Discover Haiti/Haiti Tourist

The negative campaign against Haiti throughout the world especially in those countries that call themselves “the Friends of Haiti” is very strong. If searching for Haiti on the internet most of the results found are negative, stories that could fill anyone’s heart with fear and skepticism unless if you are aware of the type of games these people are playing. They are demonizing Haiti while promoting their own country as so-called the best place for tourists. We strongly believe this is wrong and it needs to stop. That’s why Brice Foundation team has decided to add this touristic page on the website in order to show the true, the real Haiti that we all know without the negative campaign. Just like every country, Haiti has its ups and downs. Insecurity is everywhere even in the world’s greatest countries, but no one had demonized them. Below are a few touristic sites located in Haiti that people should consider exploring while visiting, and while you there let us know if you find Haiti Dangerous or simply Attractive, Beautiful and Amazing?

La Grotte Marie-Jeanne, Port-a-Piment, Haiti:

Grotte de Marie-Jeanne is a large cave system that is located on the southwest coast of Haiti in the town of Port a Piment. This is a municipality in the Côteaux Arrondissement, in the South Department of Haiti. It has 13,921 inhabitants. Grotte Marie-Jeanne is formed on a small limestone plateau on the south-central part of the Massif de la Hotte. It is potentially the largest cave system in the Caribbean, with a reported 1 kilometer of passage. The entrance has a tremendous amount of scenic value because of the tropical forest that it contains. The many entrances and skylights allow for the development of a unique cave ecosystem that has not yet been fully identified or studied. Within the cave system, a series of large, well-decorated chambers create an unusual morphology. Grotte Marie-Jeanne is recognized as the largest cave system in the country and one of the largest in the Caribbean. It has been the subject of great geological curiosity by numerous speleologists from everywhere. It is without a doubt one of the greatest tourist attractions in Haiti. If you plan to visit Haiti, this place is a must-see place, and we can guarantee you will become speechless as you explore this great natural wonder.

Fort des Oliviers Built (1748):

Fort des Oliviers is a historical French fort built in 1748 from the colonial era just outside the town of Saint Louis du Sud; a city of Louis XIV. It has incredible pieces of artillery (French canons) on display and still intact chambers along with rampart walls overlooking the Caribbean sea. It is a must-see when visiting Aquin, Zanglais or Saint Louis du Sud. Fort Olivier is the sister fort to Fort de Anglais across the bay of Saint Louis du Sud. Fort des Oliviers has over 128 km2 of sights of historical importance. Yet, despite its manifold attractions and its small number of inhabitants, 76,000 last told, the site remains overlooked, undeveloped and wholly neglected by the Haitian government and local authorities. Tours of the site take about an hour and have the added attraction of the sister site fort for the British opposite Fort Oliviers.

Fort Jacques and Fort Alexandre (1804-1806):

This fortress was built in Petionville/Kenscoff mountain tops from 1804 through 1806 to protect Port-Au-Prince, the Capital city of Haiti from French invaders after proclaiming independence in 1804. Those two forts were built under the direction of General Alexandre Petion who later plotted emperor Jean Jacques Dessalines's assassination in order to gain power. Fort Jacques was built and armed in less than one year. As far as fort Alexandre, it remained unfinished and later was abandoned after Jean Jacques Dessalines's death.

Fort Liberte or Fort Saint Joseph (1731):

Fort-Liberté or Fort Saint Joseph is one of the oldest city in Haiti, it's located in the harbor of Saint Domingue and strategically in the center of the bay facing the Atlantic Ocean. It was used as a naval base by the French, with four forts that "guarded the bay like beads on a string." Two of the larger forts are Fort Lachatre and Fort Labourque. They were captured by Toussaint Louverture (May 20, 1743 – April 7, 1803), the leader of the Haitian Revolution, in 1793. He later proceeded to the north and conquered the Spanish as well. The fort is 40 nautical miles (74 km) from Port-de-Paix (the capital of the North-west Department) and 290 kilometers from Port-au-Prince (the capital of Haiti). The average elevation of the town is about 1 meter. The fort, as such, within the city limits was constructed in 1731 at the port near the land end facing the bay, built under the directive of Louis XV, King of France, in order to defend against invasions. People in Fort Liberte are usually calm, friendly and generous. So if you plan to visit Haiti, make this place one of your must-see places.

Discover the True, the Real Haiti.

Bassin Zim, Hinche Haiti:

Bassin Zim is one of the hidden natural treasures of Haiti, a place that the Haitian government could use to generate electricity and promote tourism in Haiti especially in the Plateau Central. Bassin Zim is a little-known treasure of Haiti that sits along with the Plateau Central department, and eight kilometers away from Hinche; the main city of the region; Centre department. Hinche has a population of about 50 to 70,000 according to the most recent census report. Hinche is a city located in central Haiti. It is the capital of the Centre department. Hinche is the hometown of Charlemagne Péralte, a well-known Haitian nationalist leader who resisted the United States occupation of Haïti between the years of 1915-1934. Hinche contains waterfalls, coves, and caves. The falls tumble down in white-clouded streams to four azure coves below: Candelabra, Arc-en-Ciel, Bassin Zim, and Wells. Implanted within each cove are colonies of caves lined with mineral rocks. Some contain artwork by indigenous Taino Indians before immigration and colonization began back in 1492. Bassin Zim is considered a spiritual oasis for seekers of nirvana; it is rumored healing here manifests later in positive events in believers' lives. However, there’s no evidence to prove that. Those who can weather the daunting trek to Bassin Zim are rewarded by an almost unearthly scene of beauty. Bassin Zim has great potential as a tourist attraction, and residents of the Central Plateau have been beseeching the government to develop the natural resources for infrastructure improvement. But the government of Haiti, enmeshed in corruption, has failed Bassin Zim just like they failed many other places that could be very beneficial in boosting the country’s economy and the tourism industry. Transportation to Bassin Zim is a little difficult if you wish to travel by car. Travel on foot or riding a horse is the best way to get there.

Citadelle Laferriere or Citadelle Henry Christophe (1805-1820):

The Citadelle Laferrière or, Citadelle Henry Christophe, is a large mountaintop fortress in northern Haiti that was built shortly after Haiti independence from France in 1804. The massive stone structure was built by up to 20,000 workers between 1805 and 1820 as part of a system of fortifications designed to keep the newly-independent nation of Haiti safe from French incursions. The Citadel was built several miles inland, and atop the 3,000 ft (910 m) Bonnet an L’Eveque mountain, to deter attacks and to provide a lookout into the nearby valleys. Cap-Haïtien and the adjoining Atlantic Ocean are visible from the roof of the fortress. Anecdotally, it is possible to sight the eastern coast of Cuba, some 90 miles (140 km) to the west, on clear days. The Haitians outfitted the fortress with 365 cannons of varying sizes. These were obtained from various nations, and still bear the crests of 18th Century monarchs. Enormous stockpiles of cannonballs still sit in pyramidal stacks at the base of the fortress walls. Since its construction, the fortress has withstood numerous earthquakes, though a French attack never came and it was eventually abandoned. Henri Christophe initially commissioned the fortress in 1805. At the time, Christophe was a general in the Haitian army and chief administrator of the country's northern regions.

The Sans Souci Palace, Milot, Haiti (1810-1813):

The Sans-Souci Palace was the royal residence of King Henri I of Haiti, Queen Marie-Louise, and their two daughters. Its construction started in 1810 and was finished in late 1813. This palace was partly destroyed by an Earthquake back in 1842 that almost destroyed the Cap Haitian city. It was the most important of nine palaces built by the king, as well as fifteen châteaux, numerous forts, and sprawling summer homes on his twenty plantations. It is located in the town of Milot, Nord Department.

Before the construction of Sans-Souci, Milot was a French plantation that Christophe managed for a period during the Haitian Revolution. Many of Henri Christophe's contemporaries noted his ruthlessness, and it is unknown how many laborers died during the palace's construction. Under his reign, the palace was the site of opulent feasts and dances. It had immense gardens, artificial springs, and a system of waterworks. Though Sans-Souci is now an empty ruin, at the time its splendor was noted by many foreign visitors. One American physician remarked that it had "the reputation of having been one of the most magnificent edifices of the West Indies." The impressiveness of Sans-Souci was part of Henri Christophe's program to demonstrate to foreigners, particularly Europeans and Americans, the power and capability of the black race. The African pride in the construction of the king's palace was captured by the comment of his advisor, Baron Valentin de Vastey, who said that the palace and its nearby church, "erected by descendants of Africans, show that we have not lost the architectural taste and genius of our ancestors who covered Ethiopia, Egypt, Carthage, and old Spain with their superb monuments." However, Christophe's reign drew heavily on European monarchical signs of prestige. He established hereditary nobility, along with coats of arms and prescribed ceremonial dress.

Labadee Resort, North of Haiti:

Labadee is a port located on the northern coast of Haiti. It is a private resort leased to Royal Caribbean International until 2050. The location is named after Marquis de La Badie, a Frenchman who first settled the area in the 17th century. The spelling was changed to "Labadee" to make it easier for English-speakers to pronounce. The resort is completely tourist-oriented and is guarded by a private security force. The site is fenced off from the surrounding area, and passengers are not allowed to leave the property. Food available to tourists is brought from the cruise ships. A controlled group of Haitian merchants is given sole rights to sell their merchandise and establish their businesses in the resort. Although sometimes described as an island in advertisements, it is actually a peninsula contiguous with the island of Hispaniola. The cruise ship moors to the pier at Labadee capable of servicing the Oasis-class ships, which was completed in late 2009. But on many occasions, tourists who traveled to Labadee revealed that they were never informed that they were actually in Haiti. Those who visit Labadee acknowledge that it is the best vacation place they ever been in the Caribbean. We invite you to go see for yourself and tell us what you think.

Bassin Bleu Jacmel, Haiti; the City of Tourism:

Bassins Bleu is located nearby a well-known city calls Jacmel. Jacmel is very well-known for its tourist attraction. It is made of beautiful untouched series of waterfalls, which are located in the steep hills of the Jacmel city. These waterfalls are overfilled with beauty and natural charm that attracts a number of tourists across the world. Bassins Bleu is home to numerous vegetations and beautiful species of birds, while the steep valleys and rocky hills, offers beautiful views on the exotic Jacmel Bay. The complete environment is overfilled with nature’s unseen beauty. Bassins Bleu waterfalls can be reached through horse rides or even by a car, as it is one of the prime tourism destinations of Haiti. We have to advise you that travel to Bassin-Bleu is restricted to a minimal amount of tourists per day to preserve its environmental integrity. Because of this exclusivity, please make sure to check with your local resort to ensure you will be able to travel on your desired day. Also, please make sure you leave Bassin-Bleu as pristine as you found it. Eating good foods and sleeping in the quiet rooms at the Cyvadier and other Hotels, go for a footing at Fort 'Oge' and Etang Bossier, not too far from Cavalier. Go for a wonderful rhum sour at La Colline Enchantee, this will be for sure one the best vacation you ever have in your life.

Musee du Pantheon National Haitien (MUPANAH) built-in 1983:

The Musée du Panthéon National Haïtien is a museum featuring the heroes of Haiti's independence, Haitian history, and their culture. It was opened in 1983. It is located next to the Presidential palace at Champs de Mars in Port-Au-Prince. This cultural center is to perpetuate and disseminate the memory of "Fathers of the Nation".One of its main missions is to participate in heritage conservation and dissemination of national culture. It is also known as (MUPANAH), it's an institution whose function is the conservation, protection, and enhancement of historical and cultural heritage. The museum traces Taínos, Spanish, and a section dedicated to the heroes of independence including a silver gun with which Henri Christophe committed suicide and the bell used to announce independence. It also contains chains of slavery, torture instruments, sculptures and temporary exhibitions of paintings. Another curiosity, the anchor of the Caravel of Christopher Columbus, the Santa María (ship) measuring 4 meters high. This building is one of the strongest construction in the country. In fact, after the 2010 earthquake that almost destroyed the whole country, the museum building was only slightly damaged due in part to its semi-buried construction, making it less prone to destruction.

L'ile a Vache, Haiti:

Île à Vache (Cow Island) is one of the most popular tourist sites in Haiti and has some of the best island scenery in the Caribbean. This is a small island located in Haiti, lying off the south-west peninsula of Haiti near the town of Les Cayes. Administratively it is part of the South Department. It is about 8 miles long, 2 miles wide, with an area of 20 square miles. The western end of the island is up to 150 meters (490 ft) high and rolling with several small swamps in the valleys; while the eastern section is swampy, and has a lagoon with one of the largest mangrove forests in Haiti. The population of the island is somewhere between 10,000-15,000 inhabitants. There are two tourist resorts on the island, the Port Morgan and Abaka Bay.

Île à Vache was originally claimed by the Spanish Empire as part of Hispaniola, the first landing site of Christopher Columbus in 1492, and for the next two centuries, it was known by its Spanish name, Isla Vaca. In 1697 the island of Hispaniola was formally divided between Spain and France in the Treaty of Ryswick which ended the Nine Years War. France assumed control of the western half of the island, Haiti, and Isla Vaca took on its current name, Île à Vache.

In 1863, during the American Civil War, the island's owner Bernard Kock offered to resettle freed black slaves from the United States. Despite support from President Abraham Lincoln, funding never materialized, and the first attempt to set up the colony failed as soon as they started.

Gelée Beach, Les Cayes Haiti:

Gelee is situated in Les Cayes, which certainly plays a big role in the relatively still under-developed Haiti tourism industry, with pleasant sights such as Gelée Beach: one of the longest and most visited beaches in Haiti. The white sand beach of Gelée beach is very popular in Haiti, not only for its restaurants which serve typical southern Haiti dishes such as 'tonm-tonm', grilled-conch, grilled-fish and lobster but also for hosting an annual music festival around mid-August which usually features some of the best Compas music bands. The Botanical Garden of Les Cayes is located in Bergeau, at the northern entrance of the city. The site occupies an area of eight (8) hectares. The nearby Île à Vache, Pic Macaya, Saut-Mathurine falls and Kounoubois cave in Camp-Perrin, Pointe-de-Sable beach in Port-Salut, Marie-Jeanne cave in Port-a-Piment. Les Cayes has an airport, Antoine-Simon Airport. As of February 1st, 2013, the first stone on the expansion project of the Antoine-Simon Airport in Les Cayes has been laid. The project to make Antoine-Simon a viable international airport is part of broader efforts aiming at ramping up infrastructure development in Haiti’s Southside.

Saut D'eau, Haiti (Waterfall):

Saut-d'Eau is a municipality in the Mirebalais Arrondissement, located in the (Centre Department) of Haiti. It has roughly 34,885 inhabitants. Saut d’Eau is the translation in French of 'waterfall.' It was named after a large waterfall called 'Le Saut'. The area holds cultural significance in Haiti, to both Catholic and Vodou practitioners. In the 19th century, it is believed that the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (or the closely associated Vodou Lwa, Erzulie Dantor) appeared on a palm tree there. A French priest, afraid of the superstition this would inspire, cut the tree down, but it nonetheless became an important religious destination for Haitians, akin to the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico. Annually, the falls are the site of a large, important religious pilgrimage, during the festival of Our Lady of Carmel, from July 14–16. A Eucharistic rite is held during the festival, as well as various Vodou rituals, but the penultimate devotional activity is bathing in the waters of the falls, and asking favors of the Virgin or Erzulie. The water is also sacred to the lwa Damballah and Ayida Wedo, the book The Serpent and the Rainbow is named for their appearance at this site.

Etang Saumatre/Lac Azuei:

Étang Saumâtre also known as Lake Azuei is the largest lake in Haiti and the second largest lake in the whole island Hispaniola, after Lake Enriquillo. Étang Saumâtre is located on the arid part of the valley Cul-de-Sac, 29 kilometers east of Port-au-Prince in the west department. Its eastern side is part of the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic; the Dominican city of Jimaní is at less than 1 km from the southeast end of the lake. The lake supports over 100 species of waterfowl (including flamingos), as well as American crocodiles; freshwater species of turtle, including Painted turtles, and Rhinoceros Iguana. Some fishes, such as tilapia, are also found. Its recognized importance is as breeding, passage and wintering area for numerous bird species: as many as 300–400 breeding pairs of wading birds in the Ciconiiformes can be found in the eastern zone of the lagoon. Important avian raptor species of the lake include the osprey, Pandion haliaetus. There are certain American crocodiles, such as Crocodylus acutus, are found in this land-locked, brackish lake in large numbers, and have instilled fear among the local community. It is one factor responsible for the poor development of the lake as an ecotourism project. Extensive studies have been reported on this species of the American crocodile, as opposed to the Central American Crocodylus moreletiiand the South American Crocodylus intermedius.

Grotte Saint Martin, Dondon Haiti:

Grotte Saint Martin is located on top of the mountains surrounding the city known as Dondon; and not far from the fort calls fort Moise. According to many Haitians, this cave is especially used in magical and socio-cultural activities in the area. Many are those who believe in magic around the world, Haiti is no different. Every year, people from everywhere in and outside of Haiti come to Dondon to celebrate and even sometimes participate in those so-called magical ceremonies. Many come to Dondon to request protection, fortune, etc. while others are requesting revenge and justice for wrongdoing. Those magical festivals usually take place on the 11th of November each year. So if you want to know more about Dondon festival we invite you to come to explore on or around November 11. People are very nice and friendly and there will be local citizens ready to guide you everywhere you wish to visit and there are hotels in or outside of Dondon like Cap Haitian, which is the main city for the whole northern region.

L'ile de la Tortue (Tortuga Island):

Tortuga Island, also known as (Île de la Tortue) is a Caribbean island that forms part of Haiti, off the northwest coast of Hispaniola. It constitutes the commune of (Île de la Tortue) in the Port-de-Paix region; North-west Department of Haiti. The island covers an area of 180 km and its population was 25,936 according to the latest Census report. In the 17th century, it was a major center of Caribbean piracy. Its tourist industry and reference in many works have made it one of the most recognized regions of Haiti. Although Tortuga island was already known by the native peoples, it was never used as a permanent settlement until European pirates made it into a launching ground for piracy activities. The first Europeans to land on Tortuga island were the Spaniards in 1492 during the first voyage of Christopher Columbus into the New World. On December 6, 1492, three Spanish ships entered the Windward Passage which separates Cuba and Haiti. At sunrise, Columbus noticed an island whose contours emerged from the morning mist. Because the shape reminded him of a turtle's shell, he chose the name of Tortuga. The island of Tortuga stands off the northern coast of Haiti. It is very mountainous and rocky; the rocks are especially abundant on the northern part of the island. At the beginning of the 17th century, the population lived on the southern coast of the island, where there was a port for ships to enter.

The southern part of the island was divided into four parts; the first part was called Low Land or Low Country. This was the main part of the southern coast because it contained the island's port. The town was called Cayona, and the richest planters of the island lived there. The second part was called the Middle Plantation; this region could only grow tobacco. The third part was named Ringot. The fourth part was called the Mountain; it is there that the first cultivated plantation was established upon the island.

Kenscoff, Haiti:

Kenscoff is very well-known for its good fruits and vegetables. In fact, it remains a good reference for the Haitian agricultural system. This town is located in the west part of Haiti, it is a mountainous area some 10 kilometers to the southeast of the capital Port-au-Prince. The altitude is approximately 1500 meters. Because of its altitude, the temperature is on average cooler than the capital and during winter months it can become quite cold; cold enough to wear a sweater or a jacket. It has a population of around 4,000 to 5,000 according to the last census report dated 2003. The town is a quiet, yet vibrant community that, despite its small size, has a rather vivid nightlife. Because of the concentration of some nocturnal social establishments, the so-called nightlife has started to increase and a large percentage of Haiti's frequently wealthier mixed population is present. The weekly market is the destination for many rural farmers who may walk for 8 hours over the mountains from Seguin to sell vegetables. After selling vegetables they buy seeds and/or fertilizer and walk back 20 kilometers. Sometimes, people from Kenscoff take public transportation to Pétionville at 4 am to sell their vegetables there.

La Grotte Marc Antoine:

Grotte Marc Antoine is situated in the same city and area as Grotte Saint Martin, Dondon, Haiti. As mentioned before, Dondon is a municipality in the Saint-Raphael arrondissement that is part of the northern department in Haiti. This city is well-known for its natural beauty and sociocultural activities. People travel form almost everywhere to participate in those activities that take place once a year; sometimes in November. This cave was discovered in the late 1930s by local workers who work in the mountains who normally break big rocks into smaller parts and then sell them to the local citizens to build houses. Marc Antoine who was a very strong and well-known politician, locally and nationally was one of those who normally purchase works from those local workers since he was building a house in the neighborhood. As a result, the cave was named after him. According to local and international tourists, the cave is surrounded by trees and other types of vegetables. Grotte Marc Antoine can only be accessed by foot, cars or horses can't go there because it's too high and there are too many trees around that almost block access to it. If you wish to visit cave Marc Antoine you should expect to travel on foot for at least 10 to 15 minutes and temperature there is usually hot regardless if it's summer or winter. However, once you get to the cave you will realize that it was worth travel. For local citizens and those on a national and international level who already been to cave Marc Antoine, it is a natural wonder that everyone should explore.

La Voute Minguet:

La Voute Minguet is located in DonDon, Haiti. Dondon is a municipality in the Saint-Raphaël Arrondissement, part of the North Department of Haiti. It has around 25,846 inhabitants according to the last census report made in 2003. La Voute a Minguet is been around since the Indians and Christopher Columbus era. Almost 600 years later, this cavern is still around and remains a touristic reference in Haiti especially in Cap Haitian. This cavern is about 150 feet in depth and about the same in eight. However, this cavern is very narrow and curvy. The whole cavern receives no light except from the entrance and in a few holes in the cavern’s roof. Many believe this cavern was built by the Indians instead of nature because they use to paint this cavern in green and adored one of their god's name "Zemes" until Columbus took over the island.

Fort Oge or Fort Cap-Rouge (1818):

Fort Oge also is known as for Cap-Rouge is a small location with a very small size population in the state/region of Sud-Est (Southeast) of Haiti which is near the city of Jacmel on the way toward Marigot. This fort was built in late 1818. Cap-Rouge is a very friendly community and people are very generous there and they always willing to help. Fort Oge or Cap-Rouge is surrounded by beautiful beaches, such as Ti-Mouillage Beach, Cayes Jacmel, etc., and a natural beauty that would make fall in love with the area, even though part of the coastlines still remains undeveloped. Fort Oge is located approximately 17 km from Jacmel, one of the principal destinations for tourists coming to Haiti. Fort Oge which was part of twenty Forts constructed after Haiti independence as a defensive system in the event the French decided to return to the island to impose once again slavery. Fort Oge got its name after Vincent Oge, a leading figure of the Haitian Revolution.

La Crete-A-Pierrot Heritage (March 1802):

The Battle of Crête-à-Pierrot was one of the bloodiest battles of the Haitian Revolution that lead to their independence. The battle took place at the Fort de la Crête-à-Pierrot from March 4th through the 24th of 1802. This fort is situated on the east side of Saint-Marc in the Artibonite River valley. General Charles Leclerc's French colonial army besieged the heavily barricaded fort, which was defended by Haitian forces under Jean-Jacques Dessalines. The fort was significant as it controlled access into the Chaos Mountains. The defenders, running short of food and arm munitions, eventually abandoned the fort but were able to force their way through the French lines and into the Chaos Mountains. The French, although gaining control of the fort, had suffered heavy losses, including the death of General Charles Dugua. This was the deciding battle that finally forced the French to withdraw from Haiti.

However, the siege continued for several more weeks. General Dessalines left to gather reinforcements and supplies, but could not make it back through the French lines to the fort. He and Toussaint harassed the French rear and tried to coordinate a relief of the fort. More and more French soldiers came from various areas, and ultimately about 12,000 French troops surrounded the fort. The defenders were without water for at least a week. At last, Lamartinière decided to evacuate the position. With about 600 able-bodied troops he broke through the lines of General Rochambeau and rejoined Dessalines' troops in the mountains. The French then occupied the fort the next morning and massacred the Haitian wounded who had been left behind. The only survivors were a few white prisoners that Lamartinière had left behind on his to escape the fort.

"Both sides claimed victory. It sort of depends on what measure one uses. The French ended up with the fort, but they lost twice as many men as the Haitians and were shocked to discover how well the blacks could fight in a pitched battle. ... After abandoning the fort, the Haitians retreated into the Chaos mountains and fought a guerrilla war from then on."

Grotte Nan Michel 1 and 2, Dondon Haiti:

Grotte Nan Michel 1 and 2 are situated in Dondon, Haiti; a beautiful city that is located in the northern department and fills with nice and friendly people. It is about 400 to 450 meters from cave Nan Michel 1 and according to local citizens, there is an underground route that connects both caves. But for those who visit both caves, they acknowledge that access to those two cave is very difficult due to the fact that they are surrounded by mountains and the lack of infrastructure in the region. However, the cave Nan Michel adventure totally worth the sacrifice because of its beauty and the natural wonders that would fill your mind. Once inside the cave Nan Michel, you will be able to explore at least four different areas that are filled with our ancestors’ mysteries. Two of those four areas are almost impossible to access. However, most of the Grotte (cave) Nan Michel’s histories are hiding in those two compartments. This cave brought a lot of curiosity in experts’ minds from almost everywhere around the world. The entrances to the cave combined with the skylights allow for the development of a very unique cave ecosystem that has not yet been fully identified or studied. Within the cave system, a series of large, well-decorated chambers create an unusual morphology. But don’t take our words for it, if you plan on visiting Haiti any time soon we invite you to visit cave Nan Michel and explore this natural phenomenon that will fill your mind with wonders and excitement.

Mole Saint-Nicolas:

Môle-Saint-Nicolas is a town on the north-western coast of Haiti. It is the chief town of the Môle-Saint-Nicolas Arrondissement in the department of Nord-Ouest. Christopher Columbus' first voyage to the Americas landed at the site of what is now Môle-Saint-Nicolas on December 6, 1492. The town received its present name after France gained control of the western part of Hispaniola in 1697.

Môle-Saint-Nicolas has a population of about 4 to 5,000 people, with another 20,000 spread throughout the nearby rural areas. Just like many other places outside of Haiti’s capital, road access can be heartache. However, Mole Saint Nicolas’ roads are passable in a sturdy vehicle according to local citizens and visitors. There is a dirt airstrip to the north of the town which is serviced by two airlines: Mission Aviation Fellowship and Sunrise Airways. The town has running water from a run-of-river channel constructed in the 1970s, which feeds a reservoir above the town and is distributed via PVC pipes to spigots throughout the town. A medical clinic in the town has been staffed by Slovakian volunteer doctors from a private university, since the end of 2006.

Vestiges of colonial forts can be found in several locations over there: such as Batteries de Vallières, Fort Georges, Saint-Charles, La Poudrière, Le Fort Allemand, and Les Ramparts. There is also la Ruine Poudrière which is an old magazine built sometime in the 1750s by the French. The main industry in the area are fishing and tourism.

The Fort Doko:

This fort is located in Marchand-Dessalines which use to be the country's capital after Haiti's independence proclamation by Jean-Jacques Dessalines from the French back in 1804. Marchand-Dessalines is where the emperor used to live, with that says, it represented the resistance against the French super-power with their mighty army of the 17th-18th century. Fort Doko is surrounded by five other forts known as; fort Innocent, fort ti Madame, fort Décidé, fort Culbuté et le fort de la Fin du monde.

Fort Décidé and fort Culbuté are located in lower mountains in front of the other four forts in a strategic way so they can control the city of Marchand-Dessalines and protect it from invaders at the same time.

These six forts are part of a complex security defense system that was established by the emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines not only in Marchand-Dessalines but across the country, in case the French decided to return to the island to try to reestablish slavery.

The Péligre Dam:

The Péligre Dam is located in the department of Centre, which is about 97 miles drive time from Port-au-Prince. This Dam is built within the Artibonite River and the project was initiated in 1930 as a flood-control in the area. Its completion was in 1956 and has resulted in the creation of the largest reservoir in Haiti and the second largest lake in the island, It crosses both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

The Dam project was designed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and financed by the U.S Government back then. According to Tracy Kidder's book Mountains Beyond Mountains, Brown & Root was a contractor in the Péligre Dam project.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the Dam. According to local residents, much of the benefit of the dam's construction has gone to a small group of wealthy individuals, at the expense of the poor farmers who used to use much of the land that is now submerged because of the Dame. Because of the Pélibre Dam project, the majority of the displaced farmers have faced extreme poverty that has remained untold and ignored to date.

Fort Drouet, Arcahaie:

Fort Drouet was built the day after the proclamation of independence according to an ordinance of Jean-Jacques Dessalines dating from March 1804. Just like the citadel Laferriere, the fort Delpêche, the fortress of the Platons, the fort Garit, the fort Ogé, the forts Jacques and Alexandre, etc., of the twenty or so fortified structures designed and produced throughout the territory to face a possible offensive return by the French, for Drouet which is located in Arcahaie is also part of that defensive structure from any eventual offensive return of the French in the island.

Fort Drouet also makes eye contact with Fort Delpêche located west in the hills overlooking Williamsonville and Carriès that are located in an important coffee production area during colonial time. The fort is so visible to a point it's almost impossible to miss.

Arcahaie is a commune in the Arcahaie Arrondissement, located in the Ouest department of Haiti. It has played a key role in the emergence of this new nation, Haiti. It was there Jean-Jacques Dessalines met with the rest of the indigenous army, May 18th, 1803 and have decided from now on Haiti's flag will be known as red and blue, not red, white, and blue.

The Issue of "Restavek" in Haiti

Did you know 2 out of every 10 children in Haiti are being Forced to Performed Domestic Work?

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Discover the True, the Real Haiti.