Georgetown

Overview

Guyana's capital sits below sea level at the mouth of the Demerara River, protected by a long sea wall and drained by Dutch-built canals. Its broad avenues are lined with white-painted wooden buildings from the colonial era, some beautifully kept and others leaning with age.

The culture is a mix of African, Indian, Amerindian, Chinese and Portuguese heritage, which shows in the food. Most visitors use the city as a base for trips into the rainforest interior.

Things to see

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  St. George's Cathedral

  One of the tallest wooden churches in the world, a soaring white Gothic Revival building completed in 1899.

• 

  Stabroek Market

  The iron market hall with its landmark clock tower, crowded with traders selling everything from fish to gold.

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  Botanical Gardens

  Large gardens of palms and lily ponds where you can sometimes see manatees surfacing in the canals.

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  The Sea Wall

  The long promenade along the Atlantic, where locals gather to stroll, chat and lime on Sunday evenings.

Things to do

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  Fly to Kaieteur Falls

  A small-plane day trip over unbroken rainforest to a single-drop waterfall far higher than Niagara.

  Find tours

• 

  Eat pepperpot

  Guyana's national dish, a dark, slow-cooked meat stew flavoured with cassareep and eaten with bread.

• Demerara rum tasting

  Learn how the country's famous aged rums are made on a distillery tour just outside the city.

  Find tours

Where to stay

• Kingston

  Close to the sea wall and the centre, with several of the city's established hotels.

  Hotels in Kingston

• Queenstown

  A leafy residential area with guesthouses and restaurants, an easy walk from the centre.

  Hotels in Queenstown

• Bel Air

  A quieter, more upmarket district east of the centre.

  Hotels in Bel Air

Getting around

Taxis are cheap and the easiest way to get around, especially after dark. Minibuses run on numbered routes for the adventurous.

Cheddi Jagan airport is about 40 kilometres south of the city, roughly an hour by taxi.

When to go

Guyana has two rainy seasons, roughly May to August and December to January. The drier months of September to November and February to April are best. Mashramani, the Republic Day carnival, takes place in February.

Plan your trip to Georgetown

• HotelsBooking.com
• Tours and ticketsGetYourGuide

Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.

More city guides for Guyana

• Linden

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