Port-au-Prince travel guide

Safety

Shantytown dwellers don’t welcome sightseers and people with cameras. The area between the Champs de Mars and the waterfront is deserted after dark and should be avoided. It is safe to go to most places by car or taxi at night, but don’t go about on foot. Pétion-Ville is generally considered safer than Port-au-Prince, but you should avoid walking on empty or unlit streets after dark. Remember that frequent power cuts can plunge entire neighbourhoods into darkness. Drivers must always carry a licence as police blocks are common at night. Be careful of traffic when walking around town. Street vendors crowd the pavements, which forces pedestrians into the path of vehicles and many people have been knocked down and injured.

Getting around

Shared taxis (called publiques or simply taxis) are flagged down. They charge a basic fare (Créole: kous) of US$0.40 that may double or treble (de kous, twa kous) depending on how far you go. A red ribbon tied to the inside rear-view mirror identifies the taxis, which are almost always old, beaten-up cars. The driver might turn you down if you’re going somewhere inconvenient. Otherwise he will take you even if the car is full and you have to sit on someone’s lap. French is needed. They stop work at about 1930. Camionettes (minibuses) and taptaps (open-backed pick-ups usually with a brightly painted wooden superstructure) have fixed routes and fares (about US$0.15). They rarely circulate after 2030. They are difficult to manage with luggage. Camionettes to Pétion-Ville stop along Av John Brown, US$0.15.

Bus

Pick-up trucks with seats in the back, known as Publiques are the common form of public transport. They stop on demand and are usually overcrowded and uncomfortable. The 2 main bus stations for out-of-town destinations are at Portail Léogâne and between Cité Soleil and Lasaline.

Car

A small Japanese car with a/c, rents for about US$70 per day, US$430 per week, including 10% sales tax, unlimited mileage. A basic 4WD starts at US$ 790 per week with US$1800 deposit for damages.

Avis, T2501367. Hertz, T2500700, and Dollar, T2501800, have bases near the airport. Avis is opposite the airport terminal, T2501898. Hertz is in the Dynamic Entreprise Building.

Smaller companies include Secom, 564 Route de Delmas, T2571913, http://www.secomhaiti.com, Easy Car Rental, T5108246, and Safety Car Rental.

Taxis

Family Taxi, T5113100, is the only radio taxi company.

A passing Publique that is empty can be persuaded to do a private job (Créole: flete). The driver removes the red ribbon.

Directory

Port-au-Prince

Banks

Promobank, T2998000, corner of Lamarre and Av John Brown, also a branch at Blvd du Quai and rue Eden. Scotiabank, T2993000, Delmas 18 and branch on 360 Blvd Dessalines. Citibank, T2993200, Route de Delmas. Also several Haitian banks such as Sogebank, T2295000, with ATMs at branches and gas stations throughout the metro area, and Banque de L’Union Haïtienne, T2998500. There are long queues in most banks for any kind of service. Street money changers (cambistes) can be found on rue Pavée and at the airport . Banks or currency dealers working out of offices give almost as good a rate. They rarely take TCs. Many importers and big retailers give a good rate for cash and even personal cheques on US bank accounts. Try Didier Rossard, 22 rue Audan, T2225163.

Embassies

Canada, Rte de Delmas, T2499000; Cuba, 18 rue E Pierre Péguy-Ville, Pétion-Ville, T2576626; Dominican Republic, 121 rue Panaméricaine (50 m down rue José de San Martín), Pétion-Ville, T2579215; EC Delegation, Delmas 60, Impasse Bravé 1, rue Mercier Laham, T2490141, F2490246; France, 51 Place des Héros de l’Indépendance, on rue Capois at the southwest corner of the Champs de Mars, near Hotel Palace, T2220951, F2235675; Germany, 2 Impasse Claudinette, Bois Moquette, Pétion-Ville, T2576131; Japan, Villa Besta Vista, Impasse Tulipe 2 Desprez, T2455875, F2458834; Spain, 54 Pacot, T/F2454410; US, Blvd Harry Truman, Bicentenaire, T2220200, F2239665; US Consulate, 104 rue Oswald Durand, T2236424, Mon-Wed, Fri 0730-1400, Thu 0730-1100, emergencies T2230955, acspap@state.gov.

Internet

US$2 per 65 mins at Netaccess, above Ice Cream on rue Darguin.

Medical services

Hospital Canapé Vert, rue Canapé Vert, T2450984. Adventiste de Diquini, Carrefour Rd, T2340521/2384/2732. Hospital Français de Haiti, rue du Centre, T2222323. St François de Salles, 53 rue Chareron, T222/0232.