When to Go

Haïti has two rainy seasons, from April to May and from September to October, with most rain falling in the mountains. If you plan to do much hiking, trekking or even driving, these might be months to avoid. The June-to-September hurricane season might be worth missing as well; though the chances of one blowing through are miniscule, remember that one little hurricane can wreck your whole holiday. The temperature is fairly constant year-round, with highs averaging around 34°C (95°F) in the summer and 30°C (85°F) in the winter. There isn't currently a peak tourist season, making Haïti an ideal destination during the Northern Hemisphere's winter, when most Caribbean isles are packed with snowbirds slurping umbrella-laden beverages and raising the prices of food, accommodations and everything else.
It's worth planning a visit to Haïti around Carnival (the three days leading up to Ash Wednesday) or Rara (the week leading up to Easter), when music and dancing seem to erupt spontaneously. Avoid the weeks leading up to an election, including the presidential election in December 2000, when less pleasant but equally spontaneous eruptions of passion tend to make their mark.

Events

It's worth planning your visit to coincide with Haïti's special events. Carnival, or Mardi Gras, cranks up the days leading up to Ash Wednesday, with Port-au-Prince as ground zero for the festivities. Haïti's top bands load up floats with massive sound systems and cruise streets that are packed with people dancing, singing and blowing off steam.

Carnival precedes Rara, dubbed the 'rural Carnival.' The week leading up to Easter is alive with an African beat as roads all over Haïti swell with bands of revelers, percussionists and the music of bamboo-and-tin trumpets. It's easy to become immersed in the music as the Rara band moves slowly down the road. Before you know it, you'll find you've followed the festivities for miles.

Two major Vodou pilgrimages take place each year. Saut d'Eau happens July 16 in the village of Ville-Bonheur, when pilgrims make their way to bathe in the sacred waterfall and visit a church built on the spot where the Virgin Mary allegedly appeared in 1884. On July 25, Plaine du Nord celebrates the day of St James, associated with the Vodou spirit Ogou Ferraille. Pilgrims come from all over the country dressed in red-and-blue garb for the ceremonies. On July 26, many celebrants move on to the town of Limonade, where the feast day of St Anne doubles as a day of respect for Erzulie, another Vodou spirit.

Gede, or fétdemó takes place November 1 and 2, and is well worth catching. People pile into the cemeteries to pour libations for Baron Samedi around crosses festooned with candles, skulls and marigolds. The uniform of a Gede, the guardians of the cemetery and lords of the erotic, is made up of black and purple clothes, a top hat and mirrored shades. If someone posessed by the Gede acts lasciviously toward you, go with it.

Public Holidays

January 1 - Independence Day (Jou d'lan)
January 2 - Ancestry Day
April 7 - Death of Toussaint Louverture
August 15 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
October 17 - Death of Jean-Jacques Dessalines
November 1 - All Saints
November 2 - All Souls
November 18 - Vertières Day
December 5 - Discovery of Haïti
December 25 - Christmas Day


Money & Costs

Currency: Gourde

Meals
Budget: US$1-3
Mid-range: US$3-10
High: US$10-15
Deluxe: US$15+

Lodging
Budget: US$8-30
Mid-range: US$30-80
High: US$80-120
Deluxe: US$120+

The official currency is the gourde, which is divided into 100 centimes. In the past, the gourde was fixed to the US dollar at a rate of 5 gourdes to the dollar, and the 5-gourde bill is still sometimes referred to as one Haïtian dollar. (The exchange rate is no longer fixed; one US dollar bought 19 gourdes in July 2000.) This can be confusing; when you are buying something the price may be quoted in gourdes, Haïtian dollars or even US dollars.
You will need gourdes almost immediately upon arrival, and there are no bank exchange desks at the Port-au-Prince airport. Porters and taxi drivers at the airport should accept US dollars, but exchange some money as soon as possible. There are plenty of banks in Port-au-Prince, and a thriving black market allows you to change money in the street (at only slightly worse rates). Hotels exchange money at terrible rates. Both Visa and MasterCard are accepted at most car rental places, as well as at nicer restaurants and hotels.
Haïti can be a perplexing country when it comes to costs. The true cost of everything, if there is one, may seem to the average blan (foreigner) like the best-kept secret in the country. You can pay US$1 for a huge meal at a streetside cafe or US$50 in a Pétionville restaurant, so the cost of a visit can vary hugely according to your standards. Decent hotels tend to be quite expensive (US$70 per night), while budget places (US$8 per night) can be quite rough and not very secure.

A 10% tip is normal in restaurants, and a small tip for bar staff is expected. Porters at the hotel and airport also expect tips. If you park your car in an urban area, you may be asked if you want someone to watch it. Pick one person, ask his or her name to avoid argument later on, and pay 5 gourdes when you return. Bartering is a way of life in Haïti, so don't be put off by the first priced offered even if it's wildly high. Some artisans have fixed prices, but a little negotiation can take place.

Most of the larger hotels charge a 10% sales tax, and many also tack on a daily energy charge of US$3-5. Smaller hotels and guesthouses tend to offer an all-inclusive price. A departure tax of US$25 (which must be paid in US dollars) plus 10 gourdes is charged at the airport.