Georgetown, Guyana: My Thoughts. Is It Safe?
Intro
Upon landing on the 737 Max 8 with American Airlines from Miami, I spent a night in Georgetown, Guyana. Guyana has long been a place that has fascinated me for a number of reasons, the main one being that they are part of the Caribbean, while they are also part of South America...
With that being said, and I mean no ill intent at all, it wasn't one of my favorite places I've visited. Having been to the likes of some more "dangerous countries" per se, I got an eery feeling about Georgetown.
Photo Gallery
The first thing I noticed after being picked up from the airport and meeting Guyanese people before is that the people are genuinely very kind people (and they have really cool accents). Everyone I met was open to speaking about their life, but this one woman I met seemed concerned about the situation in Georgetown. As we sat watching the sunset over the Guyanese ocean, she told me (a local) that she doesn't feel safe walking around at night and has been robbed multiple times.
In all my years of traveling, something about Georgetown just didn't sit right with me. With that being said, I didn't spend enough time there to really say it was dangerous, and I would eventually like to go back and explore the jungles in Guyana.
On a couple of good notes, I found that the beer and rum were simply divine. Caribbean rum is some of the best in the world, and I already knew that, but Banks beer was very delicious and some of the best I have had.
Is Georgetown Safe?
If you are planning a trip to Georgetown, Guyana, be prepared for fantastic food, great rum, and a lot of fun. However, keep in mind that if you are caucasian ethnicity, there are a couple of things I would advise.
Use taxis at night; the hotel recommended it to me, and I understand the reasoning
Don't be too concerned about visiting bars/restaurants at night as usually, there are no problems
Use common sense during the day, and you will be fine 99% of the time
Keep in mind that the cost of living in Georgetown is very high, especially property (that is what the woman on the beach told me). Combine that with a relatively low income across the country.
Final Thoughts
It's a beautiful country, and I hope this doesn't deter you from going. Just make sure to use common sense. If you happen to see a lot of trucks on the road, it's because there is an endless sandpit miles away that apparently never runs out😂.
All in all, I am happy I went as a stopover to Grenada, but it's not on my top 20 countries I would like to go back to soon.
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