Port-de-Paix is awkward to reach from anywhere. The road from Cap-Haïtien — about 110 km — has improved in recent years but is still slow, with a mountainous middle section. Allow three to four hours by car. Public tap-taps run the route but are uncomfortable and unpredictable.
The faster option is to fly. Sunrise Airways operates short hops between Port-au-Prince and Port-de-Paix Airport when there is enough demand; check schedules close to the date.
To reach Tortuga Island, boats leave from the jetty at the western end of town when they have enough passengers. The crossing takes 30 to 60 minutes and is open to the swell — not for nervous travellers.