Tag - South America

Guyana Travel Guide

9 years ago

Guyana Travel Guide

Welcome to the taste2travel Guyana Travel Guide!

Date of visit: January 2015 & October 2015

Introduction

Guyana is the fourth-smallest country in South America (after Uruguay, Suriname and French Guiana). It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Brazil to the south and southwest, Suriname to the east and Venezuela to the west. It’s capital and largest city is Georgetown.

History

Originally inhabited by several indigenous groups, Guyana was settled by the Dutch before coming under British control in the late 18th century. It was governed as the plantation economy of British Guiana until independence in 1966.

The legacy of British rule is reflected in the country’s diverse population, which includes Indian, African, Chinese, Portuguese, Amerindian, and European groups.

Guyana also has the distinction of being the only South American nation in which English is the official language. The majority of the population, however, speak Guyanese Creole, an English-based creole language with slight Dutch, Arawakan and Caribbean influences.

Guyana is called the ‘Bread Basket’ of the Caribbean. Major crops include rice, sugar, coffee, cocoa, coconuts, edible oils, copra, fruit, vegetables, and tobacco. Livestock include cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, and chickens.

In addition to being part of the Anglophone Caribbean, Guyana is one of the few Caribbean countries that is not an island in the West Indies.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), of which Guyana is a member, is headquartered in Georgetown.

Fashion Parade in Georgetown

Guyana or Guiana

A map of the Guyana shield.
Source: Wikipedia

‘Guyana’ is derived from an Amerindian language and means “land of many waters”. The region comprised the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and east of the Orinoco River.

In colonial times, there were five Guiana’s, these were (in geographical order along the coast):

Spanish Guiana – now the Guayana region of Venezuela
British Guiana – now the sovereign nation of Guyana
Dutch Guiana – now the sovereign nation of Suriname
French Guiana – now a French department known in French as ‘Guyane’
Portuguese Guiana – now the Brazilian state of Amapa

When Guyana declared independence, it changed its name from British Guiana to Guyana.

An historical map showing the five Guyanas.

Flag

The flag of Guyana.

The flag of Guyana, known as The Golden Arrowhead, has been the national flag since the country become independent from the Great Britain in 1966.

Following a competition, the winning design for the flag was one created by an American, Whitney Smith, who later became a prominent vexillologist (flag historian).

The flag features a red background, green hoist triangle, and stylised yellow arrowhead. The Guyanese reversed the green and red and added a black fimbriation (narrow border) to the triangle and one of white to the arrowhead.

The green represents the jungles and fields that cover most of the country, as reflected in the national anthem, “Green Land of Guyana”. The white symbolises the many rivers, which provide the basis for the indigenous name Guyana (“land of waters”), while red represents zeal and sacrifice in nation-building, and the black symbolises perseverance.

The yellow arrowhead recalls the original Amerindian population of the area but also represents the golden future that citizens are committed to building on the basis of national mineral resources.

Georgetown

Georgetown is Guyana’s largest city (population: 250,000) and its capital. It is situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the mouth of the Demerara River and it was nicknamed ‘Garden City of the Caribbean’.

Through the years, Georgetown has been governed by the Dutch, the French, the Dutch again and finally the English until independence.

Georgetown was named in 1812 in honour of King George III.

The city is located on a flat coastal plain. The elevation of the land is one metre below the high tide level. This low elevation is protected by a retaining wall known as the seawall (originally constructed by the Dutch) to keep the ocean out and an innovative network of canals with kokers to drain the city of excess water.

Most of the sites of interest are conveniently located in the compact city centre and can be seen on foot within a day. The streets of the city are arranged on a grid format so orientation is easy. The best way to explore the city is to meander the tree-lined streets, exploring the beautiful wooden colonial buildings and churches.

Christ Church in Georgetown, Guyana.

The centre of the city is dominated by the large Stabroek Market (1792) containing the prominent cast-iron clock tower. Stabroek was the name the Dutch gave to the city the 2nd time they took control. The market is interesting but you should be extra vigilant with your personal belongings here. Likewise in the immediate neighbourhood where the streets are chaotic, crowded, rough and edgy.

The iconic wrought-iron clock tower of Stabroek Market in Georgetown.

For the best coffee in town (not to mention great food and good WiFi), you can not beat Oasis cafe. It’s located downtown on Carmichael street.

Kaieteur Falls

The majestic and awe-inspiring, Kaieteur Falls – a truly spectacular sight.

If there is one ‘must see’ attraction in Guyana then without a doubt it is the majestic and incredible Kaieteur falls. This is a site that must be seen to be believed and there is no better way of approaching it than from the air.

The falls are not accessible by road so they have largely escaped commercialism and development. On the day I visited there were just 8 other visitors – my fellow passengers on the Air Services flight.

Kaieteur Falls is the world’s widest single drop waterfall. The falls plunge 226 metres in a single drop.

The falls are located in the middle of a huge, remote forest. It is four times higher than Niagara Falls and about twice the height of Victoria Falls. It is a very impressive single drop waterfall.

Depending on the season, Kaieteur falls vary in width from 76 metres (250 ft) to 122 metres (400 ft).

The 6 km trail approaching the falls is home to a variety of birds, and the minuscule golden poison frog, which produces a potentially fatal poison. The frogs live inside the leaves of the Giant Tank Bromeliads, which act as natural cisterns.

Giant-tank Bromeliads provide the perfect habitat for the Golden poison frog.

A Golden poison frog, a member of the Poison Dart Frog family at Kaieteur Falls.

The golden poison frog’s skin is densely coated in an alkaloid toxin, one of a number of poisons common to dart frogs. This poison prevents its victim’s nerves from transmitting impulses, leaving the muscles in an inactive state of contraction. This can lead to heart failure or fibrillation. Some native people use this poison to hunt by coating darts with the frog’s poison.

A Golden poison frog inside a Giant-tank Bromeliads at Kaieteur falls.

Getting There

You can reach the falls either by boat along the lower reaches of the Potaro river, or the easy – and most popular way – by one hour flight in a small aircraft from Georgetown.

Flights from Ogle Airport are currently offered by Air Services Limited. Refer to their website for schedule and pricing.

Flights leave Georgetown at 1 pm and return at 5 pm. Included in the cost is a two-hour guided nature walk conducted by a local Amerindian guide.

There are two ways to purchase your ticket:

Local way: book direct with the airline for $145.

Tourist way: book with your hotel or a downtown travel agent and pay about $190. This includes return airport transfers plus lunch at the airport.

Iwokrama Forest

A Parrot Snake at Iwokrama Forest.

Covering 3710 square kilometres of central Guyana, the Iwokrama Forest is one of the four last pristine tropical forests in the world.

Access to the forest is either via private vehicle or one of the micro buses running from Georgetown to Lethem.

A curious Spider Monkey nearby the Atta Lodge in the heart of the Iwokrama Forest.

I stayed at Atta Lodge, which is located at the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway, Guyana’s only canopy walk. The walkway is suspended 30 m above the forest floor and provides an excellent viewing platform for birds, primates etc.

All lodge reservations plus transport arrangements must be booked and paid for in advance in Georgetown. I made my arrangements through Wilderness Explorers.

The ‘highway’ connecting Guyana and Brazil passes through the Iwokrama Forest

Note: There are no transport options out here unless you hire an (expensive) private 4WD. You could try your luck hitching a ride on the Georgetown – Lethem road

Lethem

Lethem lies on the Takutu River, which forms the border with Brazil, opposite the Brazilian town of Bonfim. It’s a sleepy transit town. If you get stuck here there are a couple of hotel options.

For more on crossing the border, see the ‘Getting There‘ section below.

Accommodation

Like the other countries in the Guiana’s, accommodation in Guyana is limited. It’s best to book in advance using an online agent such as booking.com

In Georgetown I have stayed at Herdmanston Lodge, which is a well known favourite and the more centrally located Halito Hotel & Residence (my preference).

Eating Out

Food in Guyana is influenced by the different ethnic groups and is typical of other Anglo Caribbean countries. Curry and Chinese are popular.

Visa Requirements

Some nationalities require visas for Guyana – check your visa requirements prior to arrival.

Getting There

By Air

International flights arrive at Cheddi Jagan International Airport. The airport is located 41 kilometres (25 mi) south of Guyana’s capital, Georgetown.

The following airlines provide international flights to Timehri:

Aruba Airlines – flies to/from Aruba
Caribbean Airlines – flies to/from New York–JFK, Port of Spain
Copa Airlines – flies to/from Panama City (Tocumen)
Surinam Airways – flies to/from Miami, Paramaribo

Ogle International Airport is primarily used for domestic flights and is located on the Atlantic Ocean coast 10 km from Georgetown. Flights to Kaieteur Falls depart from this airport.

The following airlines provide international flights to Ogle:

LIAT – flies to/from Barbados
Trans Guyana Airways – flies to/from Paramaribo (Zorg en Hoop) plus domestic destinations in Guyana.

From either airport you can get downtown via taxi.

By Road/ River

To/ From Suriname

The ferry service between Guyana (Molson Creek – Corentyne) and Suriname (South Drain) is operated by the Canawaima Ferry Company.

Services are either once a day or twice a day in each direction, depending on season. There is usually a ferry from Guyana at 1 pm.

South Drain is located 32 km south of Nieuw Nickerie on a fast paved road.

On either side you will find taxis and shared buses to transport you to Georgetown (3 hours), Paramaribo (5 hours) or Nieuw Nickerie (30 mins). Roads are paved and in excellent condition on both sides, although the driving is erratic and risky.

Most nationalities require either a tourist card or a visa for Suriname – check your requirements prior to arrival.

To/ From Brazil

The border between Brazil and Guyana is the bridge over the Takutu river between the Brazilian town of Bonfim and the Guyanese town of Lethem. The bridge includes a neat lane-changing design to get you from the left side of the road onto the right side.

Formalities are conducted on the respective sides of the river. There are local taxis, which will ferry you between the two posts.

On the Brazilian side you have shared taxis or buses which will take you to the city of Boa Vista, the capital of Roraima state.

On the Guyanese side you have micro buses that will transport you to Georgetown (20 hours) via the Iwokrama Rain forest (6 hours).

Note: Do not cross the border into Brazil with Guyanese dollars – they are impossible to change outside of Guyana.

Some nationalities require visas for Brazil – check your visa requirements prior to arrival.

Getting Around

There are frequent mini buses connecting all of the main centres in Guyana. Most buses from Georgetown commence their journey on the crowded, chaotic streets outside Stabroek market.

All taxis are registered under the term “Hackney Carriage” and carry the letter H at the beginning of their number plates. You can flag these in the street.

Safe Travels!

Darren

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Suriname Travel Guide

9 years ago

Dutch-style colonial buildings in the UNESCO-listed old town of Paramaribo.

Suriname Travel Guide

Welcome to the taste2travel Suriname Travel Guide!

Date of Visit: January 2015

Introduction

At 163,820 square km, Suriname is the smallest country in South America. Despite its size, Suriname is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the region, with a population (576,000) comprised of descendants of African slaves, Dutch and British colonialists, Indian, Indonesian and Chinese indentured laborers and indigenous Amerindians.

The pulsating heart of the country is the capital, Paramaribo, a city loaded with lots of gorgeous Dutch-style architecture. The streets of the photogenic old town, which is a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site, are lined with wooden buildings which would look more at home in The Netherlands rather than on the edge of a steamy jungle in South America. Grassy squares, parks and an old Dutch-built fort complete the picture-perfect setting.

In between sightseeing, the restaurants in the old town offer a plethora of cuisines which reflect the ethnic diversity of the country. The local brew, Parbo beer, is brewed by Heineken and, in my opinion, tastes even better! A great way to unwind after a day of sweaty exploration.

Away from the capital, the jungles of Amazonia are a short drive, with the excellent Brownsberg National Park (see ‘Sightseeing’ below) offering great hiking and the chance to spot some highly toxic frogs!

Location

Located on the remote north-eastern coast of South America, Suriname is bordered by French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west and Brazil to the south. It is one of the three Guiana’s.

The bulk of the small land area is occupied by dense jungle, the northern extreme of the vast Amazon system. Almost all of the population can be found along the coast, while the sparsely populated interior is home to small Amerindian communities who are the original inhabitants of the region.

History

Originally inhabited by indigenous tribes, Suriname was explored and contested by European powers before coming under Dutch rule in the late 17th century. In 1975 Suriname declared independence from the Netherlands. It is the only officially Dutch speaking country in South America.

Suriname is culturally considered to be a Caribbean country, and is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Historic Dutch church in Paramaribo.

People

The people of Suriname are among the most diverse in the world, spanning a multitude of ethnic, religious, and linguistic groups. As a plantation colony, Suriname was heavily dependent on manual labour, and after the abolition of slavery, there was a requirement to import labourers to make up for the labour shortfall.

The colourful Arya Dewaker Hindu temple, Meerzorg, Paramaribo.

The Dutch brought in contract labourers from the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia) and India (through an arrangement with the British). In addition, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, small numbers of labourers were brought in from China and the Middle East.

The biggest mosque in the country is located on the Keizerstraat in Paramaribo.

The official spelling of the country’s English name was changed from “Surinam” to “Suriname” in January 1978, but “Surinam” can still be found in English. A notable example is Suriname’s national airline, Surinam Airways.

Flag

The flag of Suriname.

Adopted on the 25th of November 1975, upon the independence of Suriname, the flag is formed by five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width). There is a large, yellow, five-pointed star cantered in the red band.

The star represents the unity of all ethnic groups, the red stripe stands for progress and love, the green for hope and fertility, and the white bands for peace and justice.

Currency

The Surinamese dollar.

The Surinamese dollar (Sr$) is the official currency of Suriname, trading under the international code of SRD.

Bank notes are issued by the Central Bank of Suriname in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 dollars. The dollar is divided into 100 cents, with coins issued in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, 100, 250 cents.

The current exchange rate against the US dollar is:

US$1 = SR$14.5

You can check the current exchange rate here.

Paramaribo

Located on the banks of the Suriname River, near its outlet to the Atlantic ocean, Paramaribo is the capital and largest city of Suriname. The city has a population of roughly 240,000 people, almost half of Suriname’s population.

I arrived in Paramaribo from the border town of Albina. The city is very much the focal point of the country. The historical, Dutch-built, old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002.

The wooden interior of St. Peter and St. Paul Basilica in Paramaribo.

The city centre is both grand and charming, containing beautiful colonial Dutch-style buildings arranged around grassy squares and streets. Most of the buildings have been restored but some are still in need of renovation and, apparently, UNESCO have threatened in the past to remove the World Heritage listing if the buildings aren’t maintained.

Dutch colonial buildings in the UNESCO-listed old town of Paramaribo.

A highlight is the impressive Fort Zeeland which is located on the riverbank. The fort was originally built by the French, then occupied by the British then eventually captured by the Dutch. Like the other capitals of the Guiana’s, Paramaribo is small and compact, with most sights within a short stroll and easily covered on foot in one day.

Old Dutch letterbox in Paramaribo.

In contrast to the old town, as you move further up the river things become much more vibrant, gritty and chaotic, the beautiful Dutch colonial architecture being replaced by ugly, modern monuments-to-bad-taste. Here you will find the main markets and most of the activity in town.

Historic Dutch Colonial architecture can be seen throughout Paramaribo.

The population of the capital is very diverse and consists of Creole (African descent), Hindustani (East Indian descent), Multi-racial, Maroon (descendants of escaped African slaves), Javanese (Indonesian descent), Indigenous (descendants of native population), Chinese (descendants of 19th-century contract workers) and smaller numbers of European (primarily of Dutch and Portuguese descent), Lebanese and Jews. In the past decades Brazilian, Guyanese and new Chinese immigrants have settled in Paramaribo.

The diverse ethnic population ensures a culinary feast awaits the curious (and hungry) traveller. Around the city you will find cafes and restaurants selling a variety of food from India (Roti is popular), Dutch favourites such as pancakes, Bitterballen and Poffertjes, Indonesian favourites such as satay, gado-gado and loempia and Middle Eastern snack bars selling kebabs – just to name a few.

The local beer, Parbo, is brewed by Heineken and is very refreshing on a hot humid day.

Brewed by Heineken, the local brew, Parbo, is very quaffable and a nice way to cool down on a hot humid day.

After one day spent discovering the sights of the historic city centre I hired a bike on the second day, took it across the river in a pirogue and cycled to the historic village of Nieuw Amsterdam.

This is a nice day trip and provides the opportunity to get out into the countryside. The right bank of the river is very rural compared to the left bank. There is an old fort to be explored at Nieuw Amsterdam and an interesting historical museum.

Lotus Flower in Nieuw Amsterdam.

Brownsberg

Three-striped poison dart frog at Brownsberg National Park.

A nice day trip from Paramaribo is to Brownsberg National Park. Trips can be organised through any hostel and include transport, guide and lunch.

The park is located just 130 km south of Paramaribo and is certainly worth a visit. This is the most northern part of the Amazon rainforest. The park offers views of Lake Brokopondo and the chance to spot wildlife on nature trails while walking to various waterfalls.

Hoogmoed harlequin toad at Brownsberg National Park.

Nieuw Nickerie

Nieuw Nickerie is the 3rd largest city in Suriname and lies on the mouth of the Nickerie river on the Atlantic coast, opposite the mouth of the Corantijn river (Courantyne) and the Guyanese town of Corriverton (Springlands), to which a ferry service operates.

See the ‘Getting There‘ section below for information on crossing the border to Guyana.

Bigi Pan

Black-collared hawk at Bigi Pan Nature Reserve.

The one reason to come to Nieuw Nickerie is to visit the nearby nature reserve of Bigi Pan.

The reserve is 135,000 hectares in area and comprises a coastal lagoon which is influenced by the tides of the sea and is fed with both salt water and fresh water from the interior. The result is an impressive estuary, teeming with birds.

Caribbean flamingos at Bigi Pan Nature Reserve.

I organised a boat trip through my hotel, on the trip we saw flamingo’s, scarlet ibis, black-collared hawk, woodpeckers, ibis and more. Lunch was also included.

An adult Scarlet Ibis at Bigi Pan Nature Reserve.

If you wish to stay longer in the reserve there are guest houses built on stilts over the lagoon.

A juvenile Scarlet Ibis at Bigi Pan Nature Reserve.

Accommodation

Like the other countries in the Guiana’s, accommodation in Suriname is limited. It’s best to book in advance using an online agent such as booking.com

I stayed in a private apartment in Paramaribo, which I booked through booking.com

Eating Out

Lots of variety to be found in this very ethnically diverse country.

Visa Requirements

Most nationalities require either tourist cards or visas for Suriname – check your requirements prior to arrival.

Getting There

By Air

International flights arrive at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport (formerly called Zanderij International Airport). It is located 45 km south of Paramaribo and serves as the base for the national carrier Surinam Airways.

The following airlines provide connections to Paramaribo:

Caribbean Airlines – flies to/ from Port of Spain
Copa Airlines – flies to/ from Panama City
Fly All Ways – flies to/ from Camaguey, Havana, Santiago de Cuba
Gol Transportes Aéreos – flies to/ from Belem
KLM – flies to/ from Amsterdam
Surinam Airways – flies to/ from Amsterdam, Aruba, Belém, Cayenne, Curaçao, Georgetown–Cheddi Jagan, Miami, Port of Spain
Trans Guyana Airways – flies to/ from Georgetown (Guyana)
TUI fly Netherlands – flies to/ from Amsterdam

From the airport you can get downtown via either taxi or bus.

By Road/ River

To/ From French Guiana

Crossing the river Maroni between French Guiana (Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni) and Suriname (Albina) is very easy and straightforward.

The Immigration posts for each country are located on opposite banks of the river. There are many private pirogues that will ferry you across the river.

Once you cross you have taxis and shared transport that can get you to Paramaribo (2 hours) or to Cayenne (3 and a half hours). Roads on both sides are in excellent condition.

Some nationalities require visas for French Guiana – check your visa requirements prior to arrival.

To/ From Guyana

The ferry service between Suriname (South Drain) and Guyana (Molson Creek – Corentyne) is operated by the Canawaima Ferry Company.

Services are either once a day or twice a day in each direction, depending on season.

South Drain is located 32 km south of Nieuw Nickerie on a fast paved road. You can reach here by taxi / bus. When I crossed I arrived at the port at 8 am (the opening time of the immigration office) in time to board the 9 am ferry to Guyana.

There is usually a return ferry from Guyana at 1 pm.

Some nationalities require visas for Guyana – check your visa requirements prior to arrival.

Getting Around

There are frequent micro buses and shared taxis connecting all the major centres.

Safe Travels!

Darren

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French Guiana Travel Guide

9 years ago

French Guiana Travel Guide

Welcome to the taste2travel French Guiana Travel Guide!

Date of Visit: January 2015

Introduction

French Guiana (French: Guyane), is an overseas department and region of France, located on the north Atlantic coast of South America in the Guyanas.

It borders Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west. The country has a population of 250,109 inhabitants, 50% of whom live in the capital Cayenne.

‘Guyana’ is derived from an Amerindian language and means “land of many waters”. As such, this country is not an ideal beach destination as the coastline is lined with huge rivers, which dump brown water into the Atlantic Ocean. If you are looking for blue water you need to head to the Caribbean.

Part of France since 1946, Guiana joined the European Union, and its official currency is the euro. The region is the most prosperous territory in South America with the highest GDP per capita. A large part of Guiana’s economy derives from the presence of the Guiana Space Centre, now the European Space Agency’s primary launch site near the equator.

Sightseeing

Saint Georges

I crossed the Oiapoque river from Brazil to the French Guianese town of Saint Georges. It’s strange to arrive in a town in South America and see the French flag and the European Union flag flying in the main square.

St. Georges is a quiet little transit town, nothing to do here except get your passport stamped and organise onward transport. Upon arrival, I reported to the immigration office where a friendly French gendarme stamped my passport in less than 30 seconds – a very easy entry for me but Brazilians require visas to visit their neighbour. See ‘Getting There‘ below for more details on crossing the border.

After entering the country I went to the bank to withdraw some Euros. I was about to discover that the cost of living in this French territory is very European.

I arrived in St. Georges early in the morning to see the locals walking out of the town boulangeries with freshly back baguettes under their arms – how very French. So different from Brazil where breakfast consists of chocolate cake.

I had to wait for my micro bus to fill with passengers for the 2 hour trip to Cayenne (excellent, fast road) so I took breakfast at a nice cafe on the main square. Everything in this town is a 5 minute walk.

From St. Georges I travelled onto the capital, Cayenne.

The newly-opened Oiapoque bridge connects Brazil and French Guiana.

Cayenne

I arrived in Cayenne overland from Brazil. Upon arrival it was clear I was now in a very different part of the world. The population in the city is manly Creole with some Haitian, Brazilian, European, and Asian added to the mix.

The architecture is very different – lots of colourful wooden houses painted in tropical shades of turquoise, pinks and yellows. The music and most other cultural aspects are Creole influenced. It felt more like the Caribbean than South America.

The city is nice and compact, wonderfully quaint, welcoming and relaxing. In one day you can visit most sights on foot. In a city of 56,000 people, traffic is never heavy.

If you are in Cayenne during Carnival (January – March) you should ensure you catch the Sunday parade.

Located in downtown Cayenne, Place du Coq is named after the rooster which sits atop a column in the middle of the square.

Cayenne Pepper

A Cayenne Pepper Plant. Image: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen

What is Cayenne pepper? For all the facts you can refer to this site.

Despite the pepper being named after Cayenne, most peppers are now grown elsewhere in the world. There are no specific purveyors of Cayenne pepper in Cayenne.

From Cayenne I travelled along the coast to Kourou – home of the Guiana Space Centre and jumping off point for trips to Îles du Salut.

Kourou

The Guiana Space Centre at Kourou.

The Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG) is a French and European spaceport near Kourou. The location for the space centre was chosen because it fulfils the two major geographical requirements of such a site:

it is quite close to the equator, so that the spinning earth can impart some extra velocity to the rockets for free when launched eastward, and
it has uninhabited territory (in this case, open sea) to the east, so that lower stages of rockets and debris from launch failures cannot fall on human habitations.

This Ariane rocket can carry a payload of 10t into space – enough to lift my car (foreground) into orbit.

You can visit the Space centre on a guided visit (well worth it). The visits are popular and spaces are limited so it’s best to book ahead in advance. You can do so by contacting CSG.

Inside the launch control centre at the Kourou Space Centre.

Îles du Salut

Entrance to prison cells on Îles du Salut.

The Îles du Salut (in English: Islands of Salvation, so called because the missionaries went there to escape plague on the mainland) are a group of small islands about 11 km off the coast near Kourou.

Squirrel Monkey on Îles du Salut.

The islands were part of a notorious penal colony from 1852 onward for only the worst criminals of France. The islands were featured in the novel Papillon, by Henri Charrière. He was imprisoned here for 9 years.

The prison was shut down in 1953. Today the islands are a popular tourist destination and are full of wildlife.

You can reach the islands by catamaran from Kourou. You need to reserve and pay in advance. I visited with Tropic Alizés, who I would recommend.

Capuchin monkey on Îles du Salut.

Mana

This tiny town north of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni is home to a remarkable restaurant – Le Buffalo.

If you’re in this part of the country it is worth the detour to eat here. The restaurant itself is housed in a simple wooden building with an equally simple interior. It is located on a quiet side street in this sleepy town (population: 800).

However the chef is a properly trained French chef who has relocated to Mana and brought his culinary skills with him. During your meal he will appear in the restaurant in his white chef’s uniform (including the ‘toque’ – traditional chef’s hat) to ensure everyone is enjoying their meals.

I especially recommend the carpaccio of buffalo.

Local ex-pats drive here from more distant towns for weekend lunches.

Tel: 594344280
Address: 36 Rue Javouhey, Mana 97360, French Guiana

The beaches near to Mana are nesting sites for the huge leather-back turtles.

From Mana I made the short journey south to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, my exit point from French Guiana.

Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

With 40,000 inhabitants this is the 2nd largest town in French Guiana and the border crossing to Suriname.

The town was founded in 1858, it was formerly the arrival point for prisoners, who arrived at the Camp de la Transportation, the buildings of which have been restored and can be visited.

The town is small and compact and easily seen in half a day.

Entering Suriname from here is very easy – see the ‘Getting There‘ section below.

Camp de la Transportation in Saint Laurent du Maroni.

Accommodation

Hotels are in short supply in Cayenne (and elsewhere in the territory). It’s always best to book in advance using an online agent such as booking.com

In Cayenne, I stayed downtown at Hotel Le Dronmi, which I would recommend. The hotel is conveniently located to everything of interest.

Eating Out

This is a former French colony – need I say more. Lots of good food available throughout the territory.

Visa Requirements

Some nationalities require visas for French Guiana – check your requirements prior to arrival.

Getting There

By plane

French Guiana’s main international airport is Cayenne – Félix Eboué Airport, located south of the city centre.

The following airlines provide flights to/ from Cayenne:

Air Caraïbes – flies to/ from Fort-de-France, Paris-Orly, Pointe-à-Pitre
Air France – flies to/ from Fort-de-France, Paris-Orly, Pointe-à-Pitre, Miami
Air Guyane – flies to/ from Grand Santi, Maripasoula, Paramaribo, Saint-Laurent du Maroni, Saül
Azul Brazilian Airlines – flies to/ from Belém, Fortaleza
Surinam Airways – flies to/ from Belém, Paramaribo

There are no bus services to the airport and of course the local taxi’s take full advantage of this by charging a flat fare of €35 to downtown Cayenne.

By Road/ River

To/ From Suriname

Crossing the river Maroni between French Guiana (Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni) and Suriname (Albina) is very easy and straight-forward.

The Immigration posts for each country are located on opposite banks of the river. There are many private pirogues who will ferry you across the river.

Once you cross you have taxis and shared transport that can get you to Paramaribo (2 hours) or to Cayenne (3 and a half hours). Roads on both sides are in excellent condition.

Some nationalities require visas for Suriname (e.g. Australian) – check your visa requirements prior to arrival.

To/ From Brazil

Update: since this was written the long-unused suspension bridge between St George d’Oiapok (French Guiana) and Oiapoque (Brazil) is now operational.

There are nightly buses from Macapa to the border town of Oiapoque. The road is mostly paved and the trip takes about 10 hours. I arrived at the small bus station in Oiapoque at 5 am and was informed I would need to wait until 8 am for the Brazilian immigration office to open. I joined my fellow transit passengers and slept in the bus station where there were some comfortable wooden benches to stretch out on.

At 8 am I took a taxi to the immigration office to get my exit stamp then down to the port for the crossing by pirogue to St. Georges.

From the river you can see the huge new bridge, which links French Guiana with Brazil. This was completed in 2011 at a cost of $33 million but still remains unopened. The French are waiting for the Brazilians who have promised to have all infrastructure in place and the bridge open in time for the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Once you reach the dock in St. Georges you will be greeted by micro bus drivers who can transport you to Cayenne. You will first need to get your passport stamped at the Gendarmerie (Police Station), which is inconveniently located on the outskirts of town (a 15 minute walk).

Some nationalities require visas for Brazil (e.g. Australian) – check your visa requirements prior to arrival.

Getting Around

Public transport is sporadic throughout the country. The best option, allowing you to maximise your time, is to hire a car. I did a one-way rental from Cayenne to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni.

Safe Travels!

Darren

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Cayenne Carnival

9 years ago

Cayenne Carnival

Welcome to the taste2travel Cayenne Carnival feature!

Date of Visit: January 2015

Introduction

Carnival in French Guiana takes place each year between Epiphany in early January and Ash Wednesday in February or March. Every Sunday during this period, there is a parade on the streets of Cayenne, making this the longest running of any carnival in the Caribbean region.

Carnival à la Cayenne is a cultural tradition of the French Guianese Creole, its origin traced to carnival customs long practised in Europe. It debuted during the beginning of colonisation when settlers took part in carnival, forbidding the slaves from participating. Defying the ban, the slaves practised carnival in clandestine ways, seeing it as a way to regain some freedom.

French Guiana

The ornate handmade masks continue being/ are an integral part of Mardi Gras culture. To this day they symbolise the notion of freedom, of escaping class constraints and social demands. Wearing masks during the festivities lets us all become equal, individuals can mingle with the masses and ultimately everyone can be whoever they’d like, at least for a few weeks.

Accommodation

Hotels are in short supply in Cayenne (and elsewhere in the territory). It’s always best to book in advance using an online agent such as booking.com

I stayed downtown at Hotel Le Dronmi, which I would recommend. The hotel is conveniently located to everything of interest plus it’s on the parade route.

Eating Out

This is a former French colony – need I say more. Lots of good food available in this town.

A great place to chill out and people watch is the terrace at Les Palmistes. This is the quintessential bar/restaurant in Cayenne. Located across from the square of the same name.

Visa Requirements

Some nationalities require visas for French Guiana – check your requirements prior to arrival.

Getting There

By plane

French Guiana’s main international airport is Cayenne – Félix Eboué Airport, located south of the city centre. There are two flights a day to Paris served by Air France and Air Caraïbes with services also to Martinique, Guadeloupe, Paramaribo (Suriname) and Belém (Brazil).

While there are no buses serving the airport, you can either rent a car or pay an extortionate amount (€35 to central Cayenne) for an airport taxi.

By road

From both neighbouring countries (Brazil and Suriname), you will need to cross a river by ferry into French Guiana. The border crossings are easy and straight-forward.

From Brazil, you will arrive in Saint-Georges de l’Oyapock from where you can travel by bus to Cayenne. In 2011, a newly built bridge was completed (at a cost of $33 million) linking Brazil and French Guiana, but it is still yet to be opened.

From Suriname you will step off the ferry in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni from where you can take a bus to Iracoubo and transfer to another going to Cayenne.

Getting Around

Public transport is sporadic throughout the country. The best option is to hire a car. This is a French territory so roads are in excellent condition.

Safe Travels!

Darren

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taste2travel