I’ve been living in French Guiana for more than 10 years. From my experience, I’ve created this helpful travel guide to go through every topic you may ask yourself as a future traveler in this region. Are you just discovering French Guiana? Than you should start from the reasons why it should be on top of your bucket list.
Are you looking for a tailor made itinerary, just for you? Book a call!
We have 3 different type of calls, pick the best one for you:
– Soleil, 1 hour call.
price 110$/100€
– Papillon, 1 hour call + typed notes.
price 150$/135€
– Madras, 1 hour call + itinerary.
Starting from a 5 day itinerary at 180$/160€.
If interested contact us at contact@anitabeyondthesea.com.
As an expat I have also wrote a detail monthly budget break down, that I update it every year, to help future expat having a broad idea of how much life cost.
Disclosure: anitabeyondthesea.com is reader-supported. When you make a reservation through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission, at no extra cost for you. That will help me keep the blog up and running. Thank you!
French Guiana fast facts:
Languages spoken: French
Total Population: 300.000 people
Capital: Paris, because region of France
Most important city: Cayenne
Currency: Euro
Highest Mountain: Bellevue de l’Inini (851 meters above the sea)
Longest River: Maroni River
Largest Lake: Lac de Petit Saut (artificial)
When is the best time to visit French Guiana?
The equatorial climate is divided in two seasons, the dry season, going from June to November, and the rainy season, from December to May. Quite obviously, traveling to French Guiana is better during the dry season. But temperatures can be very hot and with the humidity levels you should prefer early (June, July) or late dry season (November). For a detailed review check out our guide about French Guiana climate and best time to visit.
Recommended Reads
⬇️ Getting there, check the best fares on Skyscanner ⬇️
French Guiana is not the usual touristy destination. It’s very specific, attracts mainly outdoor lovers or space geeks. For these reasons, you won’t find many information online, and most of the time it’s false. In addition to the guides you can find on the blog I have created a community where you can ask all the questions to plan your trip. Hosted by locals, we also share our most beautiful photos from this wild region.
Explore by city : Cayenne
Explore by city : Kourou
How many days in French Guiana?
The flight to French Guiana is quite expensive and long (unless you are traveling from Suriname or Brazil), for this reason I highly recommend spending at least 10 days there and really enjoy the main highlights this amazing territory offers.
Need ideas for a 10 days itinerary? This is mine, with some of my favorite places and the link to the dedicated blog posts.
Day 1 : Saint Laurent de Maroni, Transportation Camp.
Day 2-3 : Petit Saut Excursion.
Day 4 : Kourou, French Guiana Space Center.
Day 5 : Salvation Islands.
Day 6-7 : Camp Canopée.
Day 8-9 : Kaw Natural Reserve.
Day 9 : Cacao and French Guiana Zoo, night stay in Cayenne.
Day 10 : Visiting Cayenne and return flight.
Experience French Guiana
How to get around?
There is little to no public transport in French Guiana, except for Cayenne. My recommendation is to rent a car from discovercars. Getting to some areas can be very expensive by taxi and you will simply be more autonomous.
I’ve never tried it, but I know of several people who where able to explore with hitchhiking, it’s pretty common among backpackers and locals alike. My choice would still be car rental though.
On the form below you can get a simulation directly on discovercars.