Petionville
Introduction
Pétion-Ville is a commune and suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, set in the hills east of and separate from the city itself, on the northern slopes of the Massif de la Selle. Founded in 1831 by president Jean-Pierre Boyer, it takes its name from Alexandre Sabès Pétion, the Haitian general and president who is recognized as one of the country's four founding fathers.Before you go
Pétion-Ville sits in the hills east of and separate from Port-au-Prince, on the northern slopes of the Massif de la Selle, and forms part of the capital's metropolitan area. It is named for Alexandre Sabès Pétion, the Haitian general and president counted among the country's founding fathers. Primarily a residential and tourist district, it is one of the most affluent parts of the city and the country, home to diplomats, foreign businessmen and wealthy residents, and the area where most tourist activity takes place.
Expect a hillside town with an appearance of Western normality: nightclubs, beauty salons, fitness gyms and French restaurants, with business and nightlife conducted in a stable community that contrasts sharply with much of greater Port-au-Prince. It has more security than the centre of the capital and than other major Haitian cities, though you should still be careful. Note that despite the district's affluence, weak administrative enforcement has allowed shantytowns to form on its outer edges, where poorer locals have settled while seeking work.
Getting there
To arrive by air, you'll fly into Port au Prince airport (PAP), served by major airlines including American Airlines and Delta, along with smaller flights from the Dominican Republic, Cuba and elsewhere in the Caribbean. From the airport, taxis into Pétion-Ville are the standard option and you should bargain the fare down; tap-taps also run past the airport to points beyond and are far cheaper, costing only a few gourdes. Be aware that tap-taps and buses are crowded and can be dangerous. From Santo Domingo, Caribe Tours runs a once-daily bus to Pétion-Ville, in the hills above Port-au-Prince, and Capital Coach Lines connects Tabarre and Pétion-Ville to Santo Domingo on two separate routes, with an additional station in Pétion-Ville near Oasis. Driving in and out of Pétion-Ville means heavy traffic, though many of the roads are scenic, looking back towards Port-au-Prince.Getting around
Pétion-Ville sits in the hills above Port-au-Prince, and there is no rail, metro, or tram network, so every trip is by vehicle or on foot. The main form of public transport is the tap-tap: brightly decorated passenger pickup trucks that run along prescribed routes throughout the city, with buses also serving the area. Both are cheap, but crowded and, as the source notes, can be dangerous. Most tap-tap routes cost around G10, and to cross the city you may need several routes, each charging separately. Tap-taps can be intimidating if you aren't familiar with them, so ask locally which route serves your destination before you board.
Taxis are the more comfortable option, at around G500 per trip, but use them only during daylight; after dark prices rise substantially and your risk of being mugged increases significantly. No ride-hailing apps are described as operating here, so arrange taxis directly or through your hotel. Walking is pleasant in the residential and touristic areas where visitors tend to stay, and many roads are scenic with views back toward Port-au-Prince, but the city is built on hills and isn't comfortably walkable throughout — for longer trips, or after dark, use a vehicle. Driving yourself is possible, though getting in and out of Pétion-Ville is congested.
Where to stay
For upscale stays, Pétion-Ville offers several established hotels. The Karibe Hotel, in Juvenat, is practically a resort, with a gym, tennis courts and a club pro, a pool, bars and restaurants, and meeting facilities; rooms are polished and rates vary. La Lorraine Boutique Hotel sits on Rue Clerveaux, and 1 Hotel Villa Thérèse is on Rue Leon Nau Nerette. All three are full-service options in the thick of the neighbourhood's dining and nightlife. If you'd rather keep things simple, Mr. Grill, the steakhouse, keeps a few small rooms above the restaurant — a modest, mid-range base with the kitchen right downstairs.Food & drink
For a mid-range meal, head to Rue Rigaud between Clervenau and Faubert, where Mr. Grill serves chicken kebab, fried goat and skirt steak in a relaxed setting, with a live twoubadou band on Saturdays. Across the street, Presse Cafe draws both expats and locals with sandwiches and Haitian dishes, plus Haitian bands on Friday nights and sometimes other evenings. For something grander, Quartier Latin sits at the eastern end of town near the Brazilian Embassy, housed in an old mansion and serving Latin-American food alongside rum sours and dancing to live salsa and merengue. The View, on the corner of Rue Chavannes and Rue Clerveau, occupies the top of a seven-story building and offers everything from Haitian dishes to sushi, with sweeping views over the hills and out to the ocean; service can be slow, but the rum sours are good. To drink, look for Crémas, a coconut-and-vanilla beverage, Rhum Barbancourt, and Biere Prestige — and stick to bottled water.What to see and do
Sunday nights before Carnival bring street parades to Pétionville, with live or recorded music and dancing that can run very late, into Monday morning. If you are not Haitian, it may be safer to watch from a distance, but the parades are still exhilarating to see and hear.Three days in Petionville
Day one: Base yourself in Pétionville, the hillside district above Port-au-Prince that gives this guide its name. Founded as a retreat by Jean-Pierre Boyer, it was named for Alexandre Sabès Pétion, an early Haitian leader, and it remains primarily a residential and commercial quarter. Expect Western and French influences alongside Haitian life, and note that the area sits within the Massif de la Selle range. To reach it from PAP, American Airlines and Delta fly in, with connections via the Dominican Republic and Cuba in the Caribbean.
Day two: From Santo Domingo, take Caribe Tours or Capital Coach Lines toward Tabarre and on to Santo Domingo's Oasis district. Driving is the main way to get around, and both tap-taps and taxis are available. Most visitors use these to move between the capital and the hills.
Day three: No further places are listed in the source, so keep this day for the same Pétionville and Port-au-Prince area covered above.