Capital · Haiti
Port-au-PrincePòtoprens
Do not plan a leisure trip here: read your government's Haiti advisory first, and if you still go, keep it to 1–2 nights with pre-arranged transport.
Port-au-Prince is Haiti's capital and largest city, on a bay in the Gulf of Gonâve. The 2010 earthquake destroyed much of the historic centre, and the National Palace and the main cathedral remain ruins. The city is a working capital, not a sightseeing base: security, not itinerary, decides your day. Most travellers who come at all stay in the hills of Pétion-Ville and move by pre-booked car.
advisory country
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- HTG
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (drier, cooler)
- avoid May–Oct (rain, heat, hurricane season)
- Airport
- PAP
- Nights
- 1–2
Rules in force · 6Several islands (Turks and Caicos above all, also the Bah…Check your own government travel advice for Haiti before …
- Caribbean ↗Several islands (Turks and Caicos above all, also the Bahamas and Jamaica) jail visitors for a single stray bullet or cartridge in their luggage; empty every bag and pocket before you pack.
- Caribbean ↗From August to October keep a free last day before your flight home and check the national hurricane centre daily; airports close when a named storm approaches.
- Caribbean ↗Wearing camouflage clothing is illegal for civilians in several islands, including Barbados, Antigua, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica; leave it at home, children's clothes included.
- Haiti ↗Check your own government travel advice for Haiti before any booking; advice depends on your passport and changes without notice.
- Haiti ↗There are no regular international flights into Port-au-Prince; confirm any route, including Cap-Haïtien, is operating before relying on it.
- Haiti ↗Confirm that your travel insurance and medical evacuation cover apply to Haiti before you rely on it.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Port-au-Prince114 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Port-au-Prince, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Cash in US dollars and gourdes runs daily life; see Insurance & payments above.Haiti-wide
- SafetycheckThis is a go/no-go destination, not a normal city break: check your government's Haiti advisory, move only by pre-arranged car…
- Emergency numbers114 police · 115 ambulance · 116 fire (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportPAP Toussaint Louverture International (Tabarre, about 9 km (5.6 mi) northeast of the centre…PAP Toussaint Louverture International (Tabarre, about 5.6 mi (9 km) northeast of the centre…
- Getting aroundTap-taps (colourful shared pickups) run fixed routes for about G15–25, but you need several to cross the city and they are not for luggage.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Street or quick mealStreet food plateup to G100
- BeerPrestige beer or bottled waterG50–150
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Street taxi in daylightabout G500
- Budget bedGuesthouse bed (shared bathroom), a night, per personHTG 30
- Mid-range bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomHTG 120
- High-end bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomHTG 220
A day, not counting the bed: Budget HTG 40 · Mid HTG 90 · High HTG 200
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- PAP Toussaint Louverture International (Tabarre, about 9 km (5.6 mi) northeast of the centre; some domestic Sunrise Airways flights use the separate Guy Malary terminal nearby)PAP Toussaint Louverture International (Tabarre, about 5.6 mi (9 km) northeast of the centre; some domestic Sunrise Airways flights use the separate Guy Malary terminal nearby)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Best
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Feb
Best
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Mar
Best
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Apr
Best
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
May
Avoid
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
Jun
Avoid
35°C (95°F)95°F (35°C)
Jul
Avoid
35°C (95°F)95°F (35°C)
Aug
Avoid
35°C (95°F)95°F (35°C)
Sep
Avoid
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
Oct
Avoid
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
Nov
Best
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Dec
Best
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Best: Nov–Apr. Avoid: May–Oct. Month by month →
Warmest Jun (35°C (95°F)95°F (35°C)), coolest Feb (22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C) low), wettest Oct (11 rain days), driest Jan (3). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Port-au-Prince: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
3 rd
Feb
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
4 rd
Mar
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
5 rd
Apr
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
7 rd
May
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
10 rd
Jun
35°C (95°F)95°F (35°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
8 rd
Jul
35°C (95°F)95°F (35°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
7 rd
Aug
35°C (95°F)95°F (35°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
9 rd
Sep
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
10 rd
Oct
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
11 rd
Nov
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
6 rd
Dec
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
3 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Tap-taps (colourful shared pickups) run fixed routes for about G15–25, but you need several to cross the city and they are not for luggage. Street taxis are about G500 in daylight and rise sharply after dark. For visitors the realistic option is a hotel-arranged car or a known driver by the day; a moto-taxi guide has been quoted around US$20 for 3–4 hours.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Pétion-Ville
goDoor to door: About 30–50 min
Car or taxi south through Delmas, about 20–40 min depending on traffic
The hillside suburb where most visitors sleep and eat; treat it as your base rather than a day out.
Saint-Marc
cautionDoor to door: About 2–2.5 h
RN-1 north by car, about 2 h
Road conditions and checkpoints vary; only with a known driver and a daylight return.
Jimani border (Dominican Republic)
overnightDoor to door: About 1.5–2 h
RN-8 east to the Malpasse–Jimani crossing, about 54 km (34 mi)RN-8 east to the Malpasse–Jimani crossing, about 34 mi (54 km)
Border posts keep roughly 08:00–18:00 hours; no ATMs at the crossing, and do not arrive after dark.Border posts keep roughly 8:00 AM–6:00 PM hours; no ATMs at the crossing, and do not arrive after dark.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Pétion-Ville
Hillside suburb south of the centre; most embassies, the Karibe Hotel and the safest hotel cluster. Where most visitors sleep.
Tabarre / airport zone
Near PAP and the bus stations; practical for one night before an early flight or a Santo Domingo coach.
Delmas
Residential corridor between the centre and Pétion-Ville; guesthouses, but you need a car for everything.
Champ-de-Mars / centre
Walkable in daylight and the cheapest beds, but the security picture here changes fast: check before you book.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- US$40–70 excl. bed
- Mid
- US$70–150 excl. bed
- High
- US$150+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Mid-range double room1 × 2 nights × HTG 120 | HTG 240 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × HTG 90 | HTG 360 |
| Airport transfer, one way1 × HTG 40 | HTG 40 |
| Car and driver, full day1 × HTG 120 | HTG 120 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × HTG 25 | HTG 50 |
| Buffer 15%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | HTG 122 |
| Trip total≈ HTG 233 per person per day, bed included | HTG 932 |
2026 estimate in US dollars; the gourde moves fast, so treat these as bands. Flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Street food plate | up to G100 |
| Full plate at a modest restaurant | around G200 |
| Cheeseburger, fries and a drink | about G120 |
| Tap-tap ride | G15–25 |
| Street taxi in daylight | about G500 |
| Prestige beer or bottled water | G50–150 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Read your own government's Haiti travel advice before booking anything: several countries advise against all travel, and this desk does not plan around that.
- Do not walk after dark outside the busiest blocks of Champ-de-Mars; arrange a car door to door.
- Kidnapping and armed robbery are the risks that shape every movement; use a trusted local contact for airport and bus-station pickups.
- Fuel shortages and roadblocks can strand you for a day: keep cash, water and a charged phone.
- ATMs exist at Unibank and Sogebank branches and at larger hotels, but carry a cash reserve; US dollars are widely accepted.
- Hurricane season runs Jun–Nov; the city also floods in heavy rain.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 114
- Ambulance
- 115
- Fire
- 116
Pocket card
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Port-au-PrincePòtoprens
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
Ale nan adrès sa a, tanpriTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police114
- Ambulance115
- Fire116
Embassy
Most embassies and consulates sit in Pétion-Ville, including Canada, France, Brazil, Mexico and Japan; the US embassy is in Tabarre. Several countries cover Haiti from Santo Domingo or their UN mission in New York: check before you need them.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- PAP airport → Pétion-Ville by car: US$20–40, 30–60 min
- Street taxi in daylight: about G500
- Tap-tap ride: G15–25
- Coach to Santo Domingo: about US$40 one way
Say or show
- Bonjou — Hello (bon-zhoo)
- Mèsi — Thank you (meh-see)
- Konbyen li koute? — How much is it? (kon-byen lee koo-tay)
- Mwen pa konprann — I don't understand (mwen pa kon-pran)
- Sekou! — Help! (seh-koo)
- Kote twalèt la? — Where is the toilet? (ko-tay twa-let la)
Numbers 114/115/116 are the published Haitian emergency lines; response is unreliable, so your hotel or a local contact is your real plan.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Port-au-Prince. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Nov–Apr (drier, cooler) · avoid May–Oct (rain, heat, hurricane season)
- 1 airport and 4 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 3 day-trips, door to door
- 6 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for PAP: verified pickup options, daylight-only arrival rule, overnight rung.
- Four sleep clusters with rescue anchors: Pétion-Ville, Tabarre, Delmas, Champ-de-Mars.
- Place pages with verified access rules (Musée du Panthéon National Haïtien, Marché de Fer, the palace and cathedral ruins) and eat pages with prices in gourdes.
- Advisory and hostile-arrival fixtures so the go/no-go gate can go green or red.