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Voykit pocket guide · French Guiana
Cayenne
Cayenne is a hot, low-rise colonial capital on a peninsula: do the streets in the cool morning, take the afternoon indoors, and rent a car only if you go on to Kourou or Saint-Laurent.
Cayenne fits in two easy days on foot: Place des Palmistes, the central market, the old port and Fort Cépérou. Trips go wrong on heat at midday, on Sunday closures, and on leaving without a car when the only useful sights are on the coast road. Four small areas cover the town; keep one bed and add Kourou or Saint-Laurent as separate stays.
- Country
- French Guiana
- Best months
- Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov
- Time zone
- America/Cayenne
- Stay
- 2 days: Palmistes and market in the morning; Fort Cépérou and the old port at dusk
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Cards are widely accepted in central Cayenne restaurants, hotels and supermarkets; carry euros in small notes for market stalls, food trucks and taxis, which are often cash-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget EUR 50–80 excl. bed · Mid EUR 80–140 excl. bed · High EUR 140+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- French mainland carriers operate here; an EU or French SIM or eSIM should work, but coverage away from Cayenne and Kourou can be thin — confirm with your provider before you fly, and buy a local SIM at the airport or in town if you need it (confirm locally).
- Emergency
- General 112 · Medical 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- 220 V; European two-pin sockets (type C/E), the same as mainland France. No adapter needed if you already have one for Europe.
- Tipping
- Not expected: French service-included pricing (service compris) is standard. Round up for a taxi driver or a guide if you liked the service.
- Water
- Tap water in central Cayenne is generally treated; ask your hotel if you are unsure, and use bottled water outside town or if you have a sensitive stomach.
- Toilets
- Cafés, museums, hotels and the market; carry tissues, as in much of France's overseas territories.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | EUR 2–4 |
| Bokit or a market snack | EUR 4–7 |
| Beer: bottle at a bar | EUR 4–7 |
| Short taxi ride within Cayenne | EUR 8–15 |
| Museum entry | EUR 2–5 |
| Rental car, per day | EUR 45–70, confirm locally |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Félix Eboué Airport (CAY)
- CAY to Cayenne: one pre-booked taxi of about 30 minutes; there is no train and buses are infrequent, so book the taxi through your hotel or take one from the airport rank.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Félix Eboué Airport (CAY) (Aéroport de Cayenne-Félix Eboué) | Flights from Paris (about 8–9 h), the Caribbean and some South American points; check current routes. | Taxi about 30 min, EUR 30–45 (2026 estimate) |
| Coastal road to Kourou and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni | The only paved road link along the coast; the route continues (with a river crossing) toward Suriname. | Already there |
| Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock border crossing | The Oyapock River bridge to Oiapoque, Brazil | Well over a day by road |
Typical fares
- Félix Eboué → centre, taxi
- EUR 30–45, about 30 min (confirm before you ride)
- Short taxi within Cayenne
- EUR 8–15
- Taxi to Rémire-Montjoly beach
- EUR 20–35
Get around
Walk inside the centre, taxi between areas and to the beach, and rent a car only if you are going to Kourou, Saint-Laurent or beyond. There is no metro and city buses are limited.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Inside any one cluster — Palmistes, the market, the cathedral area, the old port |
| Taxi | EUR 8–15 within the centre; EUR 20–35 to Rémire-Montjoly | Between clusters, at night, with bags |
| Rental car | EUR 45–70 a day, confirm locally | Kourou, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni and any trip beyond Cayenne |
| Local bus | A few euros, confirm locally | Some routes within greater Cayenne |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Short taxi rides are affordable; agree the fare or ask for the meter before you set off.
- Late at night
- Buses are infrequent and stop early; taxis are the late-evening plan, so book one through your hotel.
See and do
01Marché Central in the cool morningMarché Central
Creole, Hmong and Brazilian stalls side by side; a bokit and fresh juice is the easiest introduction to Guianese food.
Hours: best 08:00–10:00 · Price: Free to browse; food EUR 4–10 · Time: 1–1.5 h · 4.9366, -52.3306
02Musée des cultures guyanaises
Amerindian, Maroon and Creole culture indoors and air-conditioned; the best single stop for understanding who lives here.
Hours: best Midday · Price: EUR 2–5 · Time: 1–1.5 h
03Fort Cépérou at sunset
A short hill for the best view over the old town, the old port and the river mouth.
Hours: best 16:30–18:00 · Price: Free · Time: 30–45 min
04Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur
A quiet 19th-century timber-frame cathedral, a short stop between the market and the museums.
Hours: best Outside Mass times · Price: Free · Time: 15 min · 4.9381, -52.3281
05Musée Franconie for natural historyMusée Franconie
A small departmental museum of natural history and archaeology in an old colonial house; pairs with the culture museum.
Hours: best Midday · Price: EUR 2–5 · Time: 45 min–1 h · 4.9367, -52.3284
06A half-day at Rémire-Montjoly beachPlage de Montjoly
The nearest Atlantic beach to Cayenne; check locally which stretch is safe to swim.
Hours: best Morning or late afternoon · Price: Taxi EUR 20–35 return · Time: 2–3 h · 4.8789, -52.2844
07Evening food trucks at the old portCamions de restauration, Vieux Port
Grilled skewers and fish with a river breeze, after the fort at dusk.
Hours: best 18:30–21:00 · Price: EUR 8–14 · Time: 1–1.5 h · 4.9406, -52.3246
08Day trip to the Guiana Space Centre, Kourou
Europe's main spaceport, about an hour's drive; book a tour in advance and bring photo ID.
Hours: best Weekday, booked ahead · Price: Tour price confirm locally · Time: Full day
09Boat trip to the Îles du Salut
Former penal-colony islands including the Devil's Island group; weather-dependent crossing from Kourou.
Hours: best Dry season, calm seas · Price: Boat fare confirm locally · Time: Full day or overnight
10A Creole plat du jour on Rue LallouetteCantines créoles, Rue Lallouette
Colombo or grilled fish and rice, the everyday Cayenne lunch.
Hours: best 12:00–13:30 · Price: EUR 12–18 · Time: 1–1.5 h · 4.9381, -52.3281
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kourou and the Guiana Space Centre | Rental car or taxi, about 1 h each way | Full day |
| Îles du Salut (Devil's Island group) | Drive or taxi to Kourou, then a boat crossing of about 45 minutes (weather-dependent) | Full day, or overnight on the islands |
| Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni | Rental car, about 2.5–3 h each way along the coast road | Long day or overnight |
| Guiana Amazonian Park and the interior | Requires a licensed operator or boat transport; not self-drive | Multi-day |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Market Creole breakfast stalls | Bokit · Marché Central | EUR 4–7 | Budget |
| Accras (fried cod or vegetable fritters) | Accras · Market and Creole canteens | EUR 1–3 each | Budget |
| Riz cantonais (Cantonese fried rice) | Riz cantonais · Chinese-Guianese canteens | EUR 9–15 as a main | Budget |
| Old port food trucks | Grilled brochette or fish · Old port waterfront | EUR 8–14 | Budget |
| Rue Lallouette Creole canteens | Colombo (Creole curry) · Rue Lallouette | EUR 12–18 | Mid-range |
| Bouillon d'awara | Bouillon d'awara · Creole restaurants, seasonally | EUR 15–25 (check) | Mid-range |
| Grilled fish restaurant meal | Poisson braisé · Central Cayenne restaurants | EUR 18–30 | Mid-range |
| A sit-down French-Creole restaurant tasting menu | Chef's choice · Central Cayenne | EUR 40–70 (confirm locally) (check) | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Addresses and hours change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | EUR 60–90 | Place des Palmistes | Small hotels and guesthouses |
| mid | EUR 90–150 | Place des Palmistes, old port | 3-star hotels |
| splurge | EUR 150–280 | Central Cayenne or the coast toward Rémire-Montjoly | Larger hotels, some with a pool |
Per room per night in euros, 2026 estimate; Carnival weekends add 20–50%.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjour |
| Thank you | Merci |
| How much is this? | C'est combien ? |
| Not spicy, please | Pas trop épicé, s'il vous plaît |
| Delicious! | C'est très bon ! |
| The bill | L'addition, s'il vous plaît |
| Please take me to this address | Pouvez-vous m'emmener à cette adresse ? |
| Stop here | Arrêtez ici, s'il vous plaît |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greetings: Say 'bonjour' before any request, in a shop, a taxi or a market stall — skipping it reads as rude, as in mainland France.
- Cathedral: Shoulders and knees covered; keep quiet during a service and ask before photographing worshippers.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people up close, especially at the market and at Carnival.
- Tipping: Not expected — service is included by law in French restaurant and bar bills (service compris); round up only if you want to.
- Language: French is the working language; a few words go a long way, and Guianese Creole is common in informal conversation.
- Turtles: Keep well back from any marked sea-turtle nest and never use flash photography or torches near nesting beaches at night.
Red lines
- Start with bonjour: French is the main language.
- Ask before photographing people, especially at the market.
- Dress modestly away from the beach.
Scams and watch-outs
- Overcharging is more a risk in unmarked taxis than in shops: agree the fare or ask for the meter before you set off, especially from the airport.
- Street sellers of 'discount' phone SIMs or watches near the market: buy SIMs from a carrier shop or the airport instead.
- Unlicensed guides offering trips to Kourou, the Îles du Salut or the interior: book through a listed tour operator or your hotel, and confirm any operator's licence.
- As with any tourist area, keep bags in front of you and phones out of reach in the market crowds and on the old port waterfront after dark.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover or the day before heading to Kourou. Skip: The beach and Kourou: both need more time than a single day allows.
- 07:30Breakfast at the market
- 09:00Musée des cultures guyanaises
- 10:30Cathedral and Musée Franconie
- 12:00Creole lunch on Rue Lallouette
- 13:30Rest indoors through the heat
- 16:30Fort Cépérou for the view
- 18:30Old port food trucks
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Guyane tourism board: www.guyane-amazonie.fr/
- French government travel information: www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/
- Wikivoyage — Cayenne: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Cayenne
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Cayenne
Pouvez-vous m'emmener à cette adresse ?
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Marché CentralCentral Market
- Musée FranconieMusée départemental Alexandre-Franconie
- Plage de MontjolyRémire-Montjoly beach
- Camions de restauration, Vieux PortOld port food trucks
- Cantines créoles, Rue LallouetteRue Lallouette Creole canteens
Most non-French nationals route consular matters through their embassy in Paris; write your own embassy's contact details below before you fly.
French Guiana uses the euro and French law; show the address written out for the taxi driver.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/cayenne). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.