© Lonely Planet Publications 342 Haiti Directory THUMB TAB HAITI DIRECTORY cheap hotels usually have a ceiling fan, with CONTENTS air-conditioning more or less standard above this price range. Accommodations 342 Whatever level you pitch for, bringing a Activities 343 torch (or candles) is recommended. Power Business Hours 343 cuts can be both frequent and long. At the Climate Charts 343 budget level you just have to ride out the cut, Customs 344 while more expensive places tend to have their Dangers & Annoyances 344 own generators, even if they don’t always run Embassies & Consulates 345 them during daylight hours. Many hotels add Festivals & Events 345 an electricity surcharge of US$5 to US$10 to Food 347 the daily rate, included in the prices listed Gay & Lesbian Travelers 347 where possible. Midrange and top-end rates Holidays 347 also include the 10% government tax added Insurance 347 to the bill. Internet Access 347 Legal Matters 347 Guesthouses Maps 348 Port-au-Prince has a number of small pri- Money 348 vate guesthouses that cater primarily to Photography & Video 349 visiting church groups, volunteers and aid Post 349 workers. They offer a homey alternative to Shopping 349 hotels, with a modest price tag attached. Telephone 349 Standard rates are around US$35, includ- Time 350 ing breakfast and dinner, which are eaten Tourist Information 350 together to give a highly sociable atmos- Toilets 350 phere. Bathroom facilities are invariably Travelers with Disabilities 350 shared. These places usually have a strong Visas 350 Christian ethic attached, and sometimes op- Women Travelers 351 erate night curfews. As they cater to visiting Work 351 groups, booking in advance is recommended ACCOMMODATIONS where possible. Most levels of accommodation are available in Haiti, from top-end hotels and beach re- Camping Pitching a tent isn’t really an option in Haiti, sorts to complete fleapits, with everything and most Haitians would find the idea of in between. Port-au-Prince naturally has the voluntarily sleeping under canvas eccentric widest choice of available options, along with in the extreme. On top of this, with people Cap-Haïtien and Jacmel. You should be able everywhere in Haiti, finding a private pitch is to find the right accommodation for you, al- nigh on impossible. The only likely options though there is often a shortage of midrange beds on offer. In the Haiti guide we have defined budget BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE as up to US$40, midrange as up to US$80 For more accommodation reviews and rec- and top end as anything above this. Rooms ommendations by Lonely Planet authors, come with private bathroom unless noted in check out the online booking service at the text. Prices are for doubles, but in many www.lonelyplanet.com/hotels. You’ll find places you’ll just be quoted a flat rate for the the true, insider lowdown on the best places room irrespective of occupancy. As a general to stay. Reviews are thorough and independ- rule, only in midrange places and above can ent. Best of all, you can book online. you expect to have breakfast thrown in. Even lonelyplanet.com HAITI DIRECTORY •• Activities 343 HAITI DIRECTORY of them along the Côte des Arcadins north PRACTICALITIES of Port-au-Prince. Prices are all-inclusive, usually with a couple of bars and restaurants Newspapers: Le Matin, Le Nouvelliste, to choose from, along with water sports and Haiti Progrés (has an English section), other activities. If you arrive during the week, Haiti en Marche and Libète (Creole). you’ll virtually have them to yourself, while International press is available in the city’s well-heeled inhabitants descend en Port-au-Prince. masse at weekends. Radio stations include Radio Haiti Inter, Radio Soleil and Radio Ibo. French and ACTIVITIES US TV available on satellite/cable. Haiti Compared to the DR, Haiti isn’t a hugely uses the same electrical system as the rich activity-centered destination. Instead, USA and Canada (110 to 125 volts AC, traveling in Haiti itself becomes the activ- 60 Hz, flat-pronged plugs). Power cuts ity. However, there are a few good options are ubiquitous, along with the sound of if you want a particular focus for your trip. generators. It’s possible to go scuba diving and snor- Haiti uses the metric system, although keling along the Côte des Arcadins, where gasoline is sold in gallons. there is good sea life, as well as along the Atlantic coast. Haiti’s mountainous terrain lends itself well to hiking. A short drive from are for full-on expeditions, such as in Parc Port-au-Prince, Parc National La Visite and National Macaya, where the terrain demands Parc National Forêt des Pins both offer good that you be completely self-sufficient. We trekking country, with superb views and cool found just one campsite in the country, in pine forests to explore. Both are also ornitho- the extensive grounds of Ranch Le Moncel logically rich. Birders will be amply rewarded on the slopes above Port-au-Prince ( p310 ). by a visit to Trou Caïman and the wild Parc National Macaya. Hotels While hotels in Haiti come in all stripes, in BUSINESS HOURS comparison to the DR rooms can feel a lit- Banks are usually open from 8:30am to 1pm tle expensive, particularly in the midrange weekdays, but some of the more central bracket, where even at this price you’re not branches are also open from 2pm to 5pm always guaranteed hot water. weekdays. Shops and offices usually open at At the budget end, hotels can be dreary, 7am and close at 4pm weekdays, but many although we’ve tried to pick the best of the close earlier on Friday; most shops are also bunch. Some hotels double as brothels, with open on Saturday. Government offices are room rates quoted by the hour rather than the open 7am to 4pm weekdays, closing for an night. Known locally as suivants (for ‘next!’), hour at noon. Sunday is very quiet, with many they’re not particularly female friendly, al- restaurants and most businesses closed. though the turnover of guests means that their rooms are cleaned more regularly and CLIMATE CHARTS efficiently than comparative hotels. Tropical Haiti enjoys pretty steady tempera- At the other end of the market, wi-fi ac- tures throughout the year. The main varia- cess is becoming more standard. Expect good tion is due to altitude – while you’ll get by fixtures and a decent electricity supply. Most Average hotels of all ranges have attached restaurants PORT-AU-PRINCE 28m (95ft) Max/Min or bars. Mosquito nets are rare. °CTemp °F in Rainfall mm Room rates don’t change according to 40 104 12 300 season, although at peak times – Jacmel during Carnival, for example – prices go up 30 86 9 225 with demand. 20 68 6 150 Resorts 10 50 3 75 Beach resorts don’t feature in Haiti to the 0 32 0 0 extent they do in the DR, but there are a string JFMAMJJASOND JFMAMJJASOND 344 HAITI DIRECTORY •• Customs lonelyplanet.com PREVENTING CHILD-SEX TOURISM IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC & HAITI Tragically, the exploitation of local children by tourists is becoming more prevalent throughout the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Various socioeconomic factors make children susceptible to sexual exploitation, and some tourists choose to take advantage of their vulnerable position. HAITI DIRECTORY Sexual exploitation has serious, lifelong effects on children. It is a crime and a violation of human rights. The Dominican Republic and Haiti have laws against sexual exploitation of children. Many countries have enacted extraterritorial legislation that allows travelers to be charged as though the exploitation happened in their home country. Responsible travelers can help stop child-sex tourism by reporting it. It is important not to ignore suspicious behavior. Cybertipline (www.cybertipline.com) is a website where sexual exploita- tion of children can be reported. You can also report the incident to local authorities and if you know the nationality of the perpetrator, report it to their embassy. Travelers interested in learning more about how to fight against sexual exploitation of chil- dren can find more information through ECPAT International (End Child Prostitution & Trafficking; www.ecpat.org). ECPAT – USA (%718 935 9192; www.ecpatusa.org) is part of a global network working on these issues with over 70 affiliate organizations around the world. The US headquarters is located in New York. Beyond Borders (www.beyondborders.org) is the Canadian affiliate of ECPAT. It aims to advance the rights of children to be free from abuse and exploitation without regard to race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. with short sleeves most of the time, once you DANGERS & ANNOYANCES start climbing into the mountainous interior Haiti has rarely enjoyed a popular media temperatures can take on a slight chill and image abroad. Poverty and regular political you’ll need an extra layer. Along the coast, turmoil play their part, and many govern- humidity is more likely to be a problem. ments currently advise against nonessential Rainfall varies greatly, and depends both travel to the country. And yet, for the traveler, on your location and the time of year. Port- Haiti really can seem like one of the friend- au-Prince gets most of its rain between April liest and most welcoming countries in the to November, easing off for drier July. The Caribbean. Navigating these apparently con- south more or less follows suit, while the tradictory states is the key to getting the most north is wetter between November and out of your visit. March. Rains tend to fall heavily but stop The presence of large numbers of UN abruptly, so are easy to work around.