Are you planning to visit Labadee, Haiti, on your Royal Caribbean cruise? Find some fantastic shore excursions and things to do while visiting this unique port. Below, we’ve listed the best activities, sights and advice for your Labadee port of call.
The private port of Labadee, Haiti, is leased to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and is used by cruise ships from Royal Caribbean Cruises and Celebrity Cruises.
You can visit sandy beaches, book water sports activities, or zip down from the top of a mountain at a cruise stop in Labadee, Haiti. So Let’s know about the 15 best things to do in Labadee:
1. Rent Cabanas
One of the first things you’ll want to do on a Caribbean vacation is exploring the stunning beaches. If you want a quiet space to relax and get some shade when you need it, you can rent one of the island’s many cabanas while you’re there.
Adding a comfortable beach chair or bed to the cabana rental makes the space even cosier and helps you feel right at home if you’re seeking a more luxurious experience while relaxing on the beach.
2. Shop at the Artisan Market
Are you in the mood to go shopping? Then proceed to the Artisan Market to browse through shops selling handmade crafts and presents with fixed rates so that you can shop without bargaining.
The shops around here offer a wide variety of products, including household goods, accessories, apparel, jewellery, and souvenirs.
Find the Artisan Village, which is a part of the market. Here you can get the best deal.
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At the Artisan Village, you can negotiate over costs and convince the vendors to offer you a decent deal. Make sure you have cash on hand for the trip because this market area only accepts cash.
3. Enjoy At Adrenaline Beach
The coast of the island is dotted with many beaches but Adrenaline Beach is the best of them all. This beach can get very busy and there’s a good reason why: the swim-up bar.
You can swim up to the bar table in this area and order drinks without ever getting out of the water. You can spend the day relaxing on the sand or in a cabana while listening to the island breeze.
4. Nellie’s Beach
As previously noted, Nellie’s Beach has some beautiful beach cabanas and is an excellent area to grab some instagrammable views of your cruise ship.
Renting a cabana here will include golf cart transportation to the ship, buffet, or other locations. You can hire a floating mat at this beach or go kayaking if you’re feeling more adventurous.
5. Delicious Lunch At Labadee
When your cruise ship arrives at this port, a packed barbeque lunch will be waiting for you on the island. This mini-feast is free for all cruise visitors and includes burgers, hot dogs, chicken, and a variety of side dishes from a massive buffet dinner.
Lunch is provided at a covered picnic table area with ocean views. With a terrific lunch and a fantastic idea, it doesn’t get much better than that!
The lunch service begins at 11 a.m., so organise your other activities to ensure you enjoy the complimentary meal before embarking on a new adventure.
6. Take A Ride on the Dragon’s Breath Zipline
One of the most popular things to do on Labadee is to ride on the Dragon’s Breath Zipline. This attraction will take you flying through the air across the island and let you see some incredible views as you ride down the line.
The flight begins at the top of a nearby mountain, where you’ll find a platform to change into your gear and take off. Guides will be on the platform to instruct you on what to do during the ride and ensure you are safe before take-off. On this ride, you can get up to speed fast and reach up to 50 mph, so hold on to your hats!
7. Take the Ferry To Columbus Cove
You want to spend enough time at the beach and enjoy it to leave the Caribbean. At Columbus Cove Beach, you can spend time in the sun without the crowds.
This beach is located on the island’s far side, and most people want to do something other than the long hike to get there. However, with a complimentary ferry ride to the area, you can get there in less time and hit the water more quickly.
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This beach has fewer people than others on the island and is an excellent spot for those who want to put their feet up and read a book while breathing in the fresh sea air.
Quite a few excursions and attractions are offered here, keeping the noise level low, but be on time, so you don’t have to return to the ship before it’s off to the next destination!
8. Adrenaline Ocean Oasis
Adrenaline Beach is a kids’ paradise located in an area that will blow your kids away. The place is equipped with fountains, geysers, and water guns, allowing kids to splash around without worrying about adults getting wet.
Kids can play under the supervision of the ship’s kid’s program, Adventure Ocean, and have a fun day while you keep an eye on them from the comfort of your cabana or beach chair. Or, if you’re keen to join in the fun, you can feel like a kid again and run through the fountains too!
9. Dragon’s Splash Waterslide
Have you ever slid down a massive waterslide with a view of the Caribbean Sea? If not, this is an attraction you should add to your Labadee itinerary. Walk through the forest to see the dragon’s head before sliding down the 300-foot slide and flying into the large splash zone.
Take pictures of your friends and family as they fly out the bottom of the slide and land in the water while you watch others go down the long slide. Yet, whether you choose to slide down or watch other group members descend, you will almost certainly get wet if you are near the splash zone.
10. Ride the Dragon’s Tail
Like many other attractions on the island, this roller coaster has a dragon design, and the ride will transport you to the Middle Ages. The twists and turns of this coaster will whip you back and forth as if you were clinging to the back of a moving dragon’s tail. You’ll view the trees and the ocean on an excursion along the mountainside.
When you reach the top of the ride, you can look over the surroundings and witness the island’s best view. Then you’ll have a lovely descent down to the end of the route, where you’ll ride 30 miles per hour.
Children between the ages of 5 and 11 are only allowed to ride if attended by a guardian. Children under the age of five are not permitted to ride.
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Those with long hair must also have a hair tie or scrunchie to keep their hair back, or they may be denied access to the ride.
11. Arawak Aqua Park
The only iceberg in the Caribbean is visible from the ocean. This one is inflatable and offers climbing holds for your hands and feet. It is part of the Arawak Aqua Park. This inflatable water park has several blow-up structures that float on the water’s surface, allowing youngsters to climb up and explore without getting too far out.
There’s also a rolling log where you may test your talents and a floating trampoline where you can jump in the water. A water slide is also available for individuals looking for a lesser version of the Dragon’s Tail Coaster without the high speeds.
This place is perfect for both young and old children, and both can enjoy the park for an hour for $15 per ticket.
But you should be aware that this trip has age and height restrictions that will prevent youngsters under seven and those under 48 inches tall from enjoying this park. Those under 18 must also have a guardian with them for their excursion.
12. Take a Speedboat Tour
Do you want to check out the island at a brisk pace for a heart-pumping excursion? Then, a speedboat tour would be perfect for you. This tour will take you along the island’s coast, not only the peninsula of Labadee but also the island of Hispaniola. You are overlooking local villages, Amiga Island, and Akul Bay.
This speedboat leaves directly from the shores of Labadee and will drop you back in the same area, so you’re close to the port.
The tour will continue for about 45 minutes before you are taken back to the island, and the boat will reach high speeds, so make sure your luggage is secure on the boat, so you don’t lose anything on the way.
13. Wave Jet Tour
If you’re ready to strike out in Caribbean waters, booking a Wave Jet Tour for your shore excursion is an excellent option for you and any other adventure-seeking guests. After a 30-minute information and safety session, you’ll steer your jet ski into the open water for 50 minutes of pure freedom.
You can whip, turn and zoom in on the open ocean and give yourself a thrilling ride that you will not forget with this wave jet tour. And, if you ever need anything during the ride, trained instructors and guides will be on hand to provide everything you need.
This tour is not for the faint of heart and is not designed for children either. Those under the age of 16 are not allowed to participate.
So, if you have kids with you, ensure they have a guardian to stay with them while you’re on your jet ski before heading out. In addition, alcohol is not allowed around jet skis, and riders are not allowed to drink alcohol before driving. If they are seen doing so, they will not be allowed to go on tour.
14. Caribbean Kayaking
Getting a closer look at the island is pretty cool, but one of the best views in the Caribbean is from the water. You’ll see the entire island with mountains and beaches from a kayak at once. With Kayaking Adventure, you can ride along the water and view the island from the beach while paddling.
Accompanied by informed guides, you will learn about the rich history of the Haitian people and see where historical events took place all around the land while descending through the water. You’ll also be able to shop at the artisan market and pick up some jewelry, clothing, or homemade, handmade items to take home.
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The tour will end with a beach stop for a relaxing end to an exciting day. Spend the rest of the time laying on the warm, white sand on the shore, or dip your toes into the clear waters and take a dip.
15. Luxury Yacht Adventure
Living in the lap of luxury is not an option for everybody, but with a luxury yacht experience in Labadee, you can feel as rich as you are in your dreams. The yacht is a large boat that will take a group of guests into the open waters of the Caribbean, with drinks available onboard for the ride.
Relax on comfy chairs while you watch the waves go by until you hit the stop, where you can go snorkeling or hop in the water with a pool noodle. Whether you want to splash around in the water or stay on the boat, you will have a great time on this luxurious yacht as you listen to music and drink a beverage.
The trip will last three hours and give you plenty of time to get some sun, look at the sea life, and get back to the shore.
Information About Labadee Port
The cruise ships that visit Labadee dock at the island’s northernmost pier. Although the region is typically called a private island, the correct term is peninsula.
Labadee is a private area reserved only for cruise ships, and passengers are not permitted to leave the safe limits of the fenced-in region. The port has extensive activities and excursions, most within walking distance of the pier.
If you want to go further afield, a tram will take you to other locations. Each spot is signposted, much like a bus stop, making it easy for cruisers to see the stops and get to and from their tour or excursion. Alternatively, boarding the ferry will get you there the quickest if you’re going to the farthest beach.
If you ordered a beverage package from Royal Caribbean for your cruise, you could use it in Labadee.
Where is Labadee?
Labadee is a port of call on Haiti’s north coast that Royal Caribbean International has privately leased as an exclusive destination.
Cruise passengers can explore the fenced-in private resort area when they visit Labadee, but excursions do not extend beyond it. Private tours are not available. However, Labadee is not a private island but part of Haiti’s mainland.
Labadee is a port of call for both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. Independence of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, and Harmony of the Seas are currently visiting the port (though not on all sailings). This is subject to change at any time.
What’s the Weather Like in Labadee, Haiti?
Labadee is located in the Caribbean and enjoys excellent mild weather all year. The average temperature is 80°F, with a 10-degree range.
It has a dry season with nearly no rainfall between December and March, the Caribbean’s prime cruise season. The wet season comes throughout the summer, the hottest season.
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There is a greater chance of rain and tropical storms between August and October. July is the hottest month.
Tips When Visiting Labadee, Haiti
When riding the Dragon’s Breath Zipline, use the locker (about $10) to keep your valuables safe. You can retain the vault for the entire day, which is beneficial when swimming and participating in water sports!
When buying at the Artisan’s Market and the Artisan Village, you will require cash (US dollars). It’s also excellent for tipping local beach employees and watersports instructors, who welcome the extra money.
Weather-wise, the best months to visit are between December and April.
Avoid long waits at the Dragon’s Tail Coaster by going there right away.
Take the free tram to view the sights of Labadee. It terminates at Barefoot Station, Dragon Zipline Station, and Town Square.
Bring an insulated drink bottle with you. Stay hydrated at the beach by refilling it for free at the buffet area.
Remember to bring your beach towel because there are no towel stations in Labadee.
I hope you find this article helpful!