Family holidays with children in Haiti - attractions and entertainment

Price can be one of the main decision-making factors when choosing a vacation destination, In Haiti, travelers can find hotels of different price categories. As a rule, local hotels are cheaper than in other countries of the Caribbean. Neighboring countries target themselves as high-class international destinations, and so they keep their hotel rates on par with many popular resorts in other parts of the world. It is hard for Haiti to compete because the media often shows the country as one of the poorest and dirtiest in the world. This information is not absolutely false but Haiti understands that tourism brings real money to the country and tries to develop it as much as it can.

These efforts bring positive results – resort destinations are already safe for tourists nowadays. This is particularly important for family vacationers. Local people are friendly and cheerful. It is just as safe to relax here as in most European cities. Moreover, there is no refugee problem in Haiti and everyone talks the same language. French and Haitian Creole are the official languages in Haiti. Staff in resort destinations understands English. Tourists that know none of these languages will find it hard to communicate in the country but such guests are rare these days.

Cap-Haitien is a popular tourist destination and the former capital of the country. One of the popular local hotels, Habitation Des Lauriers, offers panoramic views of the city and the sea, stable electricity, and amazing location on the top of a hill. The hotel’s staff speaks English and French. Tourists can offer transfer from and to the airport. The hotel’s swimming pool offers a fantastic view – it feels like you are floating above the city. This hotel is not a good choice for guests with small children but vacationers with teenagers who do not need merry-go-rounds and slides anymore will enjoy their stay here. Moreover, teenagers can accompany their parents and visit such famous landmarks of the city as the citadel and Marie-Jeanne grotto. A stay at this hotel will be pleasing for everyone. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Labadee or Labadie is an area that is drastically different from the rest of the island. In Labadee, everything is made to please and amaze guests. There are comfortable beaches, an aqua park, and numerous water amusements. Guests can raise their adrenaline level by flying above the ocean or jumping with the parachute, swimming or snorkeling in the turquoise water, driving personal watercraft, rhythmically pulling oars and maneuvering in a kayak, or playing various beach-based games. A separate water area for small children has waterfalls, fountains, and water guns. There are always many laughing and excited kids here. One more kids’ area looks like a giant sandbox with multiple toys.

This is what tourists find if they choose to arrive in Haiti using the ocean liner. Labadie is a private territory, and its owner - Royal Caribbean – makes sure that everything is fine and everyone is happy. Needless to say, this is an exceptionally safe place. For this purpose, a tall wall separates the resort from the rest of the island, and forest areas have the barbed wire protection. Tourists do not see these precautions. It is possible to enter Labadee only using the guarded access points. This is how the resort’s staff comes to work. Tourists from the rest of Haiti can also visit Labadee and enjoy its amusements at a reasonable price. This resort is like a separate comfortable area for tourists where everyone feels safe.

Haiti welcomes different types of tourists but the country doesn’t develop family vacationing specifically yet. Parents with kindergarten age children will find it hard to relax here. If you have elementary school-age children, you can visit the country with them. A vacation in Haiti will be a unique excursion to the place where there are almost no white people, where local people are almost indifferent to the warm sea, where approximately one half of the country’s population cannot read and educated people try to find jobs in other countries and then return to Haiti as tourists. There are hotels with family rooms but their functionality is still not intended for small children.

Haiti suffered from a devastating earthquake in 2010. The epicenter of the disaster was near the capital city of Port-au-Prince. The city was damaged, and it took several years to restore some of its most important attractions such as the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Earthquakes happen from time to time in this region. Surprisingly, some buildings are not restored afterward and simply remain standing in ruins. The palace of the only king of Haiti, Henry Christophe, is one of such buildings. Teenagers always enjoy exploring such buildings very much.

Pay attention to the items that you decide to take to Haiti in luggage. As a rule, tourists bring snacks and other food for kids, but Haitian customs officers might confiscate this food because its import to the country is not permitted. For example, meat products produced in Brazil and the neighboring Dominican Republic are banned. This information might be useful because many travelers from Europe fly to the Dominican Republic first and then continue their way to Haiti. There are some bad articles about Haiti. Of course, this news is not faked but the media often forgets to mention that there are many safe tourist areas in Haiti where foreign guests can enjoy sightseeing and beach recreation.