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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

Country visited City visited Still to go Click a pin or country to read more. Zoom with + and −, a double-click or a pinch.

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

  • Historic merchant quarter
    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.

  • Iron market

    A smaller cousin of the Port-au-Prince market hall, still used by local traders.

  • Bassin Bleu
    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

  • Papier-mâché workshops
    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.

  • Carnival
    Photo: HOPE Art, CC BY 2.0

    Carnival

    Jacmel's carnival before Lent is known for its surreal masks and theatrical costumed groups.

  • Beaches along the coast
    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

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

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Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.

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