Is it safe to travel to Haiti? Latest update as Foreign Office issues warning to UK holidaymakers travelling to Caribbean destination

British holidaymakers have been warned to completely avoid one Caribbean country this year. The Caribbean has plenty of gorgeous islands that are perfectly safe to visit, however the UK government has warned British tourists not to travel to any part of Haiti until further notice due to a state of emergency on the island.

The advice was updated on the gov.uk website recently. It states that no part of the nation is safe to travel to and a curfew is in place in Haiti. 

The Foreign Office is now advising against all travel to Haiti for British holidaymakers. The gov.uk website states: "FCDO advises against all travel to Haiti due to the volatile security situation. There are currently no British consular officials in Haiti and our ability to provide consular assistance is severely limited and cannot be delivered in person in Haiti."

Haiti is a Caribbean country that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic to its east. It's situated not far from Jamaica, the Bahamas and Cuba. If you are island hopping around the Caribbean you should not make a stop in Haiti as you could get into difficulty if there is no UK "consular assistance" to help you get out.

In addition, a large prison outbreak has made the nation further unsafe for travellers and a curfew is in place. The information released states: "On 3 March, prisoners escaped after gangs overwhelmed security forces at the main prison in Port au Prince, Haiti’s capital.

"The government has declared a state of emergency until 3 April 2024, applying to all areas in the Department de l’Ouest. Under the state of emergency, a curfew for citizens will run from 7pm on 11 March to 5am every day until 14 March 2024."

This means that according to the government "no travel can be guaranteed safe". The government also warned: "If you choose to travel to or stay in Haiti against FCDO advice, check local media and make sure you have contingency plans in place.

"Be vigilant at all times, tell family and friends about your travel plans and carefully consider your movements in advance, taking the safest routes available. The security situation is unpredictable and crime levels are high."

It also said that the border with the Dominican Republic is currently closed. The Foreign Office added: "There are sometimes violent demonstrations, protests and roadblocks. Stay away from political rallies and crowds. Public transport is often disrupted because of blocked roads and security incidents, which can lead to fuel and food shortages."