Georgetown: Wooden Garden City, Demerara River and Planning Tips

Standing on the eastern bank of the Demerara River where its coffee-coloured freshwater currents meet the Atlantic Ocean, Georgetown is one of the most distinctive capitals in the Americas. Geographically part of the South American mainland and the gateway to the pristine rainforests of the Guiana Shield, it is the capital of Guyana, the continent's only English-speaking nation and a founding pillar of the Anglophone Caribbean. Pair this overview with our guide to the best things to do in Georgetown and our neighbourhood hotel guide.

A Dutch Polder Grid Built of Demerara Greenheart Timber

Founded by the British in 1781, expanded by the French as Longchamps in 1782, planned by the Dutch in 1784 as Stabroek, and renamed Georgetown on 29 April 1812, the city was laid out over former sugar plantations on coastal alluvial land that sits one to two metres below high-tide Atlantic sea level. To keep the capital dry, Dutch engineers dug a grid of straight drainage canals controlled by river and ocean sluice gates known as kokers, which open at low tide to release inland water, and the British later raised the Georgetown Seawall along the northern shore.

• Kingston and Cummingsburg (North and Central): Stretch south from the Atlantic Seawall and the 1830 Lighthouse down tree-shaded Main Street and Avenue of the Republic to St. George's Cathedral.
• Lacytown, Robbstown, Bourda, and Queenstown (South and East): Hold the 1889 City Hall, the 1834 Parliament Building, Stabroek and Bourda Markets, and the 49-hectare Georgetown Botanical Gardens.

Language, Currency, and Practical Street Sense

English is the official language (spoken alongside local Creolese), and vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road. The national currency is the Guyanese dollar (GYD). While international hotels and tour operators accept Visa, Mastercard, and US dollars, Georgetown's markets, bakeries, museums, and taxis operate predominantly in cash GYD, which you can withdraw from ATMs on Main Street or Water Street. Explore the central markets during daytime hours without flashy jewellery, and use registered hotel taxis rather than walking quiet streets after dark.