French Guiana

General Information

Travel Etiquette
Learn the Language
Best Time to Go
Travel Warnings
Money and Costs

French Guiana is filled with rainforests and is a country that was colonized by France. It is the wealthiest area of this region of South American and it seems that almost everyone from Brazil to Suriname tries to cross its borders in the hope of high-paying jobs and decent unemployment benefits. This is both good and bad as the country lacks the simplicity of its struggling neighbors. It is a country of dramatic history and some of the most diverse plant and animal life in the world.

French Guiana

Travel Etiquette
Behavior and customs vary greatly from country to country. We discuss the correct travel etiquette so that you won't be caught out. TravelEtiquette was formed to offer a unique reference point on essential etiquette advice and information for worldwide travel. Our features and articles are written by professional journalists and experts - who have a particular interest, or a background in this area. So – know before you go. Visit TravelEtiquette so you will know how to, as the old adage states, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

Learn the Language
The official language is French. However, you can normally get by with English in the major cities.

You will enjoy your visit to French Guiana if you know the language - or at least, some of the language. Visit the Getting Away Language Learning Center to find out how you can make your visit more meaningful. The Getting Away Language Learning Center will give you all of the information you will need to begin learning today!

Best Time to Go
French Guiana seems to be wet even when it isn't raining. From January to June, you can expect it to be pretty soggy with the heaviest rains occurring in May. The dry season, from July to December, may be the best and most comfortable time to visit. French Guiana maintains an average 28ºC/83ºF and a humid climate year round. Travel with light clothing and a poncho. And, as mentioned earlier, when it is not raining, it can still be pretty wet as the air hangs heavy with humidity. The country's tropical rainforests top out at around 30°C (85°F) and receive over 250cm (100in) of rain a year. The rain falls heaviest from January to June, with May seeing the worst of it. Cayenne, the capital, and Guiana's other Atlantic coast settlements are less muggy than inland areas, but that's not saying much.

Money and Costs
The currency is the euro. Euro notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. It is often difficult to get change for a €500.00 note. One euro is divided into 100 cents or centimes. Coins of 1, 2 and 5 centimes are copper-colored; coins of 10, 20 and 50 centimes are gold-colored; 1 and 2 euro coins are gold-and-silver colored. It's a good idea to keep a supply of various coins for parking meters, laundrettes, tolls and such.

Currency Exchange - Get your currency needs managed in advance! Many airports, railroad stations, bus depots, and other points of entry have no currency exchange. When currency exchange is available in airports, lines can be long and rates can be "sky high". These long waits and usurious fees can be a nightmare. Order in advance from All Foreign Currency right online. It's fast, easy, and you save time and money! The can also provide you with Travelers' checks, bank drafts, and transfers. U.S. dollars are not accepted everywhere and rates can be atrocious! Current Exchange Rate: Check Today's Exchange Rate

French Guiana is expensive, with costs comparable to those in France. Even the experienced budget traveler will find it difficult getting by on less than US$40.00 per day. If restaurant meals and a bed more comfy than a hammock fit into your plan, count on spending close to US$100.00 per day. Transportation, especially to Guiana's interior, is very expensive. Leaving a pourboire (tip) is usually up to your discretion - restaurants and accommodations may add a surcharge to a bill or even a suggestion of how much to tip. There is no obligation, but it is nice to leave a few coins if the service is satisfactory.

Travel Warnings
Go to the United States Department of State (http://travel.state.gov) and click on Travel Warnings.

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Passports
A passport, and a visa is required for most travelers to French Guyana.

French Guiana has pretty good air links with Europe, especially France. Within South America, flights to Brazil connect with flights to the rest of the continent. Flights to the US are mostly to Miami via Guadeloupe and Martinique. It's possible to cross over to Suriname from St Laurent du Maroni by taking the passenger ferry to Albina. From there, there are road connections to Suriname's capital, Paramaribo. There are also launches from Guiana's St Georges to Oiapoque in Brazil.

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Air Guyane has scheduled flights to St Georges, Saül and Maripasoula from Cayenne. Taxis to and from the airport are available. Visitors will find daily bus service from Cayenne to St Laurent du Maroni via Kourou, Sinnamary and Iracoubo. You can also take a taxi collectifs (minibuses) that are much more comfortable and only slightly more expensive and use the same route. Cars and motorcycles can be rented in Cayenne, Kourou and St Laurent. It is possible to get into the interior by river, but unless you take an expensive tour, it requires patience and good timing.

Because private cars are numerous and roads are fairly good, travel by private vehicle (car rental) is a realistic alternative. In Cayenne, local buses service the beach areas of Rémire-Montjoly, but general public transport is limited, so you may need a taxi. Buses don't run on Sundays. Cayenne-Rochambeau international airport is 16km (10mi) southwest of Cayenne.

If you have something you believe should be added to this section of Getting Away, please send the information to Jim at Getting Away. mailto: jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Cayenne
Cayenne is a city of chestnut-skinned Africans, cafè-au-lait Brazilians and Paris-French. Vibrant markets and excellent restaurants make this town as pleasing to the belly as it is to the eye; you won't want to be skipping any meals here. The streets are lined with colonial wrought-iron balconies, potted plants and flowers, and louvered shutters painted in tropical pinks, yellows and turquoise. Outside the colonial city center, a highway-riddled urban sprawl reminds you that you're still in the 21st century.

Kourou
With the scattered sprawl of cheap architecture, it is difficult to believe this town is one of the star attractions of the country, primarly because of the space-age Center Spatial Guyanais. The only other area of the town worth visiting is Le Vieux Bourg - a great strip for eating, drinking and wondering why you came here in the first place.

St Laurent
This city has some of the finest colonial architecture in the country and, even 60 years after its penitentiary's closure, it's a town dominated by penal buildings and the ghosts of its prisoners.

If you have something you believe should be added to this sectuib of Getting Away, please send the information to Jim at Getting Away. mailto: jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Coming Soon. In the meantime, if you have something you believe should be added to this section of Getting Away, please send the information to Jim at Getting Away. mailto: jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Coming Soon. If you have something you believe should be added to this section of Getting Away, please send the information to Jim at Getting Away. mailto: jimbruner@gettingaway.com

When it comes to travel guides and other travel resource information, I personally prefer the travel guides and books put out by Fodor.

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