Region
Cayenne and surroundings
Sleep in Cayenne, do Rémire-Montjoly beach as a half day, and go on to Kourou or Saint-Laurent as separate stays; the Kaw marshes are a full-day boat trip with an operator.
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Key facts · French Guiana
- Best months
- Aug–Nov
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Language
- French
- Plugs
- C · E · 220 V
- Time zone
- UTC−3 all year
Rules in force · 6Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…French Guiana is part of France and the EU but not the Sc…A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for en…
- South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
- South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
- South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
- French Guiana ↗French Guiana is part of France and the EU but not the Schengen area: a Schengen visa is not valid here unless it says so. Check French government entry rules for overseas departments for your passport.
- French Guiana ↗A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for entry for travellers aged one and over; get vaccinated at least 10 days before travel and carry the certificate.
- French Guiana ↗Around launches from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, access to some areas (including the Îles du Salut) is restricted; check launch dates before planning.
The Cayenne area is one base and a few trips: the town, the beaches of Rémire-Montjoly, and the Kaw marshes. Cars and taxis are needed for anything beyond the centre, and the heat makes a midday break part of every day. Keep the Cayenne room and go light on the trips.
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- CayenneTrip line
The capital: market, Place des Palmistes, Fort Cépérou and the old port. The airport is 16 km (9.9 mi) away in Matoury.The capital: market, Place des Palmistes, Fort Cépérou and the old port. The airport is 9.9 mi (16 km) away in Matoury.
Best Aug–Nov
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Day trip
- Rémire-MontjolyGuide: planned
Beaches and a coastal trail about 10 km (6.2 mi) from the centre.Beaches and a coastal trail about 6.2 mi (10 km) from the centre.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- Kaw marshesGuide: planned
Boat trip with an operator; a full day with a road and river leg.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Plan the nights
How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags
Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags
Night sequences
- 3 nights
- Cayenne 3 with a Rémire-Montjoly beach half day
- 5 nights
- Cayenne 3 + Kourou 2 by rental car
- Cayenne, Kourou and Saint-Laurent in three days is mostly time on the coast road.
- Without a car, the coast beyond Cayenne is hard to reach: rent one or book an operator.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rémire-Montjoly | Cayenne | 25 min | unknown | Taxi or car; buses are infrequent. |
| Kaw marshes | Cayenne | 120 min | unknown | Book an operator; the boat leg depends on tides and rain. |
Bags between cities
No luggage-forwarding culture: leave the big bag at the Cayenne hotel and take a day pack.
When to go
Months and weather
Open When to goClose When to go1 partSeasons
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cayenne | ok | ok | ok | ok | × | × | ok | go | go | go | go | ok |
| French Guiana (country-wide) | ok | ok | go | ok | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Eat and move on
Regional food and where to go next
Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on1 partGo next
Go next
Kourou and the Îles du Salut
planned2 nights
Space centre visits and boat trips to the former penal-colony islands
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni and the west
planned1–2 nights
Transportation Camp, Maroni river, sea-turtle nesting beaches at Awala-Yalimapo
Cayenne and surroundings: what we know, and what is coming
1 of 3 places open
On this page
- 3 places with their role: where to sleep, what to do as a day trip
- How to split 3 or 5 nights
- 2 day trips with door-to-door time
- Seasons month by month, from the cities’ own tables
- What to do with the big bag between beds
Coming as the guide grows
- Climate strip by zone, with the storm and haze months
- Get in: airports and stations with door-to-door times
- Regional passes and cards, with a buy / skip verdict
- Regional food: what, where and when it works
- A page for Rémire-Montjoly — Beaches and a coastal trail about 10 km from the centre.
- A page for Kaw marshes — Boat trip with an operator; a full day with a road and river leg.
Meanwhile
Planning aids
Built from this guide's own data
Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids3 partsIn numbers · Trips here · Local time
Region in numbers
- Where to sleep
- 1 base
- Day trips
- 2, 25 min to 2 h
- Nights suggested
- 3–5 nights
Trips that stop here
Space and prisons
7 days · 3 nights here
Cayenne → Kourou → Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
Coast and marsh
10 days · 3 nights here
Cayenne → Kaw marshes → Kourou → Îles du Salut → Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni → Awala-Yalimapo
Coast and rainforest
14 days · 3 nights here
Cayenne → Saül → Kourou → Îles du Salut → Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni → Paramaribo
Local time
What time it is there now, compared with the clock on your device.
Cayenne
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Checking your clock…America/Cayenne
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