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26 Jun 2010
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French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana
Not many folks seem to make the obvious loop up from Brazil through French Guiana, Suiname and Guyana. The reports I found were sketchy and/or old—a couple of motorcyclists, a group in campers and trucks, a few backpackers (anyone who claims that overland riders travel more adventurously than backpackers might want to reconsider based on the reports I found on the web). The few people I met personally who’d been through that way complained of armed robbers, extortion by military personnel, and other sorts of human vermin. People I’d met who claimed a desire to join me on the route fell away one by one, opting for shorter routes via Manaus or giving up entirely and shipping bikes and selves home from Buenos Aires. Still, the thin line on my map had been whispering to me….and I figure anyplace a Lonely Planet author can survive, surely so can I.
Of course, my original plan was to make the trip before rainy season began….or at least in its early stages. In the end, I managed to arrive in Belem in late May, when the rains were already well underway. This represented only minor inconvenience at first: the boat to Macapa takes 26 hours or so and is unaffected by the weather, and the first bit of road north towards Oiapague is paved and in good shape as far as Calcoene (IIRC). Then it turns to muck, then deep muck, then deep muck at significant incline, interspersed with sections of regular old ordinary clay and muck. This goes on until 30 miles or so before Oiapague, where blessed pavimento returns. If, like me, you are riding an overloaded bike with street tires, you might consider loading your bike on a truck for the worst of it—as I did, to my everlasting embarrassment (first time ever). Or you could just schedule to avoid the rainy season.
Truck traffic is heavy due mainly to the bridge construction. FWIW, the truckers said this road takes just a day from Macapa to the border during dry season, but that it’s very dusty. During the rains, usually two days. Ten years ago, before the road was upgraded, up to two weeks. The favored technique for truckers involves cabling together three trucks which tow each other through the worst sections. They’ll routinely stop to help push stuck cars or, in my case, motorcycles. It’s quite a scene.
The bridge to French Guiana, which the Lonely Planet felt would be finished two years ago, consists of half-completed approaches and abutments on either side of the river. Count on taking the ferry, which leaves from outside Oiapague and costs 30 euros or so. It is necessary to first turn in your temporary import permit a couple of miles away in town, and prior to this you need to find the police station and get your passport stamped—all this for an 11:00 departure (Or was it noon? I get so confused.), so get an early start. On the French side, EU residents need to do virtually nothing at all, but unfortunate North Americans need to find the police station and customs offices and do the usual stuff. It is hot there, so don’t walk around in full riding gear as I did or you risk collapse or other indignity.
Customs will hint that you need to arrange insurance, but in the end it turns out you can’t buy it until Cayenne anyway, and in my case no one asked for it until I was leaving the country several days later….at which point it seemed to be essential, for some reason. Buy in Cayenne, and shop for a good rate.
The road to Cayenne is a delight, mostly through uncut jungle and mostly in very good shape. Note that I was warned not to stop on this section for anything or anyone due to robbery risk. Cayenne is ridiculously expensive—like Paris—but the food is great and credit cards are accepted routinely. There’s a Suzuki dealer with a good selection of supplies, but finding basic Developing World services (welding, for example) was surprisingly difficult. Further from the capital, prices decline somewhat. I found the Devil’s Island tour better than expected, the space center worth a visit, and if you ignore my advice and come during rainy season you can see green turtles hatching by the dozens and making their mad dash to the sea while a short distance away ancient leatherbacks maneuver ponderously, digging nests and laying eggs. Totally remarkable, and worth the price of admission (to the country, that is).
The ferry to Suriname has several departures per day. There is at least one office in town which sells insurance for Suriname, which will be required. Look for it before heading south of town to the ferry. Once off the ferry, the road to Paramaribo is rough, though paved. If it’s been raining and the potholes are water-filled, be aware that some of them are rather deep and abrupt. Here again I was warned not to stop for any reason before “the bridge,” but I’ve no idea how seriously to take such warnings.
I had some mechanical issues and stayed longer than expected in Paramaribo, a perfectly fine town for a day or two but which grew old after that. The city is full of friendly ex-pat residents, and English is widely spoken, even out in the sticks. I did meet up in Paramaribo with the only rider I saw during the whole loop, and the only person I ever met who said that Guyana was fine, friendly and altogether fun….which turned out to be correct. Note that rates given in Suriname for dollars or euros are routinely 20 to 25% higher than indicated by internet sources. Therefore, stock up on euros at ATM’s in French Guiana and change cash in Paramaribo.
The ferry to Guyana leaves only once a day, at 11:00. If you’re trying to make it from Paramaribo in a day you’ll need an ungodly early start. Be there early for customs and passport control, because there’s not much happening to keep you interested for another day if you miss the boat. I stayed overnight in Nieuw Nickerie (which I’m sure I’ve mis-spelled), a less-than-thrilling town with mosquito problems—don’t be walking around at dusk. On the Guyana side I was made to procure not only insurance, but an actual driving “permit,” which took foolishly long in mid-day heat. Be aware that you need to purchase a customs form, and have either Guyana currency or a US dollar or two ready. Exchange rates at the border are terrible, but that’s life.
Per above, people in Guyana were unfailingly friendly, polite, helpful and supportive. I don’t know what to make of all the horrendous stories I’ve heard, but one local told me “There used to be a lot of thieves five years ago, but some of them got old and died and the police caught the rest and killed them.” A cautious person might not walk around alone all over Georgetown carrying large sums of cash….but that’s what I did, and I never felt threatened. I stayed at the Melbourne Hotel, outside the center on Sheriff Street, and I walked around that area at night without any trouble. English is the official language, so you can talk with anyone about whatever you want—a real relief for mono-lingual Norteamericanos like myself.
The road south from Georgetown to Lethem was one of the big unknowns; lots of stories about impassable mud and such. It turned out to be just fine, despite heavy rains during the past month—some short stretches of mud here and there, but nothing even remotely like the Macapa-Oiapague road (or others I’ve seen). I broke my trip at the Iwokrama River Lodge, which was well-worth it for the insights into indigenous lives, jungle ecology, ecotourism and all the rest. Probably, an ambitious rider could make the full route in a day even during the rainy season. The worst sections of road are north of the ferry crossing.
Lethem features a few hotels and other services. The Brazil side of the border features some of those ridiculously serious, self-important, do-it-my-way personnel who seem so out of place in otherwise-friendly Brazil. In my case, they demanded photocopies of everything under the sun, including documents which I’d just received at the immigration office (meaning you can’t just bring photocopies you made in Lethem). It was Sunday, and everything in the local town was closed, but eventually I found the owner of a small shop who opened up for me and made the half-dozen copies I needed…but the whole procedure took 15 minutes on the Guyana side but several hours in Brazil. This close to the border, lots of English is spoken.
Stock up on reais at the ATM’s in Boa Vista if headed to Venezuela; Brazilian currency fetches good rates at the border—about twice the official rates. Change on the Brazilian side for the best rates—about 10% better than in Santa Elena. I made it from Lethem to Santa Elena in a day, but with the abovementioned delay entering Brazil it was a close call. Note that both Brazilian and Venezuelan customs and immigration close at various hours and for various reasons.
The whole loop was quite fun, interspersed with the kinds of frustrating moments which look better and better in retrospect. Culturally there’s a lot going on in that area of South America, with the intersections of Maroon, indigenous, expat, native-born, “Hindu” (i.e. East Indian), Chinese, Hmong and other cultures being particularly fascinating. The jungles are relatively untouched as well, though they’re difficult and usually expensive to reach. Tourists generally come directly from Europe, so overlanders are intriguing to almost everyone—entirely unlike the more traveled routes.
Hope that helps someone, sooner or later.
Mark
(from Cartagena, where I’ve re-joined the mainstream while waiting for the Stahratte)
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26 Jun 2010
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Many thanks for the very useful info
Have a safe trip
Albert
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26 Jun 2010
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Thanks, Mark. Great report!
How about getting visas? All at the border?
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27 Jun 2010
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Excellent info, thanks.
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27 Jun 2010
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Sounds like an interesting way to go Mark, and it sounds like once again the bike broke but you managed to get either parts or repairs, so it is not an uncivilised area 
Good luck being part of the crew for your voyage acrss to Panama
Cheers
TS
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27 Jun 2010
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It's probably not too productive to ask about visas without stating your nationality, since the rules apply differently. No visas for Americans except Suriname, as indicated (and of course also Brazil). Don't know about other nationalities, but I assume since French Guiana is a part of France therefore French (EU) rules apply to all. Seems to me I saw somewhere that Guyana requires visas of some countries, but that might've been a dream.
Yah Richard, I found a Kawasaki fanatic from Holland living out in the bush who managed to cobble together a fix, so I'm crippled but still moving in generally the right direction. The bike has a year and a half left on its extended warranty, so if I can make it to the States I ought to manage ok. Wish I had a similar warranty on my own body, motor and suspension, but that one wasn't available in 1955.
Hey, I stopped in to see Gino in Venezuela. Great guy, great family, great collection of American gas guzzlers and other stuff. Gert's in America riding a big GS, Chris is in Chile, and Gino is planning The Next Big Trip. Hope you're doing the same.
Safe journeys!
Mark
Last edited by markharf; 27 Jun 2010 at 17:25.
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27 Jun 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markharf
No visas for Americans except Suriname, as indicated (and of course also Brazil).
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Did you get the Suriname visa at the border? If not, how long would one have to wait for the Suriname visa at their consulate in Cayenne?
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27 Jun 2010
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No Suriname visa at border. Got mine in Cayenne, overnight with no problem except expense. Also in Georgetown. There is also reportedly a transit visa, cheaper.
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28 Jun 2010
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Cosmotos
Yeah, let's all meet up here. All of the Cosmoto tribe. If Gino is also still riding and Chris is on a bike then I am positive we could have a reunion somewhere. I will end up riding the GS down into South America but planning is not a big thing of mine so I don't know when that'll happen. And where is Gino going? I will for sure try to meet up with Marc again as he is headed north.... Let's keep ourselve posted then gentlemen, shall we?
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7 Jul 2010
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hi
nice write up mark,a lot better than i could have done.good to know you had fun on the way after you fixed the rear shock. i got my suriname visa in georgetown .filled the form in in the morning and payed in the after noon when it was ready for me .i had my bike shipped out of suriname and am now home but for how long i dont know .i still have a return flight.
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30 Nov 2010
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Mark,
Thanks for the informative write up. I am currently in Santa Elena and plan on doing the route in reverse.
Thanks again,
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30 Nov 2010
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Mark, Thanks for that, not many people take this route and it's great to hear that it's quite accessable. I've posted questions on here and ADV and had no reply. EVERYONE takes the west(Equador,Peru etc.) route - for obvious reasons, so the few who go the East way have valuable information. Thanks for sharing.
Labbrazia, please keep me/us informed of your experience. I'm planning on heading this way (Venezuela to Brazil) in February. Anything you can add, especially about the state of the road, good places to stay, would be much appreciated.
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30 Nov 2010
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Glad if my report has been (will be) helpful. I posted the same report on ADVrider and I've participated in threads on the Lonely Planet site as well, so whatever I've had to say should be accessible to all sorts of searches. Plus there've been at least a few riders through that way since me last June. It's not exactly the end of the known universe--although it sometimes feels that way during the rainy season.
I hope anyone else headed that way will feel free to add to this thread or start a new one to report.
enjoy,
Mark
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1 Dec 2010
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Great report Mark, very useful. I'm sorry I didn't see something like this a few months ago, as I skipped all this and took the Manaus to Venezuela route after hearing the Guianas and Suriname were nearly impassible, with dirt roads and few fuel stations. My bike was sick at the time, so I took the advice. Grrrrrrrr, who told me that. Anyway, this should be a sticky, great advice for an alternative route for the North-East.
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3 Dec 2010
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Going there now...
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