Travel to Haiti is an incredible way to spend your time. There are so many things you can do in Haiti and be surrounded by nature, explore the cities, take a boat ride or scooter ride around the islands, or even visit one of the many refugee camps.
Most of these things are FREE and easy to do. You just need to be prepared for some travel logistics.
On this article, we will discuss what items you should bring with you when you travel to Haiti. We will also discuss some common mistakes people make when traveling to Haiti.
Contents:
Warm clothes
As mentioned earlier, Haiti is very winter-oriented. That is why so many people bring thermal pants or warm leggings! These are the ones that are designed to keep you warm when the temperature is cold.
If you do not have any of these pieces, here are some other ways to prepare for this country: Layering is key! A long sleeve sweatshirt layer over a pair of shirtsillatear thermal pants and you are good to go!
A lightweight jacket or coat can be added over the same pair of thermal pants to make a lightweight fur lined jacket. This way, you will also have some depth in your clothing layering!
As mentioned earlier, Haiti is very cold weather wearing, which is why both worn out jeans or shorts and a heavy coat are needed.
French currency
In addition to the US dollars and francs that you are issued at tourist sites and transportation options, you may also want to bring the euro.
The Haitian currency is the gourde. The gourde is the local currency in Haiti. The dollar is called the dollar, the euro, and the peso.
The gourde is not equal to the dollar, so it does not work very well as a money exchange site in Haiti. Because of this, it is important to have at least one euro or two dollars per gourade that you can swap for a cup of coffee or some lunch!
Many people find that exchanging money on-site in Haitian shops or online works better than trying to go into a bank after leaving town. Even if you do not have any money in USD or EUR, it still worth visiting one of these sites as there may be occasions where you need to change money.
Travel insurance
When travel insurance is not included in your kit, there are a few things you should look out for. Most importantly, you should have a minimum level of insurance that covers you against major diseases and injuries.
Less importantly but still important are things like trip cancellation fees, ICD-10 travel medical requirements, and earthquakes.
Then, you should have the funds to pay for any major injuries or diseases that may arise. These can be expensive to deal with so having enough money to cover the gap is crucial.
In addition to these less critical items, your kit must also have enough money to cover your trip if something severe happens. While disease or injury doesn’t seem like very much money per person, when you are paying for a seven-week trip, it can be significant.
Finally, the kit must have good luck and charm components for safe travel.
Check the weather
It is recommended that you check the weather before heading off to Haiti. The average temperature in Haiti is around 70 degrees year round, and it can drop to low 50s during certain times of the year.
If you are not planning on being outdoors much, then a quick google search can find some reliable weather reports for Haiti. There are many sites that report how hot or cold it is in the area during certain times of the year!
Another thing to look out for is potential cloudy days caucus-style events. Does the event seem a little suspiciously dry or wet? If so, there may be a reason—Haiti’s government does not provide adequate funding for climate change initiatives.
Violent crime is on the rise in Haiti, mainly targeting women and children.
Everything costs more
While there are some things you can buy in Haiti for a very low cost, most things are expensive. For example, you will find large jars of peanut butter, canned meats, and vegetables that are packaged.
These items are often sold in large grocery stores, but they are more expensive then they seem. For example, a six-pack of beer costs about $5-7 whereas at the grocery store it would be around $7-9!
There is also something called “junk food” that people consume because it tastes good. People purchase it because it is cheap and effective alikely than actual food. People also use it to replace meal replacement drinks which are typically bad for you.
While looking up ingredients may be helpful when purchasing junk food, keep an eye out for “nutrition facts” to see how much fat, sodium, and carbs are in them.
Only bring enough cash you need
Tracking your cash spending is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself while in Haiti. There have been reports of large cash withdrawals from banks, and at hotels and resorts.
At a minimum, have a small amount of hard currency (US dollars, Canadian dollars, Euro coins and notes) to stay safe. At a maximum, have hundreds of dollars as this will cover almost everything.
Haitians are very generous and will often give you more than they actually need. Be aware of this and save some money for future trips if needed.
Another thing to watch out for is food costs. Most restaurants require receipts as proof of purchase, but some don’t.
Get travel insurance
it is recommended that you have travel insurance that covers you for all major causes of death including natural causes such as cancer or heart attack. This is because although the government payskinment for medical procedures in Haiti is through a nongovernmental organization (NGO), there are no government-run hospitals and people without insurance may not always be able to use private hospitals.
There have been reports of uninsured people going to expensive, private hospitals where they paid a heavy fee but received little if any medical care. On the other hand, there are some public hospitals with poor quality of care that people may prefer over those of NGOs, because they do not charge too much.
The quality of healthcare in general in Haiti is very low, which is why having travel insurance that covers you for all causes of death and illness is advised.
Know the airport location
When traveling to Haiti, it is important to know the location of the airport or the nearest airport. There are two major airports in Haiti- Port-au-Prince International Airport and Gare Lourdes Train Station.
At present, Port-au-Prince International Airport is the primary airport for international flights in Haiti. It was originally built as a military airbase in the 1960s and 1970s, but was later used for civilian aviation as well.
Today, it serves both Prince Etienne Alexandre d’Wellesly Guérin International Airport and Grand Anse Jean Jacques Dreyer Pierre Lacoste Memorial Airport. Both airports are located in very rural areas, making transportation to and from them difficult.
To get to your destination quickly, it is recommended that you use a public transit system such as buses or taxis.