Introducing French Guiana
French Guiana is a little country of pristine rainforests that has both the luck and misfortune of being colonized by France (and is thus a member of the EU). It’s the wealthiest region of this corner, with France pouring in the funds to insure a stable base for its satellite launcher; everyone from Brazil to Suriname tries to cross the border in hopes of high-paying jobs and unemployment benefits. Yet the country lacks the smiling simplicity of its struggling neighbors. On the one hand it’s a fascinating destination of cleaned-up colonial architecture, eerie prison camp history (that involved the colorful characters of Papillon and Alfred Dreyfus) and some of the most diverse plant and animal life in the world; on the other hand, its heart seems buried beneath a cold European hand uninterested in seeing its people reach their full potential.
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Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
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French Guiana
Things to do
- All things to do (43)
- Activities (3)
- Entertainment (2)
- Restaurants (9)
- Shopping (3)
- Sights (26)
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Make it happen
Our Top Picks For French Guiana
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1 Awala-Yalimopo during turtle egg-laying season
Feel like a part of the circle of life as you watch the peaceful ritual of dinosaur-like leatherback turtles laying their eggs in the moonlit sand
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2 Îles du Salut
Take an island holiday while exploring the chillingly lovely remains of French Guiana’s most famous penal colonies
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3 Centre Spatial Guyanais (Guianese Space Center)
Learn all you ever wanted to know about the big business of satellite launching or, if you’re timing is lucky, watch the Ariane 5 blast into space
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4 Best journey
Drive to the buzzing jungle of Trésor Nature Reserve where you can stop to walk through tropical forests and then drive on to the bird-filled savannas and marshlands of Kaw
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5 Off the beaten track
Hike the Sentier Molokoï de Cacao where your only deep jungle companions will be capuchin monkeys, enormous snakes, insects and a slew of other exotic plants and critters – including ravenous mosquitoes
Our favourite French Guiana Blogs (beta)
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From Paradise to Hell and Back Again: Les Isles du Salut, French Guiana
Blog: Coconut Radio - 9 April 2010
