Discover Ile a Vache in Haiti

July 22, 2014 8:05 PM

The French word "Île-à-Vache" or Spanish "Isla Vaca" all translate to English as "Cow Island". Once it was called as 'Abaka' by the native Indians. It is one of Haiti's satellite islands located in the Baie de Cayes about 10.5 kilometers or 6.5 miles off the coast of Haiti's southwest peninsula between the town of Pointe l'Abacou and Les Cayes in south central Haiti. Île-à-Vache as a part of Hispaniola was once claimed by the Spanish since the visit of Christopher Columbus in 1492. It came under the control of the French by the Treaty of Ryswick in 1697 who named it by the current name "Île-à-Vache".

Découvrez L'Île-à-vache

The present government of Haiti has taken some major steps to develop a low-density eco-tourism-style development program so that it can generate a sustainable economic growth for the local community. The Ministry of Tourism has proposed to build 1500 comfortable bungalows and villas on this 52 square km island. They have plans to highlight the local cultural heritage, history and nurture every potential of agro tourism.