French Guiana travel guide
French Guiana is an overseas region of France on the north-east coast of South America, between Suriname and Brazil, and part of the European Union. Rainforest covers most of the territory, and visitors come for rocket launches at the Guiana Space Centre, the former penal colony on the Îles du Salut, nesting sea turtles and trips by dugout canoe up jungle rivers. It suits nature and history enthusiasts comfortable with heat, humidity and limited tourist infrastructure.
Places worth the trip
Guiana Space Centre, Kourou
Europe's spaceport, where rockets are launched close to the equator. Free guided tours and a space museum are offered on non-launch days, and with planning visitors can watch a launch from public viewing sites.
Îles du Salut
Three islands off Kourou that held one of France's most notorious penal colonies, including Devil's Island. Boats take visitors to Île Royale to see the prison buildings, now overgrown, along with monkeys, agoutis and macaws.
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
A town on the Maroni River, which forms the border with Suriname, with the Camp de la Transportation, where convicts arrived before being sent to labour camps. Guided tours show the cells, and pirogues run along the river.
Turtle nesting at Awala-Yalimapo
The beaches in the north-west are among the world's most important nesting sites for leatherback turtles, the largest sea turtle, along with green and olive ridley turtles. Nesting peaks in the middle of the year; follow guidance for viewing at night.
Cayenne
The capital has a lively central market with Creole, Hmong and Brazilian food stalls, colonial buildings around the Place des Palmistes and views over the coast from the ruins of Fort Cépérou.
Kaw marshes
A vast wetland nature reserve south-east of Cayenne, explored by boat, with caimans, scarlet ibis, hoatzins and other birds. Overnight trips on floating lodges allow night excursions to spot caimans.
Cacao
A village in the forest founded by Hmong refugees from Laos in the 1970s. Its Sunday market sells Hmong dishes and local produce, and there is a museum of insects and butterflies.
The rivers and the Amazonian Park
Pirogue trips on the Maroni, Approuague and Oyapock rivers lead to forest camps and Maroon and Amerindian villages. The Guiana Amazonian Park protects a vast area of the interior and is the largest national park in France.
Interesting facts about French Guiana
- French Guiana is part of France and the EU, making it the largest territory of the European Union outside Europe.
- Rainforest covers the great majority of the territory.
- Launch sites near the equator give rockets an extra boost from the Earth's rotation, one reason Europe built its spaceport at Kourou.
- The penal colony on the Îles du Salut became internationally known through Henri Charrière's memoir Papillon.
- The Guiana Amazonian Park is the largest national park in France and in the European Union.
Best time to visit French Guiana
The drier season, from roughly August to November, is the most comfortable time to visit, with less rain and easier river travel. There is also a short drier spell known as the 'little summer of March'. The rest of the year is wet, with heavy rains often from April to July. Carnival, from early January until Lent, is a major event with weekend parades. Leatherback turtles nest mainly from around April to July, with hatchlings later in the year.
Getting around
A coastal road links Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Kourou, Cayenne and Saint-Georges on the Brazilian border, and renting a car is the most practical way to travel along it. Shared minibuses run between towns, but schedules are limited. The interior has no roads, so travel there is by pirogue or small plane, usually with a tour operator. Boats to the Îles du Salut leave from Kourou.
Practical details
- Capital
- Cayenne
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Languages
- French
- Plug types
- C, E
- Voltage
- 220 V, 50 Hz
- Emergency
- 112 for all emergencies; also 15 ambulance, 17 police, 18 fire
- Driving side
- right
- Tipping
- Service is included in restaurant prices, so tipping is optional; leaving a little extra for good service is appreciated.
Staying online in French Guiana
Mobile coverage is good in Cayenne, Kourou, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni and along much of the coastal road. Away from the coast, in the rainforest, along the rivers and in the interior, there is little or no signal. Hotels and guesthouses in towns usually offer Wi-Fi. As French Guiana is part of the EU, EU roaming rules generally apply for EU plans, but check with your provider; others may face high roaming charges. Download offline maps, install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
French Guiana eSIM plans
1 GB
1GB eSIM Data for 3 Days for French Guiana, V2
Ilimitados
Unlimited eSIM Data for 1 Day for French Guiana, V2
Ilimitados
Unlimited Plus eSIM Data for 1 Day for French Guiana, V2
3 GB
3GB eSIM Data for 3 Days for French Guiana, V2
Useful apps
- Google Maps: Driving directions along the coastal road; download offline maps before heading inland.
- Google Translate: Download French for offline use; English is not widely spoken.
- WhatsApp: Useful for contacting guides, boat operators and guesthouses.
French Guiana travel FAQs
Yes, launches can be watched from public viewing points around Kourou, and limited places at closer viewing sites can sometimes be reserved. Launch dates can change at short notice, so allow flexibility.
Yes. It is an overseas region of France and part of the EU, using the euro and French systems, although it is in South America.
Yes, in the towns and along the coast. Expect no signal in the rainforest interior and on rivers. A travel eSIM gives you local data where networks reach while your home number stays active.
Light, long-sleeved clothing, good insect repellent, rain gear and sturdy shoes. Health requirements such as yellow fever vaccination may apply, so check current advice before travelling.