To go or not to go to Georgetown, the capital of Guyana? After my visits to French-Guyana and Suriname I personally did decide to hop into the more English counterpart of the ‘Guianas’.
Divided geographically and spiritually by the mighty Amazon from the rest of the continent, this area is so, so different from any other corner of Latin America that it’s bound for absolute unexpected adventures to be experienced.
For sure all of the Guyanas are unique off-the-beaten track destinations in Latin America. The countries are basically all one big jungle, apart from a strip of consecutive village along the coast. Suriname has some villages a bit more inland too.
Thankfully overpopulation isn’t stealing away the jungle in here, yet. The forests are therefore still chock full of furry monkeys, giant snakes (eeks!), colourful birds and tranquil sloths.
But enough about nature; today I’m going to write a small guide on one of the Guyanese capitals. But I’ll start with a warning on Georgetown; I personally wasn’t completely wowed by it, to be honest. In fact, I would never recommend it as the sole purpose of your visit, especially not while travelling solo. Nevertheless, if you’re planning on travelling around the Guyanas and if you’re curious what the vibe of the country feels like (as I was), it might still be an idea to add the city to your itinerary.
Especially if you’re planning to see that one highlight of Guyana: the spectacular Kaieteur Falls (Guyana’s answer to the Angel Falls), Georgetown is going to be a required stop anyway. So why not take a couple of hours to see what this city is like right?!
Guayana’s capital is as real as a city can be. Nothing feels polished or focused on tourists. In fact; you will barely meet other travellers. That said, try to travel with someone in here (preferably even a group), try to pre-arrange taxis and in general take care.
Ready for a couple of hours wandering around this raw hub? Here are the things I would recommend you to do in Georgetown!
Stabroek Bazaar
Do you want to find and walk around the real Guyana? Head over to the Stabroek Market. Crowded, colourful, noisy, sometimes smelling wonderfully and terribly at the same; this market is what Georgetown is about. Stabroek is always bustling with people and activities.
Just walk around and marvel at whatever is happening around you.
Regarding safety: I walked around with another couple (it didn’t felt right to walk around on my own as a female traveller) and felt as such fairly safe during the day. Nevertheless, be careful and keep an eye on your belongings.
National Museum
In the mood for a very strange afternoon? The Guayana National Museum is your place to be!
Upon entering this place it feels as if you’ve stepped back into time. The first floor is full of dusty, animal taxidermy, animal skeletons and ancient shells.
Unfortunately the staff is not only very impolite, they are also following you around regarding making pictures. Note that this is allowed, but only when you make a selfie, or picture another person. Intensely strange and it kind of gave me the giggles.
The museums best feature is it extinct and elephant sized sloth: The Megatherium. What a beast. Last hall gives to information on the history of Guyana.
All in all this museum is fun for (half an) hour. But just don’t expect something majestic or modern.
Outside the museum is a leather market, with lots of crocodile leather that for sure, thankfully, is very illegal to either buy or bring along. So don’t be tempted. Nevertheless there’s other stuff to buy in here too (lots of Guyanese flag merchandise for example), if you just can’t but leave the country without a present or two.
St. George’s Cathedral
Close to the National Museum you’ll find the capital’s church, which is surprisingly striking. The church is made entirely out of wood on the inside and is adorned with beautiful stained glass and statues. Try to plan your trip on a Sunday – that way you may even experience an uplifting sermon.
Walk along the boulevard
Along Guyana’s coastal line runs a very long seawall, to protect the settlements against the tide. The part in Guyana might make for a pleasant stroll (again, take care in terms of safety), although at the same time it’s quite sad to see the pollution in here too.
We encountered quite some activity at the end of the afternoon in here.
That was it. I hope these tips may help you to enjoy Georgetown as much as possible. Here’s where to find the places described in Georgetown! ↓
