French Guiana

If you have any Euros left over from your European travels you can use them in French Guiana.

French Guiana, a former French colony, is an overseas department of France and, as part of France, it is a member of the EU.

Perhaps best known for its penal colony where Alfred Dreyfus was imprisoned and Papillon (of movie fame) French Guiana is better known to today for the Centre Spatial Guyanais, the launch site and Space Station of the European Space Agency.

The population of French Guiana is a mere 150,000 permanent inhabitants. Migrant workers from Haiti and Brazil account for another 20,000.

Even today it's difficult to travel around French Guiana especially into its remote and densely forested interior without the help of an experienced guide.

Things to see: Cayenne, the capital, is one of the most beautiful cities in South America with its French colonial architecture; the superb Creole food and colorful ethnic mix of French, Brazilian fisherman, Surinamese Maroons, and Hmong farmers all contribute to the city's charm.

Other sites to take in include:

The Reserve Animaliere Macourienne -- a main attraction is the feeding of the spectacled caymans. J Jaguars, ocelots, pacas, spider monkeys, anteaters, tapirs abound in this beautiful reserve.

The Kaw & the Tresor Nature Reserve, the home of the giant black cayman, the scarlet ibis and other wildlife.

Les Hattes Beach: Here you can observe the giant leatherback turtles laying their eggs - a highly recommended excusion and an unforgettable experience.

Iles du Salut - the site of the notorious Devil's Island prison which, in its heyday, held 2,000 convicts.

Centre Spatial Guyanais - The EU Space Station and Cape Canaveral of South America.

Warning: French Guiana is a yellow fever/chloroquine-resistant malaria zone.

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