The old coffee port of Jacmel on Haiti's southern coast was once a beautiful city, with marvelous French colonial buildings and black-sand beaches. In the 1950's, then leader Duvalier cut off trade with Jacmel and the city started declining. Despite of that, Jacmel retains much of its former glamour and most of the 19th-century colonial architecture has been quiet well preserved.
Numerous buildings have been converted into galleries and shops. Apart from the colonial architecture, you'll find several Vodou temples in town. The bustling Saturday market is well worth a visit. Some 12 km (7.5 miles) from Jacmel are the lovely waterfalls and pools of Bassins Bleu.
The days leading up to Ash Wednesday, Carnival, or Mardi Gras is celebrated. The festivities involve street theater with actors that wear huge papier-mâchée masks and act out parables of good versus evil.
There are several hotels and restaurants in Jacmel. The city is 40 km south of Port-au-Prince.
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