Organize your stay French Guiana
Money French Guiana
In French Guiana, as everywhere else in France, payment is made in euros (€). Most towns have ATMs (banks or post offices) for withdrawals with standard credit cards (Visa and MasterCard). Please note! There aren't many cash dispensers and few retailers accept non-Guyanese cheques. As a precaution, in some establishments (even in major cities), bring cash with you, as credit cards are not always accepted.
For those planning to cross the border, here are the exchange rates with the Brazilian real (R$) and the Surinamese dollar (SRD) in July 2024 (although they fluctuate widely):
1 € = 6.10 R$; 1 R$ = 0.16 €.
1 € = 32.36 SRD; 10 SRD = 0.31 €.
Budget & Tips French Guiana
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.
Passport and visas French Guiana
French travellers to French Guiana of course have no administrative formalities to complete (except for the yellow fever vaccine, which can't be stressed enough!), while Belgians, Swiss and Canadians are accepted visa-free on French territory for a maximum of 90 days per six-month period (from the date of arrival).
To visit neighboring countries: in Brazil, you don't need a visa if you're staying for less than 90 days. For Suriname, on the other hand, you need to apply for a visa (available online for around 30 euros from the official website: suriname.vfsevisa.com).
Driver's license French Guiana
Belgian, Swiss and Canadian driving licenses are accepted for a period not exceeding six months; otherwise, you'll need an international license (generally valid for one to three years). If you wish to rent a car in French Guiana, you must be at least 21 years old, with at least one year's driving experience, and in possession of a credit card.
Health French Guiana
There's nothing to fear from a health point of view in Guiana's cities... Apart from the little beasts!
In fact, insect bites are common in the forest, and some specimens can transmit skin diseases (leishmaniasis, flea-bites...) which can show up after your return. Remember to tell your GP that you were in French Guiana if you are consulting a doctor in mainland France. What's more, minor injuries are more easily infected in tropical environments, so be careful and take a disinfectant spray and repellent with you!
As for vaccinations, yellow fever is compulsory, and we recommend that you keep your DTP and hepatitis A vaccinations up to date. The more adventurous should also take precautions against B and typhoid fever!Malaria is rife on rivers throughout the Amazon region, and a few cases have been reported on the Atlantic coast.
If you're staying in the forest, a mosquito net is essential, even if you're assured that there are no mosquitoes. Dengue fever, a viral disease transmitted by a female mosquito, is also present, and transmission of the virus is essentially urban. Anti-rabies treatment is compulsory in the event of a bite (stray dogs are not dangerous here, rabies is transmitted mainly by vampire bats to those who trek for several days to reach the heart of the rainforest, whether they be soldiers or gold-diggers - rest assured, there's very little chance of it affecting you).
After all this preventive information, let's end on a positive note: as far as hydration is concerned, tap water is drinkable all along the coast.
Mandatory vaccination French Guiana
A yellow fever vaccination will be required before boarding the plane to Cayenne.
Please note: if you are unable to show proof of vaccination (vaccination booklet or at least a copy of the yellow fever vaccination certificate), flight attendants will not let you board the plane! The vaccination must be given at least 10 days before departure.
Security French Guiana
In town. The welcome in French Guiana is generally warm and pleasant. If you're not from the area, there are a few places to avoid after dark in Cayenne, such as La Crique (also known as Chicago) or Pointe Buzaret. In these neglected neighborhoods, drugs tend to wreak havoc, the current scourge of urban Guyana being crack. The danger is posed by drug users, who engage in muggings and snatchings. Early in the morning, at Cayenne's bus station, you need to be vigilant too.
In the forest. Another potential danger is illegal gold panning. Visiting a gold-panning site in the forest is totally inadvisable. On the other hand, there is little to worry about when it comes to wild animals: although there are many of them, you mustn't forget that the jungle is huge, so you don't come across a predator every four mornings. More people die from snakes in mainland France than in French Guiana - that's saying something! On the other hand, as the Amazonian soil is not very compact, you have to be very careful about falling trees. In fact, falling trees and coconuts are more likely to endanger you than animal attacks.
Time difference French Guiana
GMT-3 for French Guiana, which means 4 hours less in winter and 5 hours less in summer than in Paris (GMT+1). When it's 11 a.m. in Cayenne, it's 4 p.m. (in summer) or 3 p.m. (in winter) in Paris. When in French Guiana, count 1 hour less than in Martinique and Guadeloupe (GMT-4), the same for Quebec in summer, and 2 hours less in winter.
Spoken languages French Guiana
French is the official and most widely spoken language in French Guiana, but it's far from the only one. Creole languages, for a start, were for the most part formed in the context of slavery between European populations and slaves uprooted from their native Africa. A distinction is made between Creole with a French base, such as Kreol Gwiyane, and Creole with an English lexical base, such as Taki Taki or Saramaka, which originated in Suriname.
As for the Amerindian populations: the Arawaks speak Palikur, the Caribs Wayana and the Guaranis Wayampi. These languages are found throughout South America. They share a number of common features, but are not mutually incomprehensible.
Many other languages are spoken in French Guiana, including Portuguese from neighboring Brazil, Haitian Creole, Hmong, West Indian Creoles and Surinamese Sranan Tongo.
Communication French Guiana
There's no problem communicating by cell phone along most of Guyana's coastline, and Internet access via mobile data is even very good in this area (although check that your package includes data in the French overseas departments, which is often the case at present). Things get more complicated, however, as soon as you enter the forest: in these remote areas, only satellite phones work... a priori!
If you have a French, Swiss or Belgian cell phone subscription, it should work perfectly well in French Guiana, and at no extra cost. Most cafés, restaurants and hotels in the main towns have wifi. However, it's a safe bet that once you've reached the more remote villages or the jungle, you'll probably want to disconnect your mobile to leave more room for the good vibes of majestic nature!
Electricity and measurements French Guiana
Since 1995, France's largest hydroelectric dam, Petit-Saut in Sinnamary, has been in operation, covering 80% of demand. For remote communities such as Saül, electricity is generated by generators or solar panels. As far as plugs are concerned, French Guiana has the same configurations as mainland France. The same applies to the metric system: we weigh in grams and measure in meters.
Please note that power cuts (or telephone network outages) are fairly common and can occur especially during heavy rains, so don't be surprised.
Luggage French Guiana
The temperature is constant throughout the year, ranging from 26°C to 32°C during the day and 23°C to 27°C at night. In the forest, nights are cooler, with temperatures dropping to 18°C... Even if it's not intuitive for this tropical destination, pack a warm item of clothing, such as a sweatshirt or small jacket, especially for nights in the forest (as well as earplugs and a mask, for light sleepers).
For the city, choose light, supple clothing in light tones to keep mosquitoes away... If you forget something, or even need to equip yourself, you'll find all the equipment you need for the perfect Guyanese hiker, particularly at "les Chinois" (the local grocers): hammocks, impregnated mosquito nets, rain gear, umbrellas... at a much lower price than in mainland France.
And don't forget your sun protection. And above all, don't forget to take your yellow fever vaccination certificate and your passport, as crossing the border to visit Brazil and/or Suriname can be tempting if you have the time.
