Dondon Caves

The limestone around Dondon is riddled with caves, and several of them carry Taíno work: petroglyphs cut into the walls, faces and figures around the openings, and chambers that were clearly used rather than simply sheltered in. The Voûte à Minguet is the best known. The Taíno of Hispaniola were largely gone within a few generations of contact, and these caves are among the clearest things they left in what is now Haiti. Local guides take visitors in with torches.

What you actually see

• The petroglyphs - Taino figures and faces cut into the cave walls.
• The Voute a Minguet - the largest and best known of the chambers.
• The cave system - several openings in the limestone around the town.
• The setting - hill country above Dondon, with the Nord plain beyond.

When to go

November to March is drier, which matters because the caves take water and the approach paths become slippery. Torches are needed year-round. Mornings are cooler for the walk up.

Honest expectations

There is no interpretation on site and no lighting; what you get depends entirely on the guide. The carvings have suffered from graffiti and handling, and touching them makes it worse. The paths in are steep and rough.

Nearby

Cap-Haitien is north, and the Citadelle at Milot is on the same side of the plain.