Travel and Tourism

Travel and Tourism in Haiti

Travel alerts, currency, climate, transit, health, and safety information for visitors to Haiti.

Practical Information

Travel alert status, currency, climate, and transit details.

Travel Alert Status: Level 4: Do Not Travel
Time Difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Currency: Gourde (HTG)
Climate: Haiti's tropical climate produces seasonal rainfall, although large areas of the country are semiarid. Temperatures year round range from 70°F to 90°F with humidity sometimes high along the coast. Average annual rainfall varies from nearly zero in some areas to 53 inches in Port-au-Prince. The two rainy seasons that Port-au-Prince experiences are from April to June and from August to mid-November. Rain and accompanying thunder/lightning storms usually occur at dusk and at night, but the days remain clear and sunny. There is a crisp dry season from December to April. Surrounding mountains generally protect Port-au-Prince from Caribbean hurricanes.
Ethnic Groups: Black 95%, mulatto and white 5%
National Holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Geographic Coordinates: 19 00 N, 72 25 W
Location: Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Airports: 12

Health and Safety

Medical facilities, vaccinations, disease risk, and sanitation conditions.

Medical Facilities and Care

Medical Facilities and Health Information: Medical facilities in Haiti are scarce and for the most part sub-standard. Outside of the capital standards are often even lower than in Port-au-Prince. Medical care in Port-au-Prince is limited, and the level of community sanitation is extremely low. Life-threatening emergencies often require evacuation by air ambulance at the patient's expense. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment in advance for health services. In the event of a medical emergency requiring evacuation, a list of air ambulance or charter flight services is available at the ACS web site. Incidents of cholera have declined significantly since a major outbreak in 2010 and travelers are generally not at high risk; however, cholera persists in many areas of Haiti. Prior to travel, U.S. citizens should obtain information about cholera and other health-related issues by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions, malaria and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC web site.
Accessibility: While in Haiti, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what is found in the United States. Businesses and institutions in Haiti generally do not make special accommodation for persons with disabilities. Additionally, Haitian authorities do not effectively enforce laws mandating access to transportation, communication, and public buildings by persons with disabilities. Pedestrian sidewalks and walkways are limited, and when present, often end abruptly, causing accidents. Accommodations and reduced fares on public transportation are not offered for elderly individuals or persons with disabilities. Pedestrian crosswalks are rarely established and not adhered to, creating risk for pedestrians traversing roads in both business and residential areas.

Disease Risk

Degree of Risk: High
Food and Waterborne Diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne Diseases: dengue fever and malaria

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