Port-au-Prince Safety Guide
Health, security, and travel safety information
Emergency Numbers
Save these numbers before your trip.
Healthcare
What to know about medical care in Port-au-Prince.
Port-au-Prince's healthcare system splits between threadbare public hospitals and private clinics that match international standards. Serious cases routinely fly to Miami or Santo Domingo for treatment.
Canapé Vert Hospital, Hospital Bernard Mevs, and Hospital Universitaire d'État are the main facilities. Private clinics like Hospital Eliazar Germain in Petion-Ville serve international patients with English-speaking staff.
Major pharmacies include Pharmacie Canez, Pharmacie de l'Europe, and Pharmacie Populaire. Bring prescription medications because local stock is hit-or-miss. Counterfeit pills circulate, stick to established pharmacies.
Complete travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage is essential, not optional.
- ✓ Carry a doctor's letter for prescription medications and keep them in original packaging.
- ✓ Know your blood type as local blood banks face shortages
Common Risks
Be aware of these potential issues.
Armed robbers target vehicles and pedestrians, in traffic jams and after dark.
Express kidnappings: victims are held briefly while forced to drain cash from ATMs.
Pickpocketing and bag snatching in crowded areas and markets
Protests, roadblocks, and violent demonstrations can explode with little warning.
Scams to Avoid
Watch out for these common tourist scams.
Street money changers promise good rates but use sleight of hand to shortchange customers or slip in counterfeit bills.
Imposters posing as police demand to search bags or cars, then steal valuables.
Unofficial porters grab bags at the airport and demand inflated tips for minimal help.
Safety Tips
Practical advice to stay safe.
- • Use only pre-arranged airport transfers through your hotel. Skip taxis at Toussaint Louverture Airport.
- • Move between cities with reputable security companies. Avoid public transportation.
- • Keep vehicle windows up and doors locked, even in traffic, on Route de Delmas.
- • Book hotels in Petion-Ville or the diplomatic quarter that have 24-hour security and backup generators.
- • Ask for rooms between 2nd-7th floors for security while staying within reach of fire services.
- • Verify that your hotel has safe deposit facilities and 24-hour reception staff
- • Carry a charged phone with local emergency numbers programmed and a backup power bank.
- • Maintain copies of passport and documents in separate locations from originals
- • Establish check-in protocols with contacts at home and local embassy/consulate
Information for Specific Travelers
Safety considerations for different traveler groups.
Women travelers face extra hurdles in Port-au-Prince's male-dominated public spaces. Yet many businesswomen and NGO workers operate effectively when they take the right precautions.
- → Wear modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees, at religious sites or markets.
- → Consider attending evening events or visiting unfamiliar spots with male colleagues.
- → Ignore street harassers, no eye contact, no conversation, and walk with confident posture.
Same-sex relationships are legal but same-sex marriage is not recognized. No complete anti-discrimination protections exist.
- → Reserve rooms in international hotel chains known for LGBTQ+ friendly policies.
- → Keep public displays of affection low-key, in downtown areas.
- → Reach out to local LGBTQ+ organizations like Kouraj for up-to-date safety advice.
Travel Insurance
Protect yourself before you travel.
With Port-au-Prince's thin medical system and high security risks, full insurance with evacuation coverage isn't optional, it's what keeps you alive in a crisis.
Ready to plan your trip to Port-au-Prince?
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