Haiti: Harbours, bridges and formalities for sailors
8 harbours
Haiti: 8 harbours, clearing in, papers and fees. Plan your trip with weather, tides and route.
Formalities
outside the EU customs unionCurrency: Gourde, US dollar widely used
Clearing in: Independent state, outside the EU and Schengen. The German Foreign Office warns against all travel to the whole country (gang violence, kidnappings, above all in Port-au-Prince): do not go. There are no official ports of entry for yachts; clearance is done in commercial ports (Cap-Haïtien, Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, Les Cayes), in small harbours with immigration only. The only place used to yachts is Île-à-Vache. Since 22 June 2026 vessels arriving in the USA from Haitian ports must meet conditions set by the US Coast Guard.
Ausreise: Clear out at a port of entry before departure (port clearance): the next state asks for the certificate on clearing in.
Documents: Passport valid for six months; Germans visa-free up to 90 days. Boat papers, crew list.
Fees: Fees vary by port and are often cash only.
Fairway: Buoyage follows IALA system B: red to starboard when entering from seaward, the reverse of Europe. Buoys and lights are patchy or missing; enter only in daylight.
Nature: Hardly any protected areas with rules for yachts; many fish traps in the bays.
Tropical storm season: 1 June to 30 November, peak August to October; Haiti lies on the track of many storms. Insurers usually exclude Haiti: check your policy.
Emergency: Police 114, ambulance 116; the police coast guard (Garde-Côtes) on VHF channel 16, without a reliable listening watch.
Sources: Noonsite: Haiti, Clearance, US Coast Guard: Conditions of Entry for Vessels Arriving from Haiti, Auswärtiges Amt: Haiti, travel and safety advice (as of 2026-10-20)
Harbours by cruising area
Haiti: Jacmel
Haiti: north coast (Cap-Haïtien)
Haiti: Île-à-Vache and Les Cayes
Frequently asked questions
Haiti: Do I need to clear in?
Independent state, outside the EU and Schengen. The German Foreign Office warns against all travel to the whole country (gang violence, kidnappings, above all in Port-au-Prince): do not go. There are no official ports of entry for yachts; clearance is done in commercial ports (Cap-Haïtien, Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, Les Cayes), in small harbours with immigration only. The only place used to yachts is Île-à-Vache. Since 22 June 2026 vessels arriving in the USA from Haitian ports must meet conditions set by the US Coast Guard.
Haiti: Which documents do I need on board?
Passport valid for six months; Germans visa-free up to 90 days. Boat papers, crew list.
Haiti: What fees apply?
Fees vary by port and are often cash only.
Haiti: What is the emergency number at sea?
Police 114, ambulance 116; the police coast guard (Garde-Côtes) on VHF channel 16, without a reliable listening watch.
Haiti: How many harbours does Sailseer cover?
Sailseer covers 8 harbours with harbour info, weather and route planning.