Health Information for Travelers to
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Overview of French Guiana
Photo credit: Cayambe
Dense rainforests cover much of the small territory, making it a fantastic eco-tourism destination. Nature lovers will certainly appreciate seeing leatherback turtles lay eggs at Awala-Yalimpopo, spotting exotic birds on the Kaw savannah and watching capuchin monkeys lying along the Sentier Molokoi de Cacao trail. The lovely Salvation Islands (Îles du Salut) lie just off the coast and make for wonderful excursions.
Regarding its history, French Guiana was originally inhabited by indigenous Americans and settled by the French in the 17th century. Today, a French representative in Cayenne administers the region. French Guiana uses the Euro currency, as it is part of the European Union, and its main industries are fishing, timber, and gold mining. Various ethnicities make up the small population, with the majority being Guianese Creole, Maroon, French and Amerindian. French is the official language, though Creole is widely spoken; Roman Catholicism is the main faith.
Key Facts
- Language:
- The official language is French, and Guianese Creole is widely spoken.
- Passport/Visa:
-
All visitors to French Guiana must hold an onward or return ticket and valid travel documentation for their next destination. They must also have sufficient funds to cover their stay in the country, or a lodging certificate. Schengen Visas are valid for French Guiana, provided they are endorsed 'also valid for French Guiana', and a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required to enter the territory. It is highly recommended that visitors' passports have at least six months' validity remaining after their intended dates of departure, as immigration officials often apply different rules to those stated by travel agents and official sources.
- Currency:
-
French Guiana uses the Euro (EUR).
- Electricity:
- The electric current is 220 volts, 50Hz. Round two or three-prong plugs are used.
Travel to French Guiana
Health Notes when travelling to French Guiana
A yellow fever vaccination is necessary when visiting French Guiana.
Customs in French Guiana
Local customs in French Guiana reflect its colonial history. European values permeate the country and western travellers, if they ignore the heat, should feel very much at home.
Duty Free in French Guiana
Visitors to French Guiana who arrive from within the EU may import the following without incurring duty: 800 cigarettes, 10 litres of spirits, and 90 litres of wine. Travellers from outside the EU may bring in 200 cigarettes, one litre of spirits and four litres of wine.
Communication in French Guiana
The international access code for French Guiana is +594. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom).
Passport/Visa Note
All visitors to French Guiana must hold an onward or return ticket and valid travel documentation for their next destination. They must also have sufficient funds to cover their stay in the country, or a lodging certificate. Schengen Visas are valid for French Guiana, provided they are endorsed 'also valid for French Guiana', and a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required to enter the territory. It is highly recommended that visitors' passports have at least six months' validity remaining after their intended dates of departure, as immigration officials often apply different rules to those stated by travel agents and official sources.
Entry Requirements
- Entry requirements for Americans:
-
US citizens must have a passport that is valid for the period of intended stay in French Guiana. No visa is required for stays up to 90 days.
- Entry requirements for Canadians:
-
Canadian citizens must have a passport that is valid for the period of intended stay in French Guiana. No visa is required for stays for a maximum stay of 90 days.
- Entry requirements for UK nationals:
-
British citizens must have a passport valid for the period of intended stay in French Guiana. A visa is not required for passports endorsed British Citizen. No visa is required for holders of passports endorsed British National (overseas), British Overseas Territories Citizen (containing a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode issued by the United Kingdom), and British Subject (containing a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode issued by the United Kingdom) for 90 days.
- Entry requirements for Australians:
-
Australian citizens must have a passport that is valid for the period of intended stay in French Guiana. No visa is required for stays up to 90 days.
- Entry requirements for Irish nationals:
-
Irish citizens must have a passport that is valid for the period of intended stay in French Guiana. No visa is required for nationals of Ireland.
- Entry requirements for New Zealanders:
-
New Zealand citizens must have a passport that is valid for the period of intended stay in French Guiana. No visa is required for 90 days.
- Entry requirements for South Africans:
-
South Africans require a passport that is valid for the period of intended stay, and a Schengen visa, to enter French Guiana.
Tourist Offices
French Guiana Tourist Office in Cayenne, +33 594 39 6883 or tourisme@ville-cayenne.fr
French Guiana Embassies
- In the United States:
-
French Guiana Embassy, Washington, United States: +1 202 944 6000 or info@ambafrance-us.org
- In Canada:
-
French Guiana Embassy, Ontario, Canada: +1 613 789 1795.
- In the United Kingdom:
-
French Guiana Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 207 073 1000.
- In Australia:
-
French Guiana Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 2 621 160100
- In Ireland:
-
French Guiana Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 1 277 5000.
- In New Zealand:
-
French Guiana Embassy, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 4 384 2555.
- In South Africa:
-
French Guiana Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 12 425 1600.
Foreign Embassies in French Guiana
- Canadian Embassy
-
Canada Embassy, Georgetown, Guyana (also responsible for French Guinea): +592 227 2081.
- British Embassy
-
British Embassy, Paris (also responsible for French Guinea): +33 1 4451 3100
- Australian Embassy
-
Australia Mission, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (also responsible for French Guinea): +1 868 822 5450.
Travel Advisories
Currency
French Guiana uses the Euro (EUR).
| Exchange rate for 1 EUR - Euro | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
0.00 BMD Bermudan Dollar |
1.00 USD U.S. Dollar |
0.87 GBP U.K. Pound Sterling |
143.38 JPY Japanese Yen |
1.32 CAD Canadian Dollar |
0.96 CHF Swiss Franc |
|
1.49 AUD Australian Dollar |
36.65 UAH Ukrainian Hryvnia |
475.34 KZT Kazakhstani Tenge |
1,507.02 LBP Lebanese Pound |
4.93 LYD Libyan Dinar |
6.88 BOB Bolivian Boliviano |
|
126.98 NPR Nepalese Rupee |
0.38 OMR Omani Rial |
3.67 QAR Qatari Rial |
1.41 SGD Singapore Dollar |
10.70 SEK Swedish Krona |
6.78 TTD Trinidad Tobago Dollar |
|
0.00 VEF Venezuelan Bolivar |
52.90 DOP Dominican Peso |
7.53 HRK Croatian Kuna |
20.03 MXN Mexican Peso |
655.66 XOF West African CFA Franc |
3.52 PGK Papua New Guinean kina |
|
1.00 BSD Bahamian Dollar |
2.24 FJD Fiji Dollar |
24.62 HNL Honduran Lempira |
140.42 DZD Algerian Dinar |
2,096.32 MMK Myanma Kyat |
13.00 BWP Botswana Pula |
|
3.87 PEN Peruvian Nuevo Sol |
921.20 CLP Chilean Peso |
404.44 AMD Armenia Dram |
24.53 CZK Czech Koruna |
19.31 MDL Moldova Lei |
138.73 ISK Icelandic Krona |
|
10,921.62 UZS Uzbekistan Sum |
3.44 ILS Israeli New Sheqel |
0.71 JOD Jordanian Dinar |
0.31 KWD Kuwaiti Dinar |
40.69 UYU Uruguayan Peso |
45.09 MUR Mauritian Rupee |
|
35.87 NIO Nicaraguan Córdoba |
10.13 NOK Norwegian Krone |
4.73 PLN Polish Zloty |
3.75 SAR Saudi Riyal |
363.92 LKR Sri Lanka Rupee |
36.71 THB Thai Baht |
|
3.67 AED U.A.E Dirham |
5.21 BRL Brazilian Real |
4.93 RON Romanian New Leu |
7.84 HKD Hong Kong Dollar |
656.83 XAF Central African CFA Franc |
23,518.80 VND Vietnamese Dong |
|
142.79 ARS Argentine Peso |
2.71 XCD East Caribbean Dollar |
7.78 GTQ Guatemalan Quetzal |
10.62 MAD Moroccan Dirham |
0.38 BHD Bahrain Dinar |
1.00 PAB Panamanian Balboa |
|
1.69 AZN Azerbaijan Manat |
4,413.27 COP Colombian Peso |
80.74 KGS Kyrgyzstan Som |
407.16 HUF Hungarian Forint |
10.23 TJS Tajikistan Ruble |
14,847.81 IDR Indonesian Rupiah |
|
19.40 EGP Egyptian Pound |
1,396.62 KRW South Korean Won |
6,965.59 PYG Paraguayan Guaraní |
4.52 MYR Malaysian Ringgit |
632.07 CRC Costa Rican Colón |
1.67 NZD New Zealand Dollar |
|
223.34 PKR Pakistani Rupee |
60.17 RUB Russian Rouble |
17.52 ZAR South African Rand |
3.21 TND Tunisian Dinar |
2.02 BBD Barbadian Dollar |
1.96 BGN Bulgarian Lev |
|
18.25 TRY Turkish Lira |
57.24 PHP Philippine Peso |
31.13 TWD New Taiwan Dollar |
427.92 NGN Nigerian Naira |
119.27 XPF CFP Franc |
10.03 GHS Ghanaian Cedi |
|
152.15 JMD Jamaican Dollar |
1.79 ANG Neth. Antillean Guilder |
1.40 BND Brunei Dollar |
117.26 RSD Serbian Dinar |
6.98 CNY Chinese Yuan |
7.44 DKK Danish Krone |
|
3.50 TMT New Turkmenistan Manat |
79.71 INR Indian Rupee |
||||
Exchange Rate for
U.S. Dollar to Euro
U.S. Dollar to Euro
1 USD = 1.00 EUR
Exchange Rate for
Canadian Dollar to Euro
Canadian Dollar to Euro
1 CAD = 0.76 EUR
Exchange Rate for
U.K. Pound Sterling to Euro
U.K. Pound Sterling to Euro
1 GBP = 1.15 EUR
Exchange Rate for
Australian Dollar to Euro
Australian Dollar to Euro
1 AUD = 0.67 EUR
Exchange Rate for
New Zealand Dollar to Euro
New Zealand Dollar to Euro
1 NZD = 0.60 EUR
Exchange Rate for
South African Rand to Euro
South African Rand to Euro
1 ZAR = 0.06 EUR
Cayenne-Felix Eboue Airport (CAY)
Cayenne-Felix Eboue Airport
Location: The airport is located 12 miles (19km) from the Cayenne city centre.
Time: Local time is GMT -3
Getting to the city: Taxis are available at the airport.
Car rental: Car rental companies offer services at the airport, including Avis and Europcar.
Airport Taxis: Approved airport taxis are available outside the terminal.
Facilities: Airport facilities include shops (including duty-free shops), currency exchange, and food vendors.
Parking: Short-term and long-term parking is available.
Overview of the Attractions in French Guiana
Guiana Space Centre
Admission: Free
The Centre Spatial Guyanais (Guiana Space Centre) is one of French Guiana's best known attractions. Located near the coastal town of Kourou, the French space centre has been operational since 1968 and is used by the CNES (France's National Centre for Space), the European Space Agency, and Arianespace (a commercial company) to conduct their launches. There are regular guided tours of the site.
Address: Diamant, near Kourou
Website: http://www.cnes-csg.fr
Public Holidays in French Guiana
| 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Mon. January 1 | Mon. January 1 |
| Ash Wednesday | Mon. February 26 | Sat. February 17 |
| Easter Monday | Sat. April 13 | Fri. April 5 |
| Labour Day | Wed. May 1 | Wed. May 1 |
| Victory Day | Wed. May 8 | Wed. May 8 |
| Ascension Day | Tue. May 21 | Mon. May 13 |
| Whit Monday | Sat. June 1 | Fri. May 24 |
| Abolition of Slavery | Mon. June 10 | Mon. June 10 |
| Bastille Day | Sun. July 14 | Sun. July 14 |
| Assumption | Thu. August 15 | Thu. August 15 |
| All Saints' Day | Fri. November 1 | Fri. November 1 |
| Armistice Day | Mon. November 11 | Mon. November 11 |
| Christmas Day | Wed. December 25 | Wed. December 25 |
| Good Friday | Wed. April 10 | Tue. April 2 |
