A world traveler returns to Haiti and discovers the beauty, history and warmth that the world overlooks.
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HAiti is a land of contradictions. Think about it once the most lucrative colony in the world for sugar and coffee is the country’s progress with special needs through political instability and natural disasters. While recent headlines highlight the country’s mounting problems (like the Assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and a devastating one 7.2 magnitude earthquake in summer 2021) I had the opportunity to see another side of the Caribbean country. Over the past few years, I’ve been able to discover firsthand how beautiful Haiti is by exploring a country of picturesque beaches, rich culture, and delicious cuisine.
I was born in the coastal town of Jeremie, grew up in Canada, and moved to Florida as an adult, but I haven’t been to the island since I was a kid – and when I first came back I went back on humanitarian trips to get clothes to hand out, paint houses and play with the kids who followed us. While our service group spent some time on local beaches after volunteering at the rural clinics, I felt like I missed a lot.
In 2017 with the help of Take me to La Tours, a Haitian tour operator, I booked a trip with some friends hoping to see another side of my home – and I did. We split our time between Port-au-Prince and Jacmel, and I got to climb mountains, take a speedboat to a private island, and grind fresh coffee beans on a coffee farm.
On one of our last nights we visited a lounge in the suburbs of Petionville. When we stopped in front of a nondescript building, we weren’t sure what to expect – but we soon wavered to the DJ’s music. Later that night we witnessed a spontaneous one funny Band power; we were hypnotized when their drums rattled the room and horns echoed in the night air.
At that moment I was so proud of my country. I felt connected to the place I left as a kid and seeing Haiti out of the poverty lens helped me to appreciate my homeland even more.
Haiti faces an uphill battle with its current economic and political problems. The country currently has no functioning government, and the US State Department has one Level 4 warning (the most severe level) for all non-essential travel due to the ongoing unrest.
Even if things look grim, I think it is important for those who have never been to know that Haiti, like so many countries negatively portrayed in the news, is much more than what the news is about Headlines are spoken of. It is a beautiful country that has a lot to offer. Haiti has a long history as a destination for the adventurous traveler, and my own visits have shown that there is still so much I would like to see one day.
An exciting and complex story
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On my first humanitarian trips, I stayed near Port-au-Prince, but soon found that there are many destinations outside the busy capital as well. On my last visit, we drove to Jacmel, a coastal town on the south coast that was once called the “City of Light” because it was the first city in the Caribbean to have electricity.
We visited Hotel Florita, an 1888 mansion that has been lovingly preserved and includes a collection of charming guest rooms with four-poster beds and plantation shutters that open onto private balconies. We also strolled through Jacmel’s neighborhoods, which were lined with colorful Victorian “gingerbread” houses where wealthy Haitians lived. While many of the mansions had lost their former glory, it reminded me of the wealth Haiti was once known for – it was once dubbed “The Pearl of the Antilles” for its natural beauty and resources like coffee and sugar cane.
I was on the same trip too the Museum of the Haitian National Pantheon in Port-au-Prince, and the visit was an emotional experience. Some of the artifacts trace the story from slavery to freedom: the anchor from the Santa Maria Ship that Christopher Columbus sailed when he landed in Haiti in 1492, shackles of enslaved Africans in the world in the early 17th. That afternoon I sat with the gravity to learn about the legacy of slavery in Haiti and the price my ancestors paid to be free.
Secluded beaches, white sand, and hidden waterfalls
It may surprise some that Haiti has beaches and waterfalls that rival any island in the Caribbean. One of the highlights of a visit to Haiti was the hike to Bassin Bleu, a collection of three natural waterfalls only accessible by local guides, like the one we had through Mennen’m La Tours who helped us rappel down slippery rocks to go to completely secluded swimming spots. We spent the entire afternoon sunbathing on rocks and watching locals dive in the turquoise waters.
Most visitors to Haiti are familiar with Labadee, Royal Caribbean’s private beach for its cruise passengers, but beautiful beaches and beach resorts are scattered along the Haiti coast. Our tour guide Ann-Sophie took us by speedboat to Balanier Beach, a remote place where we ate fish and rice on banana leaves. The waves lapped the white sand beach and when I took pictures with my iPhone I remembered that people would never believe this is Haiti.
Delicious street food and locally grown coffee
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As in other Caribbean countries, most meals in Haiti include heaps of rice and beans, freshly caught seafood, or braised chicken and plantains. While I was in Haiti one of my favorite snacks was Godfather code, a delicious street food made by rolling cabbage, onion, chicken or sliced hot dogs into a thick batter and deep-frying the filled pate into a golden crisp.
Another meal I enjoyed was Pickle, a spicy mix of sauerkraut, carrots and peppers. Picliz is often served with it griot (fried pork) or tassot (roast beef) and a cold bottle of Prestige, Haiti’s national beer.
Coffee is one of Haiti’s major exports, and the beans are grown and handpicked in the highest mountains. During a tour of a coffee plantation, I sifted freshly picked coffee beans through my fingers. The local coffee farmers also showed us how to grind coffee beans with a huge mortar and pestle, and we took turns grinding the beans to the beat of a song sung by the farmers gathered around us. Later we sat around and enjoyed our freshly brewed Haitian coffee, with no cream or sugar.
Living art
I was impressed with the creative art I stumbled upon in markets and galleries in Haiti, and much of it is made with limited resources. Over the years I have brought back handcrafted bracelets made from brightly colored yarn and necklaces made from tightly rolled strips of newspaper painted like pearls.
In Port-au-Prince, I visited the crowded markets that surround the Champs de Mars public square, where painted canvases lean against fences, turning streets into open-air galleries. Haitian art is alive and well, and art scenes usually depict everyday life – women carrying baskets on their heads and children playing in rivers.
I have a collection of carved wooden vases and keepsake boxes from my various trips, and I have also framed works of art and hung them on my walls at home. When I pass the pictures, I think of my past trips and my vow to return to Haiti again and again.
What’s next
In the summer of 2020 I wanted to travel to Cap-Haitien, Haiti’s second largest city, which is full of cultural and historical sights. I had plans to scale up The citadel, the UNESCO recognized fortress on the north coast of Haiti. The fortress sits 3,000 feet high on a mountaintop and is the largest in America. I was also looking forward to visiting the Cap-Haitien food hotspot, home, known for its hearty food and live music, and to stay in the newly opened Harbor, overlooking the bay of Cap Haitien.
As we know, 2020 has put most people’s travel plans on hold, but even if other Caribbean islands are slowly opening, the future of tourism in Haiti will remain in the air until the country stabilizes. The prospects are bleak, but those of us who have been there know the beauty within its confines and its potential to be a celebrated travel destination again. Although the road ahead is uncertain, I hope for better days for Haiti, not only in terms of tourism but also for those who have always called the country home.
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