Overview to Haiti: Travel Guide and Tourist Information
With its unsettled past and voodoo-soaked present, Haiti appeals to more adventurous backpackers. But traveling here can be rather haphazard, this shouldn’t put people off; it might be a bit rough around the edges, but there’s more than enough to merit a visit!
The country has a fascinating cultural heritage which combines aspects of French, African and Spanish traditions. And given this mix of cultures, one of the highlights of a trip to Haiti is the food - particular delicacies include cassava, maize and yams.
Another fundamental aspect of life in Haiti is the unmistakable musical genre of ‘Kompa’ which features traditional elements of jazz, African drumming and Creole lyrics. Performances are popular and particularly rife over the lively carnival season in the buildup to Lent.
A remarkably beautiful country, the Bassins Bleu (a little to the west of the town of Jacmel) is a popular natural attraction. A series of striking waterfalls and cascades, they take their name from the intense blueness of the water, which is caused by mineral deposits.
One sight stands out above all others, though: the astonishing ‘La Citadelle’. 900m up Pic La Ferriere and surrounded by the National Park, it’s an eerily impressive spectacle. Built in the early 19th century by ‘Mad’ King Henri Cristof, up to 10,000 people may have died building it.
Then, of course, there’s voodoo. Contrary to the popular ‘dolls and zombies’ misconception, voodoo is a rich, fascinating and totally unthreatening belief system. To the north of the island lies the Plaine du Nord, a sacred mud pool that’s home to an important ceremony every July.