On a Sunday night before Carnival, the sound of a parade reaches you before you see it: drums and recorded music spilling down the hill roads of Pétion-Ville, dancing crowds moving with it, the whole thing running past one in the morning. This is a commune in the hills east of Port-au-Prince, long a residential and touristic district where diplomats, foreign merchants and wealthy residents keep homes.
It suits travellers who want a base in the hills rather than in the capital itself, and who are comfortable with a place where affluence and hardship sit close together. This guide covers what the sources actually document: a country club with Haiti's only golf course, a handful of long-established hotels and clubs, a cabaret, and the pre-Carnival street parades.
Top things to do in Pétion-Ville
1. Street parades before Carnival
On Sunday nights before Carnival, Pétion-Ville frequently hosts street parades with live or recorded music and dancing. They are exhilarating to see and hear, and they can run very late, going on until 01:00 or 02:00 into Monday.
If you are not Haitian, it may be safer to watch from a distance rather than join the crowd. Plan the following morning loosely, since the parades do not end early.
2. Cabane Choucoune
Cabane Choucoune is a cabaret and thatch-roofed club, built in 1940 by Max Ewald. It is known as one of the best méringue dance clubs, and has featured Haitian artists such as Nemours Jean-Baptiste as well as international entertainers.
Go for the dancing rather than as a quiet drink. Pair it with an evening in the commune rather than trying to combine it with a daytime outing.
3. Club de Pétion-Ville
The Club de Pétion-Ville country club was built in the 1930s and has Haiti's only golf course, a nine-hole course. It also contains tennis courts and a swimming pool.
Note that despite the name, the Club de Pétion-Ville is not in the suburb of Pétion-Ville but is actually in Bourdon, so treat it as a separate trip rather than something you walk to from the centre.
4. El Rancho Hotel & Casino
The El Rancho Hotel & Casino is in Pétion-Ville. It was built from the private estate of Albert Silvera, a sports and luxury car collector who was one of the pioneers of Haiti's hotel industry.
It is one of the established addresses in the commune, useful if you want a base with a casino on site.
5. Hotel Karibe
In the neighbourhood of Juvenat, the Hotel Karibe is a 174-room hotel with a spa, restaurant and conference centre. In 2014 it hosted the Miss Haiti pageant.
Its restaurant and spa make it a practical stop if you are based elsewhere in the commune and want a full-service hotel for an afternoon or evening.
6. Union School Haiti
Union School Haiti is in Pétion-Ville. It is one of the institutions that gives the commune its residential, family character.
This is a school rather than a visitor attraction, so treat it as context for the neighbourhood rather than a destination to plan a day around.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start with the Club de Pétion-Ville, remembering that it sits in Bourdon rather than in the suburb itself, and that its nine-hole course is Haiti's only golf course, with tennis courts and a swimming pool alongside.
Afternoon: Return to the commune and spend the afternoon at the Hotel Karibe in Juvenat, using its restaurant and spa, or at the El Rancho Hotel & Casino if you would rather be based around the casino.
Evening: Have dinner, then go to Cabane Choucoune for méringue dancing in the thatch-roofed club. If it is a Sunday night before Carnival, leave time for the street parades, which can run until 01:00 or 02:00 into Monday; if you are not Haitian, watch from a distance.
Frequently asked questions
When do the street parades take place?
On Sunday nights before Carnival. They feature live or recorded music and dancing, and can go very late, running until 01:00 or 02:00 into Monday.
Is the Club de Pétion-Ville actually in Pétion-Ville?
No. Despite the name, the Club de Pétion-Ville is not in the suburb of Pétion-Ville but is actually in Bourdon.
What kind of music can you hear at Cabane Choucoune?
It is known as one of the best méringue dance clubs, and has featured Haitian artists such as Nemours Jean-Baptiste as well as international entertainers.
Where can you stay in Pétion-Ville?
The El Rancho Hotel & Casino is in Pétion-Ville, and the Hotel Karibe, with 174 rooms, a spa, restaurant and conference centre, is in the neighbourhood of Juvenat.
Decide which night of your trip you want to give to the parades, and build the rest of your days around that.