Les Cayes

Les Cayes is a Caribbean port city on Haiti's southern peninsula and the capital of the Sud department. Long known as Aux Cayes, it serves as the main commercial and travel gateway to the south, with a lively seafront, busy markets and easy access to beaches and nearby islands.

The city was founded in 1726 on the site of the earlier Spanish settlement of Salvatierra de la Sabana, and its name reflects the offshore cays near Île à Vache. Les Cayes has played a notable role in regional history: Simón Bolívar arrived here in late 1815 seeking support before his South American campaigns, and the city has repeatedly rebuilt after hurricanes and earthquakes, including Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and the 2021 southern Haiti earthquake.

Around the city, Gelée Beach is one of Haiti's best-known stretches of white sand, lined with seafood restaurants and a focus of weekend life. The Botanical Garden at Bergeau, the cathedral and the colonial-era centre add to the urban character, while day trips lead to Île à Vache, the Saut-Mathurine waterfall near Camp-Perrin and the beaches of Port-Salut.

The local economy mixes port activity, agriculture, fishing and growing tourism. Southern Haitian food is a highlight, from tonm-tonm and pikliz to grilled conch, fish and lobster served along the coast, and the Gelée area hosts an annual music festival around mid-August.

For visitors, Les Cayes works both as a relaxed coastal base and as a practical hub for exploring the south. Business travellers come for port and regional commerce, while leisure travellers use the city as a starting point for beaches, waterfalls, nature reserves such as Pic Macaya and the car-free island of Île à Vache.