The Perfect 5-Day Route for French Guiana

This five-day loop runs west along the coast of French Guiana, from the capital to the Suriname border. It suits travelers who want the full convict-colony story, a rocket base and a turtle beach in one trip, at a steady pace with no day longer than about 3 hours on the road. Shared minibus taxis (“taxis collectifs”) cover Cayenne, Kourou and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, and catamarans run to the islands. Rent a car for the last leg to Awala-Yalimapo, or book a taxi from Saint-Laurent, because buses out there are sparse.

Day 1: Cayenne and the Musée des Cultures Guyanaises

Start in Cayenne, because the rest of the coast makes more sense once you have seen who lives here. The Musée des Cultures Guyanaises is small, but its Amerindian basketry, Maroon carved wood and Creole household objects give you the vocabulary for everything you will pass in the next four days. Afterwards, walk the wooden Creole houses between Place des Palmistes and the canal, and eat at the covered market, where the Vietnamese … read more 👉

This five-day loop runs west along the coast of French Guiana, from the capital to the Suriname border. It suits travelers who want the full convict-colony story, a rocket base and a turtle beach in one trip, at a steady pace with no day longer than about 3 hours on the road. Shared minibus taxis (“taxis collectifs”) cover Cayenne, Kourou and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, and catamarans run to the islands. Rent a car for the last leg to Awala-Yalimapo, or book a taxi from Saint-Laurent, because buses out there are sparse.

Day 1: Cayenne and the Musée des Cultures Guyanaises

Start in Cayenne, because the rest of the coast makes more sense once you have seen who lives here. The Musée des Cultures Guyanaises is small, but its Amerindian basketry, Maroon carved wood and Creole household objects give you the vocabulary for everything you will pass in the next four days. Afterwards, walk the wooden Creole houses between Place des Palmistes and the canal, and eat at the covered market, where the Vietnamese soup stalls fill up by 9 a.m. One night is enough.

Days 2-3: Kourou, the Centre Spatial Guyanais and the Îles du Salut

A taxi collectif gets you to Kourou in about an hour. Book the free guided tour of the Centre Spatial Guyanais weeks ahead (bring your passport), then spend the afternoon in the Vieux Bourg and at Pointe des Roches, where the old Dreyfus tower stands above the brown Atlantic surf. On day 3, take the morning catamaran to the Îles du Salut. This time, put your energy into Île Saint-Joseph and the Îles du Salut Historic Site ruins of its solitary-confinement blocks, roofless and wrapped in roots. The cove on its north side is the best swim of the trip. Then look across the channel at Devil’s Island, where landing is forbidden. Sleep on Île Royale in the former guards’ quarters or in a hammock, and you get the island after the day boats leave.

Day 4: Sinnamary and on to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

Return to the mainland early and head west, roughly 2.5 hours to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. Break the drive in Sinnamary for a coffee and a look at the wood-carving workshops along the main road. In Saint-Laurent, the tourist office runs guided visits of the Camp de la Transportation (around €6 to 8), the gateway where every convict was processed. One cell carries the name of Henri Charrière, the “Papillon” author. At dusk, walk to the riverbank and watch the pirogues shuttle across the Maroni to Albina in Suriname.

Day 5: Awala-Yalimapo and Les Hattes Beach

The last move is about an hour north to Awala-Yalimapo, a Kali’na village at the mouth of the Maroni. From April to July, leatherback turtles up to 2 meters long haul themselves onto Les Hattes Beach at night to lay eggs, and hatchlings scramble out from July into September. Join a guided night walk, keep your flashlight red and off, and sleep in one of the village carbets so you are on the sand when the tide turns.

If you have a spare afternoon in Saint-Laurent, hire a pirogue upriver toward Apatou, where Maroon villages line the Maroni and the forest closes in on both banks.