Labadee Beach

A horseshoe-shaped bay set into the northern coastline, Labadee is the beach of choice for the cruise ships that regularly call at Haiti.

The beach stretches over a mile of soft, silky sand, and crystal-clear blue waters. Labadee is on the same coast as the beautiful Cormier beach, but offers a unique array of attractions catering to visitors who arrive on the cruise ships.

You don’t need to join a cruise to get here though – while the Haitian government leases a portion of the bay to Royal Caribbean, most of the area is open to other visitors, and many of the attractions can be accessed by non-cruise guests for a fee.

Feeling adventurous?

Labadee beach is home to top-notch adventure attracions including coastal tours, water parks, kayaking, snorkelling and the Dragon’s Breath – the world’s longest over-water zip-line.

If you’re planning to come to Labadee for any of these activities, you’ll want to time your trip to coincide with a visit from one of the cruise liners.

We recommend getting in touch with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, or Azamara Club Cruises. This is where you will be able to get information on which attractions are open when, at what fee, and which ones are accessible to visitors of the area who are not passengers of the cruise ship.

Getting there

If you are not coming to Labadee via a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, you can reach it by taking a plane, bus or car to the city of Cap-Haïtien. From there, Labadee is but a thirty minute drive away.

Driving along the coast, you’ll have to resist the urge to stop, drop, and hop into the water at local beaches like Kaylolo or Chato Relaxo, but the wait will be worth it. Although popular with big cruise ships, Labadee remains one of the most homey, warm, welcoming places the north coast has to offer.

Tips for making the most of your trip

The beaches here have lovely tropical water but can be rocky underfoot – bring water shoes to make it easier on your feet.

Lounges along the beach are free, but staff expect a tip for setting them up. Bring single HTGs or American dollars with you so that you don’t get caught out.

If you’re looking to experience real Haitian culture, be aware that you won’t find much of it at Labadee. No problem, though (or as Haitians say, pa gen pwoblem): you’ll find plenty of Arts & Culture in nearby Cap-Haïtien.

An important note for cruise ship passengers who would like to explore more of Labadee and of the North of Haiti in general is that the area where the ships dock is a beach resort cut off from the rest of the island. Cruise ship passengers are limited to staying on the beach resort grounds. Attractions made available there are open to passengers, but visiting places like the Citadelle, Sans-Souci Palace, Dondon or the city of Cap-Haïtien itself is not possible.

Although heavily commercialized, Labadee is still a gorgeous, tropical delight worth visiting whether you are on a cruise ship or as part of an independent Haitian adventure.

Written by Kelly Paulemon.

Published April 2019