hi

you must never work, either.

i've been to suriname. i would recommend that instead of flying the cumbersome schedules between paramaribo and "french" as french guiana is known locally, you do the boat crossing afer visiting the giant leatherback turtles. you'll have to stay in some very basic accommodations, but that's where the earthwatch people stay, too.

don't miss the market in paramaribo and be sure to tour the buildings downtown before 3:30 pm...after that the streets get "dicey." have a plan for transporting artwork. great artists there. large sculptures gorgeous paintings.

the hotel downtown is more modern and bustling- it's a very african feeling city - but the older hotel on the outskirts is "the" place to be and has the only pool. also it's right up the block from the nature office where you can book the leatherback turtles thing.

check on the security situation in georgetown- you may very much want to arrange to fly straight up to the falls. you can also visit the falls as a day trip fly in from paramaribo.

my info is 2 years old. i had the best luck finding info from lonelyplanet, but i booked everything there. paramaribo has no malaria- but any trip you plan to take up into the rainforest requires malaria meds- the population is infected. and as for those trips, book those once you get there- the word is the wildlife long ago left so it's more a live like the natives type experience.

kerikeri

Thanks, that's very helpful.

There is no longer a flight between Paramaribo and Cayenne, so I am overlanding and will take the boat across the river. I would like to visit the leatherbacks, but I don't think they arrive on the beach during August (I think the eggs are hatching at that time, but I will check, and may visit nonetheless).

I am flying to Kaiteur Falls -- that way I can visit on a day trip (overlanding is much, much longer).

Thanks again,

Michael

Does anyone have any new information? I'm leaving on August 24 for my trip to the three Guianas. Thanks