Haiti is kinda tricky… and by “tricky” I mean we tried to go during a riot.
Call it the Gemini in me, call it whatever you want — I made it happen
By Marie, CEO of JetLife Vacations
Voted Best Travel Agency 4 Years in a Row
🎤 Live concert w/ Scott Allen Hardy
📅 The Original Plan: 2018
Haiti has always been on my list. Not because it’s “cute for Instagram,” but because of the history:
- The first Black nation to overthrow white slavery.
- A culture layered in strength, religion, and resilience — even with a government that stays in chaos.
If you don’t know, go pick up a few books:
- The Black Jacobins by C.L.R. James
- Avengers of the New World by Laurent Dubois
- Haiti: The Aftershocks of History by Laurent Dubois
Anyway… back in 2018, we were supposed to go. And then my phone blows up:
“Perk, do you see what’s going on in Haiti?”
Look. I don’t watch fake news. Most of it is just sensational drama — and drama equals clicks. I told them, It don’t matter, we going.
Then my customers said, Well… we ain’t, Perk.
And just like that, the people had spoken.
We diverted to Barbados instead. And Barbados? Whew. Top 5 JetLife vacations of all time.
📅 Take 2: 2019
I wasn’t giving up on Haiti. I pushed it to 2019.
A month out? Riots. AGAIN.
So instead of Port-au-Prince, we switched to Labadi. And yes… I flew Spirit.
🚌 The Arrival
The driver picks us up and let me tell you — the streets were covered in trash. Kids swimming in trash-filled water, someone bathing while another person was peeing nearby…
I didn’t take a lot of pictures. Not because I didn’t want memories — but because I refuse to make Haiti look like a poverty poster. They need tourism. Bad.
And now I’m thinking, Oh s**… my customers are already scared. Labadi looks rough. How am I gonna pull this off?*
🌴 Finding Paradise
We finally reach the hotel. And baby… it’s AMAZING.
Sits on a hill, overlooking all of Haiti. The views? Stunning.
Now, Haitian food culture is different. They don’t snack all day like Americans. And this hotel? Snacks were scarce. But in true JetLife fashion, they did have wine — and we drank all of it on the first night. No shade.
🎉 The JetLife Experience in Haiti
Here’s what I planned:
- Haiti Tour + Horseback Riding
- Live concert with my friend Scott Allen Hardy on the rooftop (Scott was amazing. And he smelled really nice. Thanks Scott!)
- Beach day with seafood lunch in the water
- BOOM KAYNE Night Out (and the night I got food poisoning… Don’t eat the ice at Boom Kayne!)
🔑 Final Thoughts
Would I go back to Haiti? Maybe.
Can I make it wonderful? Absolutely.
But here’s my advice if you do decide to go:
- Make sure your hotel is top-tier. Do NOT do a budget trip to Haiti.
- Pack snacks (instant noodles, anything easy — Haiti doesn’t have convenience stores like we do).
- Bring a water filter.
- Bring wine (because they will run out).
- Bring money, extra clothes, and an open heart for the Haitian people — they need it.
- Most importantly: Have an open mind.
- And please… don’t fly Spirit. Not because of the airline, but because of the lounge. Two fans. Maybe ten seats. And the smell? Straight outta the 40,000 Thriller FUNK years. No Shade
🙏 Special thank you to everyone who trusted me on this trip. Even through riots, panic, and detours, we found paradise in Cap-Haïtien together.
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