Chargement…
French Guiana isn’t a beach destination in the usual sense, and it’s worth knowing before you come. There are no white-sand beaches or turquoise lagoons here: over 90% of the territory is Amazonian rainforest, crossed by great rivers — and that’s exactly what makes it worth the trip. You come first for the nature, the rivers, the history and the mix of cultures. The sun, though, is very much there — especially in the dry season — and nothing stops you from lazing on a beach or by a creek.
This guide runs through what there is to see and do, by theme, with links to our detailed places, bookable tours and the current agenda. For practical planning (when to come, how to get around, budget), see our practical guide to travelling in French Guiana.
This is the heart of French Guiana. The rivers are the real roads, and swimming happens in the creeks and at the foot of waterfalls and rapids. The Kaw flooded savannah is discovered by dugout canoe, often at sunset, to watch caimans and birds — an outing you’ll find in our tours.
For swimming and riverside walks, the directory lists around thirty spots under Water & swimming, most of them free — see our pick of the best creeks in French Guiana. One thing that comes up all the time: there are no white-sand beaches. There are beaches — the ones at Rémire-Montjoly near Cayenne are the busiest — but the sand is silt-laden. Here’s why.
French Guiana is also the Guiana Space Centre, from which European rockets lift off. In Kourou, the guided tour of the centre is free but must be booked in advance with the CNES — we don’t sell it, but it deserves a place in a trip. Nearby, two freely accessible walks: the Space Centre nature trail and the Montagne des Singes trail. Launch dates are public and worth planning around, but a launch isn’t guaranteed on every trip.
French Guiana carries a heavy history, that of the penal colony. The Salvation Islands — Royale, Saint-Joseph and Devil’s Island — were the main place of detention; you reach them by boat from Kourou. On the mainland, several former colonial estates can be visited, such as Loyola, a former Jesuit plantation, or the Vidal plantation. For a tighter selection, see the 5 heritage sites to visit. The whole set sits under Culture & heritage in the directory.
You can’t talk about French Guiana without the forest. It’s everywhere, and you discover it on foot along marked trails, from an hour-long loop to a multi-day hike. The village of Saül, deep in the interior and reachable only by plane, is the reference for walkers. One striking detail is the size of the trees — some over 40 metres, covered in The giant trees of the Guianese Amazon. To find trails, savannahs and islets, the Nature & trails category is the place to start. On the wildlife side, the nesting of leatherback turtles is a highlight — on the western beaches around Awala-Yalimapo, but also on some beaches at Rémire-Montjoly near Cayenne. It’s seasonal (roughly April to July): check the dates and respect the observation guidelines.
Finally, French Guiana is a mix of cultures — Creole, Amerindian, Bushinenge, Hmong, metropolitan — that comes alive in markets, neighbourhoods and celebrations. The Cayenne market at the weekend is the best example; these everyday places are grouped under Local life. And because a good part of what happens here is fleeting — concerts, festivals, workshops, village fairs — the best move is to check the events agenda for your travel dates.
Three ways to use Bon Ti Koté to plan your trip:
Plan at least a week for the coastal essentials (Cayenne, Kourou, Kaw, one or two creeks). Two weeks let you add the west (Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Awala) or a forest immersion.
The dry season, roughly July to November, is the most comfortable for outings — exact dates vary from year to year. The rainy season doesn’t prevent travel, but tracks are harder going.
Yes, without any real issue: in fresh water (creeks, waterfalls, rapids) and in the sea on the beaches (usually unsupervised). Sea swimming is only discouraged during the “saison des graines”, when the sea gets very rough.
No. There are beaches, notably at Rémire-Montjoly near Cayenne, but the sand is silt-laden because of sediment from the Amazon and Maroni rivers.
A car is almost essential along the coast. Some sites (Saül, parts of the rivers) can only be reached by plane or dugout canoe.