecting the flora, the pretty park with lush vegetation belongs to the La Selle Biosphere Reserve, listed in Unesco. It includes the largest reserve of pines in the country and the village of Seguin, perched at 1800 metres above sea level. Here the palm trees have left room for fir trees and pines, and the landscape contrasts with everything it is possible to see elsewhere in the country.

It is also in the National Park of La Visit that is the culminating point of Haiti, the Pic de La Selle (2680 meters). We can only recommend hiking enthusiasts to explore this area!

3. The Côte des Arcadins

This 19 kilometers long coast bears the name of ilets Arcadins offshore. Many hotels have settled on the Côte des Arcadins, and this has nothing surprising when one observes the beauty of its fine and white sandy beaches, behind which stand majesticly from the mountains. Prepare your mask and tuba and go looking for colorful fish in a crystal clear sea, unless you prefer to make a boat ride?

Nearby, there are numerous plantations of bananas and other crops, as well as fishing villages.

4. Jacmel

If you plan to visit Haiti, Jacmel is a must! At the end of a winding road through the mountains and the rainforest, we find this colorful port city recognized for its artistic wealth (Creative City of Unesco).

Go there to meet the local artisans, stroll along the seaside promenade, and take good time on its beautiful beaches, such as La Saline, Raymond des Bains, Ti Mouillage or the Beach of Congo. Black or white sand, there are for all tastes, and they have the advantage of being less frequented than those of Port au Prince.

5. The Historical National Park

Direction now Milot , in the north of the country, to admire the remains of the National Historic Park of Haiti, recognized at UNESCO World Heritage since 1982. This is a grouping of three impressive sites:

- La Citadelle La Ferrière a huge fortress erected at the beginning of the 19th century, rising to 900 metres above sea level, making it the largest fortress of the Caribbean. At the top, the panoramic view of the north of Haiti and the Caribbean Sea is breathtaking! - ♪ ruins of the Sans Souci Palace , the former residence of King Henri Christophe ravaged by the earthquakes that emerged in 1842 and 1843. - The fortified site of the Ramiers a plateau containing the ruins of a fort, covered with vegetation until 1972.

6. Blue Basin

The Blue bass , or Basle in Haitian Creole, is a superb natural site located near the city of Jacmel, in the mountains. It is composed of three basins with turquoise water (Basin Yes 4.6 meters deep, the Bassin Palmiste 17.4 meters deep and the Basin Clair 22.8 meters deep), in which waterfalls sometimes spectacular. Surrounded by lush vegetation, caves and fruit trees, these basins with fresh water are perfect places to offer a swim, in an enchanting setting!

7. The Saut-Mathurine Waterfall

Are you wondering what to do in Haiti? We suggest you go for a tour in Camp-Perrin, south, where you will have the chance to admire Saut-Mathurine one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in the country. High 27 meters and wide of about 30 meters, this incredible waterfall extends over the Cavaillon river and flows into a natural basin where it is possible to swim. The ideal after a hot day to visit the surroundings!

For the anecdote, its waters are used to produce electricity and thus feed the cities of Camp-Perrin and Maniche

8. La Grotte Marie-Jeanne

Ready to discover the longest natural excavation of the Caribbean? This is the Grotte Marie-Jeanne , a real underground labyrinth of several kilometers that would have about 56 rooms, and whose formation would be almost 60 million years old. The interior of the cave is covered with speleothems, limestone formations typical of the tropical caves.

This natural treasure, located on a hill 120 meters above sea level in the city of Port-à-Piment, south of the country, is one of the things to do in Haiti!

9. Kenscoff and Furcy

You'll find the villages Kenscoff and Furcy in the mountains, about 48 kilometers from Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti.

To take full advantage of the sumptuous landscapes of this region, we advise you to hike, or simply stroll around. This place will undoubtedly please adventurers who hide among you!

10. Waterfall

Why should we go to the Cascade? Saut-d’Eau if you plan to visit Haiti? Because the supposed magical virtues of this beautiful and dizzying waterfall make it a sacred place of voodoo practices on the island! Its waters come from the Terrible Mountain, also considered a sacred place for Catholic and voodoo believers. The Saut d’Eau waterfall is located in the borough of Mirebalais, in the heart of the country.

11. Island of Gonave

Gonave is a Haitian island of about 690 km2 located in the Gulf of the same name. Travellers who come to admire its extraordinary seabed and to hike in the heart of its mountainous and desert landscapes are numerous, although the island is without any tourist infrastructure.

Some of its sublime beaches are sometimes visited by colonies of pink flamingos and this show is definitely worth a look. In other words, visiting Gonave Island is to make sure to spend a memorable moment, almost out of time.

12. Macaya National Park

What to do to Haiti to take its eyes? Explore one of the most important biodiversity conservation areas in Haiti and the Caribbean, the Macaya National Park ! This park with an area of 20 km2 is part of the Massif de la Hotte and includes two Haitian summits that are the peak of Formon (2219 m) and the peak of Macaya (2347 m). It is one of the last primary forests in the country, and is home to endemic tropical rainforests, which explains the importance of protecting this species at risk.

13. Labadie Bay

Labadie , or Labadee , is not only the name of a famous private seaside resort, luxurious and very frequented by tourists, it is more generally a bay formed by a paradise peninsula. Located a few kilometers northwest of Cap-Haitien, the bay of Labadie and its turquoise waters are overlooked by beautiful mountains.

If you plan to explore this corner of the country, take a walk to Cap Haitien, or on the natural site of Île-à-Rat, also called Amiga Island! The latter is an island composed of a small virgin forest and white sand surrounded by crystal clear water from which visitors are invited to scuba diving, kayaking or simply relax on the beach.

14. Island of Tortue

Do not pass next to the Island of the Tortue if you are about to visit Haiti! This small island of the West Indies (less than 180 km2) owes its name to Christopher Columbus, due to its form in sea turtle. Submerged by a hurricane in 2004, the Island of Tortue and its mountain were finally reappeared in the middle of the ocean. The cinema ( Captain Blood Michael Curtis, the film series Caribbean Pirates ...) have made it a mythical island by using it as a decor and staging it!

Go discover this wild and mysterious island, and judge by yourself!