Skip to content
wheretotravel.info
Thatched huts over turquoise water on rocky coast

Haiti travel guide

A Caribbean nation of mountains, history and coastline, best visited with careful planning

Best: Jan, Feb

Photo: Holger Wulschlaeger / Pexels

Capital
Port-au-Prince
Languages
French, Haitian Creole
Currency
Haitian gourde
Time zone
UTC-05:00
Plugs
Type A, B · 110 V
Driving
On the right
Emergency
114 / 115 / 116

Why visit Haiti

Haiti suits travellers drawn to history and dramatic landscapes rather than resort comfort. Port-au-Prince, Cap-Haïtien and Les Cayes all sit on the coast, with January and February the best months to visit each one; Cap-Haïtien stays good into March and Les Cayes from December. Conditions and safety vary a lot by region and can change fast, so check current travel advisories before you plan a route.

  • Dry season window in January and February

    January and February are the best months to visit Haiti, and they line up across Port-au-Prince, Cap-Haïtien and Les Cayes. Less rain means easier travel between coastal cities on the north and south sides of the country.

  • Three distinct coastal cities to compare

    Haiti's main cities sit on the coast: the capital Port-au-Prince with just under 1 million people, Cap-Haïtien at 190,289, and Les Cayes at 151,696. Each has its own best-months window, so you can plan a route that follows the calendar.

  • Cap-Haïtien stretches the good season into March

    While the capital and Les Cayes have their best months limited to January and February (Les Cayes also includes December), Cap-Haïtien in the north keeps favorable conditions through March, giving an extra month for travelers heading that way.

  • A compact country, easy to cross

    Haiti covers 27,750 square kilometers, smaller than many Caribbean trip itineraries assume. That makes it realistic to combine the capital with the northern coast around Cap-Haïtien or the southern coast near Les Cayes in one trip.

  • French and Creole, one time zone

    Haiti runs on UTC-05:00 and uses French and Haitian Creole as official languages. For travelers coming from the US East Coast, there's no time difference to adjust for.

Is Haiti right for you?

Great for

  • Travellers wanting warm sea temperatures year-round, from 27.8°C to 31.3°C
  • Sun-seekers visiting January or February, with low rain (16-30mm) and 10.4-11.3 sun hours a day
  • Coastal trips, since all three main cities (Port-au-Prince, Cap-Haïtien, Les Cayes) sit on the coast
  • Visitors who like dry, cooler mornings, with lows around 22°C in January and December

Less ideal for

  • Trips in October, the wettest month with 87mm of rain over 12.1 rain days
  • Heat-sensitive travellers in July, when highs reach 35.5°C
  • Anyone avoiding humid, rainy stretches from April to October, each month over 30mm of rain

Haiti right now: November

6.2/10
Avg high
32°C
Avg low
24°C
Rain days
9
Sea
30°C

Averages for Port-au-Prince.

Weather by month

In Port-au-Prince, January and February bring the best weather, with highs around 31°C, lows near 22°C, and only 4-4.4 rain days a month. From June to October, temperatures climb to 33-36°C and rain days rise to 9-12 a month, with October the wettest at 87mm, making the mid-year months tougher going.

Average highs and lows in Port-au-Prince by month January: high 31°C, low 22°C , 4 rain days . February: high 32°C, low 22°C , 4 rain days . March: high 32°C, low 23°C , 9 rain days . April: high 32°C, low 24°C , 11 rain days . May: high 33°C, low 25°C , 9 rain days . June: high 35°C, low 26°C , 7 rain days . July: high 36°C, low 26°C , 6 rain days . August: high 35°C, low 26°C , 10 rain days . September: high 35°C, low 26°C , 11 rain days . October: high 33°C, low 25°C , 12 rain days . November: high 32°C, low 24°C , 9 rain days . December: high 32°C, low 23°C , 4 rain days . 31°C 22°C JAN 4d 32°C 22°C FEB 4d 32°C 23°C MAR 9d 32°C 24°C APR 11d 33°C 25°C MAY 9d 35°C 26°C JUN 7d 36°C 26°C JUL 6d 35°C 26°C AUG 10d 35°C 26°C SEP 11d 33°C 25°C OCT 12d 32°C 24°C NOV 9d 32°C 23°C DEC 4d
Best months Other months (low–high) Nd = rain days

Port-au-Prince · averages 2015–2024

Best time to visit Haiti: month-by-month weather →

Haiti's climate regions

The weather varies across the country; each region has its own best months.

  • Port-au-Prince Lowlands

    Port-au-Prince

    Hot year-round, with highs of 31.4°C in January rising to 35.5°C in July. Rain falls on about 97 days a year, the fewest of Haiti's regions, so January and February are the best months to visit.

    Best: Jan, Feb

  • Cap-Haïtien North Coast

    Cap-Haïtien

    Warm rather than scorching, highs run from 27.7°C in January to 31.3°C in July. This region sees rain on about 201 days a year, the most of the three, so January to March offer the driest window.

    Best: Jan, Feb, Mar

  • Les Cayes South Coast

    Les Cayes

    Highs stay close to 28.7°C in January and 31.3°C in July, milder than Port-au-Prince. Rain falls on around 166 days a year, and December to February are the best months to go.

    Best: Jan, Feb, Dec

Where to go in Haiti

City guides with their own best months and weather.

Sample itineraries

7 days

Capital, North Coast and Southern Beaches

  1. Day 1–3

    Port-au-Prince

    Start in the capital, home to 987310 people. Explore the city's markets, art galleries and historic Iron Market in the cooler months of January or February.

  2. Day 4–5

    Cap-Haïtien

    Head to this northern coastal city of 190289 residents. Visit the Citadelle Laferrière and nearby Sans-Souci Palace, best seen January through March when conditions are drier.

  3. Day 6–7

    Les Cayes

    Finish on the southern coast in Les Cayes, population 151696. Relax on the beaches and enjoy the calmer seas typical of December to February.

10 days

Haiti in Depth: Three Coastal Cities

  1. Day 1–4

    Port-au-Prince

    Spend four days in the capital, population 987310. Use the dry, cooler weather of January and February to explore museums, markets and the hillside neighborhoods above the bay.

  2. Day 5–7

    Cap-Haïtien

    Travel north to Cap-Haïtien, home to 190289 people. Spend three days visiting the Citadelle Laferrière and the colonial streets of the old town, ideal from January to March.

  3. Day 8–10

    Les Cayes

    End the trip in Les Cayes, a coastal city of 151696 residents. Spend your final days on the beach and take boat trips offshore during the calmer December to February period.

Where to stay

One good base in each main city and who it suits.

Delmas

Port-au-Prince

Good for business travellers, NGO staff

Delmas is a long commercial corridor between the airport side of the city and Pétion-Ville, with offices, shops and some guesthouses. It is practical if your work or meetings are there. Traffic is heavy, the streets are noisy, and safety varies a lot from one numbered section to the next, so ask locally about each block.

Centre-Ville

Cap-Haïtien

Good for first-timers, history, walking

The old colonial grid of numbered and lettered streets, with the cathedral, the main square and many painted houses with balconies. You can walk to restaurants, markets and the waterfront, and it is the easiest base for arranging trips to the Citadelle. Streets can be noisy, crowded and hot by day, and power cuts and traffic are common.

Centre-Ville

Les Cayes

Good for first-timers, short stays, practical needs

The town centre has the main market, banks, shops and transport links, so it is the easiest base for getting things done. Streets are compact and walkable in daylight. Traffic, motorbike noise and crowds around the market start early and run late.

Food to try in Haiti

Soup joumou

A squash soup with beef, vegetables and pasta. Haitians eat it on New Year's Day, which is also Independence Day, to mark freedom from French rule. UNESCO lists it as intangible cultural heritage.

Griot

Pork marinated in citrus juice and spices, then boiled and fried until crisp. It is a favourite at parties and family meals, usually served with fried plantain and pikliz.

Diri ak djon djon

Rice cooked with dried black djon djon mushrooms, which turn it dark grey. It is a dish for Sundays and special occasions, and is closely linked to northern Haiti.

Pikliz

A sharp, spicy relish of shredded cabbage, carrots and hot Scotch bonnet peppers pickled in vinegar. It sits on almost every table and cuts through fried food like griot.

Akra

Crisp fritters made from grated malanga, a starchy root, mixed with herbs and chilli. You find them as street food and as a snack at gatherings, often eaten with pikliz.

Rum and clairin

Haitian rum is made from sugar cane juice. Barbancourt is the best-known brand. Clairin is a strong, unaged cane spirit made in small local distilleries and sold cheaply across the country.

Know before you go

  • Language: French and Haitian Creole are the official languages. Haitian Creole is spoken by nearly everyone, while French is used in government and formal settings.
  • Currency: The currency is the Haitian gourde. Carry cash for everyday purchases, since card payments are not reliable everywhere.
  • Plugs and voltage: Haiti uses plug types A and B, the same as the United States, with a voltage of 110 V. Bring an adapter if your devices use a different plug shape.
  • Driving side: Traffic drives on the right side of the road in Haiti.
  • Emergency numbers: Emergency numbers in Haiti are 114, 115, and 116, depending on the service you need. Save these before you travel, as response times can vary.
  • Calling code: Haiti's international calling code is +509. You'll need this to dial in from abroad or set up a local SIM.
  • Timezone: Haiti is on UTC-05:00 year-round, which is useful to know when coordinating with other countries that observe daylight saving time.

Haiti: frequently asked questions

Is Haiti good to visit in August?

August scores 4.5 out of 10, rated ok rather than good. Port-au-Prince highs reach 35.1°C with lows of 26.3°C, and it's one of the wetter months with 9.7 rain days and 79mm of rain. Sea temperature is a warm 30.9°C, so swimming is still pleasant despite the heat and rain.

What is the best time to visit Haiti?

January and February are the best months, both scoring over 7 out of 10 and rated good. Highs sit around 31.4 to 31.6°C with lows near 22°C, and rainfall is low at 16 to 30mm with only 4.3 to 4.4 rain days per month, making for drier, more comfortable conditions.

Is Haiti hot all year?

Yes, Haiti stays hot year-round. In Port-au-Prince, monthly highs range from 31.4°C in January to 35.5°C in July, and lows never drop below 22.1°C. There is no cool season, just variation between warm and very warm months.

When does it rain most in Haiti?

October is the rainiest month in Port-au-Prince, with 87mm of rain over 12.1 rain days. September and April also see heavy rain, with 11.4 rain days each. By contrast, January and December are driest, with only 4.3 rain days and 16 to 18mm of rain.

Is the sea warm enough for swimming in Haiti?

Yes, the sea is warm throughout the year. Sea temperature ranges from 27.8°C in February to a peak of 31.3°C in September, so swimming conditions stay comfortable in every month.

What is the best month to visit Cap-Haïtien?

January, February and March are listed as the best months for Cap-Haïtien. These align with Haiti's drier, cooler period overall, when national scores for January and February are highest at 7.3 and 7.1 out of 10.

Similar destinations

Countries with a year of weather much like Haiti.