Canvas vs. Downtown Jacmel: Celebrating Haitian Heritage Month

When you think of Haitian art, you might think of the canvas’ or metal you can buy on the beach or near the touristy spots in Haiti. 

Something similar to this? 

There is SO MUCH beauty in Haiti to see, however, these beautiful canvases are not able to show you the true beauty of the architecture and nature of Haiti. Let’s take you on a tour in downtown Jacmel, and the surrounding area, also known as Haiti’s cultural treasure. 

Here’s a FUN FACT:

Did you know that the architecture in Jacmel is what inspired New Orleans? 

As the first capital of Haiti and founded in 1698, originally, Jacmel was developed to boost the production and trade of sugar. Over time, its interests turned to coffee. And for all you coffee lovers out there, if you have not experienced coffee from Jacmel, Haiti, put it on your bucket list! 

The city was booming, but in 1896 Jacmel suffered a major setback, a great fire that destroyed the majority of the city. This could have been a disaster, but instead something wonderful happened that ultimately led to the display of versatility that can still be seen in its culture today. BEAUTY FROM THE ASHES! Jacmel rebuilt streets of houses and the cast-iron-furnished buildings that remained came to influence the iconic architecture of New Orleans. More infomation HERE.

The historic district of Jacmel with its many artistic ‘gingerbread’ style houses and mansions, displaying just one level of the artistic pedigree that has yet to be fully discovered. The beautiful oceanfront town of Jacmel in the Southeast Region of Haiti is known for its gorgeous scenery and incredible vibrant art and cultural scene. A must see for any visitor to Haiti! More information HERE.

Haiti is home to diverse landscapes and rich beauty. The colors are just as rich as the history with pops of blues and greens spread across the town. The photo below is from the iconic Hotel Florita, known for its classic gingerbread style architecture.  More images HERE.

The colorful Jacmel boardwalk along the coastline.

Tucked away in the heart of the mountains of Jacmel is Bassin Bleu, a series of 3 deep natural pools tucked away in the mountains. One of them being Bassin Clair, considered to be the most beautiful one, as it is sheltered and surrounded by smooth rocks draped with maidenhair and creeper ferns and always filled with water from a waterfall. This natural treasure, while always gorgeous in photos, must be experienced in person to understand the full beauty. Floating in the crystal clear blue water of the pool below the falls, or for the more daring, climbing the rock to dive from the falls, one could spend an entire day in this natural swimming pool!

THANK YOU

We thank you for journeying with us to the Southeast Region of Haiti on our visit to Jacmel in celebration of Haitian Heritage Month! We urge you to stay tuned to our blogs to learn more about the beautiful secrets Haiti is waiting to share with you!