When to go · French Guiana
French Guiana in May
Mixed month. Wettest weeks; turtles nesting.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Crowds
- Low
- French Guiana
- Prices
- Low
- French Guiana
Verdict
Wettest weeks; turtles nesting.
Weather in May
- Coast (Cayenne to Saint-Laurent) · Cayenne, Kourou, Sinnamary, Saint-Laurent, Awala-Yalimaporainy
Hot and humid, 23–32 °C. Dry season mid-August–November; the 'petit été de mars' brings a short drier break in March; heaviest rain April–June.
- Interior rainforest · Saül, Maripasoula, upper Maroni and Oyapockrainy
Wetter; river levels drop from September, which makes some rapids harder for canoes by November.
- Cayenne30° / 23°, 22 rain days
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Labour Day
1 May
Closures.
Victory in Europe Day
8 May
Closures.
Ascension and Whit Monday
May–Jun (varies)
Closures.
Sea-turtle nesting season check
Roughly April to August, peak varies by species · Cayenne
Guided night visits become possible; independent access to nesting beaches may be restricted at night — confirm locally.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · French Guiana
- Low
- Prices · French Guiana
- Low
What to pack
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast
Where to go in May
Better another month
Long rainy season; heavy rain and flooded roads.