A bottle of rum and handicraft items such as wood sculptures and painted colourful patterned fabrics are ideal souvenirs to bring back with you. Shops are open Monday to Thursday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, Fridays from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and Saturdays from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm.
The cuisine here combines all the flavours of its ethnic mix: India, Africa, the West Indies, England, and the United States. Excellent sea food is offered all year round in Guyana, but for Christmas, the traditional dish is the "pepper pot", a meat cooked with bitter cassava root and herbs.
As for beverages, rum is an institution here, it is very cheap and does not exceed $2 (£1.50) a bottle. The local beer, made with rice, is called 'Banks'.
It is important to leave with a few light and loose clothes (made of linen for instance), which are closed at the wrists and ankles to keep out the mosquito clouds that rage in certain regions. A good flashlight (with extra batteries) is absolutely necessary for trips in the forest or in case of an electricity cut (which is frequent in the city). A permit is necessary to enter the National Park of Kaieteur, get some information in Georgetown at the office that deals with this: Tel: 59 142.