Have Your Been to Haiti, and Didn't Know It?

The idea of traveling to Haiti on vacation seems like insanity to most Caribbean tourists, and given the nation's current instability, they're probably mostly right. But it turns out that even some of the most timid travelers can lay claim to having visited Haiti, even if they don't know it.

For several years now, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has been including Labadee in its Caribbean itineraries, billing it as a "private paradise" on Hispanola (the island that is home to the Dominican Republic and Haiti). Only recently, however, has the cruise line been acknowledging that Labadee is, in fact, in Haiti, albeit a heavily guarded outpost, safely removed from the troubled capital city of Port au Prince.

A recent article in the New York Times gives a good account of a visit to Labadee, and you can also read some interesting travel blogs on Haiti here. And, of course, you can always check out my Haiti travel section for more information.