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Voykit pocket guide · Guyana
New Amsterdam
Half a day: walk the market, see the Mission Chapel and the Berbice River front, then eat. Not a base — sleep in Georgetown or head east to the border.
New Amsterdam is Guyana's second town, a quiet Berbice River port 2 hours east of Georgetown. It has a handful of colonial leftovers, a daily market and a couple of solid eateries, but no sight that justifies a night. Use it as a lunch stop on the way to the Suriname border or as a short detour from the coast road.
- Country
- Guyana
- Best months
- Sep–Apr (dry season)
- Avoid
- May–Aug (heavy rain, some roads flood)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- GYD
- Money
- Currency is the Guyanese dollar (GYD, $), steady at about GYD 208–210 per US dollar (check). Cards work in larger Georgetown hotels, malls and some restaurants; cash is needed almost everywhere else.
- Daily spend
- Budget GYD 6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid GYD 10,000–18,000 excl. bed · High GYD 18,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Digicel and ONE Communications (formerly GTT) sell SIMs at the airport and in Georgetown with passport; data is cheap (check eSIM support).
- Emergency
- Police 911 · Fire 912 · Ambulance 913
- Plugs
- Types A, B, D, G · 110 V and 240 V · 60 Hz · Check before plugging in; bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% if no service charge.; Guides and lodge staff: US$10–20 a day into the staff box.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; bottled water is sold everywhere.
- Toilets
- In hotels, malls and restaurants; carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Minibus Georgetown → New Amsterdam | GYD 2,500 (check) |
| Berbice Bridge toll (car) | GYD 2,500 (check) |
| Meal at La Caribe Diner | GYD 1,500–2,500 |
| Fried rice at Lim Kang Restaurant | GYD 1,200–1,800 |
| Bottle of beer | GYD 500–800 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GEO · Cheddi Jagan International Airport (Georgetown)
- About 2 h drive via the Berbice Bridge; no commercial flights to New Amsterdam
Typical fares
- Minibus Georgetown → New Amsterdam
- about GYD 2,500, about 2 h (check)
- Taxi within town
- GYD 500–1,000
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walkable centre (market, riverfront, chapel). For the wider area, hire a taxi from the rank near the market or ask your guesthouse.
See and do
Known for
- Berbice River waterfront
- Mission Chapel (one of Guyana's oldest churches)
- New Amsterdam Market
- La Caribe Diner and Lim Kang Restaurant
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Georgetown | Minibus from the New Amsterdam market area, about 2 h | About 2 h |
| Michelle's Island | Boat from New Amsterdam waterfront, about 30 min (check) | About 1 h |
| Linden | Minibus via the Berbice Bridge and Linden–Soesdyke Highway, about 2.5 h | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Town centre
- A few basic guesthouses; most travellers continue to Georgetown or the border.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hellohello |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| How much? | How much?how much |
| Where is the market? | Where is the market?where is the market |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say good morning or good afternoon before any question; avoid: Launching straight into a request
- Villages: Meet the toshao (village leader) or host first; avoid: Wandering in unannounced
- Temples and mosques: Shoes off, cover shoulders; avoid: Photos during prayers
- Politics and race: Listen; avoid: Taking sides; politics splits along community lines
Scams and watch-outs
- Berbice Bridge toll: about GYD 2,500 each way (check).
- No ATM in town that reliably accepts foreign cards — bring cash from Georgetown.
- Last minibus to Georgetown leaves around 17:00 (check).
New Amsterdam is generally safe during the day. Avoid walking alone after dark on side streets. Keep valuables out of sight at the market.
One and two days
No timed day plan for New Amsterdam yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Berbice River waterfront
- Mission Chapel (one of Guyana's oldest churches)
- New Amsterdam Market
- La Caribe Diner and Lim Kang Restaurant
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: New Amsterdam (Guyana), revision 5005758 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5005758
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/new-amsterdam-guyana). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.