Country guide
French Guiana
Visa
Visa required
Vaccinations
Required
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Time zones
UTC / GMT -3 (5 hours behind South Africa)
Dialing code
+ 594
Best time to go
August – December. For festivals, January – February is the best time.
Drinking water
Water in hotels and towns is safe to drink, however it is heavily chlorinated and bottled water may be preferred.
Travel tips
French Guiana is one of the costliest countries to visit in South America, so be sure to plan accordingly.
Visa guide
Visa requirements
Visas are required by South African passport holders.
The type of visa to apply for is a DOM visa, applications are through Capago (see France Country Guide)
Health / vaccinations
Compulsory: Yellow Fever
Recommended Travel Vaccines: Hepatitis A & B, Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio
Malaria Risk
Public holidays
2026: Jan 1; Feb 16-18; Apr 6; May 1, 8, 25; Jun 10; Jul 14; Aug 15; Nov 1, 11; Dec 25