Green

The Guyanas do not normally make headlines in the travellers’ magazines. Neither had I even been planning a trip there. While people might have heard about Courou, the European Space Agency spacecraft launch pad in French Guiana, and perhaps about the photogenic Kaieteur Falls in Guyana, hardly anyone heard about Suriname. Even the writers of the ‘Silence of the Lambs’ film got it wrong, mentioning that Suriname was in Asia! 

I had a full week to fill the calendar with a route plan for all three Guyanas, from Thursday, the 1 September to Thursday, the 8 September. Now, depending on what one’s priorities were, that could be a lot and much too little.

The vast majority of the Guyanas’ territories was taken up by the green jungle of the Amazon. Most sights were concentrated along the coast, and a few fascinating spots within the jungle. The latter required careful planning, more time to spare, stamina, sense of adventure and definitely more budget.

The visit to the Guyanas was a good idea. The three countries should promote themselves a bit better amongst the travellers community. They had plenty to offer for almost every type of traveller. It seemed that the backpackers had already discovered the secret, at least in Guyana. But in French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana, there was room for those, who wanted to splurge in high-end resorts, either at the Atlantic coast, along the rivers or deep in the Amazon. French Guiana and Suriname managed to kick off campaigns aimed at the swimming pool loving tourists from France and the Benelux. One of the examples of green routes of this sector of the tourism market was evident in the construction of the hotel resort in Paramaribo, where my mate was the resident manager.

Well, as the time was moving rather slowly in the Guyanas, I was not expecting the tourism to boom there any time soon. And perhaps that was a good thing. Those travellers, who prefer largely untouched territories and rough terrain, the countries were almost an ideal holiday destination on this planet.

This short photo book contains over 80 original photographs taken during the trip, practical hints and tips about places to see, eat, sleep and socialise with the locals. It covers Cayenne in French Guiana; Paramaribo in Suriname; and Georgetown, Parika, Bartica in Guyana.