Description

Located on the southwest coast of Haiti, 30 minutes by boat, that is, 10 km from the city of Les Cayes, Ile-à-Vache is a small island jewel known as one of the most beautiful in the Caribbean. The story goes that between the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century, the island was the scene of various political battles between the colonists for their conquest. It served as a refuge for Caribbean pirates and was nicknamed Treasure Island by the famous English captain Henry Morgan and nowadays a hotel on the island bears this name. With its 14,000 inhabitants who live from fishing and agriculture in an area of 45 km², legend has it that Île-à-Vache received its name due to the number of cows that circulated there. This corner is a true paradise where happiness is highlighted with a calm and peaceful nature. 

Biodiversity

At the heart of a natural charm, between white sand and a turquoise sea, mango trees in abundance, plains and valleys that dot its western part, Île-à-Vache fascinates with its paradisiacal landscapes. Its ecosystem is made up of mountains, forests, coral reefs, more than twenty virgin beaches of spectacular beauty, and a mangrove forest classified as one of the most important in Haiti where many rare species coexist. 

With an area of 11,235 hectares, Île-à-Vache was declared a National Park on August 7, 2013. 

Ecotourism potential

The tourist industry is most developed in the western part of the island, an area called Kakok. This tourist area includes 3 hotels: Société Morgan, Village vacance and Abaka bay. Due to its many bays and large mangroves, the geographical space of Kakok is the most suitable place to receive tourists looking to stay several days on the island. Here you will be able to observe the fishermen at work, visit the mangrove conservancy and savor the beauty of the island. In other words, Île-à-Vache has enormous potential for the development of the blue economy, that is, the economy that recognizes the importance of the seas and oceans as drivers of the economy due to their great potential for innovation and growth.