Getting a bit behind on my trip reports again! Since completing visiting every country last year, I have a lot more flexibility in choosing the next place I want to visit vs trying to complete a list. However there were several country visits that were outright 'cheaters', just airport transits. Haiti was one of those places, we had a stop there in 2007 on the way back from our trip to the Guianas.
I'd been keeping an eye on ticket prices to the Caribbean and saw that Austin to Port-au-Prince Haiti was running under $300. I decided to go there for a longish weekend. I bought a one-way ticket AUS-MIA-PAP. I wanted to also visit Cap Haitien and the Citadelle, a huge fortress built in the early 1800s by the newly-independent Haiti to deter French invasion. I then saw that there were flights to Turks and Caicos, and from there a British Airways flight to Antigua (another of my cheaters)... then I also realized I could take a day trip over to Montserrat from Antigua, the itinerary kept getting more and more complicated. I finally decided to just focus on Haiti this time and was looking to buy an internal roundtrip flight from Port-au-Prince to Cap Haitien.
I kept an eye on the MIA-CAP direct flight but wasn't showing available for points. However a few days before I left the availability opened up and I booked that segment for 7500 Avios points. Then booked a one-way flight CAP-PAP on Sunrise Airways and the return PAP-AUS on American. I booked an Airbnb in Milot and the Hotel Oloffson in Port-au-Prince. I had been in email contact with a guide for Port-au-Prince daytrips.
Jan 26, 2017
Flight: Austin, TX (AUS) to Miami, FL (MIA); American Airlines; A319 econ
Flight: Miami, FL (MIA) to Cap-Haitien, Haiti (CAP); American Airlines; A319 econ
Hotel: Lakou Lakay guesthouse; Milot, Haiti; $33
Very early morning to catch the 6:30 AM flight to Miami. I had flown this same flight back in October for my Channel Islands long weekend trip. I slept most of the way there. On arrival into Miami I found out the plane was the same one continuing onto Cap Haitien!
I still had a few hours to kill before the next flight though so went to the Admirals Club. I have a Citi Prestige card which I'm thinking of canceling once their agreement ends this year.
The flight to Cap Haitien was only 50% full. I ended up sitting next to a Haitian couple headed back home. French is an official language in Haiti but most people speak Haitian Creole. I'd never heard or seen it before, so it was interesting the inflight safety video was with Creole subtitles.
Landed just after 1PM into gorgeous weather, mid 80s and clear blue skies. The terminal in Cap Haitien was super tiny. There was a band playing music as we went into the terminal. Paid a $10 arrival tax and was officially in Haiti. I was a bit hungry and caught a cab outside for $10 to the Lakay restaurant. My taxi driver said he could drive me up to Milot later that evening for $30.
The traffic was a bit chaotic on the way into town, with people everywhere, lots of motorbikes and tap-taps, the local transport, which are pickup trucks with two rows of benches in the bed.
The Lakay restaurant was fairly busy even at 2PM. I had some BBQ goat which had a great flavor, savory but not too spicy. After lunch I walked back through town. Cap Haitien was the old capital of the French colony of Saint-Domingue and has some gorgeous old French colonial architecture. The old part of town is laid out on a grid pattern and felt very much like a dilapidated New Orleans or Reunion. Cap Haitien was not affected by the 2010 earthquake, but was damaged in a 1842 earthquake.
I wandered around the streets, stopping at the Cathedral and wandering down side streets. No hassle at all from any locals. There is some tourism in Cap Haitien and a few guesthouses and hotels. Cruise ships stop at nearby Labadee beach.
Cap Haitien
I called the taxi but it took him 30 minutes to show up before we set off for the town of Milot. The chaos of town finally gave way to green fields as we headed towards the mountains. It was just possible to see the Citadelle perched on top. When we reached Milot we had to drive through town before I finally spotted the Lakou Lakay guesthouse I had booked on Airbnb.
Drive to Milot. Citadelle just visible in the mountains
The guesthouse was certainly basic... turns out they had no electricity or wifi and the room was spartan, but it would do for the night. They had prepared dinner for me ($10), and I spent awhile talking with Maurice the owner. After dinner, he took me on a walk through town. It was much cooler up here in the foothills than it had been in Cap Haitien. They arranged a guide ($25) and driver to visit the Citadelle the next morning.
Guesthouse dinner
I had a bit of a fitful sleep as there were lots of dogs that kept barking through the night, next time bring earplugs!