Guyana means ‘Land of Many Waters’ in Amerindian, the language of Guyana’s indigenous population but Guyana is made up of much more than just its numerous rivers. Its topography includes swathes of virgin rainforest, vast mountain ranges and dry Savannah, as well a huge variety of flora and fauna.
The countries poor infrastructure makes it quite a challenge to see this beautiful and diverse landscape. Although Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America, due to its varied colonial history, it has always looked to the Caribbean for its influences.
The rich alluvial soil of the coastal strip is dominated by the sugar plantations and the production of rum. Eight percent of the 800,000 strong population lives on the coast, and is made up in equal proportions of Afroguyanese and East Indians.
This makes for a fascinating ethnic and cultural mix, and the Guyanese celebrate the festivals of every religion; Hindus, Muslim and Christians. In contrast , ‘The Interior’ of Guyana is like a different country, populated by Amerindians and isolated from the coast, it has a far more South American feel.
Although it has many of the social problems of a developing country, Guyana is a fantastic country to visit; unspoiled by tourism it still feels like yours to discover.
Guyana Travel Resources
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• Search cheap flights with Skyscanner.
• Find the best deals on hotels on Booking.com.
• Book sightseeing tours on Viator.
• Browse small group adventure tours of South America with G Adventures.