What kind of destination is French Guiana?
French Guiana is an overseas territory of France on the northeast coast of South America, bordered by Suriname and Brazil. Around 90% of the territory is covered by rainforest; on the coast lie Cayenne, the Kourou space center, and the former penal colonies on the Îles du Salut and in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni.
Anyone flying here is traveling to France: the euro and French public holidays apply, plus June 10 as a day of remembrance for the abolition of slavery. Behind the coast begins an area reachable only by pirogue or small aircraft. The Parc amazonien de Guyane alone covers 3.4 million hectares, around 40% of the territory.
Sources: Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Parc amazonien de Guyane
What does French Guiana feel like?
French Guiana feels like a piece of France in the Amazon: French administration on the coast, with rivers as the main transport routes behind it. Humidity often exceeds 80%, the sea is brown from Amazon sediment, and Creoles, Amerindians, Bushinengue and Hmong shape the population.
Two national roads connect the coastal towns from Cayenne to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni; no roads lead into the interior. Getting there means flying on aircraft with 17 to 19 seats, or traveling hours to days by pirogue depending on the water level.
The tourist board distinguishes four areas: the Centre Littoral around Cayenne, the Savanes with Kourou, the West on the Maroni, and the East with the Kaw swamps. Instead of large resorts, there are city hotels, lodges and carbets with hammocks.
Sources: Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane)
What does it mean that French Guiana belongs to France?
French Guiana is part of France and, as an outermost region, part of the EU; the euro is used for payment. Schengen rules, however, apply only to metropolitan France. Swiss, German and Austrian nationals enter without a visa but must be able to identify themselves, and a Schengen visa does not apply here.
The European Commission counts French Guiana among the outermost regions, where adapted EU rules apply under Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Schengen rules, according to the French immigration authority, apply under Article 138 of the Schengen Implementing Convention only to metropolitan France.
- Swiss, German, Austrian nationals: up to 3 months without formalities; according to service-public.fr, the EU, EEA and Switzerland count as "European" for this purpose, and a valid passport or identity card is required.
- Other nationalities: depending on the passport, a separate visa for the overseas territory; a Schengen visa is not sufficient.
- Customs and health insurance: according to the FDFA, separate customs regulations apply, and the European Health Insurance Card is not valid in all overseas territories.
The French authority is clear on this point: service-public.fr states literally that "European citizens" need "simply a valid passport or a valid identity card" for an identity check in the country. BMEIA nevertheless recommends a passport for Austrian travelers, presumably out of caution regarding connecting flights outside the Schengen area; anyone traveling only with an identity card should clarify this with the airline beforehand.
Sources: European Commission · Direction générale des étrangers en France, Ministère de l'Intérieur · Service Public (Direction de l'information légale et administrative) · Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane)
Which places are worth visiting in French Guiana?
Most trips combine Cayenne, Kourou with the space center and the Îles du Salut, and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni in the west. Add to that Awala-Yalimapo for the sea turtles, the Hmong village of Cacao, and, by small aircraft, Saül in the Parc amazonien. From Cayenne it is 61 km to Kourou and 258 km to Saint-Laurent.
Cayenne
The capital is the starting point of almost every trip; the airport is in Matoury, 13.5 km to the southwest. A walk of around 4 hours leads from the Place des Palmistes to Saint-Sauveur Cathedral, the central market, and up to Fort Cépérou from the 17th century. The Musée des cultures guyanaises introduces the population groups.
Kourou and the space center
Around 1 hour from Cayenne lies the Centre spatial guyanais (CSG), launch base for Ariane 6 and Vega-C. The tour is free, lasts 3 hours and starts Monday to Saturday at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.; reservation is needed at least 48 hours in advance, minimum age 8. Tours are canceled the day before, the day of, and the day after a launch.
Îles du Salut
The islands of Royale, Saint-Joseph and du Diable lie off Kourou; catamarans from several operators depart daily from the marina, with the crossing taking around 1 hour. On Île Royale, a loop trail of 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes passes remains of the penal camp and the prisoners' seawater pool. Devil's Island, the place of exile of Alfred Dreyfus, is closed to visitors.
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
On the border river Maroni, a 3 h 15 min drive from Cayenne, stands the Camp de la Transportation, built in 1858; Henri Charrière, known as "Papillon," was held in cell 47. Tours last 1 h 15 min and cost €8; from September to June they start Tuesday to Saturday at 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. (as of September 2026).
Awala-Yalimapo
At Plage des Hattes, around 1 hour from Saint-Laurent, sea turtles lay their eggs from January to August, most frequently from April to July. According to Réserves Naturelles de France, the beaches of the Réserve naturelle de l'Amana are among the most important egg-laying sites worldwide for leatherback, green and olive ridley turtles.
Cacao
The village, 70 km or 1 h 20 min from Cayenne, was founded by Hmong refugees from Laos in the 1970s. Known for its Sunday market, the Planeur Bleu insect museum, and the Molokoï hiking trail.
Parc amazonien de Guyane
Founded in 2007, the national park, at 3.4 million hectares, is the largest in France and the EU; over 18,000 people live in its five communes. Saül with its forest trails is reachable only by plane, 45 minutes from Cayenne. Maripasoula is reachable by a 50-minute flight or by pirogue from Saint-Laurent, taking 12 hours to several days depending on the season.
Sources: Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Air France · Centre spatial guyanais (CNES) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Office de Tourisme de Saint-Laurent du Maroni · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Réserves Naturelles de France · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Parc amazonien de Guyane · Parc amazonien de Guyane · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane)
When is the best time to visit French Guiana?
The dry season from July to November is most favorable; September and October are considered the sunniest months. From January to June it rains more often, most heavily in May and June, interrupted by the brief "petit été de mars." It is warm year-round, and hurricanes do not reach French Guiana.
Cayenne: average daily high and low temperatures (Rochambeau/Félix Éboué station) and monthly rainfall. For Kourou, our data draws on the same station.
| Cayenne | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 31 |
| Low °C | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 |
| Rainfall mm | 300 | 264 | 250 | 369 | 504 | 334 | 217 | 109 | 54 | 58 | 110 | 303 |
Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station ROCHAMBEAU / CAYENNE FELIX EBOUE (12 km, 8 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.
Temperatures vary little; the tourist board reports lows always above 20°C and an annual average around 26°C. The decisive factor is rain, which peaks in May and is lowest in September and October.
| Period | Character | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| January–February | small rainy season, sun and showers | Carnival |
| March | "petit été de mars," briefly sunny | forest and rivers |
| April–June | main rainy season | museums, Kaw, turtles |
| July–November | dry season | trekking, swimming, Îles du Salut |
| year-round | CSG launch schedule | rocket launch |
During the rainy season, dirt roads are often passable only with a 4x4, and mosquitoes are more active.
Sources: Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane)
What do you need to enter French Guiana?
Nationals of Switzerland, Germany and Austria do not need a visa. The Federal Foreign Office accepts a passport or ID card, but recommends a passport valid for at least six months; BMEIA names the passport for Austrians. Proof of yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for everyone from age 1 (as of September 2026).
| Nationality | Document | Authority's note |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | Passport or identity card (service-public.fr) | FDFA: must be able to identify yourself at all times; the French representation is authoritative |
| Germany | Passport, child's passport or ID card | Federal Foreign Office: for connecting flights outside French territories, a passport valid for 6 months |
| Austria | Passport | BMEIA: visa-free for up to 90 days |
Yellow fever: The health authority ARS Guyane requires an international vaccination certificate showing a vaccination at least 10 days old, or a certificate of contraindication; this is checked at the border. Anyone vaccinated after their second birthday is considered protected for life.
The Federal Foreign Office recommends a letter of parental consent for children under 15 traveling alone; BMEIA requires it for minors traveling without both parents.
Other nationalities: Anyone not from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland needs, according to service-public.fr, a separate short-stay visa for the overseas territories, unless their nationality is exempt or they hold a residence permit from a Schengen state; a Schengen visa is not valid. French consulates provide information.
The official authorities are authoritative: FDFA, Federal Foreign Office, BMEIA and the French authorities.
Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, Austria · Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland · Service Public (Direction de l'information légale et administrative) · Agence régionale de santé Guyane
What vaccinations and health risks are there?
Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory and also medically recommended for all travelers. Healthytravel.ch additionally recommends hepatitis A; dengue, chikungunya and Zika occur nationwide, and chikungunya appears in outbreaks from time to time. Malaria mainly affects river areas and gold-mining zones in the interior.
- Yellow fever: mandatory from age 1; the CDC recommends the vaccine from 9 months.
- Hepatitis A: for everyone; depending on the trip, hepatitis B, typhoid and rabies.
- Chikungunya: according to healthytravel.ch, vaccination is indicated during outbreaks; current travel notices are published by the CDC.
- Dengue and Zika: day-active mosquitoes, protection needed during the day as well; Zika is relevant during pregnancy.
Malaria: The Federal Foreign Office sees a moderate risk along the rivers Oiapoque, Approuague, Mana and Maroni, in Saül and Maripasoula, and describes the coast including Cayenne and Kourou as malaria-free. Healthytravel.ch rates the coast as low risk. The CDC report no transmission in the city of Cayenne and coastal areas west of Kourou, but at the same time list the commune of Kourou as a transmission area; the commune extends far into the interior, so the CDC's guidance remains ambiguous for the coastal town itself. Prophylaxis or emergency medication should be clarified with a doctor.
According to the Federal Foreign Office, care is regionally good but not at European standard; repatriation insurance is recommended.
Sources: healthytravel.ch (Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine) · CDC Travelers' Health · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Agence régionale de santé Guyane
How safe is French Guiana?
The FDFA describes the crime rate as elevated; theft also occurs against tourists, especially on beaches and in less-visited places. Social tensions occasionally lead to demonstrations, strikes and road blockades.
During prolonged strikes, supply shortages are possible according to the FDFA, including drinking water. The Federal Foreign Office advises caution in poorer areas and not to resist during a robbery. Current situation: FDFA, Federal Foreign Office, BMEIA.
Sources: Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, Austria
How do you get to French Guiana?
The only international airport is Cayenne Félix Éboué (CAY) in Matoury, 13.5 km southwest of Cayenne. Nonstop from Europe is only possible from Paris: Air France daily from Charles de Gaulle, Air Caraïbes several times a week from Orly, taking 9 h 10 min for 7,079 km according to Air Caraïbes. Within the region, Air France flies nonstop to Fort-de-France on Martinique, as well as to Belém and Fortaleza in Brazil.
According to FlightConnections, there are no nonstop flights from the US, Canada, Central America, Africa or Asia; travelers connect via Paris, Martinique or Brazil. Rental car counters are staffed at every international arrival; a taxi into the center costs around €35, according to Air Caraïbes.
| Destination | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kourou | 61 km | 1 h (car) |
| Cacao | 70 km | 1 h 20 min (car) |
| Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock | 180 km | 2 h 30 min (car) |
| Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni | 258 km | 3 h 15 min (car) |
| Saül | 160 km | 45 min (flight) |
Without a car, buses of the TIG network and shared taxis operate. The bus from Transport BEST between Cayenne and Saint-Laurent runs Monday to Saturday at 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. and costs €25 (as of September 2026). Guyane Express Fly and Van Air fly to the interior.
Sources: Aéroport Cayenne-Félix Éboué · FlightConnections · Air Caraïbes · Air France · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Office de Tourisme de Saint-Laurent du Maroni
What does a trip to French Guiana cost?
Payment is in euros. The tourist board estimates €1,500 to €2,500 per person for a week excluding flights, including accommodation, rental car, food and activities. In September 2026, Air France and Air Caraïbes showed round-trip Paris–Cayenne fares from around €650; add the connecting flight to Paris.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Space center tour | free, with reservation |
| Guyaspace Expérience, Kourou | €10, under 10 years €6 |
| Camp de la Transportation | €8, children €4–5 |
| Bus Cayenne–Saint-Laurent | €25 |
| Pirogue Saint-Laurent–Albina | €5 one way |
Visa, Mastercard and American Express are widely accepted in the towns; cash is needed outside them. Currency exchange offices are rare, so euros are obtained from ATMs. Banks generally open Monday to Friday 8 a.m.–noon and 2:30–5 p.m., and are closed Wednesday afternoons.
Sources: Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Air France · Air Caraïbes · Centre spatial guyanais (CNES) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Office de Tourisme de Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Where do you stay in French Guiana?
In Cayenne, Kourou and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni there are hotels, holiday apartments, guest rooms and gîtes. Typical, however, are carbets: open wooden shelters where you sleep in a hammock, often in forest camps with full board and pirogue excursions.
In the Kaw swamps, the houseboat Morpho has room for up to 14 guests with mosquito nets. On Île Royale, the Hostellerie des Îles du Salut rents rooms as well as spots in a hammock carbet. Overnight stays in a carbet are part of everyday life in the region.
Sources: Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Office de Tourisme de Saint-Laurent du Maroni
What do you eat in French Guiana?
The cuisine mixes Creole, Javanese and Amerindian influences. Typical dishes include bouillon d'awara made from the fruit of the awara palm, traditionally served at Easter, colombo curries, and bami and nasi. Cassava is processed into couac and cassave.
The best way to try local food is at markets: the central market in Cayenne offers fresh juices, marinades (fried salt-cod fritters) and pho soup, while at the Sunday market in Cacao, Hmong families sell fruit, vegetables and banana fritters. In Saint-Laurent, the Saint-Maurice rum distillery shows its production on Wednesdays in a 45-minute tour (€15).
Sources: Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Office de Tourisme de Saint-Laurent du Maroni
What cultures shape French Guiana?
French Guiana is a mosaic of Amerindians, Creoles, Bushinengue, Hmong and Europeans. The official language is French; in daily life you also hear Guianese Creole, Amerindian and Bushinengue languages. The highlight of the year is Carnival, from Epiphany to Ash Wednesday.
Slavery was abolished in 1848. The Bushinengue are descendants of escaped slaves who founded their own communities in the forest; along the Maroni, among others, live the Aluku and Saramaka. The central figure of Carnival is the Touloulou, a figure covered from head to toe who dances unrecognized at the masked balls called "parés-masqués."
Sources: Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane)
What can you experience in French Guiana?
The highlights are a rocket launch or a tour of the Kourou space center, a day on the Îles du Salut, the nighttime egg-laying of leatherback turtles, and a pirogue trip through the Kaw swamps or on the Maroni. Those with more time can fly to Saül in the national park.
- Rocket launch: free from the Carapa viewing site or, with reservation, from Ibis, 15 to 18 km from the launch pads; also freely accessible are Plage Pim Poum in Kourou and the Montagne des Singes, without commentary there.
- Guyaspace Expérience: the CSG's interactive museum with a planetarium; plan for around 2 hours.
- Kaw swamps: a 94,700-hectare nature reserve, accessible only by water; excursions to see caimans and scarlet ibises.
- Maroni by pirogue: from Saint-Laurent upstream to Maripasoula in 3 to 5 days, downstream in 2 to 4 days, with stops in villages.
- Saül: a village in the national park, reachable only by plane, with forest trails and a fromager tree considered sacred.
- Hiking: the Sentier de Rorota in Rémire-Montjoly or the Sentier Molokoï near Cacao with a night in a carbet.
Sources: Centre spatial guyanais (CNES) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane)
How do you travel responsibly in French Guiana?
The Parc amazonien de Guyane asks visitors to enter villages in the south only by invitation, to photograph people only with permission, and not to eat protected species such as tapir, spider monkey and howler monkey. For sea turtles: keep your distance, no white light, and no helping hatchlings.
The park's core zone has its own protection rules, and parts of the south have restricted access under prefectural order. For river trips, the tourist board recommends pirogues registered and insured in France.
Sources: Parc amazonien de Guyane · Parc amazonien de Guyane · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane)
What can French Guiana be combined with?
Suriname is the obvious choice: from Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, a pirogue crosses to Albina in around 10 minutes, from where it is 175 km to Paramaribo. In the east, a bridge over the Oyapock connects Saint-Georges with the Brazilian town of Oiapoque; Air France also flies from Cayenne to Belém and Fortaleza.
Belém and Fortaleza are each served once a week, Fort-de-France on Martinique up to twice daily. In the south, the Parc amazonien borders the Brazilian national park Montanhas do Tumucumaque, at 3.9 million hectares.
Sources: Office de Tourisme de Saint-Laurent du Maroni · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Parc amazonien de Guyane
Who is French Guiana suited for, and who less so?
French Guiana suits travelers who want to combine rainforest, wildlife watching, space travel and the history of the penal colonies, and who accept heat, humidity and mosquitoes. It is less suitable for classic beach holidays, tight budgets, and anyone who cannot be vaccinated against yellow fever.
Anyone seeking Caribbean beaches will be disappointed by the brown sea; anyone traveling without a car depends on changeable bus schedules. Families should know that the CSG tour is only possible from age 8. The tourist board's suggested itineraries run 8 and 12 days.
Sources: Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane) · Centre spatial guyanais (CNES) · Guyane Amazonie (Comité du tourisme de la Guyane)