Guyana is a country in South America and is located in its northern part, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Its population consists of the ancestors of runaway and freed slaves with a well-established indigenous culture, mixed with Indian, Indonesian, Laotian, Chinese and Brazilian immigrants, and with little French, British and Dutch colonialism. The result of such mixed peoples makes Guyana one of the most diverse, but also the least visited regions on the continent.
Due to the large number of tropical parks, the capital, Georgetown is also called the garden city. Visit the Guyana Parliament Building and City Hall, numerous museums, and visit the Anglican Cathedral of St.George - which is considered one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world.
Experience the raw power of the Kaieteur waterfalls on the Potaro River in central Guyana where about 600 cubic meters of water descend from a height of 226 meters every second, so the spectacular scene is accompanied by exceptional noise. Kaieteur Waterfalls are an integral part of the eponymous national park.
Head to the sparsely populated area of โโGuyanaโs Amazon region, on the border with Brazil, and climb Mt. Roraima. During the climb you can enjoy the beautiful flora and stone formations that surround this area. Guyana has the cleanest tropical rainforests on the planet, ideal for most adventurous types of ecotourism.
Tourists also like to visit Shell Beach on the Atlantic coast, near the border with Venezuela. It is home to as many as eight different species of turtles (including giant tortoises) that spawn there. These animals used to be killed for their meat and armor, and today they are on the list of protected species of Guyana.
Guyana is an ideal shopping destination if you are looking for distinctive South American clothing, handicrafts and jewelry. Prices are significantly lower in rural areas than in cities, so keep that in mind.
Their cuisine is a blend of colonial and indigenous influences. Curry and other spicy Indian foods, vegetable and chicken compotes and fruit desserts are extremely popular here. The food is served with fruit juices, local beer, rum and various alcoholic cocktails.
The climate is tropical, it is mostly hot and humid, and along the coast it is mitigated by northeastern trade winds. Rainy periods are from May to mid-August and from mid-November to mid-January.
The lack of tourist infrastructure makes traveling in any of Guyana challenging and expensive, but still incredibly rewarding.