Top 5 things to do Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana

For 2020 we are bringing back our classic Guyana’s tour, and in anticipation, we bring you our top 5 things to do in Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana

5. Mix of Cuisine

The Guyanas have an incredible selection of local foods that take the best of local tradition fused with a European style.

Guyana – Guyana’s food takes its cues from its colonial past and local populations. Seafood and fresh fruit are plentiful, and many of Guyanas dishes are seasoned with herbs, onions, hot peppers and garlic.

Suriname – Chicken and rice is Suriname’s most famous dish. Fresh Fruit, Abundant Seafood and a unique population demographic (90% of residents have a relative from somewhere else in the world) means that Suriname is home to some of the world’s most unique dishes.

French Guiana – French food dominates here with plenty of bread and pastries to go around. With other main culinary influences being Vietnam and China. Seafood, Fruit, Rice and game are staples of French Guiana cuisine.

4. Roadtripping

Nothing beats a road trip and travelling through the Guyanas overland is incredibly interesting. Going through Guyana which a former British Colony, Suriname a former Dutch colony and French Guiana, which is a French territory and part of the European Union it’s fascinating to see the similarities and differences in these countries that are so close together.

3. Devils Island

For those with interest in the darker side of history, Devils Island does not disappoint.

Located just off the coast of French Guiana, this tropical island from afar looks like It could be a slice of paradise, but its past of a French colonial prison is as far away from paradise as you can get.

Opened in 1852, the prison initially held those who opposed Emperor Napoleans the thirds ride to power, but over time the prison population expanded to over 80,000 people with a large part of the demographic being made up of serious offenders such as Murders and Robbers.

This island, surrounded by sharks, became infamous for the incredibly strict rules imposed on the inmates and hellish living conditions. It is said that one of three prisoners would die on the island, be it from hunger, disease or violence.

Today it is possible to visit the island explore the ruins and hear haunting tales first hand of what happened here.

2. Guiana Space Center

Located near Kouro in French Guiana and opened in 1968, the Guiana Spaceport is a facility used by the French government and European Union to launch satellites into orbit.

Home to countless launches since it’s opening, this site was chosen as a launch site for a couple of reasons. The first is that it’s located near the equator and, therefore, easier to launch a spacecraft into orbit. Secondly, it’s located next to an open sea, so any debris that comes off during rocket launches will land in the ocean as opposed to populated areas.

When visiting the space center, it is possible to have a fully guided tour and gain a unique insight into one of the most important space centers in the world.

Fun fact the James Webb Space Telescope is scheduled to be launched from this site in 2021. The James Webb Space Telescope is the successor to the legendary Hubble Space Telescope, which has been providing us with unique images of faraway worlds since 2009.

1. Kaieteur Waterfall

Located on the Potaro River in Kaieteur National Park in Guyanas region of the Amazon Forest, Kaieteur Falls are the largest single drop waterfall (Falling from top to bottom) in the world. At 741 feet, this lesser-known waterfall is actually four times higher than Niagara Falls on the Canadian – American Border and two times higher than Victoria Falls, which falls on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Located deep in jungle surrounded by untouched rainforest, the easiest way to reach the falls is by a charter flight from Georgetown. The trip takes approximately one hour to Kaieteur airstrip located, which is located just a 15-minute walkway from the falls.

So there you have it our top five reasons to visit Guyana. To see our itinerary for our 2020 rendition of this tour, please click here. For more information on booking, please do not hesitate to contact us.