Caribbean
Haiti
Cap-Haitien, the Citadelle Laferriere (the largest fortress in the Americas), Bassin Bleu near Jacmel (when accessible), the painted tap-tap art scene, Vodou heritage, the Caribbean north coast that almost no tourists see. Travel here is a deliberate choice with significant friction.
ExtremeWhy It Is Difficult
Status, May 2026: Acute crisis. Gang coalition (Viv Ansanm) controls most of Port-au-Prince since 2024 takeover of the main airport. Kenyan-led multinational security mission (MSS) deployed but with limited effect. Almost no commercial flights to Port-au-Prince. Travel to Cap-Haitien in the north remains possible. UK, US, Canadian governments all advise “do not travel”.
Why It Is Worth Visiting
Cap-Haitien, the Citadelle Laferriere (the largest fortress in the Americas), Bassin Bleu near Jacmel (when accessible), the painted tap-tap art scene, Vodou heritage, the Caribbean north coast that almost no tourists see. Travel here is a deliberate choice with significant friction.
Practical Travel Notes
Currency: Haitian gourde (HTG) and USD circulate. USD widely accepted in hotels. SIM: Digicel and Natcom; tourist plans at the airport. Language: French + Haitian Creole. English in tourist context only. Travel insurance: most policies exclude Haiti. Specialist providers (World Travel Protection, Global Rescue) can cover. Security: do not leave hotel grounds without a vetted driver. Move only in daylight. Photograph nothing that includes uniforms or armed people.
Access And Logistics
Access and internal movement depend heavily on current conditions. Plan routes around reliable entry points, daylight transfers, and locally verified transport.
Safety Considerations
Treat security as the core planning constraint. Avoid improvising routes, keep a conservative schedule, and re-check local conditions immediately before travel.
Visa Or Permit Notes
No visa required for most Western and most Latin-American passports (90 days on arrival). Tourist tax USD 10 on arrival. Entry currently almost exclusively through Cap-Haitien (CAP). Sunrise Airways flies CAP from Miami, Santo Domingo, Punta Cana and Providenciales. Port-au-Prince (PAP) was closed to commercial passenger flights for most of 2024-25; check the week of travel. Overland from the Dominican Republic (Dajabon-Ouanaminthe in the north, Jimani-Malpasse in the south) functional but tense.
Obfuscated Contact Leads
These archive leads are intentionally not clickable and not clean-copy formatted. Re-type them manually if a lead is relevant, and verify independently before relying on anyone.