Port-au-Prince — 3-Day Guide

The capital of the only country born of a successful slave revolution — where Columbus lost the Santa María on Christmas 1492, a Victorian cast-iron market was shipped from France, and 20,000 workers built the largest fortress in the Americas to defend a freedom won against Napoleon.

Also explore Port-au-Prince for:

📋 General guide ⭐ Highlights

Columbus's Santa María Anchor, Victorian Cast-Iron Market & Haitian Naïf Art MoMA Recognizes

Americas' Largest Fortress Built to Stop Napoleon's Reconquest & King's Palace Versailles Rival

Vodou: West Africa Meets Catholicism, Oil-Drum Iron Sculpture Art & Scotch Bonnet Pickled Pikliz

📋 General 3-day guide ⭐ Highlights

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Language	Haitian Creole (Kreyòl ayisyen, spoken by all Haitians) and French (official, used in government and education); English very limited — French is more useful; Spanish-speaking guides available in Pétionville
Currency	Haitian Gourde (HTG); US Dollar widely accepted and preferred for tourism; exchange rate approximately 140 HTG per $1; carry small US dollar bills
Transport	Hire a driver through your hotel for all travel in Port-au-Prince (local tap-taps — colourfully painted shared minibuses — are unsafe for tourists); distance from Pétionville to Iron Market 30 min without traffic; to Cap-Haïtien domestic flight recommended; never walk alone in most of the city
Best time	Nov–Mar (dry season, less heat); Haitian Carnival (February–March, the most spectacular in the Caribbean — street processions in Port-au-Prince and Jacmel) is the peak cultural season; Jun–Oct hurricane season and wet season
Getting in	Toussaint Louverture International Airport (PAP) — direct from Miami (2h30, AA/Spirit), New York (3h30, AA), Montreal (4h, Air Transat); also via Santo Domingo (4h by road) or domestic from Cap-Haïtien; check current security advisories before booking
Tipping	$2-5 for meals; $10/day for drivers; $5 for guides; tips are crucial income for service workers
Safety	CRITICAL: As of 2026, multiple governments advise against travel to Haiti due to gang control of large parts of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas; Pétionville has somewhat better security but the situation is fluid; travel only with a reputable local operator, private driver and hotel-based itinerary; check your government's current advisory before planning any visit
Budget tips	Iron Market free entry; MUPANAH $2; Centre d'Art $3; Citadelle $6; horse rental $5 each way; Labadee beach $15; iron sculpture workshops free to browse; griot dinner $15; Barbancourt rum $8