2013 Delta Travel Guide - (Page 26)

JAMAICA HAITI Port-au-Prince Most people know that Haiti was an unstable country in the last days of the Duvalier regime and for a decade or so after it fell. They know it’s the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and that it was slammed by earthquakes and horriﬁc ﬂooding in 2010. What you’re about to read, though, is nine things you may not know about Haiti. First, Haiti’s beaches are among the most pristine in the entire Caribbean region. Second, the 200-year-old Citadelle, built on a hilltop by a Haitian ruler to prevent the French from reconquering his island (Haiti, you may recall, became the world’s ﬁrst postcolonial black nation when it won independence in 1804), is as dramatic as a castle can get. How, you wonder, did they ever manage to build that up there? Third, this same Haitian ruler built a massive and extravagant palace—he even called it Sans Souci— whose ruins are now open to visitors. (Same question: How’d they do this?) And speaking of architectural wonders, virtually all of Port-au-Prince’s intricately carved gingerbread houses survived the twin catastrophes of 2010. We’re up to No. 6: Haiti has some lovely hotels, most of which are astonishingly underpriced, a welcome anomaly in the Caribbean. For example, in Petionville, the afﬂuent area uphill from Port-au-Prince, Hotel El Rancho and the Kinam Hotel offer both style and value. Seven: Restaurants in Port-au-Prince and especially in Petionville come in all ﬂavors—Creole, classic French, Italian, Asian fusion, Lebanese.... Our eighth surprise is that although Haiti has relatively few real beach resorts, the Kaliko Beach Club, which lies about an hour from downtown Port-au-Prince, offers nice suites in high season from $115 a night—with breakfast and WiFi. Finally, the Haitian government has sparked the restoration and revival of historic Jacmel, on the southern coast. Cap Lamandou Waterview Hotel is spending several million dollars on upgrades, and a Miami-based company is building Le Village de Port-Jacmel, a boutique hotel and entertainment complex scheduled to open this spring. An additional $40 million is going toward the development of the airport and a convention center. Stay tuned for more surprises next year. FACTS BEST TIME TO GO: December through July FUN FACT: If you want black pepper in Jamaica, use that very phrase, because the word “pepper” gets you hot sauce GETTING THERE: Delta ﬂies from Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis and New York (JFK) to Montego Bay ENTRY DOCUMENTS: Valid passport CURRENCY: Jamaican dollar MUST-TRY LOCAL FOOD: Jamaican patties—beef, chicken, or vegetarian—whichever you like, mon BEST BUYS: The Gallery of West Indian Art in Montego Bay is, arguably, the greatest gallery in the Caribbean INFORMATION PLEASE: Jamaica Tourist Board—visitjamaica.com FACTS BEST TIME TO GO: November through April FUN FACT: The name “Haiti” comes from the Taino word ayti, which means “mountainous land” GETTING THERE: Delta ﬂies from Atlanta and New York (JFK) to Port-au-Prince ENTRY DOCUMENTS: Valid passport CURRENCY: Haitian gourde - MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD: Bouillon—not what you think—is a hearty stew consisting of various spices, potatoes, tomatoes, and meats such as goat or beef BEST BUYS: Handicrafts from Comité Artisanal Haitïen in Port-au-Prince INFORMATION PLEASE: Haiti Tourism—visithaiti.gouv.ht Montego Bay MoBay and its environs have plenty to offer, from duty-free shopping at City Centre to hand-made items at the Montego Craft Market, and from Rose Hall Great House, a historic sugar plantation, to the Rastafari cultural experience at Montego River Gardens. Montego Bay is also home to the Gallery of West Indian Art, an emporium that sells extraordinary works by artists from Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and other countries. But even so, when most visitors land at MoBay’s airport, they head straight to their resorts.The neighborhood has quite a lot of them, especially all-inclusives—Iberostar, RIU, Secrets, Sandals, Holiday Inn Sunspree, and more—but that’s not the whole picture. Storied classics like Half Moon and The Ritz-Carlton Golf and Spa Resort Rose Hall, Jamaica, are also in the area. The world-famous White Witch Golf Course is part of the Ritz-Carlton, which also provides an array of luxury accommodations, other land and watersports, child-care services, and good taste—in and beyond the restaurants. East of Montego Bay, Ocho Rios has even more resorts, including all-inclusives listed above, Couples, Beaches, and elegant boutique hotels like the Jamaica Inn and Goldeneye, an Island Outpost hideaway built around James Bond author Ian Fleming’s house. Coincidentally (or not?), it was in this part of Jamaica that Ursula Andress emerged from the sea in “Dr. No” and, you might say, changed the world. Driving in the other direction from MoBay you come to Negril, with its all-inclusives and small, hip hideaways such as The Caves and Rockhouse Hotel. Given Negril’s geographical location, its restaurants and bars also offer the best sunsets on Jamaica. Cocktails, dinner, and some music at the Rockhouse Hotel, The Caves, or Norma’s on the Beach are all highly recommend. Before leaving this island, though, don’t forget the world beyond its hotels and eateries. Jamaica is not just Dunn’s River Falls: Chukka Caribbean Adventures and other companies offer kayaking, river rafting, ziplining, and jeep safars through spectacular rainforest settings. 26 D20-D27.indd 26 12/17/12 2:29 PM http://visithaiti.gouv.ht http://visitjamaica.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2013 Delta Travel Guide

2013 Delta Travel Guide