Georgetown

Guyana's capital, where the white wooden St. George's Cathedral and Stabroek Market are colonial landmarks; from here, take a small plane on a day trip to the spectacular drop of Kaieteur Falls.

Georgetown is the capital and largest city of Guyana, on the east bank of the mouth of the Demerara River where it meets the Atlantic, and the gateway to the only English-speaking country in South America. The city lies below high-tide level and is protected by a seawall and drainage canals built in the Dutch colonial era; with its wide, tree-lined streets, it was once known as the 'Garden City of the Caribbean'. The main sights are in the central city: the snow-white St. George's Cathedral, the Gothic wooden City Hall, Stabroek Market with its clock tower, the Parliament Building and the National Museum are all within walking distance; to the east are the Botanical Gardens (where you can feed manatees), the zoo and the National Art Gallery; to the north lie the seawall, the lighthouse and the Umana Yana, an Amerindian benab. The city itself can be seen in a day or two; the real highlights are in the surrounding rainforest: fly by small plane on a day trip to world-class Kaieteur Falls (about 250 km away), join an Essequibo River day trip to Fort Island and Baganara Island, or take a boat to the Amerindian village of Santa Mission.

The climate is tropical rainforest, hot and humid all year; Sep–Nov and Feb–Apr are relatively dry and the best times to visit, while May–Aug and Dec–Jan are rainy seasons when small-plane flights may be delayed by weather. International flights land at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (Timehri), about 40 km away, while regional and sightseeing flights leave from Ogle Airport on the east side of the city. In town, take taxis (agree on the fare or use a reputable taxi company), and walk only in busy areas during the day. Stay alert: avoid walking alone after dark, watch for pickpockets around markets and keep valuables out of sight. The currency is the Guyanese dollar, and US dollars are accepted at hotels and tour operators. Allow 3–4 days: 1–2 days in the city, 1 day for Kaieteur Falls and 1 day for a river or Amerindian village trip.

Top sights

• St. George's Cathedral – One of the tallest wooden churches in the world, its gleaming white Gothic spire is the most recognisable colonial landmark in Georgetown.
• Stabroek Market – A large historic market with a landmark cast-iron clock tower. It is the best place to experience everyday life in Georgetown and to see lo…
• Kaieteur Falls – One of the world's largest single-drop waterfalls. A 226-metre curtain of water plunges straight into a rainforest gorge, and you can visit…
• Guyana Botanical Gardens – One of the oldest botanical gardens in the Caribbean, where you can feed West Indian manatees in the ponds and enjoy water lilies and tropi…
• Promenade Gardens – A refined colonial-era garden in the city center, with gazebos, flower beds and shady old trees, ideal for a rest during a walk around town.
• Guyana National Museum – A national museum showing Guyana's natural history, indigenous peoples and colonial past, with a reconstructed giant ground sloth skeleton…
• Georgetown Seawall – A colonial-era seawall running along the Atlantic coast, where locals gather in the evenings to stroll, watch the sunset and socialize on w…
• Orinduik Falls – A broad waterfall formed by terraces of jasper rock on the Brazilian border, where you can soak in natural pools and which is often visited…
• Georgetown City Hall – A Gothic Revival timber city hall completed in 1889, instantly recognizable for its spires and lace-like woodcarved decoration.
• St. Andrew's Kirk – A white church built in 1818, one of the oldest surviving church buildings in Guyana.
• Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology – A small museum showing the culture and archaeological finds of Guyana's nine indigenous peoples, housed in an old colonial residence.
• Parliament Building (Public Buildings) – A neoclassical building completed in 1834, with a dome and colonnades, that houses Guyana's National Assembly.
• 1763 Monument – A giant bronze statue of Cuffy, leader of the 1763 Berbice slave revolt, a symbol of Guyana's national spirit of independence.
• Castellani House – A grand wooden mansion designed by an Italian architect at the end of the 19th century, now the National Gallery of Art, which houses moder…
• Umana Yana – A conical thatched great house built by Wai Wai craftsmen using traditional techniques, a landmark showcasing indigenous architecture.
• Bourda Market – An open-air market where locals do their daily shopping, focused on tropical fruit, vegetables and spices, and more down-to-earth than Stab…
• Georgetown Lighthouse – A red and white striped octagonal lighthouse completed in 1830, a landmark at the mouth of the Demerara River.
• Immaculate Conception Cathedral (Brickdam Cathedral) – A Roman-style Catholic cathedral on Brickdam, with a gray concrete facade that contrasts with the white timber buildings around it.
• Guyana Zoo – A small zoo next to the botanical gardens, mainly showing Guyanese native animals such as jaguars, giant otters and raptors.
• Demerara Harbour Bridge – A pontoon bridge spanning about 1.85 km across the Demerara River, once one of the longest pontoon bridges in the world, with river views a…
• El Dorado Rum Heritage Centre (Demerara Distillers) – The birthplace of the well-known El Dorado rum, where you can tour the still-operating old wooden stills and taste the rums.
• Santa Mission – An Arawak village on the Kamuni Creek, reached by boat through the black-water channels, offering a day trip into indigenous village life.
• Fort Zeelandia (Fort Island) – The 18th-century Dutch brick fort and court ruins on Fort Island at the mouth of the Essequibo River, once the administrative and military…
• Baganara Island – A resort island in the Essequibo River with river beaches, rainforest trails and water activities, a popular river-island day trip from Geo…

Where to eat

• Backyard Cafe – Chef Delven Adams cooks market-fresh Guyanese dishes in his backyard; included in TIME's 2026 World's Greatest Places l…
• Shanta's Puri Shop – A family-run shop founded in 1955, known for dhal puri with curry; a local favourite for breakfast and brunch.
• Germans Restaurant – A Creole institution serving since 1960, where diners widely rate the cow-heel soup the best in the country
• Bistro Cafe and Bar – A popular downtown restaurant named Restaurant of the Year by the Guyana Tourism Authority, known for local dishes such…
• Oasis Cafe – A long-standing café on Carmichael Street known for freshly brewed coffee and traditional Guyanese breakfasts

Itineraries

• Three Guianas Overland: Georgetown to Cayenne – An overland journey from Georgetown via Paramaribo to Cayenne, connecting waterfalls, river villages, and a spaceport.
• Guyana: Waterfalls, Rivers & Surama Savannah – Based in Georgetown, fly to the waterfalls, stay on an Essequibo River island, and fly inland to stay in Surama Village.
• Georgetown & Kaieteur Falls Express – A 4-day trip to explore the capital, fly to the falls, stay on a river island, and visit Fort Island and an Indigenous…