Caiena · French Guiana

Caiena, Kourou and the Ilhas da Salvação

The capital of Guiana Francesa, with the Place des Palmistes, Forte Cépérou and the market; and Kourou, with the Centro Espacial and the boat to the Ilhas da Salvação, where the ruins of the former penal colony are located.

Caiena e Litoral

In the photo: Île Royale — Ilhas da Salvação

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Caiena (Cayenne) is the capital of Guiana Francesa, a French territory in South America, between Amapá and Suriname. The city was founded in 1643 at the foot of Morro Cépérou, at the mouth of the Caiena River, and preserves an old center of wooden creole houses with verandas and louvered windows, around three squares: Place des Palmistes, with its imperial palms, Place Léopold-Héder and the market square. From the top of Forte Cépérou you can see the city, the river and the Atlantic.

About 60 km to the west, along the coastal road, is Kourou, a town that grew with the Centro Espacial Guianense, the base from which Europe launches its rockets. The base offers guided tours by reservation, and the Guyaspace Expérience, an interactive space about space and satellites, is at the entrance. On launch days, the center opens viewing areas to the public according to the schedule of each mission.

From Kourou the boat departs for the Ilhas da Salvação (Îles du Salut), three islets 14 km off the coast. On Île Royale and Île Saint-Joseph are the ruins of the penal colony that operated there from the mid-19th century until the mid-20th century, overgrown by forest, with trails, monkeys and sea views. Île du Diable, where Captain Alfred Dreyfus was imprisoned, can be seen from Royale but does not receive visitors.

The climate is equatorial, hot and humid year-round, with the driest season between July and November. Yellow fever vaccination is usually required on entry; check before traveling.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Caiena, Kourou.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

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Where Caiena, Kourou and the Ilhas da Salvação is

Contornos: IGN e data.gouv.fr (ODbL 1.0). Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Caiena, Kourou and the Ilhas da Salvação

✈ Aéroport Cayenne-Félix-Éboué (CAY), in Matoury · 13 km to Caiena

Check before booking. Flights land at Félix-Éboué Airport in Matoury, about 13 km from central Caiena. From Amapá, the bridge over the Oiapoque River links Oiapoque to Saint-Georges, with border control: bring your documents. From Saint-Georges to Caiena it's about 190 km by road.

Suggested arrival point: Caiena

Caiena · Caiena, Kourou and the Ilhas da Salvação Capital Suggested arrival point

Caiena

Caiena, the capital of Guiana Francesa, sits on a peninsula between the Caiena River and the Atlantic. The old center brings together wooden creole houses around Place des Palmistes and Place Léopold-Héder, the Cathedral of Saint-Sauveur, the Alexandre-Franconie Museum and the central market, and Forte Cépérou dominates the city from the top of the hill. To the east, Rémire-Montjoly has the nearest beaches.

Caiena · Caiena, Kourou and the Ilhas da Salvação

Kourou

Kourou is on the coast, about 60 km from Caiena, and grew up around the Centro Espacial Guianense, Europe’s launch base. The base offers guided tours by reservation; the Guyaspace Expérience shows how rockets and satellites work, and boats to the Ilhas da Salvação, with the ruins of the old prison, depart from the port. On the waterfront, the Pointe des Roches shelters the Tour Dreyfus.

The local experience

Things to do in Caiena, Kourou and the Ilhas da Salvação

Kourou · Caiena · Science center

Centre Spatial Guyanais

The base from which Europe launches its rockets, close to the equator. The guided tour, by bus and by reservation, goes through the facilities and the Ariane 6 launch area, and on launch days there are viewing areas open to the public with registration.

Caiena · Caiena · Plaza

Place des Palmistes

Caiena's central square, with about 3 hectares of lawn and imperial palms, the statue of Félix Éboué and surrounding creole houses. At night, food stalls gather around the edges.

Caiena · Caiena · Fort

Fort Cépérou

The ruins of the 17th-century fort atop Cépérou hill, where Caiena began. The climb starts at Place Léopold-Héder, passes murals by local artists and ends at a viewpoint over the city, the river mouth and the sea.

Kourou · Caiena · Museum

Guyaspace Expérience

The visitor space of the Centro Espacial Guianense, in place of the former Museu do Espaço: interactive rooms about the history of the base, launch preparation and the use of satellites, with a planetarium and a lunar mission workshop.

See 6 more places in Caiena, Kourou and the Ilhas da Salvação

Caiena · Caiena · Church

Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur de Cayenne

The cathedral of Caiena, built between 1825 and 1833 to replace the old church of Saint-Nicolas and raised to cathedral status in 1934. It is a historic monument, with a wooden tower and a bright interior.

Kourou · Caiena · Island

Îles du Salut

Three islets 14 km from Kourou with the ruins of the former French penal colony. On Île Royale, jungle trails pass the chapel, the cells and the museum; Île Saint-Joseph houses the isolation cells; Île du Diable can only be seen from a distance.

Caiena · Caiena · Market

Marché de Cayenne

The central market of Caiena, with covered pavilions and stalls selling tropical fruit, spices, vegetables and fish, and the food stalls serving phô soup that have become a city tradition. It operates on market days in the morning.

Kourou · Caiena · Monument

Tour Dreyfus

Small signal tower on the Pointe des Roches, on Kourou's seafront, which communicated with Île Royale during the penal colony era. From the promontory you can see the Ilhas da Salvação and the sea.

Caiena · Caiena · Museum

Musée Alexandre-Franconie

A departmental museum housed in a 19th-century Creole mansion facing Place des Palmistes, with collections of natural history, Indigenous archaeology and the history of Guiana, including paintings by a former convict from the bagne.

Caiena · Caiena · Beach

Plages de Rémire-Montjoly

The beaches of the neighbouring town of Caiena, about 8 km from the centre: the long stretch of Montjoly and the Anse de Rémire, with rocks and views of the islets. The sea is muddy, carried by sediment from the Amazon.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From July to November is the driest season, with more sun for the Ilhas da Salvação and the sea is usually calmer for the crossing. From December to June it rains more, with a short break in March. Carnival, from January until Ash Wednesday, fills Caiena with Sunday parades and touloulou balls at night.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Four days: one for downtown Caiena, one for the beaches of Rémire-Montjoly, one for the Centro Espacial and Kourou, and one for the Ilhas da Salvação. With five days you can spend a night on Île Royale or fit in a launch, if the schedule allows.

Which city to stay in

In Caiena, the old center, near Place des Palmistes, leaves the fort, the cathedral and the market within walking distance. Rémire-Montjoly, to the east, has hotels near the beaches and is quiet at night. In Kourou, the Pointe des Roches neighborhood on the waterfront is close to the port where the boats to the islands depart. On Île Royale there is a hostel with rooms and hammocks for those who want to sleep on the islands.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Caiena, Kourou and the Ilhas da Salvação

Is vaccination required to enter Guiana Francesa?

Yellow fever vaccination is usually required on entry; check before traveling. Bring the international vaccination certificate together with your identification.

How many days to reserve for Caiena, Kourou and the Ilhas da Salvação?

Four days cover downtown Caiena, the beaches of Rémire-Montjoly, the Centro Espacial and a full day on the Ilhas da Salvação. If you want to watch a launch, keep your travel dates flexible, because launches can change dates.

Do you need a car in Guiana Francesa?

It helps a lot. Transport between Caiena and Kourou is by shared taxis and some bus lines with limited schedules. With a rental car, the coastal road is simple to follow and you can combine Caiena, Kourou and the island port in the same day.

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