Guyana

General Information

Most visitors that come to Guyana for a holiday or vacation do so for Guyana's natural attractions that are spectacular and. While lingering effects of Dutch and British colonization make for an unpredictable political and demographic climate, the Guyanese are doing what they can to make their country an tourism haven. It is becoming especially popular for ecotourism.

Guyana has immense waterfalls, vast tropical rainforests and grasslands that are filled with interesting wildlife. There's still a hint of frontier wildness about the country that are not only apparent in the interior, but also in the capital of Georgetown. But still, for the discriminating traveler, there are several interesting treasures that await them.

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

Map of Guyana

History
Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006.

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 Spanish. However, you can normally get by with English in the major cities.

Learn Spanish Today! Isn't it time you learned another language? Spanish is fast becoming one of the most popular language in the world. Countries in Europe, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, North America and Africa have countries where Spanish is the local language. These countries include Spain, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Cube, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Guyana, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Guyana, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Equatorial Guinea and Mexico. If you plan to visit any of these countries, why not learn the language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Click on Learn Spanish Today to see how you can get FREE SPANISH LESSONS!

Best Time to Go
Guyana has two distinct rainy seasons: May to mid-August and mid-November to mid-January. August through October are the hottest months. This makes the best time to visit at the end of either rainy season, in late January or late August. This is also the time when the discharge of water over Kaieteur Falls is at its fullest. Mid-October to mid-May, which may be wet, but not as hot, is also a good time to visit. If you want to travel overland to the interior, come during the dry seasons (Jan-Apr and Aug-Oct). While Atlantic sea breezes bring some relief during the day. Guyana's climate hardly budges from 25-30°C (75-85°F) with on-and-off rain, mostly in September and October. Nevertheless, sunshine is still regular and conditions are overall more comfortable on the plateau if the coast and lowlands get a bit much.

Money and Costs
If you are traveling on a budget, you can get by on as little as US$10.00 per day. However, for most travelers who like to stay in more comfortable hotels and enjoy dining at restaurants should expect to spend around US$30 to $50 per day. Credit cards are accepted at Georgetown's better hotels and restaurants and that is about it. Credit card advances can be made only at the Scotiabank.

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

Travel Warnings
Tourists need to travel carefully while in Guyana. Home invasions, carjacking, kidnappings and shootings are not uncommon in Guyana. And, the violence is not limited to the interior. in fact, these types of crimes are particularly common in Georgetown and New Amsterdam. Georgetown's Tiger Bay and Stabroek Market areas and all of the city's south should be avoided after dark. The east coast of the Demerara river is also a high-risk area, particularly the villages of Buxton, Friendship and Annadale, as is the highway from Timerhi to Linden. Go to the United States Department of State (http://travel.state.gov) and click on Travel Warnings.

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A passport that is valid for at least six months beyond intended stay required by all visitors to Guyana.

Visa Information
Required by all except the following:
►1. nationals mentioned in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days (except nationals of Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovak Republic and Slovenia who do need a visa);
►persons of Guyanese birth with foreign passports provided their passports clearly indicate place of birth or they have other satisfactory documentary evidence;
►nationals of Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Korea (Dem Rep), Korea (Rep), Montserrat, New Zealand, Norway, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, South Africa, Surinam, Switzerland and Trinidad & Tobago, provided they hold onward or return tickets and sufficient funds for the duration of stay;
►transit passengers continuing their journey to a third country by the same aircraft or by first connecting aircraft within seven hours, without leaving the airport.
Further, more detailed information can be found on the E-World Guide.

Most travelers arrive from North America or the Caribbean, and less frequently from Venezuela and Suriname. There are no direct flights from Europe. Several airlines now offer flights to and from Georgetown to New York and Trinidad. Travelers flying to Guyana arrive at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, south of the capital. A departure tax of about US$14.00 is payable in Guyanese dollars only.

Overland crossings can be made to/from Brazil at the Lethem-Bomfin crossing point. The border crossing between Guyana and Venezuela is closed. A passenger ferry crosses the Courantyne River at Corriverton (Springlands) to the Surinamese town of Nieuw Nickerie.

In the northeast, a ferry connects Corriverton (Springlands) via Moleson Creek to the Surinamese border town of Nieuw Nickerie via South Drain, from where you can 4WD to Paramaribo and French Guiana.

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Major carriers fly between Georgetown and Lethem. Local airlines send small planes to multiple destinations in the interior. Flying often makes more sense than undertaking road trips into the undeveloped interior.

Minibuses and collective taxis link Georgetown and most towns on the coastal belt. Bus services are mainly confined to the maintained roads of the eastern coastal areas. he roads are pretty bad, apart from a paved two-lane stretch from the capital to Linden. With almost 620 miles of navigable river, Guyana has an extensive ferry service. Car hire is available in Georgetown and taxis are a must if crossing the city at night.

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Bartica
The mining town of Bartica gives tourists a nice break from Georgetown. While the population of miners and forest workers may be rambunctious, you will find that they are generally Guyanese friendly. Easy excursions from the town include Marshall Falls and the ruins of the Dutch fort Kyk-Over-Al.

Coming Soon. In the meantime, 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

Iwokrama Rain Forest
Established in 1996, Iwokrama is a living laboratory for tropical forest management and socio-economic development. With over 916,760 acres of virgin rainforest, this exceptional region is home to the highest recorded number of fish and bat species in the world. It is also home to South America's largest cat (the jaguar), the world's largest scaled fresh water fish (the arapaima), and the world's largest otters, river turtles, anteaters, snakes, rodents, eagles and caimans. It seems as though everything is bigger here.

Kaieteur Falls
This falls is nothing but spectacular. Watching 30,000 gallons of water per second fall from an over 800 foot cliff in the middle of an ancient jungle is really something. And, as there are normally few tourists here, it is nothing like standing in a mob of tourists at Niagara Falls in Canada. Even if you have been to Angel or Iguazú falls, it is still worth the time and effort to go to Kaieteur Falls. Depending on the season, the falls are from 250 to 400 feet wide. Swifts nest under the falls' overhang and dart in and out of the waters around sunset each night. The walk to the falls is also interesting as you look for the showy scarlet cock-of-the-rock birds.

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