Things to Do in Haiti in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Shoulder Season · Good Value
December Weather in Haiti
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
86°F (30°C)
High Temp
66°F (19°C)
Low Temp
2.0 inches (51 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + December is the start of Haiti's dry season - afternoon downpours shrink to 20-minute bursts instead of the usual two-hour soak, so you can plan full days outdoors without a backup umbrella
- + Humidity drops just enough (70%) that your shirt stays mostly dry while walking Port-au-Prince's Grand Rue art district, where the paint fumes from the famous iron market feel refreshing instead of suffocating
- + Hotel rates haven't yet spiked for Christmas - you'll find rooms in Pétion-Ville and Jacmel at shoulder-season prices if you book before the 15th
- + Beach towns like Jacmel and Port-Salut are at their postcard best: water turns that impossible Caribbean turquoise, and the normally choppy Atlantic coast calms enough for swimming without getting sand-blasted
Considerations
- − Nights in the mountains (Kenscoff, Furcy) can drop to 15°C (59°F) - taxi drivers will crank windows shut and the diesel smell gets intense because nobody's used to needing heat
- − Power cuts spike as everyone runs fans at night. Guesthouses without generators become saunas after midnight when the grid fails
- − Christmas week (Dec 20-Jan 2) triples domestic travel - think Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haïtien flights booked solid, and every bus station becomes a shouting match over last seats
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
Jacmel Carnival Mask Workshops
December is when artisans start building next February's giant papier-mâché masks - you can watch them layer newspaper and cassava starch in courtyard studios while kids practice rara rhythms on battered tambours. Morning light hits the colonial balconies well for photography, and humidity is low enough that paint dries quickly, so workshops smell of fresh acrylic instead of mildew.
Booking Tip: Show up before 9am when artisans are still fresh. Ask permission to watch, then tip 200-500 gourdes if you photograph. No formal tours needed - just walk Rue du Commerce and follow the sound of hammering.
Bassin Bleu Cliff Jumps and Swimming
The three-tier waterfall near Jacmel is at its clearest in December - rainfall has refilled the cobalt pools but hasn't stirred up sediment. Morning sun filters through the jungle canopy at the perfect angle for that Instagram shot, and the 15-minute scramble down the rope-assisted trail is manageable now that rocks aren't slime-covered from constant rain.
Booking Tip: Hire a motorcycle taxi from Jacmel (look for drivers wearing actual helmets) who knows the unmarked turn-off past Marbial village. Go early - by 11am cruise-ship groups arrive and the echo chamber effect ruins the jungle soundtrack.
Port-au-Prince Iron Market Food Tours
December mornings mean you can stand over the charcoal grills without fainting - try sizzling griot pork chunks tossed with pickled scotch-bonnet pikliz that makes your nose run in the best way. Market women set up plastic tables by 6:30am, and the December breeze carries cinnamon from pain patate sweet potato cake vendors who only appear during cool months.
Booking Tip: Go with a Kreyòl-speaking guide who can negotiate tasting portions. Tell them you want the upstairs spice section where dried thyme and cloves perfume the air thick enough to taste.
Kenscoff Mountain Coffee Farm Visits
At 1,500m (4,920 ft) elevation, December mornings feel like spring in California - you can hike between coffee terraces without the usual tropical sweat-fest. Farmers are harvesting the last red cherries, and the mechanical depulpers run all day, filling the air with sweet, fermenting fruit smell that's better than any coffee-shop diffuser.
Booking Tip: Take a taptap to Kenscoff Saturday market, then hitch a ride on the back of a pickup heading to Furcy - farmers will point you toward family plots. Bring a jacket. Clouds roll in at 2pm and temps drop fast.
Labadee Zip-Line Over Atlantic Headlands
December trade winds calm just enough that the 800m (2,625 ft) zip-line over Labadee's coves doesn't feel like horizontal hail. The sea turns that impossible gradient from navy to tourmaline, and you can keep your eyes open the whole ride instead of squinting against salt spray.
Booking Tip: Ship days are busiest - if you're staying on the north coast, book for late afternoon when cruise passengers have re-boarded and the light turns golden on the limestone cliffs.
Where to Stay in Haiti in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Early December
Fête de la Sainte-Barbe
December 4th in Plaine-du-Nord turns into a muddy, candle-lit pilgrimage where thousands walk barefoot to the St. James shrine, leaving wax puddles that smell of burnt honey and vetiver. Vendors sell hot akasan corn porridge ladled from steel drums - it's the only time you'll see Haitians drinking something steaming.
Weekends in December
Jacmel's Weekend Rara Street Parties
Every Saturday night in December, compas bands set up on Jacmel's waterfront and block traffic until 3am. The bamboo vaksin horns create a sound that vibrates your ribcage, and locals pass around Barbancourt rum in plastic cups while kids dance barefoot on the cooling asphalt.
Packing Checklist
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Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Haiti Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Exchange money at the supermarket in Pétion-Ville (Pierre-Marie Bran) - rates beat banks and the security guard smiles
Download the 'Radio Kiskeya' app before you arrive. It's the fastest way to hear about sudden protests that block Route Nationale 1. Check it daily. Stay ahead of traffic chaos.
Order 'fresco' shaved ice from women pushing Styrofoam boxes in Port-au-Prince. December's lower humidity means syrup freezes instead of turning to slush. Pay 25 gourdes. Taste winter in the tropics.
Tell guesthouse owners you're willing to eat 'manje lakay' (home food). Most will invite you to family dinner for half the restaurant price and twice the flavor. Bring small gift. Say thank you loudly.
Avoid These Mistakes
Assuming December means no rain is a rookie error. Afternoon squalls still happen, just shorter. Tourists get stranded on Île-à-Vâche without return boats because they didn't check the sky. Watch clouds. Ask captains.
Booking Christmas-week flights after December 1st is financial suicide. Domestic routes sell out to diaspora families, and prices triple. Buy early. Cry once.
Wearing flip-flops in Port-au-Prince courts infection. Streets turn into open sewers during sudden drains, and broken glass doesn't care about your pedicure. Wear shoes. Save feet.
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