The city is in the "Baie de Jacmel" ("Jacmel Bay") about 86 km south of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. It is also the chief town of an "arrondissement" (a part of a department) with the same name. The "arrondissement" has four "communes" (a "commune" is like a municipality): Jacmel, Cayes-Jacmel, La Vallée and Marigot.