Haiti: Getting there & around

Haiti has one international airport, officially called Toussaint Louverture International, but better known as Port-au-Prince International Airport, particularly when booking tickets from abroad. It shares its runway with the domestic Guy Malary Airport. Cap-Haïtien has the second-largest airport, but it serves only a few international flights. There is a departure tax when leaving Haiti by air. The price is not included in the price of your ticket. When you leave Haiti, you must have your passport and the yellow entry card you received upon arrival.

There are two primary points where you can cross between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The crossing between Ouanaminthe and Dajabón in the north is convenient between Santiago and Cap-Haïtien, while the Malpasse/Jimaní crossing in the south links Santo Domingo to Port-au-Prince. A crossing in the centre of the island, between Beladere and Elías Piña, is difficult to reach using public transportation. If you're leaving by land, the departure tax is less.

There are two flights a day between Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien on Caribintair that will save you an arduous eight-hour drive. There are also regular flights from Port-au-Prince to Hinche, Pignon and Dame Marie.

The cheapest way to get around Haiti is by bus, with fares ranging from US$1.00 to US$7.00 , depending on the distance travelled. There are no timetables; buses leave the town's specific departure point (Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien have several) when they are full. The buses, generally either old US school buses or ornately decorated tap-taps , can go places where you wouldn't drive a 4x4 back home.

Driving in Haiti is an adventure on a good day: the roads are notoriously potholed, many private cars are in disrepair (read: don't count on brake lights or turn signals) and winding mountain roads are alive with speeding Bluebird schoolbuses on a mission. If you are willing to rise to the challenge (and drive on the right side of the road), however, you can rent a car for around US$60.00 , plus insurance, from several agencies at the Port-au-Prince airport. There are other car rental places in large towns throughout Haiti.

Port-au-Prince has a brilliant system of collective taxis called publiques , which charge 10 gourdes a trip. They could be almost any vehicle, but all have a red ribbon hanging from the front mirror. A sharp pssst! usually stops them, and the driver decides if he or she wants to take you. Don't expect the most direct route to your destination, as others in the car need to be catered to as well.