What budget for activities and outings French Guiana?
It's best to have an adventurous spirit if you want to take advantage of the best deals in French Guiana. While a night in a communal carbet may only cost you around ten euros, rates can quickly climb for accommodation more comfortable than a hammock. When dining out, expect to pay a little more than you would in mainland France. Generally speaking, the price of food will always be around 15% higher in supermarkets.
For sightseeing, it will cost you around 50 euros for a boat trip (îles du Salut, îlet la Mère...). On the other hand, a pirogue trip with an overnight stay in the Kaw marshes can quickly cost well over a hundred euros... But if you're on a budget, it's well worth it!
Like the locals, you can take advantage of Guiana's natural environment to learn or improve your skills in a wide range of sporting activities. The humid but shady forest is perfect for hiking. The sea and its waves offer windy spots for kitesurfing. With so much space, French Guiana is home to numerous ranches, making horseback riding a pleasure. Last but not least, kayakers will be delighted by a few jumps (rapids).
A visit to the shops in Cayenne, Kourou or Saint-Laurent will allow you to pick up a few bargains in terms of clothing purchases. But on the whole, prices in French Guiana are pretty close to those in mainland France, if not more so.
Expect to pay around €15 to get into one of Cayenne's clubs. A drink is usually included at this price.
What budget to eat French Guiana?
Life isn't exactly cheap in French Guiana, and the restaurant business is no exception. However, there are a few tables in town serving a dish of the day for around €10. For a more elaborate menu, you're looking at €30 to €40. The real bargain in French Guiana is the soup prepared by the Hmongs and served in most of the department's markets: healthy, economical and tasty! Bring cash with you to restaurants, in case credit cards are not accepted.
Prices for gourmet breaks and alcoholic beverages are relatively similar to those in mainland France, with the possible exception of rum- and cachaça-based cocktails. Local natural juices are highly recommended for quenching thirst, with passion fruit(maracudja) and cytherea plum being the most common. Fresh, sweet beverages to give your body a boost!
What is the budget for accommodation French Guiana?
Hotels. Although most major cities offer hotels ranging from 1 to 3 stars, there are very few intermediate categories. When there are no hotels in a town, village or city, gites, furnished accommodation and carbet camps take over. These types of structures often offer a number of advantages: a traditional atmosphere, pleasant surroundings and good value for money. The website of the Guyana Tourism Committee, www.guyane-amazonie.fr, provides, among other things, a list of the accommodation available in Guyana, according to location and category.
The Clévacances label is a national quality mark for vacation rentals. Certified establishments are selected according to the following criteria: environment, interior design, equipment, comfort and welcome. Several establishments are listed in French Guiana, offering up to 5 categories of comfort (from 1 to 5 keys). These include rooms and studios in and around Cayenne, Matoury, Macouria and Kourou.
Carbet accommodation is also a very good option, outside Cayenne, as it is perfectly suited to Guiana's geography. There is a wide range of tourist camps on offer, from lodges to simple carbets, and the cost of this type of dry accommodation is one of the most economical in the department (from €10 to €20 per night if you bring your own hammock). Many service providers offer package deals (canoe transfer, accommodation, catering, forest walks, various activities...). You can consult our selection (by region), but don't hesitate to go by feel. It's a good idea to buy a hammock and a mosquito net (without honeycombs, which need to be treated against mosquitoes) as soon as you arrive, even if some service providers rent or lend them
Travel budget French Guiana and cost of living
As far as budgets are concerned, everything depends on the activities planned, in the forest and on the rivers. Living costs remain high in French Guiana, mainly due to the price of fuel and foodstuffs, most of which are imported from mainland France rather than from neighboring countries (because of the trade relations established with France and the need to comply with European regulations and standards).
Small budget. 60 € per day per person, on condition that you sleep in a hammock (between 10 and 20 €) under the passing carbets or with the locals, eat simply by doing your own shopping at the market and don't move around too much, or at least look for all the local means of locomotion such as freight to go down the rivers, collective cabs or hitchhiking to reach a given town. All this requires time.
Average budget. From €80 to €130 per person per day. This includes gîte accommodation (from €50), car hire (minimum €35 per day), restaurant meals and professionally supervised discovery of the department (river, forest, islands...) for those who have a few days to spare and want to get several glimpses of the department.
Big budget. From €150 to €250 per person per day. For travelers looking for comfort, with accommodation in the most expensive hotels on the coast, air travel and the rental of a nice all-terrain vehicle.
