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Discover Eight of the Best Beaches in Haiti

March 29, 2023 by Anton Lau

Ile A Rat (Amiga Island) near Cap Haïtien
Photo: Jean Oscar Augustin

Discover Eight of the Best Beaches in Haiti

From the tranquil waters of Côtes des Arcadins to the white sand beaches of Île-à-Vache, find your perfect Caribbean paradise with our selection of the best beaches in Haiti!

Escape to the beaches of Haiti and soak in the sun, sand, and sea. Haiti is the ideal destination for a rejuvenating and unforgettable vacation with its warm waters and long coastlines. Whether you’re a diving enthusiast, a family searching for paradise, or just looking to break away from the daily routine, Haiti offers the perfect combination of relaxation and exciting activities.

We’ve rounded up eight of Haiti’s best and most popular beaches. So, pack your bags and start planning your ultimate beach escape.

Buche Perico restaurant in Santo Domingo — Abaka Bay beach on Ile A Vache
Photo: Verdy Verna

1. Start with the finest, Abaka Bay

Begin your Haitian beach adventure with a visit to Abaka Bay, recently named one of the world’s most beautiful beaches by CNN. Located on the enchanting island of Île à Vache, this bay features a pristine white sand beach and calm Caribbean waters framed by rolling hills and verdant foliage.

Abaka Bay Resort offers guests a truly exclusive and secluded experience. Bungalows situated directly on the beach provide panoramic views and direct access to the sugar-fine sand and crystal-clear sea. Dining options are equally impressive, with a restaurant offering breathtaking views of the ocean and epic sunsets.

Getting there
To reach Île à Vache, simply take a 15-20 minute boat ride from Les Cayes. The island is located in the Bay of Les Cayes off the southern coast of Haiti.

2. Tiny, yet Stunning Île a Rat (Amiga Island)

From the moment you set foot on Ile a Rat (also known as Amiga Island), this tiny slice of paradise will steal your heart. Its sleek, white sand beach immediately catches the eye, while the gentle waves create a dreamy oasis against the pearlescent shoreline.

Located in the turquoise waters off the coast of Plaine du Nord in northern Haiti, Ile a Rat is a 1.8-hectare piece of white coral covered in a small, wild forest. The island is a peaceful retreat, making it a particularly romantic setting for couples looking for a serene getaway.

Getting there
To get to Ile a Rat, you can take one of the many boat taxis waiting in Labadee, which is a 30-minute drive from Cap-Haïtien. Keep in mind that the island is uninhabited, so it’s important to bring everything you need for a comfortable stay, including drinking water.

3. Côtes des Arcadins: The Ideal Dive Destination

Nestled on the north edge of Port-au-Prince Bay, Côtes des Arcadins spans 19 kilometers of white sand beaches lined with palm trees, making it one of Haiti’s most popular beach destinations. The combination of the deep blue sea, mountains, mangrove forests, and the coral reef formed by the Arcadins islets creates a breathtaking sight. With so much to explore beneath the surface, scuba diving and jet-skiing are popular activities here.

Côtes des Arcadins has something for everyone, with well-known hotels and resorts such as the ever-popular Decameron (previously known as Club Indigo), as well as other favorites like Wahoo Bay and the newly opened Moulin Sur Mer. However, if you’re seeking a more beach experience away from the crowds, venture off to one of the lesser-known beaches in the area.

Getting there
The Arcadins Coast borders the town of Montrouis, near Saint-Marc, and is located just a few hours north of Port-au-Prince. To fully enjoy your stay, consider staying at one of the lodges or hotels along the coast.

4. The Pearl of the South: Pointe Sable

Port-Salut is home to the famous southern beach of Pointe Sable, a true picture perfect destination that is bound to leave you in awe. This two-kilometer stretch of golden sand is surrounded by palm trees and small thatched roof bars, creating a rural charm that attracts thousands of visitors each year. Port-Salut is also home to several popular festivals and beach parties.

In recent years, Pointe Sable has become a popular weekend getaway from Port-au-Prince, with a growing number of hotels popping up along the coast. Despite this, the area has yet to reach the level of overcrowding seen in other Caribbean destinations. For those looking for adventure, Port-Salut offers several options. You can visit the pretty Cascade Touyac waterfall, which is about a half-hour walk inland, or head up into the hills for a visit to the Grotte Marie Jeanne in Port-à-Piment.

Getting there
To reach Port-Salut, take National Road 2 from Port-au-Prince towards Les Cayes, and continue to Port-Salut, located 30 kilometers west of Les Cayes. The drive from Port-au-Prince takes approximately three hours.

5. Endless Thrills and Relaxation at Labadee Beach

Labadee is a popular beach destination on the northern coast of Haiti, famous for its beauty and activities. The area boasts four white sand beaches, cafés, and the country’s only port serving as a cruise ship stop. Labadee offers a wide range of activities, from cruising and shopping at souvenir shops to dining at restaurants and enjoying the thrill of a 450-foot-high zipline. You’ll also find plenty of opportunities to relax and unwind, with long stretches of beach and plenty of spots to sit, lay down, and soak up the sun.

There are several options for food and drinks, including Dragon’s Cafe, Labadee Cafe, and Columbus Cove Cafe, all serving a delicious lunch buffet. And don’t forget to stop by the Floating Bar at Adrenaline Beach for a signature Labadoozie frozen cocktail. The Artisan’s Village is also a must-visit, where you can find handmade crafts and souvenirs made by local artists.

For those seeking thrills, there’s no shortage of excitement to be found at Labadee. The possibilities for adventure are endless, from zip-lining across the ocean to jumping on floating trampolines. And for a unique view of the island, you can parasail or speed around the shoreline on a speedboat.

Getting there
Labadee beach is operated by Royal Caribbean Cruises. The best (and only) way to get there is by joining a cruise that stops at Labadee. Please note that, unfortunately, it is not possible for cruise guests to leave the area and visit other attractions in the region.

Book a cruise now and make Labadee the next stop on your Caribbean voyage here!

6. Cormier Beach, Where Mountains Meet the Sea

If you travel further down Haiti’s northern coast, you’ll have the chance to witness the rolling green mountains that flawlessly blend into the sea, welcoming you to Cormier Plage Resort. This 5-hectare hotel complex offers a peaceful escape with breathtaking views of the north coast, making it the ideal destination for a family vacation.

The resort provides an array of activities for its guests, including tennis lessons, boat trips to nearby secluded beaches surrounding Cap-Haïtien, and an opportunity to relish Haitian fusion cuisine at the restaurant and bar. The long sandy beach is dotted with lounge chairs, and guests can stay connected with free Wi-Fi available throughout the property.

The hotel also offers excursions to the famous Citadelle Henri and Palace Sans Souci. So whether you’re staying at Cormier Beach Resort or just visiting for the day, you can soak up the beauty and tranquility of this stunning beach.

Getting there
Cormier Beach, is a short 20-minute drive from the center of Cap-Haïtien or a 40-minute drive from the Cap-Haïtien International airport.

7. Swim like the Locals at Gelée Beach

For an authentic local beach experience, head to Gelée Beach located near Les Cayes in Southern Haiti. This 900-meter stretch of pristine sand is lined with seafood restaurants, offering a picturesque backdrop to the rural scenery of Les Cayes city.

You’ll be able to indulge in flavourful Haitian cuisine such as griyo (fried pork), bannann peze (fried plantain chips), or the famous lambi (conch) while sipping on a refreshing rum sour and taking in the calming sounds of the waves.

Looking to explore Haiti’s unique gastronomy? Here’s a list of the Haitian Street Food you Have to Try.

Getting there
Gelée Beach is a 20-minute drive from the center of Les Cayes. For the ultimate experience, plan your visit during the annual Gelée Festival, which takes place during the town’s patron saint celebration on August 15th.

Raymond Les Bains beach near Cayes-Jacmel
Photo: Jean Oscar Augustin

8. Experience the Magic of Raymond les Bains

Raymond les Bains is a sought-after destination located between the cities of Jacmel and Cayes-Jacmel, known for its picturesque beach and especially it’s delectable seafood. With a shallow coastal shelf, it’s an excellent spot for swimming, and visitors can spend a day absorbing the warm Caribbean sun rays on the sandy shores.

Along the coast, small restaurants with parasols and street vendors offering a range of souvenirs, snacks, and coconuts can be found. Fafane, the owner of one of the restaurants, is a local legend and serves up the freshest and tastiest grilled fish in town.

As the sun sets, Raymond les Bains transforms into a live party spot, especially on weekends. The atmosphere is energetic, making it the perfect setting for a night out with friends, enjoying some cold Prestige beers while enjoying the beauty of the moonlit beach.

Getting there
Raymond les Bains is easily accessible by public transportation such as taptap or moto. The beach is located about fifteen kilometers east of Jacmel on the road toward Marigot.

Written by Costaguinov Baptiste.

Published March 2023.

Discover Haiti’s Beaches & Islands

Royal Decameron Indigo Beach Resort

May 3, 2020 by admin

beach resort with pool, palm trees, lounge chairs and sea — View of the pool at Decameron Indigo Beach Resort
Photo: Decameron Indigo Beach Resort

Royal Decameron Indigo Beach Resort

Decameron Indigo Beach Resort offers an all-inclusive experience that will shoot above and beyond your expectations. Book your stay soon for a time full of adventure and relaxation.

First Impressions

Decameron Indigo Beach Resort is by far the biggest beach resort in Haiti. With its all-inclusive package and its one-and-a-quarter mile of dreamy white sandy beaches, Decameron is an ideal introduction to what the beauty of beaching in Haiti truly is.

Rooms

Decameron is equipped with 400 Caribbean-style rooms with views of the beach, the gardens, or the pool – your choice. All rooms are air-conditioned and designed to as the perfect relaxing hideaway, while bringing small pieces of Haitian urban life into the room. All rooms open out onto either a terrace or balcony, bridging the gap between the comfort of your bed and the sounds of the Haitian waves.

What’s for breakfast?

Although Indigo Beach has three different restaurants, breakfast is served at Le Grand Marché, located in the main area by the pool. With its options of both self-serve and made-to-order stations, the buffet-style breakfast and overall service of this restaurant is the highlight for many. While you will most definitely be exposed to staple American-style fare, we suggest trying or asking about what the Haitian options are on the day!

How about lunch and dinner?

Indigo Beach’s three different restaurants offer three different dining experiences. Le Grand Marché, the main restaurant open to all, offers breakfast as well as lunch and dinner, respectively starting at noon and 7 PM.

Le Boucanier is the second restaurant, located in the northern portion of the resort – an à-la-carte restaurant, it specializes in seafood and often requires a reservation, though this depends on the flow of guests at the resort that day. It is open from 7 PM until 10 PM.

Last but not least is La Casserole Haitienne. The name speaks for itself – if the goal of your trip is to have a taste of Haiti without necessarily leaving the resort, look no further! Open between 7 and 10 PM for dinner, this is an à-la-carte restaurant, and while it might require a reservation, you’ll have the chance to sample different traditional Haitian dishes stemming from all parts of the country. La Casserole Haitienne also operates a snack bar until 2 in the morning, meaning that you can stop by into the early hours for a quick plate of fried plantains and delicious creole conch!

Is there a bar?

With all these options for food, Indigo Beach surpasses itself when it comes to drinks.

The resort has a grand total of four bars, one located in Le Boucanier, the other at La Casserole Haitienne, and the last two, Bon Bagay Bar and Chiringuito Bar, operate as stand-alone bars. The last two are conveniently located by the central and southern pool respectively so you are always able to enjoy a drink as you read a book or scroll on Instagram by one of these very impressive pools!

From 11 PM to 2 AM, Decameron keeps the beach nightlife alive with all the music hits at its discothèque.

Activities and amenities

Decameron greatly compensates the fact that it is so far from the city, offering clientele a bounty of amenities and activities. As an all-inclusive resort, any person staying has access to the two recently-renovated pools, a fitness center, a boutique for last-minute bikini shopping, and a variety of sports ranges and courts (soccer, basketball, tennis, etc.).

The resort also has access to special marine areas and instructors for snorkelling, diving and more, and even organizes a variety of excursions to nearby attractions. Lastly, the hotel often closes its nights with show-stopping performances, varying from dance acts to comedy shows.

Within a short walk you can find…

Located in Montrouis, where visitors can experience the local delicacy that is lalo, or hike to Kay Piat. the resort is pretty far away from big cities, but make sure to check out their excursion services to discover hidden islands and precious gems of Haiti!

Need to know (before you go)

A few things to note are that unfortunately, Wi-Fi is only available in the rooms for a daily $20 fee and pets are not allowed. For an additional cost, the resort offers transport from and to the airport via their shuttle bus which runs 24/7.

Getting there

For directions and bookings visit Decameron Indigo Beach Resort on Hotels.com

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Kaskad Pichon

January 25, 2020 by admin

large haitian waterfall splashing into natural pool with people swimming — Kaskad Pichon waterfalls, Belle-Anse
Photo: Franck Fontain

Kaskad Pichon

Kaskad Pichon is a stunning waterfall located in the commune of Belle-Anse, in the South-East Department of Haiti. The waterfall is notoriously hard to get to, but worth the adventure.

Belle-Anse commune is home to soft, sandy beaches, and Kaskad Pichon (French: Cascade Pichon) is the crowning jewel of its inland treasures. A cluster of three separate basins, each crowned by glorious waterfalls, Kaskad Pichon is sustained not by rainfall, but an underground lake.

The waterfall runs through three separate basins: Bassin Chouket, where wild mint grows and perfumes the banks of the pool, Bassin Dieula and Bassin Marassa.

The Haitian Kreyol proverb “dèyè mòn gen mòn” reflects the Haitian landscape – “behind mountains, there are more mountains”. Once in a while, though, in between these mountains, you’ll stumble upon a hidden gem (and travellers who’ve been here before know that Haiti is full of them). One such hidden gem is Kaskad Pichon, a waterfall that is as stunningly beautiful as it is notoriously hard to get to.

Visiting Kaskad Pichon might have you snapping pictures the entire time, or putting your phone down in awe — up to you, really! However you decided to take it in, a visit to Kaskad Pichon is an intimate wilderness experience that you’ll remember for years to come.

Three travellers wading in the Kaskad Pichon waterfalls, Haiti — Travellers exploring the Kaskad Pichon waterfalls, Haiti
Photo: Franck Fontain

Getting to Kaskad Pichon

Kaskad Pichon is remote, and to get there, adventurers need to be prepared to drive (or hire a chauffeur), ride a motorcycle, and hike.

The drive to Belle-Anse, the main town of the area, is quite a trip in and of itself, on a gravel road that passes through floodplains, riverbeds, and up steep hillsides. If you drive from Marigot the trip to Belle-Anse should take about two or three hours. The town of Belle-Anse is interesting enough to spend a morning exploring, or at least stopping for lunch to re-energize before the most rugged part of the adventure.

From Belle-Anse, you’ll need to drive to Pichon, and from there it’s another hour’s drive to Kaskad Pichon. A motorcycle ride from Pichon to the waterfall should cost you about 1,000 HTG per person (roughly US $11).

The ride up to the waterfall is part of the experience – clinging for dear life on the back of a bike, you’ll be driving through some of the most pristine wilderness Haiti has to offer, with mile upon mile of sandy white beach unwinding below the path up the mountainside. If you can plan for it with your motorcycle drivers, we highly recommend you make a quick swim stop en route to take in the beauty offered by Haiti’s south. It’s also a great opportunity to uncover some extremely instagrammable spots – you might want to plan in a little extra time for that.

After an hour-long motorcycle ride, you’ll have to hike, following a guide, for roughly 40 minutes, before reaching the waterfalls.

Written by Kira Paulemon.

Published January 2020

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What to do in Montrouis, Haiti

June 23, 2019 by admin

Boats and people swimming on the beach at Wahoo Bay, Cotes des Arcadins, Haiti, with mountains in the background — Wahoo Beach, Arcadins Coast, Haiti
Photo: Ricardo Lartigue

What to do in Montrouis

Close to the edge of the Ouest and Artibonite departments, this unhurried town is the hub of the Arcadins Coast, a picturesque stretch of white-sand beaches home to most of Haiti’s resorts.

Montrouis is en route if you have a reservation at Royal Decameron, Moulin sur Mer or Kaliko Beach. Just over an hour’s drive northwest of the capital Port-au-Prince, Montrouis is also the first stop on the way to the mostly undeveloped plains of Artibonite.

Montrouis supplies a large part of all seafood eaten in Haiti, and is a popular destination for leisure fishing. One of the resorts, Moulin sur Mer, houses the Ogier-Fombrun museum, which offers visitors a glimpse into the pre-colonial history of Haiti up to 1794.

Go snorkelling at Moulin sur Mer

For all that the resorts on the Arcadins Coast contrast with the undeveloped and unspoilt beaches lining the rest of Haiti’s generous coastline, they offer tourists a very accessible way to enjoy another one of the natural treasures of the area: snorkelling.

Experienced snorkelers will find a wealth of seascapes to explore right around Haiti, but even beginners can dive into snorkelling at Monstrouis, thanks to a gentle introduction on offer at the Moulin sur Mer resort.

Marina Blue Haiti runs a diving and excursion center within Moulin sur Mer, with activities ranging from day tours of the islands off the Arcadins coast to PADI night diving. Montrouis is a great place to find guidance and safety the first time you dive into snorkeling. Another advantage of snorkeling with a Marina Blue tour is that they can take and guide you to their very own coral reef house, with both shallow and deep reefs.

It is no secret that coral reefs around the world are suffering. The healthy, well-preserved reefs off the coast of Arcadins should not be seen as evidence counter to this trend, but as a fragile treasure that reminds us what we stand to lose if we don’t do our best to be reef-conscious travellers, and conscious consumers when we get back home.

People swimming and sitting on the side of the water pools at Kay Piat, Montrouis, Haiti — Water pools at Kay Piat, Montrouis
Photo: Franck Fontain

Get your breath taken away – literally and figuratively – with a hike to Kay Piat

In the mountains east of Montrouis, Kay Piat is something of an oasis in a desert. The two-hour-plus hike is steep and strenuous, but you’ll be rewarded with access to a lush sanctuary that very few from the outside world have seen.

The path to the summit intersects with a strong river, teeming with watercress and swelling out in places into crystal clear swimming holes, glittering in the sunlight that filters through the dense canopy of Kay Piat. Don’t forget to bring your swimsuit!

The village of Kay Piat is home to warm and welcoming people. Hiking to Kay Piat requires joining an organised tour (Marina Blue runs one) or hiring a local guide. Either way, it’s a good idea to bring small bills with you, ready to pay the entry fee to the oasis and to buy refreshments. The friendly people of Kay Piat survive on modest livelihoods and the arduous drive and hike to the location means that local and tourist traffic through the township are both thin, making the locals all the more in need of any tourist dollars you bring. Be open to negotiate with the person supervising the payments; there is always a way to reach a comfortable middle ground.

The hike is best done in the morning.

Gorge on seafood and specialty candy

Travellers who drive straight through Montrouis miss out on a local speciality: creole cuisine called lalo – the signature dish of Artibonite.

Driving into the township from the south, foot traffic swells with men and women carrying produce in baskets and old rice sacks. Just outside of town, colorful kiosks line the road, most of them serving up plates of rice, beans and lalo.

Also called Egyptian spinach and West African sorrel, lalo is the local name for jute. In the US and Europe, jute might be better known as a source of rope fibre, but here in Haiti (and across most of Africa and Asia) it is more widely used in cooking.

Lalo is the magic that happens when fresh, bright jute leaves are picked off of the plant and stewed with spinach, onions, peppers, and garlic as well as creole-seasoned cuts of beef. As the flavors mingle in the pot, the jute and spinach leaves grow soft, dark, and flavorful.

Setting itself apart from lalo available throughout the province – and making it especially worth stopping to try – Montrouis lalo is made with freshly caught sea crabs. With the help of the hot stew and steam inside the pot, the broken crab shells and legs turn a vivid pink, lending the dish a heightened, warming flavor which mingles wonderfully with earthy black bean sauce and light-as-air white rice.

“It’s hard work, but people keep coming back,” one vendor says. She takes a small break from spooning rice into Styrofoam plates, but just as quickly, a young woman comes from the back kitchen to pick up the slack. “I have regular customers who will come from the fancy resorts because they love the lalo here.” The evidence is in front of us while we chat – the cars parked in front of the kiosks have license plates ranging from rentals, to personal cars, to state-owned vehicles. It seems like everyone in the know makes time to stop in Montrouis for a plate of Lalo.

For desert, treat yourself to a tablèt nwa, a delicious candied cashew bar, or tablèt pistach, a candied peanut bar. Don’t miss the wonderfully decadent dous makòs, a tri-colored milk fudge bar. You’ll find all of these sold by the side of the street.

A tray full of specialty Haitian sweets: Tablèt pistach and dous kokoye — Tablèt pistach and dous kokoye
Photo: Franck Fontain

Need to Know

Montrouis is a popular destination for fishing in Haiti, supplying a large part of all seafood consumed on the coasts as well as inland.

Moulin sur Mer houses the Ogier-Fombrun museum, which retraces the history of Haiti from the Indian era up until the colonial times – specifically, 1794.

Guided visits – the best way to explore Kay Piat, since trail signage isn’t great, and because local guides can negotiate on your behalf to keep costs down.

Must-Try Flavors

Lalo – jute leaf and spinach stew served with white rice and black or red bean sauce.

Tablèt nwa – delicious candied cashew bar, sold by the side of the street.

Tablèt pistach – delicious candied peanut bar, sold by the side of the street.

Dous makòs – tri-colored milk fudge bar, sold by the side of the street.

Written by Kelly Paulemon.

Published June 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 south of Haiti

Labadee Beach

April 8, 2019 by admin

Artwork spelling out the name Labadee stands on beach, Haiti, with cruise ship docked — Labadee Beach
Photo: Shutterstock

Labadee Beach

A horseshoe-shaped bay set into the northern coastline, Labadee is the beach of choice for the cruise ships that regularly call at Haiti.

The beach stretches over a mile of soft, silky sand, and crystal-clear blue waters. Labadee is on the same coast as the beautiful Cormier beach, but offers a unique array of attractions catering to visitors who arrive on the cruise ships.

You don’t need to join a cruise to get here though – while the Haitian government leases a portion of the bay to Royal Caribbean, most of the area is open to other visitors, and many of the attractions can be accessed by non-cruise guests for a fee.

Feeling adventurous?

Labadee beach is home to top-notch adventure attracions including coastal tours, water parks, kayaking, snorkelling and the Dragon’s Breath – the world’s longest over-water zip-line.

If you’re planning to come to Labadee for any of these activities, you’ll want to time your trip to coincide with a visit from one of the cruise liners.

We recommend getting in touch with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, or Azamara Club Cruises. This is where you will be able to get information on which attractions are open when, at what fee, and which ones are accessible to visitors of the area who are not passengers of the cruise ship.

Getting there

If you are not coming to Labadee via a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, you can reach it by taking a plane, bus or car to the city of Cap-Haïtien. From there, Labadee is but a thirty minute drive away.

Driving along the coast, you’ll have to resist the urge to stop, drop, and hop into the water at local beaches like Kaylolo or Chato Relaxo, but the wait will be worth it. Although popular with big cruise ships, Labadee remains one of the most homey, warm, welcoming places the north coast has to offer.

Tips for making the most of your trip

The beaches here have lovely tropical water but can be rocky underfoot – bring water shoes to make it easier on your feet.

Lounges along the beach are free, but staff expect a tip for setting them up. Bring single HTGs or American dollars with you so that you don’t get caught out.

If you’re looking to experience real Haitian culture, be aware that you won’t find much of it at Labadee. No problem, though (or as Haitians say, pa gen pwoblem): you’ll find plenty of Arts & Culture in nearby Cap-Haïtien.

An important note for cruise ship passengers who would like to explore more of Labadee and of the North of Haiti in general is that the area where the ships dock is a beach resort cut off from the rest of the island. Cruise ship passengers are limited to staying on the beach resort grounds. Attractions made available there are open to passengers, but visiting places like the Citadelle, Sans-Souci Palace, Dondon or the city of Cap-Haïtien itself is not possible.

Although heavily commercialized, Labadee is still a gorgeous, tropical delight worth visiting whether you are on a cruise ship or as part of an independent Haitian adventure.

Written by Kelly Paulemon.

Published April 2019

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swimming

Discover Eight of the Best Beaches in Haiti

From the tranquil waters of Côtes des Arcadins to the white sand beaches of Île-à-Vache, find your perfect Caribbean paradise with our selection of the best beaches in Haiti!

From Our Land to Your Home

1. Start with the finest, Abaka Bay

2. Tiny, yet Stunning Île a Rat (Amiga Island)

3. Côtes des Arcadins: The Ideal Dive Destination

4. The Pearl of the South: Pointe Sable

The Birds of Haiti on Your Wall

5. Endless Thrills and Relaxation at Labadee Beach

6. Cormier Beach, Where Mountains Meet the Sea

7. Swim like the Locals at Gelée Beach

8. Experience the Magic of Raymond les Bains

The Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Haiti

Discover Haiti’s Beaches & Islands

Paradise for your inbox

Royal Decameron Indigo Beach Resort

First Impressions

Rooms

What’s for breakfast?

How about lunch and dinner?

Is there a bar?

Activities and amenities

Within a short walk you can find…

Need to know (before you go)

Getting there

Royal Decameron Indigo Beach Resort

Your pocket guide to Cap-Haïtien

Looking for some cool things to do?

Paradise for your inbox

Kaskad Pichon

Discover Sacred Vodou Symbols!

Getting to Kaskad Pichon

From Our Land to Your Home

Find Kaskad Pichon

The Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Haiti

Looking for some cool things to do?

Paradise for your inbox

What to do in Montrouis

a touch of haitian wisdom

Go snorkelling at Moulin sur Mer

Get your breath taken away – literally and figuratively – with a hike to Kay Piat

The Birds of Haiti on Your Wall

Gorge on seafood and specialty candy

Need to Know

Must-Try Flavors

Find Montrouis

External Links

The Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Haiti

Looking for some cool things to do?

Paradise for your inbox

Raymond les Bains

From Our Land to Your Home

Don’t miss: the freshly-grilled fish

From Our Land to Your Home

Getting there

Find Raymond les Bains

Haitian Cultural Traditions You Didn’t Know About

Explore the south of Haiti

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Labadee Beach

start your day the Haitian way

Feeling adventurous?

Getting there

From Our Land to Your Home

Tips for making the most of your trip

Find Labadee Beach

External Links

A Visual Guide to Vodou Symbols

Cool things to do around Cap-Haïtien

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Plan Your Trip

Destinations

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Company

Plan Your Trip

Destinations

Information

Company

Select Language

a touch of
haitian wisdom

start your day
the Haitian way

A Visual Guide to
Vodou Symbols