Travel Essentials › Guyana
Travel Essentials
Plugs: Types A, B, D and G; 120 V and 240 V both found, 60 Hz. Emergency: Police 911, Ambulance 913, Fire 912. Tipping: 10% in restaurants where no service charge is added; tip guides and drivers. Tap water: Drink bottled or treated water.
Types A, B, D and G; 120 V and 240 V both found, 60 Hz
| Police | 911 |
| Ambulance | 913 |
| Fire | 912 |
10% in restaurants where no service charge is added; tip guides and drivers.
Greetings. A friendly handshake and casual conversation is standard; Guyana's multi-ethnic mix (Indo-, Afro-, Indigenous-Guyanese) means customs vary by community, so following your host's lead works well.
Dress. Casual dress is fine in Georgetown; in the interior/Rupununi, modest, practical clothing suits both culture and the outdoors.
Respect for Indigenous communities. When visiting Amerindian villages in the interior, ask permission before photographing people or entering sacred sites.
Guyana's interior (Rupununi, Kaieteur Falls) is among the safest and friendliest areas in the Americas for travelers, but Georgetown has higher crime, including armed robbery, especially after dark.
Taxi overcharging. Unlicensed taxis may overcharge tourists; use registered taxis with H-prefix plates and agree the fare beforehand.
Fake tour operators. Unlicensed operators sell overpriced or poorly run interior tours; book through established, licensed tour companies.
Women travelers. Generally fine with standard precautions; avoid isolated areas after dark in Georgetown and use trusted transport.
Criminalized
Same-sex sexual activity is criminalized (colonial-era 'gross indecency' and 'buggery' laws, with the latter carrying up to life imprisonment though rarely enforced); there is no anti-discrimination protection, so LGBTQ+ travelers should be discreet.
| Coffee (café) | GYD 700 | $3.30 |
| Local bus or metro ride | GYD 100-300 | $0.50-1.40 |
| Mid-range restaurant meal | GYD 2,500 | $12 |
| Hostel bed / budget room (night) | GYD 4,500 | $21 |
| Mid-range hotel (night) | GYD 21,000 | $100 |
| Daily budget, mid-range traveler | GYD 15,000 | $70 |
2026-09
The main dry season (September-November) has the most comfortable weather and fewer mosquitoes; a shorter dry spell also occurs February-April, while May-August is the wettest period.