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Festikap Kite Festival

December 13, 2019 by admin

three haitian boys flying a kite — Festikap Festival, La Vallée de Jacmel
Photo: Franck Fontain

Festikap Kite Festival

La Vallée’s vibrant kite festival is the place to be every January 2nd.

Picture this: After a week of adventuring across Haiti, from hikes to road-trips to the beach and hidden waterfalls, it’s time to celebrate the new year. You decide to go to Jacmel and watch the fireworks by the beach. The next day, you throw a picnic blanket in the car, drive up to La Vallée, and admire a sky full of kites while you kick back with food and drinks. You can even try your hand at flying a kite yourself, with the help of other participants or the festival organisers. It will take a little less than 300 gourdes (about US $3) to buy a nice kite and participate.

Because you can buy a kite on arrival, the bar for getting involved is pretty low, so Festikap makes a great spontaneous adventure! The festival happens every January 2nd, making it the perfect activity for anyone planning to spend New Year’s Eve in Jacmel (or – even Port-au-Prince).

Festikap vibes are comparable to Champ-de-Mars in February during carnival. Kites in a stunning display of colors and creativity fill the sky for hours on end: it’s a flying art exhibition. With children running around, elders watching and younger folks flying their kites, the atmosphere in La Vallée is like one big camping trip.

Festikap Festival, La Vallée de Jacmel
Photo: Franck Fontain

Behind the magic

The famous kite-flying festival of La Vallée de Jacmel — or “La Vallée” as locals call it — will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in the coming year. Festikap is a festival put together by the Organization of Young Valley University Students for Progress (Organisation Universitaire de Jeune Valléens pour Le Progrès) with the goal of preserving a tradition deeply rooted in Haitian culture but threatened by forgetfulness and abandonment. This yearly event serves as an entry point to the beautiful community of La Vallée de Jacmel. The celebrations conveniently happen on January 2nd which is a holiday in Haiti (Ancestor’s day).

Kite flying is a vital part of Haitian culture. Starting in the month of April, on the roofs of houses all across the country, children, their parents, and sometimes even their grandparents can be seen tugging on thin, nearly invisible pieces of thread tied up to makeshift kites. Most of them are made of plastic; the kind used to sell papita or roasted peanuts in — some clear, some blue, some pink. Others are more elaborate, made of brown paper with red and green accents, tails, and flourishes. All together, they dot the bright blue skies of early summer in colorful spiraling swarms.

In preparation for Festikap, organizers put together workshops to create a certain number of kites to be exhibited on that day. This festival is not just recreational, though – the preparation process encourages creativity and community engagement from different crowds. The festival hopes to revive interest in the endangered tradition of making and flying kites, and the efforts that go into planning Festikap can be considered as a kind of movement meant to transfer a skill and salvage a tenuous cultural heritage.

haitian boy in blue jeans with kite — Boy with kite at Festikap Festival, La Vallée de Jacmel
Photo: Franck Fontain

Getting there

La Vallée is located an hour’s drive northwest of Jacmel and about three hours’ drive southwest of Port-au-Prince. Although the name La Vallée suggests a low valley hidden in shadows, the town actually stands a half mile (around 800 meters) above sea level, and offers a panoramic view of the south of Haiti. A trip up to La Vallée unlocks the perfect experience for anyone hungry for a little bit more than simply spending a weekend at the beach.

Festikap is a great way to experience Haiti differently and genuinely. If colors, music, and community are your thing, it’s a must-visit event to add to your itinerary!

Written by Kira Paulemon.

Published October 2019

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Raymond les Bains

May 10, 2019 by admin

haitians relaxing and dining at table with parasols by beach — Raymond les Bains, Cayes-Jacmel
Photo: Franck Fontain

Raymond les Bains

Just a few hours’ south of Port-au-Prince, the colorful city of Jacmel is best known for its beautiful, expansive beaches. Raymond les Bains is a local favorite, and an attraction not to be missed if you’re in Jacmel. You’ll find a mile-long stretch of soft white sand, framed by palm trees and mountains in the distance.

Like most of the beaches lining Haiti’s stunning southern coast, Raymond les Bains has a nice, gradual slope into the water and soft, smooth sand. On bright, sunny days (Jacmel sees 230 a year) Raymond les Bains is a textbook example of a Caribbean paradise.

Raymond les Bains is also a popular night time attraction. There is a lot more music, more to drink, and the atmosphere is much more fit for dancing and meeting new people! If you are lucky, you might even catch a full moon reflected on the Caribbean Sea.

Don’t miss: the freshly-grilled fish

For seafood lovers, the highlight of Raymond les Bains might be the food. Grilled fish is a local specialty and the menu is teeming with options.

To order, visitors can take a seat at any table on the beach. Expect to be approached by merchants selling all sorts – gum, drinks, snacks, jewellery – but keep an eye for the waiter or waitress at the restaurant. Our top tip is to ask to see the fish before you settle on your order; different price points get you different fish; and even at a specific price point, you still get to pick from a variety of fish.

You can ask if there is a choice of accompaniment for the fish; most places offer the standard fried plantains or fried potatoes. Depending on the season, you might even find fried breadfruit – a Caribbean delicacy not to be missed. This fried tropical staple provides a crisp, savory contrast to mouth-watering freshly-grilled fish, elevating what sounds like a simple, everyday dish to a memorable island experience.

Getting there

8 miles east of downtown Jacmel, Raymond les Bains is en route to Cayes-Jacmel and Marigot.

Look out for the “Bienvenue à Raymond les Bains” signage on the right side of the road. From there, the road dips and narrows down a sandy path flanked by small houses on the left, and the sound of slow waves crashing on the beach on the right. Continue on until you reach the gate – and gatekeepers.

Because it is a public beach cleaned and maintained by the locals, Raymond les Bains is gated, and does require a small fee to enter. Expect to pay at least 100 HTG per car. Once that is taken care of, you will be asked to enter and park your car off to the side.

Written by Kelly Paulemon.

Published May 2019

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Explore the enchanting ruins of Fort Saint-Louis

March 9, 2019 by admin

Tree roots growing down into the ruined passages of Fort des Anglais, Haiti — Fort Saint-Louis, Haiti
Photo: Mikkel Ulriksen

Explore the enchanting ruins of Fort Saint-Louis

A microcosm of Haitian history

The overgrown ruins of this 300 year-old French-built fort will enchant visitors for hours (and archaeologists for days), but to get there you’ll need to hire a boat.

Fort Saint-Louis stands on an islet in the Bay of St Louis, and is accessible via a short boat ride from Fort de Olivier, a fortress on the nearby peninsula of Saint Louis du Sud. Constructed at the same time, these two forts are often called ‘sisters,’ and are two of many strategically dotted along the coastline.

Just outside the seaside fortress, an abandoned shipwreck peeks up from underwater. For locals, this shipwreck is a microcosm of Haitian history. Across the country, relics of more dangerous times dot the landscape, their defences now serving to preserve cultural memories instead of material treasure, and changing over time as the years and the tropical storms assert their strength.

Aerial photo of shipwreck at Fort des Anglais, Haiti — Abandoned shipwreck at Fort Saint-Louis
Photo: Mikkel Ulriksen

The extensive ruins of modern-day Fort Saint-Louis rise steeply from a craggy islet, the curtain wall of stone now thickly overgrown with vines and trees that blow in the tropic coastal breeze. After three hundred years of equatorial sunshine, sea salt and hurricanes, the outline of the fort is in remarkably good condition, and it’s still possible to walk through its many chambers and admire the original carved features set into the outer walls. You can still walk through some of the caves originally networked into the fortress.

Walking under the arches of the structure of the fort with branches and lianas hanging left and right feels surreal; it is almost as though you are one of the shift guards, waiting for the British to invade at any moment. Although severely weathered, the fort feels as towering and as imposing as it must have been three centuries ago.

Fort Saint-Louis
Photo: Mikkel Ulriksen

Built in 1702 by French occupiers, Fort Saint-Louis was designed to defend the Haitian territory against their colonial competitors – namely the British Empire. In 1748, less than fifty years later, the was captured by the British. As a result, it’s now known as Fort des Anglais by many locals.

The southern coastline of Haiti was hotly contested in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as a foothold from which to defend the country’s riches. Although modern Haiti is known for its pristine beaches, colonial-era Haiti made a name for itself in European cities through the high-quality goods brought back by traders returning from its shores. Fort Saint-Louis was built just five years after the French and Spanish divided up the island of Hispaniola into two separate countries – Dominican Republic on the East and Haiti on the West.

Person stands on the bow of a boat to Fort des Anglais, Haiti — Boat to Fort Saint-Louis
Photo: Franck Fontain

Getting there

Fort des Oliviers is located on a small peninsula in Saint Louis du Sud. From there, Fort Saint-Louis is on a small island a short boat ride away. For a small fee, the local sailors offer their boats – and often times, dugout canoes – as a mode of transportation.

Get the most out of your visit

Tour guides, who often live nearby in Saint Louis du Sud, or in the areas surrounding Fort des Oliviers, are always ready to provide their services by accompanying visitors and talking them through the history of the fort and the features that have stood the test of time.

Today, Fort Saint-Louis stands as a testament to a period in time and a state of mind that permeate the way modern Haitians understand and process their history.

Walking through the fort with someone who lives the complexity of that history is the best way to gain a nuanced understanding of what this beautiful ruin means.

Written by Kelly Paulemon.

Published March 2019

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Gelée Beach

December 27, 2018 by Editor

Gelée Beach

Situated in the heart of the Caribbean, between Cuba and the Dominican Republic, Haiti has over a thousand miles of coastline with dozens of destination-worthy beaches.

We’re talking white sand and turquoise water swelling up to coconut palms, chalk cliffs or jungle-clad mountains rolling off into the distance. Whether you choose one of the island’s most treasured coves or one of its many undiscovered wonders, the water here is warm all year round.

Gelée Beach

Located near Les Cayes in southern Haiti, Gelée Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Haiti. Highlights including the beachside fritay merchants and the chance to see cows grazing in fields that reach almost to the water’s edge. Compared to other popular beaches in Haiti, the surrounds are flat and open. Pastoral scenery notwithstanding, the water is tropical and the swimming here is lush.

The beach itself winds around the southern coastline for miles, with soft, pillowy sand melting into some of the most crystal clear waters you’ll find anywhere on the island – or in the Caribbean, for that matter.

Grab a bite

Colorful shacks of food vendors dot the treeline. The number of them is a testament to how popular Gelee beach is and how good the seafood is here. If you’ve already tried Haitian cuisine in Port-au-Prince, you’ll be familiar with the fried plantains and meat – typically called fritay, but don’t miss the chance to try the locally-caught seafood.

If you find the queues for the beachside food overwhelming, you’ll find a choice of restaurants and hotels a short drive from the beach.

At night, Gelée transforms into a lively, well-lit destination for dinner by the shore. The broad boulevard fills with music and foot traffic. People flock to the beach for Gelée’s specialty – grilled fish with fried plantains. Avoid a long wait by going with a local who can walk right up to their vendor of choice and order the right way.

Watch our video of the twoubadou band Tet Ansanm Twouba from Gelée Beach.

Getting there

Gelée beach is a twenty minute drive from downtown Les Cayes. As city gives way to surf, the road gives way to a sandy dirt track. Park off Route de Gelee and walk through the main entrance to the beach – the one closest to the bars and music – to be welcomed by the most picturesque view of the beach.

When to go

Every year, on August 15, the residents of Les Cayes celebrate Patron Saint festival of Our Lady of the Assumption. Thousands of people from all parts of Haiti and from the diaspora come to Les Cayes to participate in the festivities. If August 15 falls on a Friday, some extend their stay to the whole weekend.

During the festival, music can be heard from every rooftop, sidewalk, and front door of the city. There are plenty of activities for kids, and the highlight is the kite building and flying contest in Gelée, where adults and children come together. Kite-flying is hugely popular in Haiti, and has an entire season dedicated to it: kite season!

For a vibrant slice of Haitian summer life, August 15 is the perfect time to visit Gelée and Les Cayes.

Written by Kelly Paulemon.

Published December 2018

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Haiti’s Best Beaches & Islands

Jacmel City Guide

July 4, 2018 by Editor

Ocean boardwalk in Jacmel — Boardwalk at Lakou New York, Jacmel
Photo: Mikkel Ulriksen

CITY GUIDES-Jacmel

Urban Guides: Jacmel

Whether you’re looking for adventure, nature, fast festival rhythms, rejuvenation on sandy beaches, or a cultural experience bringing you closer to the myths and folklore of the people of Haiti, Jacmel will slake your thirst and sate your curiosity.

old colonial houses in coastal city — City center of Jacmel
Photo: Anton Lau

Switch off in the City of Light

Once dubbed the “City of Light,” the seaside city of Jacmel was the first place in the Caribbean to get electricity back in the nineteenth century. These days, there’s something else unusual about Jacmel’s power use – it’s limited, meaning if you Airbnb here, you better be prepared with backup batteries for the daily ritual of switching off from the grid.

For many Americans power outages are rare, unpredictable, inconvenient and even spooky. They’re when you realise you forgot to put fresh batteries in your flashlights, and/or leave your flashlights where you can find them in the dark. For the residents of Jacmel, though, it’s part of the daily rhythm, and it doesn’t seem to phase the travellers who love coming back to Jacmel every year. Jacmel is famous for festivals, and in-between it’s a magical destination, well-equipped to help you switch-off and hit reset.

Stairs with a mosaic of words in Jacmel, Haiti — Stairs with mosaik art in Jacmel
Photo: Angelo Miramonti

Art & Culture

Known as the culture capital of Haiti, Jacmel is a hub for art, folklore, foodies, festivals and nightlife. Colorful paper-mache creations, often seen during Jacmel’s annual carnival, can be found and bought all year round. Many of the masks and paintings are reflective of Haiti’s deeply unique religion – the potent symbology of Haitian Vodou infuses the city streets.

Jacmel is a compact city, and easy to explore on foot. For a closer look, you can ask local guides Experience Jacmel to take you to visit a Vodou “peristyle” or help you make your own carnival mask.

A tourist stands on a stone bridge across rapids at Gaillard, Cayes Jacmel, Haiti — Gaillard, Cayes Jacmel, Haiti
Photo: Anton Lau

A launchpad for mountain adventure

Are you more of an outdoorsy-type? Jacmel offers excellent proximity to many of Haiti’s most exciting al-fresco adventures. Reconnect with nature at La Vallée, Bassin Bleu, Marigot or Fort Ogè in Cap Rouge – all within a short drive or a sturdy hike.

The tropical sun will test your mettle, but for the brave and well-prepared there are caves waiting to be discovered, waterfalls waiting to be jumped off of and swam under, steep and shady jungle paths for you to leave footprints on, and crisp mountain air to reset your cortisol levels. You’ll find adventure itineraries suited to your level from novice hiker to hardened overland survivor.

people swimming by beach with trees — La Saline Beach in Jacmel
Photo: Franck Fontain

Crazy-good beaches

If you’d rather hit the snooze button than the gym, no sweat! Beach bums can relax at one of Jacmel’s several stunning strips of paradisian sand, including Cyvadier, Raymond les Bains, L’Amitie and Kabic. Soak up the sun, catch some waves, sip on a coconut (would you like that with rum?), and lick your fingers after a plate of freshly caught and barbecued seafood.

Whether you’re hoping to realign your chakras or just happy to find inner peace in a succession of ice-cold rum cocktails, you’ll find bliss on the beaches of Jacmel.

The colorful exterior of Cafe Koze in Jacmel, Haiti — Cafe Koze in Jacmel
Photo: Franck Fontain

Food, drink, street life and nightlife

The food culture in Jacmel is thriving, and published guides struggle to keep up with the pace of new hotels, bars and restaurants springing up all of the place.

Take to the mosaic boardwalk as you trace the coastline, by day a popular place for active types out jogging, and by night full of eclectically-clothed hipster students. Venture just a couple of streets inland from the boardwalk and you’ll find a mix of traditional and boutique hotels, restaurants and art galleries, with a few souvenir shops thrown into the mix.

Where to eat

If you’ve just arrived, settle in at the chilled-out Cafe Koze, where you can people-watch over their mouth-watering homemade rum-and-raisin ice-cream.

Hotel Florita, once the mansion of a coffee magnate, will appeal to fans of Graham Greene. Here you can sit in the sultry semi-open courtyard (the UNESCO-listed hotel has no air conditioners), and sip a traditional Haitian filter coffee – exceedingly sweet and rich, and every bit as addictive as Vietnamese coffee. The restaurant serves excellent Haitian food palatable for cautious Americans and Europeans, but be warned: waiting times can exceed an hour. You won’t mind though, because they also make delectable rum sours, and the first is on the house!

If what you’re after is exotic food and exquisite beachfront views, head to Hotel Cyvadier Plage. Their shrimp and chicken dishes are crowd pleasers, but their specialty is in brightly constructed plates based on seasonal catch. In fact, if you’re breakfasting in the courtyard (and know a little French), you’re so close to the lapping shore that you can chat with fisherman as they tie up their boats to deliver the catch of the day.

Where to drink

Start with La Taverne or Belle Epoque Barak. La Taverne is where you’ll find more rum sours, and occasionally salsa performances. Belle Epoque is where expats go to stay up late listening to hip hop and house. They also do pretty good wings – not a bad way to line your stomach before a long rum-fuelled night of dancing.

A line of dancers perform at the carnival in Jacmel, Haiti — Carnival in Jacmel
Photo: Franck Fontain

Dance to your own beat

Jacmel is one of the friendliest and most tranquil cities in Haiti, but if you want to pack the most into a short break here, the best way to plug yourself into the pulse that feeds the city is to book in advance to stay during one of the festival weekends. Renowned DJs and artists will bring together hundreds, sometimes thousands of people, from all walks of life, to sing, dance, and celebrate. Whether your flavour of choice is rara or bachata, compa or salsa, house or tango, ask around on a holiday weekend, and you will find your party.

There’s too many festivals to list them all here, but briefly: Independence Day and New Years Day share January 1, and Carnival (think an Afro-Caribbean Mardi Gras) is held in the lead up to Shrove Tuesday. There’s also festivals that celebrate storytelling, rum, and the identity-affirming Rara.

Who should go?

Jacmel holds something for everyone. Whether you are looking for new adventure, to reconnect nature, to let your hair down surrounded by the pounding festival rhythms, or to rejuvenate on sandy beaches, or a cultural experience bringing you closer to the myths and folklore of the people of Haiti, Jacmel has something to slake your thirst and sate your curiosity.

One last thing before you head back up over the mountains: buy yourself a t-shirt that reads “Jacmel Mwen Fou Pou Ou” (Kreyol for “Jacmel, I’m Crazy For You”) and become part of the unofficial Jacmel fan club. Welcome to the gang.

Written by Kelly Paulemon.

Published July 2018.

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South

Festikap Kite Festival

La Vallée’s vibrant kite festival is the place to be every January 2nd.

start your day the Haitian way

Behind the magic

a touch of haitian wisdom

Getting there

The Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Haiti

Explore more festivals and events

Paradise for your inbox

Raymond les Bains

Discover Sacred Vodou Symbols!

Don’t miss: the freshly-grilled fish

a touch of haitian wisdom

Getting there

Find Raymond les Bains

Haitian Cultural Traditions You Didn’t Know About

Explore the south of Haiti

Paradise for your inbox

Explore the enchanting ruins of Fort Saint-Louis

A microcosm of Haitian history

start your day the Haitian way

Getting there

From Our Land to Your Home

Get the most out of your visit

Find Fort Saint-Louis

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The Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Haiti

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Gelée Beach

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Gelée Beach

Grab a bite

Getting there

From Our Land to Your Home

When to go

Find Gelée Beach

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Go on a self-guided tour of Haiti’s Gingerbread houses

Haiti’s Best Beaches & Islands

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CITY GUIDES-Jacmel

Urban Guides: Jacmel

Switch off in the City of Light

Art & Culture

A launchpad for mountain adventure

Crazy-good beaches

Food, drink, street life and nightlife

Discover Sacred Vodou Symbols!

Where to eat

Where to drink

Dance to your own beat

Who should go?

a touch of haitian wisdom

Top things to see in Haiti

Paradise for your inbox

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Plan Your Trip

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start your day
the Haitian way

a touch of
haitian wisdom

a touch of
haitian wisdom

start your day
the Haitian way

Go on a self-guided
tour of Haiti’s Gingerbread houses

a touch of
haitian wisdom