Destination: Guyana
Written: Jan 27 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Eco Tourism, not a tourist trap.
Cons: Really not a tourist trap.
The Bottom Line: Guyana is not tailored towards tourists, and the edges show.
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| blakdogg's Full Review: Guyana |
Disclaimer
I am an expatriate Guyanese.
Overview
Guyana is a tropical country, so it is a hot, humid country where it rains quite a bit. It is more tropical than the Caribbean islands in that they are further north, while Guyana is a mere 2 degrees north of the equator. We have a limited temperature variation, from about 24 degrees Celsius to about 34 degrees Celsius.
Guyana is lush country, as most of the inhabited areas are tropical rainforest. Since we are not that developed, one cannot avoid the abundant fauna and flora that is indicative of the rainforest. Guyana does not have Atlantic Ocean beaches, due to the high degree of silt from our rivers, power of the tides and the presence of a concrete seawall. Instead, Guyana has beaches on its rivers and creeks which are characterized by 'black water' and an absence of waves.
Getting there
Guyana has one international airport, with flights to the Caribbean, the UK, Canada and the US. There are also overland routes from Venezuela and Suriname, but these are not generally used for ferrying tourists. The most popular air line servicing Guyana would be BWIA, as most major airlines do not come to Guyana.
The international airport at Timehri, is about 30 minutes outside of Georgetown. It is a small airport with a limited level of mechanization, well maintained but not quite modern. Functionally, this becomes a problem when waiting to clear immigration and customs. Immigration lines can be long when a large flight has arrived, as the officers seem unconcerned by your wait. And there may be only three or four stations clearing a plan of 300 people. The wait entering Guyana is equivalent to the wait entering any country where a visa is needed, i.e. it takes just as long to clear immigration at JFK and longer leaving Pearson, Canada.
Customs is another issue, retrieving bags is always slow but this is a common problem at most airports. Guyanese customs officers are more likely to actually check your bags. Their vigilance is due to the prevalence of travelers avoiding duty by not declaring goods, among other things. This is a problem in other West Indian countries, the fact that it isn't observable is testament to how they treat tourists. Guyanese are less likely to provide tourists with special treatment, so anyone may have to deal with a Customs search. Customs' searches are unpleasant, not strip search unpleasant more like having to take your shoes off at airports in the US. And unlike the shoe removal, these searches are frequently successful in their purpose.
All told, getting to Guyana is a bit difficult due to the lack of carriers that fly the route. Clearing customs and immigration is only onerous if you are not used to going through immigration.
Georgetown
Georgetown is the capital city and home to a quarter of the population. Georgetown is an ancient but consistently inhabited city, and this shows in the somewhat discordant architecture and the how land is used. The major markets at Bourda and Stabroek date from the 1800s in location and structure, the city cemetery Le Repentir was donated by Dutch colonialist. On the other hand, some residential areas like the Ruimveldts were agricultural land that have since been developed. Interesting fact: Ruimveldt was the site of a 1924 shooting of striking labourers, the Black Watch regiment of Basra fame were also involved.
Guyana has a problem with crime, and particular parts of metropolitan Georgetown can be dangerous. The markets and the bus parks are areas where petty theft is an issue and one should be vigilant. This is doubly so if it is obvious that you are not a local. After sunset, muggers become an issue and it would be prudent to avoid bad neighbourhoods and deserted areas. Traveling should be done by taxi and trips through high crime areas should be avoided at all costs. This problem is because the Guyana Police Force does not patrol, and the reporting infrastructure is limited.
Increasingly, crime in the Americas has become related to the trafficking of narcotics to the US. Guyana is a transhipment point, like all other countries in South America, North America and the Caribbean. In Guyana, the impact has been an increase in violent crime to uncomfortably close to a Philadelphia level. It has also increased the number of homeless people, many of whom are addicts. The laundering of profits from the drug trade, has led to the presence of some services that may not otherwise be there. As a visitor, the impact of the drug trade is limited to possible interactions with drug addicted vagrants and petty property crimes. As mentioned before profits from the drug trade has led to some strange construction in Guyana, unfortunately it has not led to money being spent on the rehabilitation or demolition of some of the older properties around the capital. This combined with the continued migration is probably responsible for the appearance of more than our fair share of dilapidated or abandoned, but this must be weighed against the realization that Guyanese are poor thus our houses are not as posh as one would expect. There are quite a few buildings in Georgetown that are examples of colonial architecture, and there are even more instances of buildings that have not maintained. The reality is that Guyana is not a museum and while there is value in maintaining some of the nicer examples of colonial architecture, most of the colonial buildings were mundane wooden buildings that have proven difficult to maintain in a hot and humid tropical climate. Guyanese prefer concrete buildings and there are many of these unfortunate buildings littering the countryside, hopefully some future do-gooder does not feel the need to preserve these buildings.
Guyana does not have a lot of tourist based entertainment, rather the focus is on the kind of entertainment Guyanese like. The type of entertainment varies due to our ethnic makeup, and other influences. But a wide range exists, if not at the frequency or quality one would prefer. I would there are things to do once you are there, but there is no event that would justify traveling to Guyana to attend.
Le Meridien Pegasus was Guyana's premier hotel for quite a while, but the new Buddy's International Hotel has the potential to compete. In addition to these there a few good, if not great, hotels around Georgetown and its metro. Due to the limited numbers of tourists in Guyana, most hotels host other activities. So there are instances when quite a few non guests are on the site, in other words the venues will be quite loud. Most of these events are parties of some sort, but often there are conventions and other events that are quieter.
Getting Around
The primary from of transportation around Guyana is the mini bus. These are full-sized vans that are commonly used around the developing world. In Guyana, public transportation consist of mini-buses which ply most routes, short and long. In theory mini-bus routes and prices are fixed, in practice most operators will deceive you. The trips around Georgetown are quick and safe, if somewhat uncomfortable. The longer trips have an unfortunately high rate of serious accidents and should be avoided. Taxis or hire cars are often a better choice for these trips, and may be your only option late at night. Even with this more expensive option, traveling around Georgetown is incredibly cheap. With the current exchange rate it should cost less than U$0.50 to get to central georgetown via mini bus, and a private taxi should run less than U$10.
Attractions outside Georgetown
Guyana has an Atlantic coastline, most Guyanese live within 4-5 miles of the Atlantic ocean. Unfortunately, there are few if any serviceable beaches adjacent to the Atlantic ocean. The Amazon and Essequibo river dump silt into the ocean so the water is muddy brown. A large part of the coast is below sea level, and sea walls have been installed to prevent flooding during high tide. These combine to make the sunbathing and other activities at best unpleasant, and potentially dangerous.
Guyana does have beaches that adjoin its many lakes and rivers, and there are a few resorts that are built around them. The Shanklands resort is built near Lake Mainstay, which is on the Essequibo river and suitable for most activities that would not require wave activity - no surfing etc. Shanklands claims to be only 60 minutes from Georgetown which I doubt, but there is do organize transportation from Georgetown and the airport. Lake Mainstay is a 'black water' lake, in that the water is translucent with the hue of a cola drink. Guyana is a within the rain forest, so the flora is lusher and fauna more varied than you would find in the Caribbean or most places further afield.
Baganara is another resort, this one located on the Baganara island in the Essequibo river. It is accessible by air or water, and is close to the village of Bartica. This is a new resort that was built in the 90's, it is quite secluded and provides a range of touristy activities. Baganara is far from Georgetown, it can be reached in less than an day but it is not the ideal location for a day trip. I don't think Baganara justifies visiting Guyana, but I do believe it is worth visiting if you are in the country and you like going to resorts. It isn't as opulent as resorts in the Caribbean, but it is cheaper and provides a unique twist on the concept. If you are scared of bugs, you may not like Baganara or Guyana in general, as I said earlier on the country is quite lush and this applies to both plants and animals.
Splashmin's is a destination spot for day trippers for Georgetown residents. It would be a stretch to call Splashmin's a resort, as it is basically a black water lake surrounded by a play area and a few stalls. Splashmin's is good for a day's entertainment but its main claim to fame is as a venue for parties and excursions. Splashmin's is a worthwhile visit, but it should be clear that there will be a lot of Guyanese there. And if the event is well attended, getting back from Splashmin's will impress upon you the need for more access roads into Georgetown.
There are other worthwhile locations in Guyana, most of which are similar in nature if not scale to Georgetown. There are also a few unique destinations worth noting, the most noticeable would be the Kaieteur falls and Orinoque rapids tour. This involves a small plane ride into the interior to take a look at one of the more impressive waterfalls in the world. Like too many of the attractions, this is a worthwhile trip if you are in the country but not a big enough draw to travel to Guyana. An actual draw is the Iwokrama project in the rain forest, it is a research center in the Guyanese jungle that has be extended for eco-tourism, and possibly one of the few remaining places to observe an untouched rain forest. It provides the canopy walkway and all the trappings of eco-tourism. Iwokrama is interesting, but it is too isolated to be considered part of the Guyanese society.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Friends
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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Epinions.com ID:
blakdogg
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Location: NY
Reviews written: 60
Trusted by: 4 members
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