Places / North & Central America / Haiti
Jacmel
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The UK Foreign Office currently advises against travel to all or parts of Haiti. This guide is for a safer time. Check the latest travel advice.
At a glance
- Country
- Haiti
- Region
- Sud-Est
- Population
- 40,000
- Best time to go
- December to April
- Main airport
- None — nearest international is Toussaint Louverture, Port-au-Prince (PAP)
- Coordinates
- 18.23°N, 72.53°W
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Overview
Jacmel is a small port on Haiti's south coast, once wealthy from coffee exports. Its 19th-century merchant houses, with cast-iron balconies and tall shuttered doors, give it a faded elegance quite unlike anywhere else in the country.
It is also Haiti's artistic heart, famous for papier-mâché crafts and an inventive carnival. Haiti remains unstable and this guide is written for a future, safer time; check official advice before considering any trip.
Things to see
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Photo: User:Doron, CC BY-SA 3.0 Historic merchant quarter
Streets of grand old warehouses and townhouses near the seafront, many with ornate ironwork imported from France.
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Iron market
A smaller cousin of the Port-au-Prince market hall, still used by local traders.
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Photo: HOPE Art, CC BY 2.0 Bassin Bleu
A chain of turquoise pools and waterfalls in the hills north-west of town.
Things to do
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Photo: User:Doron, CC BY-SA 3.0 Papier-mâché workshops
Watch artisans shape and paint masks and figures in the small studios around town.
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Photo: HOPE Art, CC BY 2.0 Carnival
Jacmel's carnival before Lent is known for its surreal masks and theatrical costumed groups.
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Photo: Gallaher26C, CC BY-SA 4.0 Beaches along the coast
Head east to sandy bays such as Raymond-les-Bains for swimming and grilled fish.
Where to stay
Historic centre
Old mansion guesthouses with character, close to the seafront.
Hotels in Historic centreEast coast
Small beach hotels outside town for a quieter stay.
Hotels in East coast
Getting around
The centre is walkable. For Bassin Bleu or the beaches, arrange a driver or moto-taxi through your guesthouse.
Jacmel is reached by a winding mountain road from Port-au-Prince, a few hours by car in normal times.
When to go
The dry months from December to April are best, and Carnival falls in February or March. Hurricane season runs from June to November.
Plan your trip to Jacmel
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.