Safety in Guyana: what overland travellers should know
Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 14 June 2026.
Safety
- Crime — Crime levels are fairly high and visitors are often seen as targets for theft and robbery. Armed robberies are increasing and can turn into shootouts with the police that catch bystanders, since the security forces use firearms readily. Do not show cash or valuables, dress plainly, and do not walk alone, above all at night, in isolated places or on empty beaches.
- Areas of Georgetown — Avoid Stabroek Market, Albouystown, Sophia, Tiger Bay and the whole southern part of Georgetown, all with high crime rates, and stay cautious around St George's Cathedral. Attempted thefts are frequent at the Botanic Gardens, which are better visited in an organised group.
- Demerara and Brazil border — Caution is needed on the east coast of Demerara, particularly around the villages of Buxton, Friendship and Annandale, along the border with Brazil, and on visits to the nature reserves.
- Airport road at night — Where you can, avoid travelling to or from Cheddi Jagan airport in Georgetown at night: arriving travellers are often picked out as they leave the airport and then robbed.
- Protests — Political demonstrations are frequent. Watch the notices the authorities publish and stay out of gatherings in public places.
- Floods — Flooding is frequent and the coastline, which sits below sea level, is held back by dykes. Heavy rain in May and June and again in December and January can cause serious disruption or emergencies, and infrastructure and drainage systems are poorly maintained.
Before you rely on this
This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 14 June 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Guyana before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.
Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 14 June 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.