A CAP-tivating Adventure

If you ever travel to Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, you will quickly figure out that there are several ways to get around the city. Which one you choose is determined by your personal needs or the needs of your group. Deciding where and how you want to go then tells you which form of transportation makes the most sense. The cost of your options can range from zero to approximately US$100 for a whole week.

Cap-Haïtien: Take One

On my first visit to Cap-Haïtien, I was with a small group. We arrived at the airport, exited the plane directly onto the tarmac, and proceeded to customs, which was in a small room about the size of a shoe store. After grabbing our luggage, we were greeted by swarms of men offering us their taxis. Our transportation had been arranged in advance, but our driver was lost in the sea of men all trying to do one thing—make a living.

When we finally loaded into our air-conditioned van and began to drive through the city, I was overloaded with the local sights. There were motorcycles with up to six people riding on them or dragging large bundles of rebar behind them. Tap-taps, colorful pickup trucks converted into a sort of bus, were plentiful. I also noticed private cars, school buses, people walking, people riding donkeys, and large trucks.

Did I mention that all of these modes of transportation managed to squeeze into a two-lane road?

Adaptation of “Tap Tap Moto & Femme” by iolanda. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. 

Cap-Haïtien: Take Two

Very few Haitians own passenger cars, fewer than five for every 1,000 people. Gas was expensive at the time of my visit, at approximately US$4 per gallon. Some roads can be bumpy, pothole-filled dirt paths, so keeping a car in working order can require frequent maintenance.

When you consider that many Haitians live on very limited incomes, it is easy to understand why people rely heavily on tap-taps and motorcycle taxis known as motos. At the time of my visit, a tap-tap ride could cost about US$0.15 one way, while a trip by moto might cost around US$0.80, depending on the distance.

Here I am with my friends all riding to school on a moto together. Travelers often opt for motos if they need to get directly from point A to point B quickly. On my rides, we traveled without helmets on crowded streets with few traffic signals, unsheltered in rain or shine.

If you plan to take a tap-tap, be ready to release all your preferences about personal space! Depending on the time of day and the physical size of the riders, anywhere from 10 to 20 people can be crammed into the back of a tap-tap. They also make frequent stops to allow passengers to get off and on. Some tap-taps have roofs, but you’ll nevertheless be exposed to the elements, smells, and throngs of other travelers all just trying to get to their destinations.

Which adventure would you choose?

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