Many people travel to St. Maarten / St. Martin for its Caribbean white sand beaches. While they are beautiful and all that you would expect from a Caribbean island, there are so many more things to do in Saint Maarten / Saint Martin than just its beaches. This travel guide shares 18 unusual things to do in St. Maarten / St. Martin drawn from ten days traveling all around the island with the goal of finding some of its more off-the-beaten path experiences and places.

Whether you’re traveling to St. Maarten / St. Martin as a standalone Caribbean island vacation or as an excursion from a cruise, you'll be sure to find something from our travel guide below with our favorite boat trips, outdoor activities, hikes, beaches, and day trips to make your visit memorable.

Visiting the Caribbean Island of St. Maarten / St. Martin

At the end of the year as winter days grew shorter and the Christmas holidays approached, we set our sights on checking in with each other before we found ourselves immersed in the uptake of a new year. Taking off to the Caribbean to spend some time together away from our laptops, reflect on the past year and take a deep breath before a busy year ahead was just what we needed.

It was with this frame of mind that we left our home base in Berlin mid-December for St. Maarten, the Dutch side of an island in the Caribbean divided in two with its French counterpart St. Martin.

While we weren't fully disconnected from the internet and the world during our time on St. Maarten, we found that removing ourselves from all that was familiar and routine — and giving ourselves a dose of sunshine and warmth — helped us to relax, gain some perspective, and enjoy time together as an ordinary married couple (i.e., not as business partners). Not to mention, a sort of decompression seems to occur naturally when staring out over water to the horizon for long periods of time.

In this way, pressing the pause button from time to time in one’s life creates space to disconnect, reconnect and to clarify what matters most.

Note: This post was originally published in February 2016 and updated in December 2024.

Going Off the Beaten Path in St. Maarten / St. Martin

The idea of this trip, as with most of our travels, was to go beyond the obvious — in this case, the beaches. This involved exploring both sides of the island — Dutch St. Maarten in the south and French St. Martin to the north – and following suggestions, on and off the tourist trail, to experiences that would move us.

The cliché of white sand Caribbean beaches stretching along dazzling, turquoise water is far too accurate. We were tempted to park ourselves on one of the several we sampled, and never leave. But we also knew there was more to discover and things to do in St. Maarten than appears on the surface.

Next, we would be fibbing if we told you that St. Maarten / St. Martin is not heavily touristy. It would be very easy to visit and only see the developed and trafficked areas of the island and draw your experience and conclusions from there, but dig a bit deeper and you’ll find a dimension to the island that few others see. On several occasions we found ourselves surrounded by rugged natural beauty, without a soul around.

We enabled our experience of St. Maarten in full by talking with as many people as we could. Our goal: to connect with and better understand this island of 80,000 inhabitants that welcomes an astonishing 3.7 million travelers a year, and to uncover a diversity of experiences that speak to both adventure and relaxation.

That’s where this travel guide filled with unusual things to do in St. Maarten / St. Martin comes in. Pick and choose from the experiences below to piece together a St. Maarten travel itinerary that best suits your travel goals and interests, from boat trips to beaches to hiking to adventure activities.

18 Unusual Things to Do, See and Experience in St. Maarten / St. Martin

As you go through our recommended boat trips, beaches, hikes, tours, and things to do in Saint Maarten / Saint Martin below you'll notice that they are mostly activities that take place outdoors, in nature and away from crowds. This reflects what we did and our personal recommendations.

Some of the following experiences and activities we paid for ourselves and some were provided free to us (as indicated below). Some we learned about by talking with locals or long-time residents, and others we discovered on our own. In other words, we tried to learn as much as we could about St. Maarten/St. Martin and experience it to the fullest in the ten days we had.

A note on costs: Prices for experiences vary slightly depending upon season (high or low), number of people in the group, and other factors. Legend: $ = up to $50, $$ = $50-$100, $$$ = $100-$150, $$$$ = $150+

1. Race at sea and take the controls of a real America's Cup boat with the 12-Metre Challenge.

Yes, this experience can take you on THE winning boat from the 1987 America’s Cup, the Stars & Stripes. This alone is kind of exciting. Board the boat, and each of your group is assigned a crew position. From there, you get a quick lesson, you practice a bit, the helmsman issues the commands and with a traditional 6-minute start, it’s off to the races.

You witness and participate firsthand in the teamwork required to make a craft like this take flight on the water. This became even more evident – and dramatic — as we sailed right into a brief tropical storm with the wind whipping the sails and our boat carving slightly terrifying angles.

What really set this experience apart, however, was the competition. We raced against another America’s Cup boat (True North, from Canada) under standard regatta regulations, giving us a wee taste of the adrenaline of an actual race.

The only danger with this experience is that it may make you want to take sailing lessons and rent your own sailboat to go around the Caribbean. Not that we speak from experience or anything…

If you only have one day in St. Maarten as an excursion from your cruise, consider this activity. It has the right mix of adrenaline, being out on the open waters and fun.

How to do it: The 12 Metre Challenge is located at Dock Maarten, Philipsburg. Note: Cruise ship passengers must book through their cruise line. Cost: $$ Disclosure: This experience was provided to us as media.

2. Day trip to Shoal Bay, Anguilla to relax on the #1 ranked beach in the Caribbean.

On our first day in St. Maarten we heard Shoal Bay beach described to us as “heaven on earth.” That the recommendation came from a long-time resident with experience throughout the Caribbean told us we must go. But we’ve been to plenty of “best beaches,” so we managed our expectations.

Shoal Bay Beach over-delivered. Not only was the beach a carpet of soft, pristine white sand, but the light and water played a range of blue shades of the likes we’d never before seen, except for glaciers in Antarctica. The blue glow can appear almost artificial and HDR’d, but it’s not. It’s simply the way Mother Nature worked out in this part of the world. Now we understand why this beach is ranked #1 in the Caribbean and #5 worldwide.

The other notable feature of this beach during our visit: it was almost empty. The restaurant where our tour went was a simple, local family-run establishment, which lent a fitting and traditional laid-back Caribbean feel.

How to do it: We took a day trip package that included a speedboat from St. Maarten (dock near the airport) to Anguilla + bus transfer to/from Shoal Bay + lunch + free use of beach equipment such as snorkel gear and paddle boards. Cost: $$$ Disclosure: This experience was provided to us as media.

Other day trip options to Anguilla from St. Maarten include:

• Catamaran to Prickly Pear and Anguilla islands (8 hours): This day trip sails along the coast of St. Maarten and visits both Prickly Pear and Anguilla Islands so you can swim in the clear waters and enjoy the beaches in both places. Departs in the morning from Simpson Bay. Price includes a BBQ lunch.
• Private speed boat from St. Maarten to Anguilla (8 hours): Enjoy a private excursion to Anguilla to enjoy the beauty of Shoal Bay beach and nearby Sandy Island and the clear waters of Crocus Bay. Enjoy complementary champagne and drinks. You'll have flexibility with your day as you'll have your own captain and guide to help create a memorable private trip experience.
• Speed boat day trip to Anguilla (6 hours) that includes stops in Cap Juluca, Sandy Island, and Little Bay in Anguilla to go swimming and enjoy lunch (included in price). On the return you stop by Maho Beach in St. Maarten to watch the planes land just above you at the airport (see #3 above). Departs in the morning from Cole Bay, St. Maarten.

Remember that Anguilla is a different country so be sure to bring your passport and $20 for the clearance and customs fees.

3. Get away from it all with a hike in Guana Bay.

It’s easy to get caught up in St. Maarten tourist trail areas and question, “Is this all there is to the island?” However, a short drive over the hill to the southeastern corner of the island and Guana Bay served as our first glance at a different sort of St. Maarten / St. Martin.

The trek from Guana Bay to Pointe Blanche is one of the areas on the island where you'll find yourself surrounded by rugged natural beauty without a soul around, save perhaps for a few goats.

How to do it: You can do this Guana Bay hike with Tri-Sport. They offer a couple of departures each day during high season. We recommend choosing the morning departure (9AM) as you’ll avoid the strong heat and sunshine. Joost, our guide, provided terrific historical and environmental context. Not to mention, he’s a font of useful information and recommendations for other treks in St. Maarten. Cost: $ Disclosure: This experience was provided to us as media.

4. Drive a Rhino along the western coast of St. Martin.

“I designed this myself and it’s impossible to tip. That’s why we call it a Rhino,” Oliver, the owner of Rhino Safaris explained when we first arrived. He did this so that everyone – from children to 90+ year olds – could enjoy the experience.

I had memories of tipping a jet ski on a college break many years ago, so I was of relieved to find out this hybrid Jet Ski/zodiac could not be flipped. It took a few minutes to get used to the Rhino and what it could do in terms of speed, turns, and tricks, but once we did, it was fun and addictive.

Additionally, having spent time sitting in traffic driving the western part of the island, it was a pleasant change to enjoy the same areas from the freedom of the water.

How to do it: The “Rhino Safari” departs from Simpson Bay just behind Pineapple Pete’s restaurant. The tour includes not only driving your own Rhino up the western coast, but also snorkeling at Creole Rock at the northern end of the island. Cost: $$ Disclosure: This experience was provided to us as media.

5. Marvel at the planes landing over Maho Bay beach.

Never have we been to a destination where the airport is such a tourist attraction. But sit on or near the beach at Maho Bay and you’ll quickly understand why. The photo below pretty much says it all. It looks Photoshopped, but it’s not.

How to do it: While you can stand on the beach to watch the planes land overhead, we recommend Sunset Bar as an ideal spot to capture a photo without the jet blast. The surfboard outside the bar is updated daily with the flight schedule. Or you can check out the arrival schedule at SXM airport and try to figure out which flights will have the biggest planes.

Good looks can also be had from Driftwood Bar on the other side of the beach. Air France flies the largest jets (i.e., most dramatic landings and photos).

Book a tour to watch the planes land over Maho Bay: If you have limited time in St. Maarten, consider booking a plane viewing day trip that will transfer you from the port in Philipsburg to Maho Bay so you can enjoy some time on the beach and see the planes landing. Alternatively, you can arrange a half-day trip in St. Maarten that will take you to Orient Beach and then to watch the planes at Maho Bay.

6. Enjoy the sunset and a rum punch on a catamaran.

There’s something naturally calming about staring out over the sea at a sunset as the glow of the sun melts into the water. Now, do that same thing with from the webbed deck of a catamaran with a rum punch in your hand and you’ll find yourself exhaling – literally and figuratively — even deeper.

How to do it: Aquamania offers sunset and dinner catamaran trips on Wednesday and Friday evenings, departing from Simpson Bay Resort marina at 5:30 PM and returning at 8:30 PM. Alternatively, you can choose this shorter sunset cruise (1.5 hours) with daily departures that includes drinks and snacks, but not a full dinner. Cost: $$ Disclosure: This experience was provided to us as media.

7. Wake up early and go for a run (or stroll) at Cupecoy Bay and enjoy a Caribbean beach all to yourself.

If running isn’t your thing, then swap it with walking or cycling. Whatever you do, get up early and head to the cliffs. You’ll be rewarded not only with the soft glow of early morning light, but also with a Caribbean beach to yourself.

8. Get above it all at Pic Paradis.

There is something about making your way to the highest point to get some perspective. Having an aerial view of St. Maarten (and St. Martin) from the lookout at Pic Paradis, the highest point on the island at 1,391ft / 424m, helps you see the contours of the land and how all of the places you’ve visited fit together.

How to do it: In our rental car we followed the Pic Paradis signs from the main road between Marigot and Grand Case and parked on the side of the road up the hill from Loterie Farm (it was closed the day we visited, Monday). From there it was a relatively short, but steep, walk to the top. Alternatively, if you have a 4-wheel-drive car you can drive virtually the entire way to the peak and lookout.

9. Cross the border and practice your French.

One of the things that attracted us to St. Maarten/St. Martin was that the island has been divided between the French and the Dutch for over 350 years. Today, the Dutch side is an independent country, while the French side remains a territory of France. We wondered what that would look and feel like.

While there are no border controls between the sides and countries, you’ll still see signs posted across the island welcoming you each time you cross. Cross from the Dutch side north and you’ll have a chance to practice your French. You’ll also see a different style of architecture and town planning. Not to mention, the bread and pastries are unsurprisingly better on the French side of the border.

10. Chill out at Mullet Bay beach.

There is no shortage of postcard-like beaches to choose from on the island. One of our favorites for relaxing, swimming and sunning was Mullet Bay. Since there's a golf course on one side of the beach, it is somewhat protected from development and the shadow of any large buildings.

Of course, we aren’t the only ones to have discovered this beach. But, we noticed that if we went before noon or after 3PM it emptied as day passengers returned to the cruise ships. Ideal for a morning read or late afternoon nap.

A note on St. Maarten / St. Martin beaches: All beaches on the island are public, meaning that you have access to try any one you’d like. Some beaches have sun chairs and umbrellas for hire, usually organized by restaurants or bars, but you have the right to plunk your beach towel at random and enjoy the beach for free.

11. Bicycle to Fort Amsterdam.

With so much of St. Maarten covered in new buildings and developments (something like 90% of the island was destroyed by Hurricane Luis in 1995), we were curious to learn more about its history and the strategic role the island played in the colonial wrangling between the Spanish, Dutch and French empires over the centuries. This is where the historical bicycle tour of Philipsburg with Barend, our guide, helped fill in the gaps.

One of the focal points of the bicycle tour is 17th century Fort Amsterdam, originally built by the Dutch, then lost to the Spanish and successfully defended to ward off a return Dutch invasion. The Dutch leader from that lost the fight (and his right leg), Peter Stuyvesant, went on to become mayor of New Amsterdam. Eventually he traded New Amsterdam (now, New York) to the British for the wee island of Curacao, in perhaps the very first of the worst of Wall Street deals. This story reinforces how the islands are historically more connected to our present day circumstances than we realize.

Additionally, the bicycle tour takes you through Back Street, Philipsburg. While the souvenir shops and tourist restaurants in Philipsburg harbor and Front Street may feel overwhelming, this residential area just a few blocks away will give you a sense of what the island might have looked like before the rebuilding and tourism boom. Many traditional homes have remained in the hands of the same family for multiple generations.

How to do it: The historical bicycle tour with TriSport leaves from the cruise ship harbor in Philipsburg. There’s a choice of several departures, but we recommend taking the early one (8:30 AM) to beat the heat and the crowds. If you would like a more challenging ride, check out the other bicycle tours offered. Cost: $-$$ Disclosure: This experience was provided to us as media.

12. Scuba dive at Saba island and swim with sea turtles in coral gardens.

“I’m sorry. It looks like visibility isn’t as great as it usually is,” Bob, our dive master, apologized to us before we descended to the dive site known as Tent Reef.

A few minutes later we swam over coral gardens bursting with colorful coral and fish. We encountered sea turtles noshing on jelly fish, and saw puffer, parrot and lion fish dart in and around the reef. I thought: “Hmm, if this is considered ‘bad' visibility, I can’t imagine what ‘good' must look like.”

Diving in Saba was a top priority for us as we’d heard that the dive sites there are considered some of the best in the Caribbean. It took a little logistical juggling, but we did find a way to combine two dives there within a day trip from St. Maarten. The only downside of this plan is that you don’t have time to explore the island itself. There are supposed to be some gorgeous coastal treks, so consider extending your Saba trip to several days.

How to go scuba diving in Saba: There are ferries that offer day trips from St. Maarten to Saba that run most days in high season. Edge offers a day trip package to Saba with round-trip ferry service, hiking and the option for scuba diving. Makana Ferry goes to Saba in the late afternoon/early evening in case you want to spend a couple of nights there. The ride takes 1.5 hours and can get rough. If you get seasick easily, consider taking some motion sickness medicine or carry Sea Bands.

We arranged our dive in advance with Saba Divers. They meet you at the ferry, check your Padi certification, gear you up, manage two dives, and get you back to the ferry for the late afternoon return to St. Maarten. Fun and experienced dive masters. Cost: $$$$

Saba Covid Travel Requirements (November 2022): No requirements now for proof of vaccination, negative test or EHAS form.

How to go scuba diving in St. Maarten: If you want to go diving, but don't have the time to go all the way to Saba for the day consider doing a half-day double tank drive in St. Maarten instead. The dive staff will choose the dive site based on weather and visibility that morning so that you're diving in optimum conditions. If you haven't been diving within the last year, it's recommended to start with a shallow dive as a refresher.

If you don't have your PADI certificate, but want to get a feel for scuba diving and being underwater, then you can do a 3-hour Discover Scuba tour that introduces you to scuba diving and all of its gear in shallow waters. This is a great way to test out scuba diving in clear Caribbean waters.

13. Taste rum at a local distillery.

“I used to experiment with flavored rums in my kitchen to make gifts for friends or for guests at my husband’s restaurant. After I decided to do this professionally, I taught myself enough Mandarin to navigate the factories in China to get the bottle design exactly as I wanted it. I’ve always been hands-on,” Melanie, co-founder of Topper’s Rhum, laughed as she explained the genesis of her rum business.

Teaching yourself “enough” Mandarin is no easy feat, but this focus on detail fit with what we saw and tasted during our visit to the distillery.

Melanie has been successful with her current lineup of white, spiced, coconut and flavored rums like white chocolate raspberry. Her experiences continue with new flavors in her office-cum-laboratory. The coconut rum was our favorite for drinking straight, but we later sampled the Mocha Mama (think Kahlua without the cream) over vanilla ice cream. Nice!

How to do it: Topper’s Rhum now offers distillery tours for the public. Otherwise, you can sample (and buy) any of the rums at one of the two Topper’s restaurants.

14. Practice Your Tanning Skills at Orient Bay.

On our first night in St. Maarten we asked our waitress, Samantha, which beach on the island was her favorite. Her quick response: “Orient Bay. I didn’t realize how lucky we are to have this beach until I left the island and visited other places. I love it.”

Located on the French side of the island east, the beach at Orient Bay is long, wide and lined with restaurants and cafes that offer beach chairs and umbrellas. It’s more of a place to “be seen” than Mullet Bay, but it’s not too over-the-top. It also features beach segments that are clothing optional, so if nude bathing is your thing, this is the place to be…or to be seen.

15. Enjoy scenes of local life in Grand Case.

Grand Case is on the French side of the island and has more of a local feel to it than some of the other areas of the island that have been built up for tourism. It's a good place to park your car and wander the streets and pier for these glimpses of local life…like school kids jumping off the pier or playing in the surf along the beach.

There is something so light and innocent about the scene. Listen to the giggles and feel the energy. An inimitable local sight and memory.

How to do it: Park your car in the public parking lot on the north end of the main street in Grand Case. Walk out by the pier behind the cluster of outdoor grill restaurants. Plenty of food options here, too, from the informal grills at the beach side to more formal French restaurant options along what is known as “Restaurant Row.”

16. Kayak through the mega yacht harbor to the mangroves.

St. Maarten is one of THE places in the Caribbean for yachts and boats of the “mega” variety to be docked. So it’s a fun juxtaposition – not to mention great perspective — to paddle through the nautical playground of the rich and famous before coming back down to earth with the jellyfish and sea cucumbers in the mangroves.

How to do it: Tri-Sport usually offers a lagoon kayak tour a couple of times a day. We recommend choosing either the early morning or late afternoon option to avoid the heat of the midday sun. Chris, one of the guides, is a St. Maarten local so he can advise you on anything you might want to know about the island, including local food. Cost: $-$$ Disclosure: This experience was provided to us as media.

Grab a Johnny Cake at Hilma’s and ask her about Anthony Bourdain and her 40+ years on the island.

Update: Hilma's Windsor Castle was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017. We are keeping the entry below in honor of Hilma, her spirit…and her johnny cakes.

Although a separate section below is devoted to recommended dining and island eats, we include Hilma’s (technically, Hilma’s Windsor Castle) because eating at one of the four stools is an experience well beyond the food. Hilma has been operating from a converted trailer on the same spot in Simpson Bay for 22 years, and she’s lived on the island for more than 40. She purposely keeps operations deliberately small and personal for manageability. She has so many stories to tell, so plan some time for a conversation or two.

“I was all by myself when I first started here. None of this was here,” Hilma told us as she looked out over the road now filled to the brim on both sides with restaurants and shops. When we asked her about Anthony Bourdain, she confirmed, “Yes, he used to come here often. He vacationed here before he became really famous. He’s eaten everything here. The advice he gave me was to not change, that I should stay true to my roots.”

Sage advice.

How to do it: You can find Hilma’s Windsor Castle on the lot between the RBC Bank and Jerusalem / The Palms restaurants on Airport Road in Simpson Bay. Hilma is open Monday to Saturday from 7:30AM – 2:00PM.

17. Hike the northern coastline at Sentier des Froussards.

This hike and the northern coastline of St. Martin falls under the “hidden” and “I had no idea something like this existed on the island” categories. We woke up early to do the trek Sentier de Froussards hike (from Anse Marcel to Eastern Point and back) during our last morning on the island. A rather ideal way to end our travels in St. Maartin / St. Martin.

The hike consists of a surprisingly beautiful and secluded 3-mile footpath out along the northern coast of the island and features a couple of bathing-worthy beaches, rugged coastline and fabulous windswept landscape.

How to do it: Big thanks to Joost from TriSport for recommending this trek to us. Drive towards Anse Marcel and after coming over the big hill (and before entering the marina and resort area) turn to the right where you see a small trekking sign and parking lot.

You’ll walk a ways on a dirt road before reaching the trailhead on the right. Go very early (arrive around 7:30AM) to avoid the traffic and heat. En route to Anse Marcel from the south, fetch yourself a pain au chocolat or croissant from the boulangerie on the right side of the N7 main road in Grand Case.

18. Throw open the curtains at sunrise…and realize how fortunate you are.

This began my morning routine. I noticed it most on that final day, perhaps because it marked the final time I would feel it this trip.

It was the combination of the sound of the curtains moving on their track along with the reveal of the morning, the water, the horizon, the sun, a new day. The sensory combination of sight and sound of our morning routine foreshadowed the day to come and offered a moment to reflect on what we have, here and now.

This is a lesson for life. One reaffirmed on the island.

Day Trips and Excursions in St. Maartin / St. Martin

Our partners, Get Your Guide and Viator, offer many St. Maarten tours, day trips and tickets for attractions. They guarantee lowest prices with no booking fees or hidden charges, as well as information on Covid hygiene and safety precautions. In addition to confirming your place and avoiding lines by pre-booking, you can cancel up to 24 hours before in case your plans change.

Although we've made quite a few recommendations above for activities, excursions and tay trips, we also wanted to share some other interesting St. Maarten tours and day trips.

• Speed boat tour around St. Maarten and St. Martin with snorkeling, beaches and lunch: This 6-hour tour around St. Maarten by speed boat takes you to both the Dutch and French sides. You'll have a chance to visit Tintamarre, an uninhabited island within the French Nature Reserve, that is only accessible by boat where you'll have a chance to see sea turtles and sting rays. Other stops include Pinel Island to swim and enjoy a relaxing lunch under palm trees, Creole Rock for snorkeling, Mullet Bay for another stunning beach, and finally to see the jets land over your head at Princess Juliana International Airport (see above).
• Private charter catamaran trip around St. Maarten: Perfect for families or groups of friends traveling together who want a bit of privacy and luxury. This is a full-day charter (9 hours) that not only includes stops with snorkeling and swimming at Tintamarre Island, Long Bay La Samana, and Happy Bay, but also a gourmet 4-course lunch and open bar. If you're thinking of a splurge during your visit to St. Maarten, this is a good choice.
• Day tour around St. Martin / St. Maarten with a local guide: This 5-hour tour around both the French and Dutch sides of the island with a local guide sounds quite interesting as it focuses on topics related to the history and resilience of the island and its people, especially as the island was badly destroyed recently during Hurricaine Irma. It stops in several places on the French side like Grand Case, Marigot, and Fort St. Louis, as well as Maho Bay and Philipsburg on the Dutch side.
• Sailing and Snorkeling Trip Along St. Martin's Coast (5 hours): If you want to maximize your time on the water and see St. Martin / St. Maarten from the sea, this sailing day trip on a trimaran (i.e., it has three hulls vs. two as in a catamaran) is a good option. The journey will take you up the southwestern coast of St. Martin and up the Anguilla Channel, and you'll stop along the way for swimming and snorkeling. Departs from Nowhere Special Restaurant right next to the St. Maarten Yacht Club. Lunch included.
• St. Maarten hiking and snorkeling nature tour (4 hours): This nature tour combines a couple of our recommendations above – going up to Pic Paradis for panoramic views, taking a hike or nature walk, and snorkeling in the clear waters below — in a nice half-day time period. With your local guide you'll have a chance to learn a bit more about the island's biodiversity and the different species of animals above and below water. A good and active introduction to the island's nature if you are on an excursion or only have a short time.

Where to Stay in St. Maarten / St. Martin

For the ten days we visited St. Maarten, our home was the Morgan Resort (previously, the Alegria Boutique Hotel) in Maho Bay, just walking distance from the famous beach where airplanes fly overhead to land at the Princess Juliana airport (See #4 above).

From what we can tell on the Morgan Resort website, the rooms have been renovated and upgraded considerably, into more of a luxury stay. There are still some suites available if you want a bit more room. Book a room at Morgan Resort Spa and Village.

St. Maarten Hotels and Apartments

Whether you are traveling to St. Maarten as a standalone vacation or starting your cruise from there, you may want to stay on the Dutch side of the island for a few days. The St. Maarten hotels and apartments below are conveniently located and in quieter, less developed areas. We think of them as good places to base yourself to explore the island.

Hotels in Maho Bay – Cupecoy Bay – Simpson Bay

These locations are all pretty close to the airport. We enjoyed staying in Maho Bay as it was a bit removed from a lot of the more built up areas and we had easy access to Mullet Bay and Cupecoy Bay beaches. Plus, we could always pop down to one of the nearby bars to see the planes land overhead at the airport. Not many activities start in Maho Bay, so t means that you'll need to add in driving or transfer time at the beginning and end of the day. Some of the activities and tours above start in or near Simpson Bay so it is a bit closer.

• El Zafiro Boutique Hotel: This is very close to where we stayed in St. Maarten and is located right on the beach so you'll have good views of both the coast and mountains from your room. Convenient for watching planes land at SXM airport.
• Adonis Cupecoy Hotel: Located in a good position not far from Cupecoy Bay (see #2 above), Maho Bay (see #4) and Simpson Bay with some restaurants and shopping nearby, but it's still a quieter, less developed part of St. Maarten.
• The Horny Toad Guest House: If you want your own apartment or studio with a kitchenette, seating area and terrace, then this is a good option right on Simpson Bay Beach. Close to the airport and you are walking distance from local restaurants.

Hotels in Philipsburg and Eastern St. Maarten

The little town of Philipsburg might be a fun place to base yourself as it has some historic areas, a beach and nearby restaurants and shops you can walk to. Plus, you're not too far from Guana Bay Beach (see #3 above) and can explore Fort Amsterdam easily. If you're coming to St. Maarten early for a cruise, Philipsburg is conveniently located near the cruise terminal and port.

• Alicia Inn: A good budget option right in the middle of Philipsburg so close to the restaurants, shops and beach. Public transport is also located nearby if you don't have a car and want to explore by local bus.
• Bay View Apartment: A little outside of town in the hills with views over Great Bay and the Atlantic Ocean below. This is a full apartment so you have everything you need to feel at home on the island. A good place if you want a bit of quiet and privacy.

St. Martin Hotels and Apartments: Staying on the French Side

Next time we visit the island we might stay on the French side for a change of pace as there is less tourism development and fewer big resorts.

• Sunshine Studios, Grand Case: Although our time in Grand Case was short, we really liked the feel of the place as it had more of a local lived in vibe than many of the other more tourism oriented places on the island. And, it's near “Restaurant Row” if you want to enjoy some French cuisine on your visit to St. Martin. The studios here also include kitchens so you can also enjoy self-catering and eating on your balcony.
• Happy Residence, Orient Bay: Located on Orient Bay Beach, one of our favorite beaches on the island. The apartment has a kitchen and everything you need, but it is also located walking distance to other restaurants and shops.
• Tiko Lodge, Oyster Pond: In the eastern side of the island close to Babit Point Natural Reserve, which is good for hiking, and not far from Orient Bay. The lodge offers rooms or apartments, and views over the water. Although quiet and remote, there are still restaurants nearby that are walking distance.

Where to Eat in St. Maarten

As we stayed in St. Maarten, the Dutch side of the island, we took all of our meals there. Much of the food in this part of the island is international, a reflection of both the people who now call this island home and the demographic of the tourists that visit it.

If you are interested in traditional French cuisine, however, then head up to “Restaurant Row” in Grand Case on the northwestern side of the island in St. Martin. We didn’t have the opportunity to eat there during this trip as were often there too early for dinner, but the menus posted outside were very similar to what you might see in France.

Long-time European residents confirmed the quality of the restaurants in Grand Case is also top notch and recommended: Auberge Gourmande, Bistro Caribe, Sol e Luna, Ocean 82 and Tastevin. Our quick look at the Auberge Gourmande menu told us this is the place we’d likely visit, but we might be swayed by what is fresh and the plat du jour elsewhere.

Top Carrot, Simpson Bay

Vegetarians and vegans delight. If salads, vegetables, juices and healthy eating are your thing then this is your place. The focus at Top Carrot: fresh ingredients, either grown on the island (when possible) or just off the boat from nearby Dominica. Specials change daily.

After each meal, not only were we truly satisfied, but we also left feeling as though we’d done our bodies a favor. The French co-owner, Lydia, is usually there and has some great stories from living on the island for 20+ years. She’s exceedingly kind, too.

Recommended dishes: Baked goat cheese (St Marcellin) salad, veggie wrap and mahi mahi with passion fruit sauce and caramelized onions (daily special, was terrific). Where to find Top Carrot Restaurant: 3200 W South Airport Rd (near Simpson Bay Marina), Simpson Bay.

The Palms, Simpson Bay

What happens when a Canadian Trinidadian opens restaurant in St Maarten? You get Caribbean favorites like drunken ribs and Trinidadian bites served in a Canadian (and Torontonian) paraphernalia flair. You get The Palms. Greg, the owner, and his mother change the menu daily based on what’s fresh. He's also a great resource for other restaurant recommendations and tips for the island.

Recommended dishes: Drunken ribs and pholourie, spiced split pea flour puff fritters with house special cumin-tamarind sauce. Rib portions are large, so consider splitting one between two people or pair with an appetizer instead of a 2nd main dish.

Where to find The Palms restaurant: 25 Airport Road in Simpson Bay (near RBC Bank).

Sunset Bar, Maho Bay

Sunset Bar features a prime location next to Maho Bay beach, making it the viewing lounge of choice for oglers of airplanes landing at SXM airport (see #4 above). It’s also good for sunset gazing with a drink in hand.

Recommended dishes: Most people come here to drink rather than eat, but we found the seared tuna atop salad greens to be really abundant, nicely-cooked and fresh. Consider asking for the dressing on the side.

Where to find it: Maho Bay, just behind the runway for the airport. Disclosure: Our first meal here was provided to us.

Driftwood Boat Bar, Maho Bay

If you’re looking for a tasty, cheap eats on St. Maarten, we can vouch for the chicken schwarma sandwich at Driftwood Boat Bar. A healthy chunk of grilled, spiced chicken covered with lots of vegetables and dressing.

The location also offers another venue to watch the planes land at the airport in case the Sunset Bar on the other end of Maho Bay is packed. Where to find the Driftwood Boat Bar: Maho Bay, west side, just behind the runway.

Planning a Trip to St. Maarten / St. Martin

One island, two countries, no border.

While the island is divided into two countries, there are no border controls between them. The Dutch side is home to the major international airport (SXM, Princess Juliana) and cruise ship port, so it services most of the visitors coming to the island. However, there is a smaller airport, SFG (L’Esperance Airport Grand-Case) on the French side. To understand one difference, as residents tell us, “The Dutch side takes more influence from the United States. Anything goes here.”

The French side is technically part of France, so it adheres to E.U. requirements. This means that building and development is more regulated; you'll often find fewer crowds.

Renting a car in St. Maarten

St. Maarten is a relatively small island (34 square miles), but if you’re interested in doing a variety of activities as we did, a rental car is essential. There's plenty of rental car competition on the island, so prices are decent, starting from around $30-$40/day for the economy cars. Gas/petrol prices are currently pretty reasonable, particularly by European standards.

One caveat: traffic on the island can be bad and stressful, and parking can be equally challenging. Ask locals about traffic patterns, timing and rush hours up front so you can plan your route and schedule your outings to minimize irritation.

Disclosure: Our rental car was provided by Empress Rental Car just near the Princess Juliana airport. We had a simple rental car that got us around the island with no problems.

Note: We also find that Skyscanner offers good rental car prices for St. Maarten / St. Martin.

Public Transportation and Taxis on St. Maarten

If you don’t plan to explore the island much (i.e., you're focused on a nearby beach or all of your activities include a pickup or transfer), then consider taking the occasional taxi or flagging down one of the public transport minivans making their way around the island. There are plenty of both.

You can also easily book a shared airport transfer or private airport transfer from Princess Juliana airport (SXM) to your hotel so that you have someone waiting for you at the airport when you arrive.

Money in St. Maarten / St. Martin

The official currency of the French side is the Euro(€) while on the Dutch side it's the Netherlands Antillean Florin (NAF). Don’t bother taking out NAF from the ATM as all prices on the Dutch side are posted in $USD and every place accepts dollars. Most places on the French side will also accept $USD (often on a 1:1 basis with the Euro).

SIM card and mobile data on St. Maarten

We purchased a TelCell SIM card on the Dutch side for $15 and bought 500MB of data for an additional $10. However, mobile data does not work when you cross over to the French side. Although we have no experience with the UTS/Chippie, they are another option for SIM cards, calls and mobile data on the island.

When to visit St. Maarten / St. Martin

Our visit to St. Maarten/St. Martin was in mid-December. We found it just about perfect, as our timing was right before high season, which runs from just before Christmas (Dec. 22-ish) to the beginning of April. The weather during our visit was excellent – sunny and warm during the day, beautiful water temperatures, and breezy and temperate at night – and came with the added bonus of fewer crowds and reduced traffic.

We were told that August-October us usually incredibly hot and at the tail end of the hurricane season, so probably best to avoid that period. One long-time resident told us that his favorite season is April to June as it’s not too hot and high season crowds have begun to dissipate.

How to Travel to St. Maarten / St. Martin

Visiting St. Maarten / St. Martin on a Cruise

Many people visit the island as a day trip or excursion from a longer Caribbean cruise. This will provide you a taste of the island in a short period of time. In fact, many of the activities and tours recommended above are scheduled for cruise excursions so they pick you up at the port in morning and return you with plenty of time in the afternoon.

Traveling to St. Martin / St. Maarten as a Vacation

As you might have guessed from this article, we suggest visiting for longer than just a day trip as there is quite a lot to do and see in St. Maarten / St. Martin. You could do what we did and visit as a standalone vacation for 5-10 days, with side day trips to Anguilla and Saba islands. Or, you could combine a visit to St. Martin with other nearby Caribbean destinations for a multi-destination vacation.

Flying to St. Maarten

If you are flying to St. Maarten from Europe, there are usually direct connections from KLM and Air France. Coming from the United States there are quite a few airlines that fly into SXM airport like Jet Blue and American Airlines. You can check out flights to St. Maarten, including a comparison of airlines, prices and times of year, on Skyscanner.

St. Maarten Covid Entry Requirements

As of November 2022, St. Maarten / St. Martin island is open to travelers with no restrictions or Covid-19 entry requirements. However, be sure to check the official Saint Maarten Covid Travel Requirements website before your trip for the latest information and updates. Most of the international entry points to the island are on the Dutch side so it’s mostly likely that you will arrive on the island in St. Maarten and will need to follow these Covid entry requirements.

St. Martin Covid Entry Requirements

As Saint Martin is technically part of France, it has some similar Covid travel requirements. Although most international arrivals will be on the Dutch side (see above for St. Maarten), if you happen to arrive on the French side at St. Martin’s small airport (Grand Case Esperance SFG Airport) or a ferry port, you should check out the official St. Martin Covid travel requirements website for specifics and the most updated details.

The post Travel to St. Maarten: 18 Unusual Things to Do appeared first on Uncornered Market.

What is Haitian food? Which Haitian dishes should you seek out? And what sort of flavors and spices might you find in the cuisine when you visit Haiti? We traveled to Haiti to find out for ourselves. This Haitian Food Guide shares more than 25 favorite traditional Haitian dishes, snacks, desserts, and drinks, plus where to find them in Haiti.

During our travels in Haiti we sampled food that ranged from street food to family meals to high end restaurants, and a bit of everything in-between. What you'll find below in this Haitian Food Guide is an overview of all that we ate and discovered culinarily while in Haiti. We hope that it may lead you to your own Haitian food adventures, whether in Haiti or at a Haitian restaurant near you.

Understanding Haitian Food

Before traveling to Haiti, I had little concept of Haitian food and cuisine. Sure, I had a sense of what it could be: island-informed, African-influenced, of Caribbean character, maybe even a hint of French.

As with the country's language, Haitian food has a sense of the Crèole, that is a blend of influences. Mixed roots and spices, basic yet zippy, simple and grounded by the reality of the tropics and the back-story of its African heritage, yet touched with a hint of French complexity.

Take pikliz (spicy pickled vegetables), breadfruit, bergamot, watercress and even rum-infused power shakes. Throw in Haitian hot chocolate, grilled lobster, plenty of beans, creamy cornmeal, avocados and a dash of hot pepper and you have an eclectic mix that took some sampling and digging to suss out not only the depth of Haitian food, but more importantly the underlying essence and nature of Haitian cuisine.

Now let’s dig in. Bon apeti!

Traditional Haitian Dishes

Poulet Aux Noix (Chicken and Cashew Nuts)

Also known as poul ak nwa, this is a rich northern Haiti specialty of chicken cooked in a tomato-based sauce with cashew nuts that you'll most likely find in and around the town of Cap-Haïtien.

Where to get Poulet Aux Noix:

Lakou Lakay Cultural Center in the town of Milot near Sans Souci Palace.

Mayi Moulen ak Sòs Pwa, Poul an Sòs (cornmeal with beans and stewed chicken)

Stews are common in Haiti. Served on top of either cornmeal or rice, they are hearty, too. What makes Haitian stews special is the hint of warm sweet spices like clove and star anise.

Where to get Mayi Moulen ak Sòs Pwa and Poul an Sòs:

An excellent example of Haitian stew can be had from the street food woman at the end of the alleyway at Atis Rezistans (Grande Rue in Port-au-Prince). A single portion ($2) will be enough to feed two hungry people.

Griyo (fried pork)

For meat-eaters, griyo is an absolute must-try traditional dish of Haiti. It is most often served with cabbage salad or better yet, spicy pikliz (onions and other vegetables marinated in a spicy vinegar sauce).

Where to get Griyo:

If you're going out for a nice dinner, try the griyo at Quartier Latin in Pétionville. For a more low-key meal, order a big plate of griyo at Cinq Coins Restaurant (they sell it by the pound) in Port-au-Prince and side it with a cold beer or two. Perfect to share and enjoy with friends.

Lanbi an Sòs Lanbi Kreyol (conch in creole sauce)

Of all the fruits of the sea you can find in Haiti, conch seems to be among the most distinct to appear on restaurant menus. You can usually find it grilled (see below) or in a tangy tomato-based creole sauce. Conch is a must-try if seafood is your thing.

Where to get Lanbi an Sòs Lanbi Kreyol:

Presse Café serves up a good version of conch in creole sauce, as does Quartier Latin.

Lanbi Boukannen, Woma Boukannen (grilled conch, grilled lobster)

As seafood lovers, we did a happy dance in Haiti for the availability and freshness of grilled lobster and conch. These are readily available in most coastal areas, but especially along the southern coast in and around Jacmel, Jacmel Cayes and Port Salut.

Where to get Lanbi Boukannen and Woma Boukannen:

Chez Matante restaurant on Gelée Beach near Les Cayes may take the “heaping portion” award where a $15 mountainous serving of delicious lobster and avocado slices is enough to satiate two people. Another place for delicious grilled seafood (including langoustine) is Vue Sur Mer near Jacmel.

Tassot/Taso (dried fried meat)

Tassot is spiced, dried meat that is then fried. You may also have seen this in Mexico or Latin American countries as well, as tasajo. In Haiti, you’ll most often find Tassot Kabrit (goat) or Tassot Vyann (beef) sided with fried plantains. The description defies its tastiness.

Where to get Tassot:

This was another favorite dish at Lakou Lakay Cultural Center in Milot.

Mayi Moulen Kole ak Legim (cornmeal, beans and vegetable stew)

The legim (think legume) is the vegetable stew part. The cornmeal consistency is somewhere between polenta and cream-of-wheat (or cream-of-cornmeal, as it were).

Where to get Mayi Moulen Kole ak Legim:

A delicious example of this dish can be found in Jacmel, past the airfield, right side on the road if you’re heading in the direction of Marigot. Go early as once they sell out for the day, they close the stand.

Diri ak Fèy Lalo ak Sirik (crab and lalo leaf stew)

A stew of crab and dark-green spinach-like lalo leaves. Rich and hearty. Traditionally, this is a specialty of Artibonite, the Haitian rice producing region.

Where to get Diri ak Fèy Lalo ak Sirik:

Get thee to the Marché en Fer in Port-au-Prince in the late morning to lunchtime. The woman between the food market and Vodou and crafts market cooks a big tin of it on weekdays.

Kalalou Djondjon (Haitian okra and black mushroom stew)

This is a sort of Louisiana-style gumbo made with okra and mushrooms, sometimes served with a kick of chili peppers. You can find it in some restaurants, but we experienced this dish stewed with chunks of pork and a healthy dose of crab legs (kalalou djon djon ak sirik ak vyann kochon) served atop white rice at a friend's house. (Sorry, that location is sworn to secrecy.)

Pwason Boukannen (Grilled Fish)

So many restaurants and seaside shacks serve grilled fish along the coast. We always asked for additional pikliz to go on top. So good.

Where to get Pwason Boukannen:

Our best fish feast was a heaping lunch portion at a simple beach-side stand at Pointe Sable in Port Salut. Great food, cold beers and a fitting view of the sea.

Diri Kole or Diri ak Pois (Rice and Beans) or Mayi Moulen ak Pois (Cornmeal and Beans)

White rice cooked with beans or served with a bean sauce is very common throughout Haiti. Another variation of this includes Diri Blan ak Sos Pwa Noir (white rice and black bean sauce) or rice with a white bean sauce. Depending on the consistency the cook is after, cornmeal is often swapped for rice in these dishes.

Diri Djon Djon (Rice with Black Mushrooms)

While white rice is usually served with a bean sauce topping (see above), diri djon djon is usually served on its own because of the distinct aroma and rich flavor of the djon djon mushroom.

Haitian Condiments, Starches and Side Dishes

Besides all the meat and seafood in main dishes, rice, beans and tropical starches rule the table in Haiti. Note that fritay (fried foods) are often paired with spice and vinegar blends like pikliz (see below) to balance what goes into the digestive system.

Pikliz (picklese)

Pickled cabbage and vegetables (onions, carrots, peppers, etc.), grated or shredded, served in a vinegar base and often dashed with chili peppers. A perfect compliment to fried and heavy foods.

We became slightly obsessed with pikliz and were guilty of ordering extra portions of it everywhere we went. If you are sensitive to spice, be sure to taste before topping your plate.

Bannann (Plantains), Fried or Boiled

The most common approach to the ubiquitous Haitian plantain: fried plantains (bannann peze), which are often sided with any of the main meals mentioned above. Although perhaps not the healthiest option, they are also delicious topped with a heaping spoonful of pikliz. We were admittedly less excited by the boiled plantain option.

Where to get it: The best bannann peze was at Vue Sur Mer Restaurant outside of Jacmel.

Lam Veritab Fri (Fried breadfruit)

Definitely worth seeking out. Sometimes you'll find fried breadfruit mixed together on a plate with fried plantains. The first time this happens, you'll say, “Man, I didn't know plantains could be so good.” That, my friend, is breadfruit.

The consistency is richer and more distinct than a plantain, and the taste is quite different almost bordering on a starchy version of jackfruit. Good thing is: breadfruit is widely available.

Where to get it: Our most memorable was at the sprawling highway-side market at Saint-Louis-du-Sud, where the breadfruit lady topped ours with an ample serving of spicy pikliz. Yum.

Avocado

When in season, avocado is plentiful and tasty. Get your fill, particularly as a side to various meat dishes and grilled seafood. Pairs beautifully with a nice, tart pikliz.

Watercress

We’ve experienced blended watercress dipping sauces, but nothing beats the mind-bending fresh mountain salad at Auberge La Visite in the mountains near Seguin when we went hiking in Haiti.

Watercress was fresh-plucked from the ground at the foot of the waterfall we passed on the return from a hike to Pic Cabayo. It's then tossed with other vegetables and edible flowers, as in the salad pictured above.

Haitian Soups

Soup Joumou (pumpkin/squash soup)

Pumpkins and squash are quite common throughout Haiti. You may find pumpkin and squash soup on its own or — you guessed it — stewing in a pot of goat meat and other vegetables.

It is a dish that is often served on New Year's Day (1 January) to celebrate Haitian Independence Day (1804) when the newly freed slaves consumed this soup, a meal that was previously forbidden to them by their French masters.

Bouyon Tèt Kabrit (goat head bouillon)

A hearty favorite in the hills just outside of Port-au-Prince. Trust us, it's much tastier than it sounds. We sampled this in places like Mare Rouge and Seguin, just outside of Parc National La Visite and Pic la Selle.

Breakfast in Haiti

Travelers in Haiti can find breakfasts with the usual suspects such as eggs, toast or cereal in hotels. However, if you wish to breakfast like a local, here's what you might eat.

Pwason Seche ak Bannann (dried fish and boiled plantains)

Particularly as you head south along the coast, you’ll see strings of morning-dried fish hanging on racks. Then they end up on your breakfast table.

Fwa Di ak Bannann (beef liver with plantains)

Even if you're not usually a fan of beef livers, give fwa di ak banaan a try as they are tasty for the copious use of spices like cinnamon and dashes of star anise. With this breakfast you likely will not need to eat until dinner — the following day.

Spaghetti

Spaghetti for breakfast in Haiti? Yes, spaghetti, the breakfast of Haitian champions. It makes sense when you consider the importance of starting one's day with a hearty breakfast. For more on how this tradition came to be, read this article.

Haitian Power Shakes

Jus Blennde (blended shake)

Jus blennde is a staple of the Port-au-Prince night street food scene. These shakes are essentially meal replacements so that people can eat something hearty, but perhaps not as heavy as meat, at night.

The version I enjoyed was made from approximately 15 ingredients including boiled potato, carrot, manioc (cassava), and breadfruit; banana, papaya, peanuts, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, evaporated milk, ice, rum and a wedge of la vache qui rit cream cheese for good measure.

If Popeye came from Haiti, this is what he would eat before he kicked ass.

Spaghetti Shakes

Yes, you read that correctly. I could not bring myself to try it, but the idea is apparently a filling, easily digested liquid dinner, based on blending wet spaghetti, tomato flavoring and other goodies.

Phoscao

A ground corn and cocoa shake specialty hailing from the seaside Haitian town of Les Cayes. Rich, sweet and heavy enough to keep you full for the whole day. Where to get it: La Cayenne Restaurant in Les Cayes.

Haitian Desserts and Snacks

Haitians have a sweet tooth, no two ways about it. It's not surprising considering the country's wide production of sugar cane historically. Here are a few of our favorite desserts and treats that we found across the island.

Mamba (peanut butter)

Haitian peanut butter is all natural. It's also a revelation. Northern varieties are purportedly six-times blended while those in the south are less smooth at four-times blended. What really sets apart Haitian peanut butter: spice. Yes, spicy peanut butter. You heard me right.

Spicy peanut butter varieties are made when ground peanuts are turned with a scotch bonnet or habanero pepper. After one taste of this, you’ll never look at the possibilities of peanut butter quite the same.

Dous Makos (Haitian fudge)

Native to the Haitian town of Petit-Goave, dous makos production looks a kind of taffy production where milk and sugar are boiled in log-fired cauldrons. The signature look of dous makos: the three stripes, beige, brown and pink.

Where to get Dous Makos:

You'll find stands all along the road in Petit-Goave, but the best dous makos we sampled was at Chez Lélène Douce. Lélène's product is smooth and features hints of coconut and other flavors that set it apart.

Kasav (cassava bread)

In Haiti, cassava bread is less moist like bread and more dry like a cracker. The version we bought were stuffed with a not-so-sweet chocolate and paired with Haitian peanut butter. Cassava bread is an acquired taste and one that you come to acquire much faster when you are famished after hiking several miles in the hills.

But the best way to have cassava bread is fresh on the streets of Port-au-Prince with a dose of spicy peanut butter slathered on top. A wonderful — and local — street-side snack.

Tablèt Nwa (cashew ginger brittle)

Just like it sounds, where cashews and sugar cane are turned with ginger for a zip. You can find vendors selling it along the road from Les Cayes to Port-au-Prince, but it's a specialty of the town of Cavaillon. You can also find brittles around the country made with peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut, almonds and cashews.

Pain Patate (sweet potato cake)

If you come across sweet potato cake anywhere, give it a shot as it's made with sweet potatoes, bananas and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. We had a very nice sweet potato cake, served in warm glaze at the restaurant at Habitation Jouissant in Cap-Haïtien.

Haitian Drinks

Chokola Peyi (Haitian hot chocolate)

Haitian hot chocolate is a terrific experience, particularly if you endeavor to buy the relatively inexpensive ingredients and requisite tools at the Marché en Fer in Port-au-Prince. It's a fun process and enjoyable way to engage with different vendors at the market.

Haitian hot chocolate production begins by shaving a ball of pure chocolate with a Haitian grater — that is, against the holed and hollowed out side of a tomato can. Then simmer cinnamon sticks, star anise, nutmeg and fèy bwadin leaves in water (we've been told that whole nutmeg or mace is good as well).

Add your ground chocolate, some sugar, some vanilla essence a tiny pinch of salt, and thicken it with some evaporated milk (don't skimp on this). Shave some of the rind of a green bergamot (a shriveled, pungent lime-like citrus fruit) for the final touch. Voilà! Not your average hot chocolate.

Learning to make Haitian hot chocolate — then consuming the fruits of our labors — in the hills above Port-au-Prince was one of our favorite memories of our time in Haiti.

Coffee

The history of coffee in Haiti, including its near disappearance as an industry, is a shame. Haitian coffee is quite good and in terms of flavor, its Arabica beans can hold their own against competing Central American and African counterparts.

Of the major brands available in supermarkets, check out Rebo or better yet, Selecto. If you really wish to go off the beaten path, try the local bean at Fondation Seguin grown in the hills above Port-au-Prince where they are trying to train local farmers in coffee production.

Haitian Rum

Given the prevalence of sugar cane in Haiti, it probably comes as no surprise that rum is the national spirit of choice.

Although Haiti makes several types of rum, Barbancourt is the national standard dark rum that is available in a number of grades — most notably 3-star, a perfectly drinkable 4-year aged or 5-star, a perfectly smooth one-part spicy, another-part sweet 8-year aged. Although we rarely drink rum straight, we found ourselves doing this throughout our travels in Haiti. It's that good.

And it's no surprise that rum cocktails are everywhere you go in Haiti. Although rum juice punch is everywhere, our favorite is a rum sour with lime juice, sugar syrup, a dash of bitters or cinnamon, lemon or orange rind and often a cherry. We prefer it served in a plain, rather than sugar-encrusted, glass.

Kleren / Klerin

An unrefined spirit similar to white rum, kleren is distilled from cane sugar. We visited a family-run kleren manufacturer near Cap-Haïtien in northern Haiti to witness the process from start — pressing the sugar cane to get juice — to its multi-distillation chamber finish. The resulting white rum used to be called “guildive” as it was considered so strong that it would “kill the devil” when you drank it.

On the streets of Port-au-Prince, you'll find colorful flavored or infused kleren concoctions. Think “street rum pharmacy” whose outputs feature dubious medicinal qualities, look a little like kerosene, and quite honestly taste a little like it too.

Haitian Beer: Prestige

No trip to Haiti would be complete without drinking a cold Prestige on the beach. Prestige, a relatively heavy American-style lager, is the ubiquitous Haitian beer of choice. For various reasons, including the climate and the brew itself, it's best served very cold. You may be able to find other beers in Haiti, including various lighter beers and malts, but Prestige is the most consistent.

A huge thanks to Jean Cyril Pressoir, our G Adventures CEO (guide) in Haiti. Cyril humored us and our desire for Haitian street food at just about every turn, shared his favorite spots and never tired of our endless questions about his country's cuisine.

Disclosure: Our tour in Haiti was provided to us by G Adventures in cooperation with its Wanderers in Residence program. We stayed a few extra days to go hiking in the mountains on our own dime. As always, the opinions expressed here are entirely our own.

The post Haitian Food: 25+ Best Haitian Dishes to Try appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Perhaps you ask, just as we did before our trip: is trekking in Haiti even a thing? Yes, it is. And it probably ought to be for more travelers. But it takes a little effort to organize. This Haiti Trekking Beginner's Guide explains why it’s worth it, plus all you need to know to plan a trek in Haiti.

The sounds of konpa, Haiti’s version of merengue meets jazz, floated from the kitchen to our spot on the front porch. We sat around a large wooden dining table, fleece jackets zipped up, our hands cupped around mugs of Haitian hot chocolate flavored with star anise, cinnamon, and Haitian bergamot lime rind. It was impossible not to be caught up in the unexpected moment. The crackling musical improvisations hearkened to a bygone era and punctuated the cool, dark stillness around us.

The men in the kitchen called it “ball” music – as in ballrooms where men and women dance close, and the woman who don’t want to dance close use special elbow moves to keep the men at bay. The music looped and time slowed, just as our sensations had throughout our four-day hike in the mountains just above the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.

When I had imagined traveling in Haiti, this was not what I had envisioned. But when we reflect on our journey in the country, it’s this moment — the quiet punctuated by crackling tunes, the crispness of the air and the stillness of a Haitian night in the mountains – that really sticks with me.

Why trek in Haiti? (Hint: It’s not just about the mountain scenery)

Mountain trekking in Haiti? In retrospect, this should not have come as a surprise considering the country takes its name from the indigenous Taino Ayiti, meaning “land of mountains.” Haiti is covered with layers of mountains, within which exist networks of walking paths intended to get locals from home to markets, schools and nearby villages.

Trekking in Haiti is not just about the landscape, but an unexpected natural beauty grounded by culture and complemented by people who live amidst it. Whether you’re en route in a truck or on foot in the hills, you have a chance to meet and engage with people — kids on their way home from school, market-goers, farmers working the fields, women washing herbal tea in the streams.

In contrast to that of its cities, Haiti’s mountain pace slows considerably. Open space and details emerge, like the color and texture of the hills, forest aromas, treetop winds, and the briskness of air. After spending time in the bustle of population centers like Port-au-Prince and Cap Haïtien, we welcomed the change and began to better process and reflect on all that we had experienced.

The challenge with trekking in Haiti is that information regarding routes and logistics can be difficult to find. In fact, when we searched on Google before our trip, we almost gave up on the idea as the photos and articles were neither inspiring nor useful. Additionally, limited road and accommodation infrastructure can make it relatively expensive. If you have more time and flexibility, you'll find that you have more options.

So that’s why we are writing this. To share with you what we did, how we did it, and the various considerations and practical details. In other words: all that we had wanted to know about trekking in Haiti before our trip.

Our Haiti Trekking Itinerary and Route

Day 1: Jacmel to Mare Rouge by 4×4
Day 2: Climb to Pic la Selle, drive to Seguin in Parc National la Visite
Day 3: Climb Pic Cabayo and visit nearby waterfalls
Day 4: Walk from Seguin to outside of Port-au-Prince

Note: It's also possible to take this route in the opposite direction, from outside Port-au-Prince to Seguin to Mare Rouge and then to Jacmel (or back to Port-au-Prince). We took the approach above as we'd come from Jacmel and wished to end up in Port-au-Prince without having to backtrack.

Jacmel to Mare Rouge

For most of our first day, we were in a jeep, climbing from the seaside at Jacmel into the mountains. We made stops in small villages and on random hillsides to enjoy the scenery and details — the drawings on a family gravesite, the stone walls built up on farms to prevent landslides, or the way the sun came through the occasional dark raincloud that passed. Roads were rough and we felt as though we were covering ground seen by few visitors.

We also noticed jagged rocks poking out of the ground across the hillsides we scaled. Thinking they were some sort of special geological rock formations, we asked what they were. They are called “dentelles”, jagged teeth in the local Crèole, and are the unfortunate manifestation of logging, deforestation and erosion. Indeed, those rock formations are a unique are part of the earth, but they really ought to be deep below the soil. Instead, they reveal themselves as scars born of human activity.

Once we reached our resting place for the night, Mare Rouge, we bundled up and took a walk out to a nearby hillside to lay in the grass and watch the sun set. Peace and serenity driven by the winds in treetops and interrupted only by the occasional voice from a distant farm.

Practical Details:

Getting there: The roads go from “not great” leaving Jacmel to almost non-existent on this route. You need a really sturdy 4×4 jeep or ATV (all-terrain vehicle) and an experienced driver, as we had. Alternatively, you could do this on the back of a motorbike (i.e., hire a motorbike driver), but make certain your rear-end is steel-reinforced as the road contours make for a bouncy, lively ride.
Accommodation: We stayed at the Helvetas/MARNDR NGO guesthouse, the Mare Rouge forestry center that was built to accommodate park rangers and staff. They occasionally have extra room for travelers. You or your tour company will need to contact them in advance to determine if there is space available. Cost: $40/person including room and 3 meals. Note that you’ll also need to pay this fee for your guide and/or driver.

Pic la Selle

Pic la Selle is Haiti’s highest peak at 2,680m (8,793ft), and is located in Forêts des Pins (literally “pine forest”). From Helvetas, the hike to the peak takes a couple of hours at a leisurely pace from a drop off point in the forest. As you make your way up in elevation, you’ll register subtle changes in landscape and vegetation. The surprising smell of fresh pine might motivate you to question whether you are actually in the Caribbean.

As with any trek, it’s worth moving slowly, taking time to hop off the trail for views that will cut right across Haiti to the coast. Look away from the coast and you’ll take in even more mountains in the direction of the Dominican Republic. Set off early in the day to avoid haze.

Practical Details:

Pic la Selle logistics: The head of the forestry district drove us to a drop off spot (a sort of makeshift trail head) to begin our climb to Pic la Selle. We also had a park ranger with us as a guide. He simultaneously kept an eye on the forest and phoned in information regarding locals chopping at the trunks of trees to harvest sap-heavy wood chips used to start cooking fires. Cost: $45/group for the transport and guide.

Mare Rouge to Seguin transport: This is another route with a rough road so you’ll need a sturdy 4×4, ATV or strong motorbike. If you're not pressed for time, you can also walk this route. We spoke with one of the park rangers who walks the route in three or four hours. For ordinary folks looking to take in the scenery, plan on approximately six to seven hours.

Pic Cabayo and Parc National la Visite

The day we walked from Auberge La Visite to Pic Cabayo in the national park proved our favorite day of trekking. The clear skies certainly had something to do with it. Regardless, we were blown away by the expansive, breath-taking views at the top of Pic Cabayo. Mountainous layers that roll for as far as the eye can see. This is a Haiti we certainly never knew.

Practical Details:

Accommodation: In Seguin, we stayed at Auberge La Visite, a small bed and breakfast with a large porch, rocking chairs and a very relaxed vibe. The food is all made from local ingredients, including an incredible salad sourced from locally grown vegetables, edible flowers and watercress from the base of one of the waterfalls we visited. There are only a couple of rooms available so try to email or call ahead. Cost: $80/person for a room, including 3 meals. It’s also possible to sleep in an air mattress-outfitted tent in the garden, but you’ll have to check on the price of this yourself. Disclosure: We received a 50% press discount during our stay.

Trekking logistics: Although you can probably find your own way around the national park, we asked one of the staff at Auberge La Visite to be our guide to Pic Cabayo and the nearby waterfalls. Along the way, we harvested watercress and went chanterelle forest mushroom hunting. It’s an absolutely terrific day out, provided the weather cooperates. Cost: Around $25 for the group

Seguin to Port-au-Prince Area

“Are you sure we can’t get lost?” we asked, knowing our propensity to lose our way just about everywhere. Our final day in Haiti's mountains involved walking, guide free, on our own towards Port-au-Prince.

“Don’t worry, there’s only one road to Port-au-Prince. Even you can’t get lost. You'll know you’re close to the pickup point because there will be one last BIG hill,” our guide, Cyril, advised us before leaving Seguin the day before.

Famous last words.

We did find the one path leading from Seguin to Port-au-Prince and followed the steady stream of people walking in both directions. Many women, on their way to and from the market, balanced baskets full of vegetables or fruit on their heads. The road was rubbled, inconsistent and steep, making their posture and ability all the more impressive.

Together with Barbara, a German journalist trekking with us, we challenged ourselves to greet everyone we saw with a “bon jou!” and polite nod. Often, people would smile and laugh, amused to see three white people wandering randomly along this road in the middle of nowhere Haiti.

The day's most memorable reaction was courtesy of a little girl of about five years old who decided to have a dance-off with Dan. She would shake her hips and jump around in front of her house, and Dan would copy her — dancing his way up and down hill as we continued our walk. This lasted for about three to four hills until we were out of sight, but we could still hear her giggles echoing across the hilltops long after we could no longer see her. Oh, if only you could include experiences like this on an itinerary.

After several hours of up and down, passing homes and villages perched on the top of hills, breaking sweats across steep terraced farmlands, we were certain we must be close. A big hill appeared, so big that the local municipality had built cement steps to help people navigate it, especially in the rain.

“The big hill. Finally, we're here,” we thought.

Proud of our efforts, we turned the corner expecting to see the jeep waiting for us. Instead, there was another big hill, perhaps even more imposing than the first.

We remembered the Haitian proverb:

“Dèyè mon gen mon.” Behind the mountain, there are mountains.

That’s trekking in Haiti for you.

Practical Details:

You will need to arrange a pickup on the side of the road near one of the villages on the approach to Port-au-Prince, as we did. Alternatively, find a motorbike driver that can take you to the nearest town to hop on a bus or tap-tap to take you into Port-au-Prince.

Trekking in Haiti: Other Considerations

Other treks in Haiti

To expand your trekking options in the hills above Port-au-Prince, ask your guide or tour company about trails around Furcy or Kenscoff. You can also do the route that we did from Port-au-Prince to Seguin to Mare Rouge by foot. If you have your own camping gear, the options become even greater for the routes you can take.

Additionally, the Bradt Guide to Haiti by Paul Clammer has advice on different trekking routes and options around the country. It's also just a great guide for general travel in Haiti.

Best time to trek in Haiti

While trekking in Haiti is technically possible year-round, the best times are December to March when there is no rain. We trekked in late November and lucked out on weather, but a colleague took a similar route the week before and had to cut back some of his plans because of downpours. We have also been advised that July to August can also be good.

Haiti’s deforestation problems

When we mention trekking in Haiti, we're often asked about the environmental situation. Many people have seen this dramatic aerial photo showing the border between Haiti and Dominican Republic.

Sadly, deforestation is a real and significant problem. Its history began with French colonists who cleared land for plantations. The problem has worsened in the last century due to a growing population needing to feed itself and that uses charcoal to cook. The accommodation providers we used on this trip all work in some capacity to reforest and educate local communities on the benefits of planting trees and using alternative cooking fuels. So the money you spend with them and on official local guides supports programs attempting to address these environmental problems.

What to bring with you

To avoid repetition, we suggest you check out our Ultimate Trekking Packing List for suggestions of what to bring with you. As food and shelter is provided everywhere in the route we cover above, you don’t need to pack much outside of good hiking shoes, some cold weather gear (e.g., fleece, waterproof/windproof jacket, hat), refillable water bottle, sunscreen, and snacks.

Note: During the time of year we hiked it gets chilly in the mountains, especially at night. So it's worth carrying a few layers to ensure you are comfortable.

Trekking in Haiti independently or with a guide?

Trekking in Haiti, because of road infrastructure, infrequency of public transport in outlying areas, and limited accommodation options, is not something you just pick up and do on a whim. Unless, that is, you carry your own camping gear, have unlimited time on your hands and fluently speak the local language, Créole.

We met some Haitian people and long-term expats living in Haiti who opted to trek without a guide. However, if you are just visiting Haiti for a short time, we recommend you consider very seriously having a Créole-speaking guide so you can ask questions, engage in meaningful conversations with local people, have context regarding what you are seeing and experiencing, and avoid getting lost.

We coordinated our trek with Jean Cyril Pressoir of Tour Haiti, a local tour operator that also works with G Adventures. Cyril is quite passionate about Haiti in general, and especially about trekking in the country. We also used local guides at Mare Rouge and Seguin.

Tour Haiti also provided us with the 4×4 transport we needed to get from Jacmel to Mare Rouge to Seguin. This isn’t inexpensive, so it helps to pull in other travelers to help share the cost.

For more photos from our trekking in Haiti, check out our photo essay.

Any other questions about trekking in Haiti, just ask below in the comments!

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Life is a continual exercise in expectation management. Witness our journey to the Bassin-Bleu waterfall outside of Jacmel in southern Haiti.

Haiti, it turns out, possesses quite a many blue pools, all quite aptly if not unimaginatively named Bassin-Bleu or “blue pool.” The most famous of these, pictured below, is outside the town of Jacmel. If all the photos of Haiti's bassins-bleus are anything to go by, each one is pretty much the essence of inviting: hidden and tempting; turquoise, deep blue or mystically translucent pools of water depending on the angle of the sun and time of the day of the photo.

But half the fun is getting there.

“To get to Bassin-Bleu, we’ll pick up the donkeys in town,” Cyril, our G Adventures guide, told us as our van drove along Haiti’s southern coast towards Jacmel.

So I’m thinking, and in fact even utter aloud, “Awesome, donkeys. I love donkeys!” (I have a soft spot for the world’s most under-appreciated beast of burden, by the way.)

Unfortunately, I soon learned that “donkey” is slang for pickup truck. As in a pickup truck with wooden plank seats in the back that pound the rear-ends of passengers while navigating Haitian mountain-tucked moonscapes. On our donkey, we wound our way into the hills, even forded a river, then caught a wide view of Haiti’s southern coast along the way. If you are going to bruise your ass, you might as well enjoy it.

Finally, the truck pulls to a stop as we reach a sort of trailhead. From there, we take a short walk, after which we turn the corner to find a shallow patch of turbid brown liquid staring back at us.

“No < insert expletive here > way,” I say to myself. OK, my disappointment may have squeaked out for public consumption.

Perhaps in response, one of our guides says: “Because of the recent rains, it’s going to be a little murky.”

“You think?” I utter under my breath, sort of.

I don’t know if the comic timing was intended, but those brown pools served as a way to take the wind out of my sails and reset expectations. Any hue would have bested the stagnant brown of what looked like the terminus of the Ganges.

After another short walk, we turned a final corner, made a short rappel down some rocks, crossed some more shallow water, mounted another rock and witnessed a waterfall healthily clearing itself into a truly blue turquoise pool. Now this was Bassin-Bleu, a protected little forest oasis whose soundtrack consisted of a waterfall punctuated by the joyful shrieks and cheers of people in its clutches.

There was nothing more to do than jump in and join them. Refreshing, relaxing and rejuvenating. I remember recalling later that evening that my skin and hair felt remarkable, as if given new life. Hidden pools of natural mountain-fed water will do that to you.

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Haiti. It’s a country that most people today still associate with earthquakes, coups, and unrest – a sort of irretrievable chaos. Before traveling to Haiti, we knew very little about the country. Even after performing our own research — let’s face it, there’s little information on Haiti beyond the headline news – we weren’t quite certain what we would find, experience or feel while there.

Haiti is complicated. Even Haitians will tell you that. Each time we thought we grasped something about Haiti, another event would intervene that would help us realize we had only just peeled back one layer of our understanding of the Haitian cultural onion. And that’s what makes Haiti so fascinating: it tempts one to question, to experience, to learn and to re-learn – an invitation to penetrate as closely as a visitor might to its innermost layers.

When we shared photos and updates while on our tour to Haiti, readers would respond: “Is that really Haiti?”

Welcome to Haiti. Time to become a little more familiar – with the everyday, the exceptional and the forces to be continually reckoned with.

1. Travel Safety in Haiti

Time to dispatch the elephant in the room. When we first announced we were headed to Haiti, responses of concern were not only common, but they often spelled expectations of doom. One reader, to wit, offered this: “I hope you survive.”

There’s no denying Haiti has historically experienced its share of instability over the decades. Between 2004 and 2006, kidnapping of wealthy Haitians, international executives and aid workers was common. In the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, crime and assaults increased. But as our visit to Rwanda earlier this year demonstrated, countries are not forever suspended in time: they change, they evolve, and many, quite thankfully, move on.

As foreign travelers in Haiti, we surprisingly never felt targeted or at risk – neither in the peace of its mountains or the din of its cities. It is true that much of the time we were with a group or with others, but even when Dan or I often peeled off to engage with people, explore markets and meander down side streets on our own, we did not feel anything menacing.

Of course, common sense and basic safety measures still apply. As in most countries (including my own, the United States), I would not wander inner city streets alone at night. As taxis are surprisingly uncommon in Haiti, even in cities such as Port-au-Prince, I would arrange return transport in advance so as not be stuck without a way back to wherever I happened to be staying.

If you pack some developing world travel sense and especially follow the advice outlined in #3 below, you’ll likely find yourself feeling pretty comfortable with Haiti and its people.

2. A Land of Mountains

Despite the fact that the word Haiti means “mountainous land,” we envisioned only a few hills here and there. Instead, the country is defined by layers of mountains.

We managed a glimpse of this on our flight approach to Port-au-Prince, but our first on-the-ground taste occurred on our hike up to La Citadelle Laferrière near the town of Cap-Haïtien in northern Haiti.

Our appreciation of Haiti's landscape was complete with our hike up to Pic la Selle, Haiti’s highest mountain, and through nearby Parc National La Visite.

It’s no wonder that Haitians say “Dèyè mon gen mon.” (Behind the mountain, there are mountains.) This Haitian proverb proved one of my favorites, as it’s not only appropriate to the country’s landscape but also metaphorically fitting to the country’s history and circumstances. “There is more than meets the eye” repeatedly rang true during our visit to Haiti.

3. “A greeting is your passport.”

“Bonjou se paspò ou,” is another of a raft of available Haitian proverbs, one we learned early and put into practice often during our trip. Simple gestures such as saying “bonjou” (hello in local Kreyòl), offering a smile and nodding in respect tends to open doors of good will. Perhaps this is obvious advice, a generally accepted good travel principle, but it is particularly relevant to Haiti.

On the surface, Haitians can sometimes show a stern, skeptical look that might not feel particularly welcoming at first glance. However, a respectful greeting and smile can help break down that tough exterior, thereby reducing some of the distance between you as the blan (literally meaning “white,” but slang for foreigner) and local people.

Haitians are a social bunch. Perfect strangers call each other cheri meaning “my dear” (I loved when I was referred to this way). With monikers like this, Haitians transform the atmosphere from the appearance of something serious to something more open and laughter-filled in a matter of moments.

It's also important to note that, in general, Haitians don't especially invite or seem to enjoy having their photograph taken. It's completely understandable given that there has been a string of photojournalists who have focused mostly on negative aspects of the country; people are tired of that. Best to store the big camera and lens until you've established a bit of a rapport, ask for permission and have some fun with the process by showing the image afterwards.

4. Vodou in Haiti

“Haiti is 80% Catholic, 20% Protestant and 100% Vodou.”

Often when people think of Vodou (or Voodoo, as we foreigners like to spell it) they imagine the Hollywood-branded version: pins stuck into a voodoo doll, evil curses placed, zombies roaming the earth. Perhaps it does not come as a surprise when we say that Vodou in reality seems a far cry from this.

We were fortunate to spend time with a Vodou hougon (priest) who was open to answering questions about his practice and spirituality when we visited his ounfo (temple). Vodou in Haiti is a complex belief system that blends traditions and practices from West Africa, carried by slaves brought over during the 17th-19th centuries, with colonial Catholicism and a few local twists. At the core of Vodou are the lwa, spirits which serve as intermediaries to assist human beings to communicate and connect with a single, distant God.

There are hundreds of lwa, divided elaborately into societies. Each has his or her own characteristics and symbolism and ways in which they wish to be served. During a Vodou ceremony, a lwa will be summoned, and will often take over the body of someone present in order to provide spiritual and physical guidance and healing. A certain brand of emotional rawness is at work that yields an appreciation that death and life are in fact bound close together.

As one hougon explained to us: “Vodou, it is what you cannot see that is all around you.” The suggestion: our practice only manifests what is already there.

Once you comprehend this, you’ve set off on the road to understand Vodou and the Haitian approach thereto.

Note: If you are interested to learn more about Vodou and its practice in Haiti, consider reading The Serpent and the Rainbow by Wade Davis.

5. Renegade Artists

Haitians demonstrate a remarkable artistic expression. Where this is most obvious is in veins of renegade artist communities such as Atis Rezistans, a group of avant-garde artists who live and create along a segment of Port-au-Prince’s Grand Rue. André Eugène and Jean Hérard Céleur, the founding artists of Atis Rezistans, broke tradition by cultivating a censorship-free artistic expression that defied social norms. Almost 15 years later, Atis Rezistans operates as a collective guided by a philosophy of sharing and support that trains young artists through its Ti Moun Rezistans program.

To me, the feeling in this artist community is one of undressed emotion and unfettered expression. It’s clear in the atmosphere and also apparent in the works themselves.

On the surface, the art appears to exist as if to shock, particularly to a visitor like me. But it becomes apparent that the intention of their work is to stand as an emotional interpretation of a cycle of life to death, with all the requisite fears, dreams, and sex that make us human laid bare.

Artists rely heavily on recycled materials, lending a sense of re-packaging and re-purposing of emotion. Discarded items are incorporated, life’s detritus finds new life. And maybe even new hope.

“There is no death without life…there is no art that is not a liberation of the force of life. And when death is around you all the time, you try to profit from every day of life.” – Romel Jean Pierre, an artist and filmmaker at Atis Rezistans.

6. Everything tastes better with a few chili peppers, even peanut butter.

We knew almost nothing about Haitian cuisine prior to our visit, so we look forward to writing about it in depth and sharing it with you very soon. One of the facets of Haitian food that we especially enjoyed is its occasionally liberal and often creative application of spice and employment of chili peppers. As evidence, witness spiced peanut butter whereby a Scotch Bonnet or Habanero pepper is a thrown in with a batch of ground peanuts.

“OK, heat in food I get. But spicy peanut butter?!?”

Yes. And we can attest to its goodness.

Throw in Haitian hot chocolate, grilled lobster, plenty of beans, odd greens, breadfruit, avocados and dark rum and you have the making for some culinary joy.

But you’ll just have to wait for our Haitian food throw-down to hear more about all of it.

7. A Country Rich in Proverbs

No two ways about it, Haiti has a way with words. Its proverbs are deep and funny, often sad, sometimes crude, always clever. It occurs to me that Haitian proverbs are a manifestation of the country’s narrative, a form of storytelling, evidence of the importance of oral tradition in Haiti in sharing wisdom and lessons.

A day couldn't go by when we’d question or notice something and hear in response: “We have a saying for that in Haiti.”

The proverb shared was usually one with a story behind it that helped peel back for us another layer of the cultural complexity that is Haiti — one part quirky and another dark, evincing a certain pliability or resilience that almost seems required of Haitian people given their country’s history. Honesty and a bit of reflective self-deprecating humor, too.

Even when things are bad, rise up a proverb to place it all in perspective and shed some honest light on all that we humans do, good and bad.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Note: We learned these through English translations; we imagine the versions in their original Kreyòl are even better.

“Lang pa lanmè, men li ka neye-w.” — The tongue is not the sea, but it can drown you.

“Bourik swe pou chwal dekore ak dentel.” — The donkey sweats so the horse can be decorated with lace.

“Avèk pasyans w'ap wè tete foumi.” — With patience, you can see the tits on an ant.

If you are interested in further availing yourself of Haitian wisdom through its proverbs, here is a great list.

A note on language in Haiti: French is the language of schools and government, but Haitian Creole (Kreyòl) is the language of the people.

Although one could argue that Kreyòl is French-based, the differences between the two are greater than their similarities. You’ll notice some common words and vocabulary, taken from French and employed in Kreyòl, but Kreyòl is spelled differently than French and is more phonetic. Beyond that, the structure of the languages is quite different.

8. 2010 Earthquake Recovery, International Aid

A common question asked of us since returning from Haiti: Can you still see the effects of the 2010 earthquake? (The catastrophic one centered near Port-au-Prince that killed an estimated 220,000 people.)

As you walk around downtown Port-au-Prince, buildings that were destroyed by the earthquake remain abandoned. In the city’s Champs de Mar area where the Palais National once stood, the square is filled with red corrugated metal construction walls.

But life goes on. It must. The central market, the Marché en Fer, was destroyed but has been rebuilt. Vendors have returned, new communities have emerged in the ruins of others. Haiti is very much an example of rebirth in the face of devastation and destruction.

You can still find a prominent international aid presence in Haiti; some organizations were there before the earthquake, others arrived afterwards and haven’t left. As anywhere in the world where a large donor-funded international aid presence exists, you can feel the draw of a double-edged sword. The flow of donor money to help in Haiti’s recovery has done a lot of good. However, big aid begets pockets if not a prevailing attitude of dependency and reliance on foreign handouts that paradoxically crowd out local solutions and create distortions in the local economy for real estate and other goods. Help is needed, but so is the idea that the citizens of Haiti must also find solutions that are suited to their own needs and context.

Haiti is clearly a fertile country. It’s disappointing to see it depend so much on imported food when one imagines it could produce so much itself. We sincerely hope that the will exists to pursue long-term investments in education, infrastructure and agricultural reform.

Easier said than done, we know. But we can see the potential.

9. Haitian Music and the Singing President

“No matter what we do we have the drum. When we have problems we sing and dance, when we are happy we sing and dance. There's always the drum in Haiti” –  Maurice Etienne, Lakou Lakay Cultural Center

Music is infectious in Haiti; rhythm seems deep in the bones. Drums and dancing are integral to Vodou ceremonies and practice, but the love of and prevalence of music carries to all aspects of life. It's not uncommon to see workers unconsciously incorporating a few dance moves here and there as they stock shelves or work the market while listening to local music.

Haiti's current president, Michel Martelly, is also a famous musician. Known better as Sweet Micky, Martelly and his band play konpa, a style of Haitian music derived from local Méringue (similar perhaps, but not the same as Dominican Merengue) that further blends Haitian folk music with an imprint of American jazz leftover from the U.S. occupation from 1914-1934.

One of our best memories of Haitian music involved the kitchen staff at Auberge La Visite in the mountains near Seguin. They listened to konpa endlessly. We found ourselves drawn into the kitchen to find out the name behind the catchy tunes and infectious rhythmic earworms — 30-minute long ball renditions of classic konpa — that consumed the building. Although the origin of these tunes is up for discussion, the voice most often behind what we heard: Sweet Micky.

(Note: If you happen to be in Port-au-Prince area on a Friday night be sure to go by Presse Café for a live konpa band and a wide open dance floor.)

10. Haitians Love Their Lottery

Everywhere you go in Haiti, from the tiniest of villages to the biggest of cities, you will see plenty of colorful outposts labeled bank. My initial thought: a vast and highly competitive micro-credit industry in Haiti?

I was later informed these were borlettes, or Haitian lottery outlets. Lottery, it turns out, is a national pastime. For legitimacy, lottery numbers in Haiti are based on New York Lotto numbers, drawn twice daily. As one Haitian we met put it, “Are you kidding? No Haitian would trust numbers drawn here in Haiti!”

The idea: you purchase a hand-signed ticket indicating your choice of a series of 2-digit numbers. From there, a complicated betting option exists where you can “marry” your numbers together for bigger winnings should you guess correctly more than one number. Although I didn't quite fully understand my betting options and the mathematical gymnastics embedded therein, I placed a bet on three numbers and purchased a double marriage to ensure I’d win the maximum were I to choose all three numbers correctly.

Here’s what happened:

I won!! I selected one correct number. From my 40 gourd ($0.90) bet on three numbers, I won 100 gourds (about $2).

As my new Haitian saying goes, “It’s not how much you win, but whether you win at all.”

A huge thanks goes to Jean Cyril Pressoir, our G Adventures CEO (guide) in Haiti. He told great stories, knew a proverb for every conceivable life scenario, and never seemed to tire of our questions about his country.

Haiti Travel Podcast

Grab a coffee and listen in to the Amateur Traveler Podcast on Haiti where we talk about our travels throughout the country– where we went, what surprised us, what we felt, and more.

Pin for later:

The post Travel to Haiti: First Impressions appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Why we’re going to Haiti later this week. A view to a different side of the country, including its re-emergence — and we hope, a path to sustainable tourism development. It’s also about our pursuit of Haitian culture, landscape and cuisine – and the unknown.

While on a press trip earlier this fall, we mentioned to a well-traveled British journalist with an intrepid penchant for hot spots, particularly those in the Middle East, that we were headed to Haiti later in the year.

“Really?!” His reply was shriek-like. “Be safe.”

When most people think Haiti, they don’t often think travel. The images that come to most peoples’ minds are those from of the 2010 earthquake and various other political and environmental disasters that news reports suggest seem to plague the country indefinitely — rather than of artists, musicians, waterfalls, clear Caribbean waters, hilltop fortresses, cave networks and the mysteries of Vodou.

So that’s where we come in.

We don’t mean to imply that Haiti doesn’t still have its share of serious economic and environmental issues to address. But like so many places we’ve visited, we suspect there’s a different, additional side to the story and dimension to the place than what we’re deprived of in prevailing media.

That’s why we’re going to Haiti this week to find out.

Tourism in Haiti. Is that even a thing?

Not currently. Let’s just say there aren't a lot of travelers coursing through Haiti at the moment. This is one of the things that stoked our curiosity about visiting now.

In fact, when our partner G Adventures were first engaged by Haiti under an Inter-American Development Bank project to assess tourism potential in the country, its analysts were uncertain if not skeptical as to what they might find. Perhaps surprisingly, they found remarkable landscape, a rich living history – one full of art, music, Vodou religious heritage, Creole culture – and a resilient people seeking to move on toward a better future.

The result? Not only did G Adventures suggest that Haiti does have tourism potential, especially of the community-based variety, but they developed a new tour to the country for 2015 to act on their own evaluation.

It’s this tour – in addition to our own independent exploration — that we will experience during our time in Haiti.

Sustainable Tourism in Haiti?

But wait. Will tourism development be a force for good in Haiti? Can’t it destroy a local culture and environment?

Tourism is the people’s business. And how tourism develops in a country, particularly in its early stages, truly does make a difference — good and bad — to the lives of its people.

Our own tourism and travel experience tells us that both outcomes are possible.

So where has Haiti landed in all of this? And more importantly, where does it hope to go?

It's still early days, but the Haitian Tourism Ministry has apparently indicated that it wishes to pursue tourism development of the more community-based or sustainable variety. It’s because of this that we’re excited to have a look at Haiti for ourselves in its formative stages of tourism development – to not only see and highlight what the country has to offer generally as a destination, but how a community-focused approach might benefit locals and travelers alike.

The circumstances recall a Haitian proverb: “Piti, piti, wazo fe nich li.” Which roughly translates as “Little by little the bird builds its nest.”

So what is there to do and see in Haiti?

Although the first G Adventures’ Haiti tour officially launches in February 2015, we’re part of a visiting group including a few independent journalists and G Adventures staff who will have the advance opportunity to experience it for ourselves. We will also extend our stay and explore parts of Haiti on our own.

Although you may find all the details for the G Adventures Haiti tour on the official itinerary, here's a snapshot of what we'll do and see:

La Citadelle Laferrière, the largest fortress in the Americas.

• Citadelle Laferrière: Haiti was the first independent nation in Latin America and the Caribbean, born of a slave revolt from 1791-1804 that defeated French forces and resulted in the founding of a free country. With that in mind, we’ll visit the UNESCO-designated Citadelle Laferrière, a hilltop fortress built in the early 19th century to help defend Haiti’s newfound independence from its colonizers.
• Cap-Haïtien: We’ll explore various markets and learn how to make Haitian rum from a brandy-like sugar cane extract called guildive, a mispronunciation of “kill devil” which is supposedly what happens when you drink the stuff.
• Port-au-Prince: The 2010 earthquake left Haiti’s capital city largely in ruins; remnants of this are still visible. We’ll visit the artist community of Atis Rezistan that has emerged from the rubble, and we’ll have a chance to learn more about Haiti’s Vodou culture by meeting with a Vodou priest. Of course, we will spend time in local markets and walking the streets.
• Jacmel and Bassin Bleu: We continue with the theme of local artistic expression in Jacmel by exploring the town’s street mosaics and visiting the studios of various local artists. Then we’ll enjoy some time at Bassin-Bleu, a network of waterfalls and freshwater pools.
• Port-Salut and Grotte Marie-Jeanne at Port-à-Piment: On our way out of Jacmel we’ll stop by the Art Creation Foundation for Children. The foundation provides leadership training and practical lessons in various crafts – in addition to providing meals — to at-risk youth. From a stopover in Port Salut, we’ll set off for Port-a-Piment to explore the underground cave network at Grotte Marie-Jeanne.

We will spend an additional week in Haiti in Les Cayes along Haiti’s southwestern coastline, in and around Port-au-Prince, and quite possibly climbing Haiti's highest peak, Pic la Selle.

Follow our Haiti adventure in real-time

Curious to know what Haiti is like? Who are the Haitian people? What do they eat? What does the island look like? What is the spirit of the place?

We hope to answer that and more.

Photo credit: Oana Dragan (G Adventures) and Alex Proimos

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