The best places to visit in French Guiana.

Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni: the Voltaire stream and its falls are reached via the Paul Isnard track then a 3.3 km trail through remote terrain.

Kourou, French Guiana: the Salvation Islands (Royale, Saint-Joseph, Devil's Island) blend the ruins of a former penal colony with unspoiled island nature, reachable by boat.

Near Saint-Georges, the Saut Maripa on the Oyapock River offers rapids, swimming, four hiking trails, and the remains of an early 20th-century railway.

Rémire-Montjoly: a protected coastal site 10 km from Cayenne where a beach, dune ridge, and wetland form a unique ecosystem, with a 1.5 km discovery trail.

Roura: Lac Pali, accessible only by water via Crique Gabriel, winds through marshland, mangrove and a forest of bâche palms.

Roura: the Molokoi Trail, French Guiana's longest waymarked trail at 18 km, crosses the equatorial forest with two trailheads and a free overnight shelter at the midpoint.

In Montsinéry-Tonnégrande, the Bagne des Annamites penal colony can be explored via a 5 km trail: ruins of a penitentiary where Indochinese deportees were imprisoned.

Roura: Grillon Creek, in the Bélizon forest, reveals an approximately 20-metre waterfall at the end of an easy trail.

Roura: the Fourgassier falls, accessible via the Kaw road 40 minutes from Cayenne, offer swimming in natural pools and picnic tables.

Régina: Angèle Creek, a tributary of the Approuague River, is reached after a 3-hour forest hike and leads to several waterfalls.

In Kourou, the Cocoteraie Beach (Parc de la Cocoteraie) brings together swimming, a skate park, a basketball court, and cultural events.

Maripasoula: the Gobaya trail, 2.2 km long and reached by a 20-minute pirogue ride, leads to waterfalls and features panels on the history of the river.

Iracoubo: Crique Morpio, 12 km from the village on the road to Saint-Laurent, is a well-equipped rest stop with carbets and a spot for swimming.

Awala-Yalimapo: Plage des Hattes, stretching 5 km, is one of the last major nesting beaches for leatherback sea turtles in French Guiana.

Sinnamary: the river mouth, rich in mangroves and birdlife including scarlet ibises, is watched over by an old lighthouse bearing witness to the region's river heritage.

In Kourou, Crique Parforce — developed in 2022 at PK 17 on the Dégrad Saramaka road — offers swimming, picnicking, and relaxation among coconut palms and mangroves.

Roura: Tibourou's natural jacuzzi, 74 km from Cayenne on the Régina road, is reached after a 30-minute walk through the forest.

Sinnamary: Canceler Creek, 10 km from town via the Corossony road, offers swimming, tables, chairs and a short forest walk.

Apatou: Crique Cascade, between Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni and Apatou, strings together small waterfalls over 300 to 400 m of clear, cool water.

Sinnamary: Crique Toussaint, with its sandy banks and amber-tinted water, is a well-equipped site just a few minutes from the town centre.

Rémire-Montjoly: Plage de Gosselin, known as the Plage des Brésiliens, is a natural beach close to Cayenne with minimal facilities.

Macouria: Crique Couleuvre is a pristine natural site in French Guiana, reachable by 4x4 along a laterite track, ideal for swimming and wild camping.

In Apatou, the Saut Hermina is an isolated islet on the Maroni River, reachable in 20 minutes by pirogue. Swimming and a night in a hammock in a riverside shelter await.

Sinnamary: Grégoire Creek, downstream from the Petit-Saut dam, is accessible only by river and offers waterfalls and swimming.

Macouria: Crique Patate, close to the île de Cayenne, is a tidal swimming spot popular with local families.

Roura: the Patawa falls, also known as the Diamant falls, are reached after a 40-minute hike, close to the Fourgassier falls.

Cayenne, French Guiana: Pointe Buzaré, a rocky headland between Anse Méret and Anse Nadau, offers a sweeping view over the Atlantic Ocean.

Sinnamary, French Guiana: the Takari Tanté rapids, on the upper Sinnamary river, are reached after roughly 4 hours of navigation from the Petit Saut dam.

In Régina, the Grand Canori rapids on the Approuague River are the largest in French Guiana: a 19-metre drop, accessible by pirogue with a guide.

In Sinnamary, the Saut Lucifer, upstream from the Petit-Saut dam, is a wild riverside site deep in the forest, famed for aimara fishing.

Kourou: the seafront stretches for several kilometres between beaches, mangroves, and carbets, lined with restaurants serving Creole and local cuisine.

Cayenne: Montabo Beach, just minutes from the city centre, offers sand, shaded areas, benches, and swimming — though currents require caution.

Matoury, French Guiana: the Crique Morthium fitness trail, with two circuits (1,320 m and 460 m), outdoor gym stations, rest areas, and a children's playground.