The Interior Rainforest of French Guiana offers families a chance to step into the Amazon without sacrificing safety. Unlike the dense, impenetrable jungle often imagined, specific hubs like Cacao make the rainforest accessible by paved road. Located about an hour from Cayenne, Cacao is a Hmong village famous for its Sunday market. Families can enjoy fresh noodle soups and buy local embroidery, but the main attraction for children is often the Le Planeur Bleu insect museum. Here, kids can see massive beetles and colorful butterflies up close, demystifying the creatures of the forest.
For a wildlife experience that doesn't require trekking, the Kaw Marshes (Marais de Kaw) are exceptional. Families can board a flat-bottomed boat to glide across the wetlands. During the day, you might see diverse birdlife, but evening tours are particularly thrilling as guides use spotlights to reveal the red eyes of caimans resting in the water. These boat tours are safe and require no walking, making them suitable even for younger children.
For those willing to take a small plane, the village of Saül lies in the heart of the primary forest. There are no cars here, only walking paths. The village maintains a network of well-marked trails (Sentiers), some of which are short and flat enough for families. It is a unique opportunity to sleep in a hammock (a favorite activity for kids) in a traditional wooden structure called a carbet, surrounded by the sounds of howler monkeys.
Travelers should keep in mind that the interior is hot and humid. Hydration is essential, and parents should be diligent about mosquito repellent, especially at dawn and dusk. While Yellow Fever vaccination is mandatory for entry into French Guiana, checking current advice on malaria prophylaxis for inland travel is recommended. However, the developed areas like Cacao and Saül are well-equipped for visitors.
Click a region to explore
Activities & Best Times
Hiking, wildlife, outdoor exploration, ecotourism
As one of the world's most pristine and least-disturbed tropical wildernesses, the Guiana Amazonian Park offers a bucket-list experience for families seeking authentic biodiversity and remote river expeditions. The dry season (Aug-Nov) provides the only reliable window for jungle trekking and wildlife spotting, while extreme rainfall from January to June renders trails impassable and river navigation difficult.
Learning experiences, scientific sites, historical education
The region offers unique insights into the ancient geology of the Guiana Shield and provides rare, authentic interaction with indigenous Wayana, Teko, and Wayampi cultures. Accessibility to remote villages and scientific research stations is optimal during the drier months (Aug-Nov), whereas heavy seasonal monsoons in the first half of the year severely restrict educational mobility.
Sport tourism, fitness activities, active recreation
This is a world-class destination for high-end river kayaking and jungle survival experiences, with Saül offering a renowned network of managed rainforest trails. Peak conditions in the dry season ensure stable footing and manageable river currents; however, the lack of luxury infrastructure and extreme humidity/rainfall during off-months requires high physical resilience from travelers.
Urban tourism, museums, historical sites, architecture
The Interior Rainforest region is defined by remote wilderness. Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, while historically interesting (penal colony history), is a small frontier town with extremely limited cultural infrastructure (no museums of international note, no galleries, minimal dining/nightlife). By international calibration standards, 'good' implies the activity is readily available - visitors here come for jungle, not city culture. 'Marginal' better reflects reality.
Events, celebrations, seasonal attractions
The supporting note describes leatherback turtle nesting at Amana Nature Reserve - this is a wildlife/nature seasonal event, NOT a cultural festival. There are no major cultural festivals specific to the deep interior. The turtle nesting is already covered under adventure_nature (rated excellent). The festivals_seasonal classification is content-mismatched and should be downgraded to marginal, reflecting that the region has very limited organized festival/cultural event infrastructure.
Attractions (32 total)
Adventure Park / Outdoor Activity Center
Camp Canopée
Kourou
An eco-adventure center located deep in the rainforest, featuring a suspension bridge network and zip lines 15 meters above the ground.
Visit website →Kaw-Roura Marshland Nature Reserve
Roura
A premier outdoor activity destination for family-friendly boat expeditions to observe black caimans and diverse Amazonian birdlife.
Visit website →Réserve Naturelle Régionale Trésor
Roura
A managed nature center offering accessible botanical trails through primary forest, perfect for educational family hikes near the Kaw region.
Visit website →Castle / Palace / Historic Site
Camp de la Transportation
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
The largest and most significant former penal colony in French Guiana, offering powerful guided tours of the historic cells and grounds.
Visit website →Église Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue
Saül
A charming and historic wooden church located in a remote rainforest village, recognized for its unique architecture and dual bell towers.
Natural Feature / Scenic Site
Marais de Kaw-Roura Nature Reserve
Roura
A vast wetland reserve and birdwatcher's paradise, famous for its black caiman spotting and boat trips through flooded savannas.
Visit website →Maroni River
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
French Guiana's longest river, offering scenic pirogue journeys through deep jungle to remote Maroon and Amerindian villages.
Visit website →Réserve Naturelle Trésor
Roura
A biodiversity hotspot with accessible trails through primary rainforest, known for vibrant poison dart frogs and rare tropical flora.
Visit website →Petit Saut Submerged Forest
Sinnamary
A hauntingly beautiful landscape where thousands of dead tree trunks rise from a large reservoir deep within the Amazonian forest.
Visit website →Sentier des Gros Arbres
Saül
An iconic, easy-access rainforest trail that leads visitors to massive, centuries-old Fromager trees with spectacular buttress roots.
Visit website →Hiking & Cycling Routes
Molokoï Trail
Cacao
18km challenging one-way trek through primary rainforest between Cacao and the RN2 road. Typical duration: 10 hours for a single day or 2 days with an overnight in a jungle 'carbet' shelter. Elevation gain: 560m. Hikers must be self-sufficient with hammocks, water filters, and food.
Visit website →Favard Mountain Trail
Roura
4km moderate loop in the Kaw-Roura Marshland Nature Reserve. Typical duration: 2 hours. Elevation gain: 150m. The path climbs through primary forest to viewpoints overlooking the vast marshlands and includes stops at archaeological sites with pre-Columbian petroglyphs.
Visit website →Mont La Fumée Trail
Saül
10km moderate loop through exceptional primary forest. Typical duration: 5 hours. Elevation gain: 411m. Renowned for its botanical diversity, it showcases rare palms and massive tropical hardwoods like the fromager. It follows ancient gold prospecting ridges.
Visit website →Grand Bœuf Mort Trail
Saül
12km challenging loop trail. Typical duration: 6 hours. Elevation gain: 444m. One of the most physical trails in the Saül network, offering steep climbs and scenic viewpoints over the Galbao Mountains and the deep interior canopy.
Visit website →Roche Bateau Trail
Saül
15km moderate loop starting from the village of Saül. Typical duration: 7 hours. Elevation gain: approx 300m. This diverse route passes through mahogany forests and features ancient Amerindian rock polishing sites and a massive granite boulder in the shape of a boat hull.
Visit website →Voltaire Falls Trail
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
7km moderate return hike from the end of the Piste Isnard. Typical duration: 3 hours. Elevation gain: approx 150m. The trail leads to the iconic Voltaire Falls, a series of multi-tiered cascades spreading over 200 meters. Access requires a 4x4 vehicle for the 70km dirt track from Saint-Laurent.
Visit website →National Park / Nature Reserve
Parc Amazonien de Guyane - Saül Sector
Saül
A remote rainforest village serving as the gateway to the Amazon with an exceptional network of well-marked hiking trails through primary jungle.
Visit website →Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Marais de Kaw-Roura
Kaw
One of France's largest nature reserves, offering boat tours to observe black caimans and a spectacular variety of tropical birds in vast wetlands.
Visit website →Les Chutes Voltaire
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
A majestic series of cascades located deep in the rainforest, accessible via a popular jungle trek and offering scenic natural pools for visitors.
Visit website →Zoo / Wildlife Park / Safari Park
Réserve Naturelle Nationale du Marais de Kaw-Roura
Roura
A premier wildlife safari destination where families can take boat tours to spot giant black caimans and exotic birds in vast, picturesque wetlands.
Visit website →Le Planeur Bleu (Insectarium de Cacao)
Cacao
This engaging insect zoo showcases a spectacular array of live tropical spiders, giant beetles, and brilliantly colored butterflies native to the Amazon rainforest.
Road Trips & Scenic Drives
Route de l'Est (RN2)
Cayenne
180km paved highway (approx. 3 hours) connecting Cayenne to the Brazilian border at Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock. Known as the 'Road to the East,' it pierces the heart of the primary rainforest, crossing the Comte and Approuague Rivers, and providing access to the Tresor Nature Reserve.
Visit website →Route de l'Ouest (RN1)
Cayenne
250km paved highway (approx. 4 hours) running from Cayenne to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. This 'Road to the West' is the main artery through the rainforest, leading to the Maroni River border with Suriname and passing through the coastal jungle near Kourou and the historic village of Iracoubo.
Visit website →Route de Kaw (D2)
Roura
50km paved and gravel road (approx. 1 hour) leading from Roura to the Kaw Landing. It traverses the Kaw Mountain forest and is renowned as a prime route for birdwatching and spotting sloths. Note that the road is often rough with significant potholes; a 4WD vehicle is recommended for the final forest stretch.
Visit website →Route de Cacao (RD6)
Roura
20km paved spur road (approx. 30 minutes) branching off the RN2. This winding, hilly drive is famous for its panoramic views over the interior rainforest canopy, leading to the Hmong village of Cacao, known for its traditional Sunday market and unique cultural heritage.
Visit website →Historic Town / Village / Cultural Area
Village of Cacao
Cacao
This vibrant Hmong village offers a unique cultural experience in the Amazon, famous for its Sunday market featuring traditional handicrafts and Southeast Asian cuisine.
Village of Saül
Saül
A remote, peaceful rainforest settlement accessible only by air, offering families a chance to explore historic wooden architecture and well-maintained nature trails.
Visit website →Science Museum / Natural History Museum / Discovery Centre
Écomusée Municipal d'Approuague-Kaw
Régina
A heritage and discovery center exploring the biodiversity of the Kaw marshlands and the traditional history of forest exploitation in the region.
Visit website →Maison de la Réserve Naturelle Régionale Trésor
Roura
A nature discovery center serving as the educational gateway to the rainforest, featuring exhibits on Amazonian botany and local wildlife ecosystems.
Visit website →Maison du Parc Amazonien de Guyane (Saül)
Saül
A remote visitor and discovery center in the deep interior rainforest providing essential scientific information on the park's unique fauna and flora.
Visit website →Le Planeur Bleu (Insect Museum)
Cacao
An entomological museum housing an extraordinary collection of vibrant Guyanese butterflies and beetles, with expert-led talks on tropical biodiversity.
Landmark / Monument / Iconic Urban Attraction
Marché de Cacao
Cacao
An iconic weekly Hmong market where visitors can explore traditional textiles, embroidery, and famous Southeast Asian cuisine in an Amazonian setting.