Bradt Travel Guide: Haiti

About this book

A new edition of the only stand-alone guidebook on Haiti available, fully updated and with expanded content reflecting Haiti's recent tourism expansion, and packed with practical information covering everything from accommodation, eateries and travel routes to wildlife and 'Vodou'. A comprehensive section on birdwatching and insightful information on Haiti's rich artistic and musical heritage ensure birdwatchers and cultural enthusiasts are well catered for. Paul Clammer discusses the medicinal merits of Haitian rum, how to catch a Port-au-Prince taptap (bus) and how to check into the Graham Greene suite of the Hotel Oloffson. This new edition includes even more information on living in Haiti, more festivals - from local fetes to big celebrations - and coverage of new tourism developments at the Citadelle, Haiti's only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also covered are details of other new museums either under refurbishment or soon to open. Sharing the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, Haiti is culturally the most African of Caribbean countries, and one that is largely unknown to visitors, except through popular cliches of aid dependency and Vodou culture. An early pioneer of Caribbean tourism, since the earthquake of 2010 it has been slowly repositioning itself as an exciting new travel destination. Visitors will find historical sites to explore, such as the World Heritage-listed Citadelle (the largest fortress in the Americas), hidden beaches, and a proud people rebuilding their country and ready to welcome visitors once more.

Contents

PART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION
Chapter 1 Background Information
Geography 3, Climate, Natural history and conservation, History, Government and politics, Economy, People, Language, Religion, Education, Culture

Chapter 2 Practical Information
When to visit, Highlights, Suggested itineraries, Tour operators, Tourist information, Red tape, Embassies and consulates, Getting there and away, Health, Safety, Women travellers, Gay/lesbian travellers, Disabled travellers, What to take, Money, Budgeting, Getting around, Accommodation, Eating and drinking, Public holidays and festivals, Shopping, Entertainment, Photography, Media and communications, Business, Living in Haiti, Cultural etiquette, Travelling positively

PART TWO THE GUIDE
Chapter 3 Port-au-Prince
History, Getting there and away, Orientation, Getting around, Tour operators, Where to stay, Where to eat, Entertainment and activities, Shopping, Other practicalities, What to see and do
Chapter 4 Around Port-au-Prince
South of Port-au-Prince, East of Port-au-Prince, North of Port-au-Prince, West of Port-au-Prince
Chapter 5 Southern Haiti
Jacmel, Towards the Dominican Republic border, Heading west from Jacmel, Aquin and Saint Louis du Sud, Les Cayes, Île-à-Vache, Port Salut, Port-à-Piment, Camp Perrin, Macaya National Park, Jérémie, Abricots, Dame Marie and Anse d'Hainault, Pestel
Chapter 6 Northern Haiti
Cap-Haïtien, Milot, Labadie, The Plaine du Nord, Limbé, Fort Liberté, Ouanaminthe, Port-de-Paix, Île de la Tortue, Môle Saint-Nicholas
Chapter 7 The Artibonite Valley and Central Plateau
Gonaïves, Saint-Marc, Marchand Dessalines, Petite Rivière de l'Artibonite and Deschapelles, Mirebalais, Hinche

Appendix 1 Language
Appendix 2 Further Information
Index

Customer Reviews

Biography

When Paul Clammer first visited Haiti in 2007 he carried with him plenty of the unfortunate media cliches about the country, from mysterious 'Vodou' to endless instability. The Haiti that revealed itself was far more interesting and exciting, and he's been travelling regularly ever since. To write the first edition of the Bradt guide - the first dedicated English guidebook to the country since the early 1980s - he based himself in Haiti for nine months, renting an apartment in Port-au-Prince. He is a big advocate for the role that socially-conscious tourism can play in the development of this emerging Caribbean destination. Follow him at www.facebook.com/HaitiTravelGuide for regular news and updates on Haitian travel.