Sud-Est Department: Jacmel, Nature and Culture

Sud-Est Department offers a range of themes to consider when planning a trip: Jacmel’s urban history and crafts, waterfalls and pools, and forest and coastal landscapes. If you’re looking for a hotel, first decide which of these interests will shape your trip.

Jacmel: Street Layout, Crafts and Carnival

Jacmel is in Sud-Est and retains its original street layout and rectangular street grid. The distinctive topography has given rise to unusual, stepped pedestrian streets. On September 21, 2004, the historic center was added to the UNESCO Tentative List as a cultural site. Remains of the colonial defense system that have been preserved include La Petite Batterie and Fort Beliot.

Papier-mâché crafts are also a defining part of Jacmel. The technique is passed down from generation to generation and has found its greatest success in Haiti in Jacmel. In the city center, visitors can find shops, galleries and open workshops where they can see papier-mâché art up close. These places offer a way to experience the connection between craft practices and urban culture.

Jacmel Carnival is known for its creativity and exceptional originality. Every year, it brings artisans together with professional craft and folk art associations and attracts thousands of Haitians as well as tourists from around the world. Visitors interested in crafts can treat the carnival as a distinct travel theme alongside the features that shape the city year-round.

Waterfalls, Lagoons and Protected Landscapes

The Parc National Naturel Lagon des Huîtres includes Cascade de Pichon, Lagon des Huîtres and Grotte Canga as cultural and tourist sites. Cascade Pichon consists of about a dozen waterfalls. It is fed by an underground lake and flows through three different pools. Cultural and religious activities honoring the spirit Symbie are also held at Cascade Pichon.

Lagon des Huîtres near Belle-Anse is a natural area and a marine and terrestrial biodiversity reserve with about twenty lagoons. Parc National Naturel Lagon des Huîtres also includes dry forest in the communes of Belle-Anse and Grand-Gosier, as well as part of their continental shelf. For orientation, it’s worth considering the lagoon area and the waterfall as distinct natural highlights of the department.

La Visite National Park is located in Séguin, in the area of Marigot in Sud-Est. It includes pine forest and scattered fragments of broadleaf forest. As a highland national park in southern Haiti, La Visite encompasses several mountains. The park’s species profile includes 17 frog species, 18 reptile species and 74 bird species. Its forest types, highland landscape and biodiversity give this natural area a different character from the lagoons and waterfalls.

Bassin Bleu and Raymond-les-Bains

Bassin Bleu is located in the hills above Jacmel in southeastern Haiti. Four cobalt-blue pools are connected by waterfalls; they are called Cheval, Yes, Palmiste and Clair. Visitors can hike between the pools, swim in the cool waters and jump from waterfalls. Check the current operating arrangements before your visit.

In the wider region, Raymond-les-Bains is located between Jacmel and Cayes-Jacmel. The beach slopes gently toward the water and has soft, smooth sand. Grilled fish is considered a local specialty there. A farmers’ market also shapes the townscape in Marigot; Saturday is listed as market day. Check locally before planning a market visit.

This helps you choose a destination based on your interests before comparing specific hotel offers.

Discover more destinations: Jacmel, Cotterelle, Nippes, Nord, Grand'anse Department, Sud Department, Artibonite Department, Ouest.

For the broader travel overview: Haiti.