DESTINATION GUYANA

Dutch and British colonization made an indelible mark on Guyana, leaving behind a now dilapidated colonial capital, a volatile mix of peoples and a curious political geography. The country's natural attractions, however, are impressive, unspoiled and on a scale that dwarfs human endeavor. Guyana has immense falls, vast tropical rainforest and savanna teeming with wildlife. If the government doesn't destroy the environment in a bid to pay off its huge foreign debt, Guyana could be the eco-tourism destination of the future. Right now, it's the place for independent, rugged, Indiana Jones types who don't mind visiting a country that everybody else thinks is in Africa.

Facts at a Glance

Full country name: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
Area: 215,000 sq km (83,850 sq mi)
Population: 825,000
Capital city: Georgetown (pop 200,000)
People: 51% East Indian, 43% Afro-Guyanese, 4% Amerindian, 2% European & Chinese
Language: English (though most Guyanese speak a creole), also Hindi and Urdu
Religion: 57% Christian, 33% Hindu, 9% Muslim
Government: Democracy
President: Bharrat Jagdeo

Environment

Roughly the size of the UK, Guyana is bordered by Venezuela to the west, Suriname to the east, and overshadowed by Brazil to the south. Its northern coast abuts the Atlantic Ocean. The country's most prominent geological feature is the Guiana Shield, a vast crystalline upland north of the Río Solimões, the Amazon's major channel. From Mt Roraima (2772m/9092ft), on the Brazilian border, the shield recedes in steps all the way to the coast. Thick rainforest covers great chunks of the interior, though southwestern Guyana features extensive grassland. About 90% of the population lives on the agriculturally rich coastal plain.

Guyana's varied and spectacular wildlife includes brightly-plumed birds and mammals such as tapirs, ocelots and monkeys. The equatorial climate results in high temperatures, tempered by cooling sea breezes. There are two rainy seasons: from May to mid-August and from mid-November to mid-January.

History

The aboriginal inhabitants of the Guyanese coast were Carib Indians who had driven the peaceful Arawak north and westwards into the Antilles. European settlement didn't occur until 1615, when the Dutch West Indian Company erected a fort and depot on the lower Essequibo River. The Dutch traded with the Indian peoples of the interior, and established riverside plantations - worked by African slaves - and sugar quickly became the dominant crop.

While the coast remained firmly under Dutch control, the English were busy establishing sugar and tobacco plantations west of the Suriname River. Conflict between the two countries meant parts of the region changed hands a number of times, but by 1796 Britain had become the major power. In 1834, slavery was abolished forcing many plantations to close or look for another source of labor. The British solved the problem by shipping indentured workers from India. From 1846-1917, almost 250,000 laborers entered Guyana, dramatically transforming the country's demographic balance and laying the basis for persistent ethnic tensions.

Guyana achieved independence in 1966 and four years later became a co-operative republic within the Commonwealth. The sugar industry was nationalized and the country's economic base diversified through production of rice and bauxite. However, Guyana's economy was in almost permanent recession up until 1990 as it slid out of mainstream engagement with the rest of the world and experienced the exodus of much of its educated class. Its domestic economy was not helped by border disputes with neighboring Venezuela and Suriname. In 1992, elections installed the US-educated dentist Dr Cheddi Jagan as president. An aging Marxist, Dr Jagan was in danger of seeming an anachronism, but Guyana's recovery meant he was more likely to be consulting the IMF than the teachings of Karl Marx. Dr Jagan's wife Janet became president of Guyana in 1997, amid protests. As the country re-engages with the rest of the world economy, its pristine environment is coming under intense pressure from international companies seeking logging and mining concessions.

Economic Profile

GDP: US$1.4 billion
GDP per head: US$1950
Inflation: 15.5%
Major industries: Sugar, bauxite, alumina, rice, timber and shrimp
Major trading partners: UK, USA, Canada, France and Japan

Culture

The visual arts, especially painting and sculpture, are highly developed and can be seen at special exhibitions in the capital. International success has greeted poet and novelist ER Braithwaite and the British-based actor Norman Beaton. Cricket and football are the major outdoor sports, while the national indoor pursuit is dominoes.

The majority of Afro-Guyanese are Christian, usually Anglican, and there's also a handful of Black Muslims. Most of the East Indian population is Hindu, but there's a sizeable Muslim minority.

Guyanese food is distinctive and usually based on seafood or creole dishes like pepperpot, a spicy stew cooked in bitter cassava juice. Added to this are East Indian dishes such as curries and roti. Chinese food is also common. Beverages include Banks beer, local rum, brandy and whisky, and delicious fruit punches.

Events

The national celebrations marking Republic Day (February) last about a week and are the most important cultural event of the year. Hindu and Muslim religious festivals are also celebrated and include Phagwah (early March) and Divali (November).

Facts for the Traveler

Visas: Visitors from most countries, except the Commonwealth Caribbean, require a visa
Health risks: Malaria is endemic in the interior; some risk of cholera, dengue fever and typhoid
Time: GMT/UTC minus 4 hours
Electricity: 100V (Georgetown), 220V (most other places)
Weights & measures: Officially metric (although imperial measures are still widely used .)

Money & Costs

Currency: Guyanese dollar (G$)

Relative costs:

Budget room: US$5-15
Moderate hotel: US$15-30
Top-end hotel: US$30 and upwards
Budget meal: US$3-5
Moderate restaurant meal: US$5-10
Top-end restaurant meal: US$10 and upwards

Budget travelers can get by on US$10 per day in Guyana; while those staying in more comfortable hotels and eating at restaurants should expect to spend around US$20-30 per day. A more upscale visit will require US$40 and upwards.

Cash and travelers' checks can be exchanged in banks and cambios. Banks are more bureaucratic and are generally open only on weekday mornings, while cambios keep longer hours. Sometimes you can change cash unofficially, at hotels for example, for the same rates that banks offer - there is no real black market. British pounds are widely accepted. Credit cards are accepted at Georgetown's better hotels and restaurants.

When to Go

The best time to visit Guyana may be at the end of either rainy season, in late January or late August, when the discharge of water over Kaieteur Falls is greatest. Some locals recommend mid-October to mid-May, which may be wet, but not as hot. If you want to travel overland to the interior, come during the dry seasons.

Warning

Street crime and physical violence are common in Guyana, particularly in Georgetown. Visitors should avoid walking after dark, maintain alertness at all times and keep out of Georgetown's Tiger Bay area.

Attractions

Georgetown

Guyana's capital and only large city lies on the east bank at the mouth of the Demerrara River. Georgetown had a miserable beginning, but developed into an attractive colonial city distinguished by gracious colonial architecture. Today, parts of the city, notably the central area and the botanic and zoological gardens are well-maintained, but the rest of the city is weathered and dilapidated. A profusion of flowering trees lend it the somewhat optimistic name `Garden City of the Caribbean', despite its location on the Atlantic coast. A long sea wall protects the city from flooding; locals pass their time there swimming, sunbathing and strolling arm-in-arm.

Most of the sights are on or near Main St, including the Gothic-style St George's Cathedral, reputedly the world's tallest wooden cathedral, and the neoclassic Parliament Building, built in 1833. Much of the city center is dwarfed by the Stabroek Market, an imposing cast-iron building with a striking clocktower. Good value also are the idiosyncratic Museum of Guyana, which has exhibitions of excellent Guyanese paintings and sculpture, and the Botanical Gardens & Zoo, a beautifully laid out enclosure of Victorian bridges, pavilions, palms and lily-ponds.

Budget accommodation, cheap food joints, jazz bars, clubs and discos are all close to Main St.

Kaieteur Falls

Guyana's number one attraction ranks alongside the Niagara, Victoria and Iguazú falls in power and majesty - with the added bonus of being surrounded by virgin forest. Its waters drop 250 precipitous meters (820ft) from a sandstone tableland and, depending on the season, are nearly 100m (328ft) wide. Its isolated location means wildlife thrives in the area, but it also requires determination to reach. Small planes fly to the falls from Georgetown but seats can be difficult to secure. Otherwise, it's a rugged two-day walk with a guide from Bartica (see Off the Beaten Track). The Orinduik Falls, southwest of here, on the Brazilian border, is another popular destination.

Off the Beaten Track

Bartica

A friendly mining town south of Georgetown, Bartica is the base for exploring surrounding gold and diamond fields, roughing it by foot and truck to Kaieteur Falls, and trekking into the interior. The swimming is good and the local market colorful and lively.

Kyuk-Over-Al

At the junction of the Mazuruni and Cuyuni rivers is Kyuk-Over-Al, a ruined Dutch fortress dating from 1616. From here, take a ferry to Marshall Falls, which is a good place for bathing and observing riverine wildlife.

Rupununi Savanna

The Rupununi Savanna, in the country's southwest, is a vast area of grassland, termite mounds, forested hills and a skein of freshwater creeks - perfect for swimming (watch out for the stingrays though). Wild animals abound, but they're retiring and rarely seen. Also of interest is a number of fascinating Amerindian villages, and a few cattle ranches once belonging to 19th-century Scottish settlers. Permits are required to visit the Rupununi; tour operators can do the paperwork for you or you can apply several months in advance to Guyana's Ministry of Home Affairs.

Activities

There's a brace of tour operators in Georgetown specializing in overland camping treks to Kaieteur and Orinduik falls, horse riding and hiking in the Rupununi and rainforest, fishing and jungle treks at the Timberhead resort, as well as river trips and whitewater rafting on the Essequibo, Kamuni and Mazaruni rivers. There's also good swimming at Bartica, and birdwatching at Lethem.

Getting There & Away

Most travelers arrive from North America or the Caribbean, and less frequently from Venezuela (via Trinidad) and Suriname. There are no direct flights from Europe. The international departure tax is US$8. Overland crossings can be made to/from Brazil at the Lethem-Bomfin crossing point, but the border with Venezuela is closed. A passenger ferry crosses the Courantyne River at Corriverton (Springlands) to the Surinamese town of Nieuw Nickerie.

Getting Around

Guyana Airways has scheduled flights between Georgetown and Lethem plus a few other interior destinations. There's also several charter companies. Minibuses and collective taxis link Georgetown and most towns on the coastal belt. Guyana's road network, apart from a paved two-lane stretch from the capital to Linden, is poor and deters all but the hardiest of cyclists. With almost 1000km (620mi) of navigable river, Guyana has ferry services galore. Car hire is available in Georgetown and taxis are a must if crossing the city at night.