French Guiana
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Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings
In the information on French Guiana you say that people from the EU, the US and Switzerland do not need a visa. You should add Norway and Iceland to that list.
It is a common misconception that only EU nationals can travel to all EU areas (like French Guyana) without a visa, but the correct way to say it would be that all EEA nationals can travel to all EEA areas without a visa. EEA is judicially 'above' the EU, and includes both EU and the EEA only nations.
That is why EU citizens can travel to Spitsbergen in Norway (and Iceland) without a visa, and I can travel to French Guyana without a visa.
In the Schengen area, a passport is not necessary either. So a Nigerian getting a legal permit to travel in France can also travel to Norway without even showing a passport, although we're outside the EU.
Thanks for providing a really excellent site though!
Morten Lillesand, Norway (May 02)
Travel Tips
French Guiana is a very expensive place. We only passed on the way from Brazil to Surinam. 2.5 days costed us 180us$pp. St.George de Loyapoke: 15 minutes on a boat to Oyapoqi, Brazil, $5. from Oyapoqi to Macapa is 17 hours (14 in dry season),half of the way is paved. Very uncomfortable bus, no aircondition. there are buses twice a day, everyday. s. george to kayene: the airplane is 45 euro, almost like a car. half an hour flight.(flights almost everyday on the afternoon to kayene) cab from the airport to Kayene is 35 euro after dark. we hitched.
Accomodation: neptima is closed. in "la bodega" there are rooms in 30-40us$, the room is nice,unlike the ouners.(hot showers, airco) the market of kayene, is a must during weekends. the shopping are the best in the guyanas, but who have the money to buy? the roads to the border with surinam are good and paved. the mong village, in the market day, is one of the wonders of s. america, very turistic by french people.
Awala Yalimapu: a hammock near the beach costs 5 euro. It's full of mosquitos so come with long sleeves, socks and repellent. The food is not overpriced in Guiana's terms. To see turtles you need to wake up in the highest tide time (for us it was 3am). you see few, not a tank battle like written in the L.P.
Yotam Ben Zvi, Israel (May 04)
It is not a bad idea to bring food supplies when going to Saül. The Guianese domestic airline imposes a ten-kilogram luggage limit but in practice staff members at the Cayenne airport often don't pay much attention to that. Because all the food and household equipment is transported by air, the prices in Saül are much higher than in the capital.
Telephoning abroad from French Guiana:
You must not fail to mention that other telecommunications companies have become strong competitors to France Telecom. The former have launched a special Carte Téléphonique Prépayé a prepaid long distance overseas phone card, which is remarkable cheaper than the conventional France Télécom card. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. A France Telecom card is exactly the same in Europe so if one is heading for metropolitan France it may be handy. A domestic card on the other hand is economical but can only be used to telephone outside French Guiana from within the department.
Michal Obreski, Poland (Oct 00)
All tourist-oriented institutions accept payments in USD, so there is no reason to change lots of money.
Devil's Island After one-hour sail by motorized catamaran you will land on Ile Royale. There are three islands, one by one, separated only by 200-meter wide, rough channels: Royal, the largest and in the middle; St. Joseph with a small beach (there is landing place-local boat can take you there) and Devil's Island on the left where they kept political prisoners in the past. Devil's Island is inaccessible due to rocky shores, currents and rough sea. That's why they used primitive cableway over the channel to provide all supplies. So in fact tourists can only see Devil's Island from the distance of 200 meters.
On the Ile Royale once they kept up to 2000 crime prisoners. There are remains of barracks, chapel, lighthouse and prison hospital. In the former guard's mess they have restaurant and hotel (charging 300 FF per night) and small gift shop. Backpackers can sling hammocks in former barrack paying 60 FF. There is a convenient path along the coast heading around the island-it takes about 45 minutes to make complete circle.
Wojciech Dabrowski, Poland (Apr 98)
Moving About
Getting from Cayenne to Rochambeau Airport: Instead of taking a taxi which costs approx. 20 US$ you can catch a taxi collectif for approx 2,50 US$ which leaves from the Gare Routière. It's the same taxi collectif going to Matoury, so sometimes the driver doesn't want to go as far as the airport. But by negotiating a price between the official fare of 2,50 US$ and the official fare for a taxi (20US$) it still works out quite cheaper convincing the driver of taxi collectif going to the airport as taking immediately a normal taxi.
Around Cayenne:
Lake Le Rorota Hiking Trail This trail is officially closed due to falling trees and mudflows since April 2000. However a lot of locals are still enjoying this trail because only a sign in French says that the trail is closed but nothing blocks the entry to the trail.
Kourou: Note that the Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG) is located well out of town. If you stay in town it is an one hour hike to the CSG. You can get a good map of Kourou in the tourist office in Cayenne. If you want to go to the Isles du Salut by boat book this trip through any tour operator mentioned in the L.P. already in Cayenne, as there is no booking office in Kourou.
Going from Kourou to St. Laurent by taxi collectif: Unfortunately there is not Gare Routière in Kourou. If the locals go by taxi collectif to St. Laurent they normally contact the driver on his mobile phone the day prior to departure. As these phone numbers change frequently (however they are available in the tourist office in St. Laurent) the best is to go early in the morning 6- 7 am to the corner of Route Nationale No. 1 (Cayenne-St. Laurent). You can catch there easily the taxi collectif to St. Laurent as they are never full. This is particularly the way to go on Sunday where there is no Ruffinel Bus going to St. Laurent from Cayenne via Kourou. The fare is about 20US$.
Christoph Kessel, Germany (May 02)
To reach the Iles du Salut without reaching too far into your pockets, take the military boat from Kourou's Navy base (departs every morning). It's way cheaper than the regular boat service (indicated in your guide) and a lot more fun!
Philip Horchler (Aug 98)
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