12811: Visiting La Tortue: Slavin (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: PSlavin@unicefusa.org

Not to infringe on list members who are working on tourism in Haiti, but I
wanted to recommend a guesthouse on the island of La Tortue. It's owned and
run by Victor Edmund, a Canadian NGO worker who has lived and worked in
Haiti for more than 10 years. He's added several guestrooms to his cottage
on the southshore of the island and is an excellent tourguide to the
island's beaches and wildlife areas. Be sure to ask him to arrange a
motorboat hire. Victor charges about US$30 a night, including breakfast.
When I find his e-mail and mailing address I will send it on, but he can be
reached by telephone on the island at: 509/268-5977. The number is for
Hopital Notre-Dame, the only medical facility on La Tortue. If Victor is
not there, leave a message with hospital medical director Dr. Jean Moliere
and set a time when you can call back -- so Victor can make sure to be
there when you call next time. Give yourself at least a couple of days to
insure that Victor gets the message -- he does not have a phone at his La
Torture guesthouse. I think there are only two landlines on the whole
island (although mobiles from the DR work). There are sailpowered ferries
that get to La Tortue from Port-de-Paix (they leave from the  fishing town
of St. Louis du Nord, just east of Port-de-Paix), but you'll get a lot more
done on a motorboat (the channel crossing takes about 45 minutes on the
boat I rented). The motorboat (with crew) costs about US$20 a day, plus
gas. Be sure to set the price in advance!


Patrick