Guyana Travel Plans
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Article Intro
Planning a trip to Guyana? Read a brief travel guide about the country's attractions and places to visit. A good idea can be to find a reliable travel agent who can come up with an effective itinerary.
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Guyana is an unforgettable destination in the heart of South American civilization. When Columbus first reached its coast in the beginning of the 16th century, the territory of modern Guyana was inhabited by two Native American groups - the Arawaks, who lived along the coast, and the Kariba, settled in the interior region. The Spaniards, in their cravings for Eldorado, did not pay any attention to this land, so the colonization of the Dutch began. It was they who founded the first European settlement on the coast in about 1616. Delivery of a large number of African slaves was allowed to expand the coastal area at the time of the powerful sugar industry.
Currently, the main 'trump' of Guyana is its natural heritage. The territory of the country hosts large areas of virgin rainforest, pristine rivers, dozens of huge waterfalls, extensive systems of relict savannah and wetland areas that are literally teeming with unique animals. If the government does not destroy the environment in an attempt to pay a huge foreign debt, Guyana could become a good place for ecotourism in future. Traditional tourism is more suitable along the densely populated coastal strip where all the major cities and towns of the country, including the capital, are located. Vast mountain areas are teeming with unique geological structures and rare species of flora and fauna. For many, it is an ideal place for active tourism.
The capital and the largest city in the country, Georgetown, is located on the east bank of the Demerara River. The history of Georgetown was quite trivial at the beginning. It used to be the center of slave trade and piracy. However, it gradually developed into an attractive colonial city, famous for its colonial architecture and flawless traditional Dutch settlements.
Many areas of the city, especially the central region and the area of botanical and zoological gardens, are well maintained and full of original buildings of the 19th century, leafy boulevards, canals and dams. Numerous places for swimming and tanning are equipped here in summer. The city also has the popular 'Promenade', when sometimes on the weekends the entire population of the capital are walking arm in arm, jog, or play domino, which looks like a really national game. Georgetown also makes an impression of a rather dilapidated and dirty city, but this is the reality of many world capitals.
The main attraction is the center of the capital, St. George's Cathedral on North Road. It is the tallest wooden church in the world, and its interiors were decorated by the best masters of the country. The majestic neo-classical Parliament House, also known as the Public Building, the National Assembly, the Victoria Law Courts with the statue of Queen Victoria, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, and a beautiful Gothic City Hall are only a few of the city’s attractions. In the west of the capital, there is the largest and most popular market of the country, Stabrok. This is a huge building, almost entirely built of iron, which overshadows many buildings in the city center. Its chief ornament is the clock tower in the style of the Tower of London.
In Georgetown, one will find many churches and temples of all denominations, of which the most picturesque is the Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the mosque of Jama Masjid, and the Christ Church.
New Amsterdam is perhaps the oldest city in the region. It is located on the east bank of the river Berbiche, near the old Fort Nassau. It is the most important export port of the country and a major educational center. Its main attractions are the City Hall, Public Hospital, a simple chapel of Congregationalists, the Church of All Saints and a thriving market. Rupununi savannah area occupies almost the entire south-western part of the country, stretching from the ancient Guiana tropical forest to the Amazon jungle. Stunningly beautiful savanna region is teeming with wooded hills, thousands of freshwater streams, termite mounds and shady coastal groves. To visit the Rupununi one requires an official permission of the local authorities.
See the list of travel agents in Guyana to request a travel quote. Specific travel needs can be commissioned to Guyana tour operators, for example, if you need to book hotels or local flights.
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