Capital: Georgetown
Time zone: GMT – 3
Telephone services: Country Code: 592
Outgoing Code: 001
Emergency telephone numbers: Ambulance – 56900 (Georgetown only).
Tourist information: Caribbean Tourism Organisation, 42 Westminster Gardens, Artillery Row, London SW1P 1RR Tel: (0171) 222 4335 Fax: (0171) 222 4325.
Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.
Visa information: Visas not required for full nationals of Great Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, EU countries (except Austria who do require a visa). and Japan for stays up to 30 days. NOTE: Contact the High Commission for a up-to-date list of nationals requiring visas as requirements often change
Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in certain areas in the Falciparum variety. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported. NOTE: Sleeping under a mosquito net and using insect repellents is recommended.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for travellers arriving from infected countries (contact High Commission for list of infected countries according to Guyana).Vaccination is strongly recommended to any traveller planning to travel outside the urban areas.
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink.
Currency: Guyana Dollar (Guy$) = 100 cents. Limited acceptance of credit cards. Travellers cheques (in US$) are accepted, but can take a long time to exchange.
ATM availability: Unavailable.
Cost of living: Relatively inexpensive. Most accommodation is located in populated areas.
Languages: English. Hindi, Urdu, Creole and Amerindian are also spoken.
Weather: Hot tropical climate with the most rain between Nov – Jan and Apr – July.
Electricity: 110 Volts AC, 60Hz
Post: 7 – 10 days. Post services can be unreliable so recorded delivery is recommended.
Transport: FLIGHTS: The only reliable means of travelling into the interior is by air. ROAD: All weather roads are concentrated in the Eastern coastal strip. Most journeys will involve crossing waterways with ferries, which may create delays. BUS: Regular but crowded services operate in Georgetown. TAXI: Recommended as a method of transport at night. A supplement is added to evening fares and for long journeys it is recommended that fares are agreed in advance.
Special information: Guyana, Georgetown in particular, are notorious for street crime. Do not expose valuable possessions at any time and avoid showing signs of wealth. Travel with caution after dark. Men should not wear shorts.