Arriving at Cap-Haitien Hugo Chavez International Airport in Cap-Haitien means nearby cities such as Milot, Limonade, and Fort-Liberte are all an easy drive away. Cap-Haitien, often called Le Cap, is Haiti's second city, a port on the north coast with pastel houses, wrought-iron balconies, and green mountains rising behind it. It was the richest city of the French colony and later the seat of King Henri Christophe, so history is never far away.

Must-see experiences around Cap-Haitien: - Hike or ride a horse up to the Citadelle Laferriere, a vast mountaintop fortress - Explore the ruined grandeur of Sans-Souci Palace at Milot - Walk the grid of colonial streets and the waterfront boulevard - Visit the cathedral of Notre-Dame on the main square - Spend a beach day at Cormier Plage or Plage Rival west of the city - Eat griot, crispy fried pork, with a heap of pikliz, a fiery pickled slaw - Try diri djon djon, black rice tinted with local mushrooms - Dance to kompa at a weekend party

Milot, about 45 minutes from Cap-Haitien, is the base for both the Citadelle and Sans-Souci, which together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site and remain the most impressive monuments of Haiti's early independence. Limonade sits just east, and Fort-Liberte, around 90 minutes away, wraps around a sheltered bay lined with old colonial forts. Labadee, a mountainous peninsula west of the city, has quiet coves reached by boat. Many Haitians point to the Bois Caiman ceremony near Le Cap as the spark of the 1791 revolution. Check current travel guidance before going, as conditions in Haiti change. When you do visit, the north coast is a powerful place to stand.