Travel & Tourism – Page 15 – Guyana Times International

Moraikobai on the rise

April 5, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Moraikobai, a paradise tucked two-and-a-half miles up the Mahaicony Creek, is an Amerindian settlement that is perched on the brink of wide-ranging development. But maintaining its rich cultural roots in the face of all the improvements is one of the major challenges facing the village. The nearly 75-year-old village was discovered by Arawaks escaping war from the Carib tribe. Oral history has it that the village ancestors came across a big tree that had blocked the waterway, and essentially their path. Interestingly enough, the village name translates “Heart of the…

A birding hotspot

March 30, 2012March 30, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Hope Beach Birding Trail is a birding sanctuary along the East coast of Demerara, and is home to a multitude of shorebirds. It was made into an official birding site by the Guyana Tourism Authority a few years ago. Speaking with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, birding enthusiast and founder of Guyana Feather Friends, Gajendra Nauth Narine, known popularly as ‘Andy’, said there are 320 species of birds recorded on our coastline. He added that he recognises Hope Beach as an emerging mangrove forest, and it serves as a habitat for…

How the streets of Georgetown got their names

March 23, 2012 TIMES INT'L

On May 5, 1812, when Essequibo, Berbice and Demerara were united under the British, the town, named Stabroek under Dutch rule, was renamed Georgetown in honour of English monarch George IV. Constructed from the quagmire of the low coastline that threatened or brought regular flooding, the city landscape would be built to become what was then considered, according to historian James Rodway’s “Handbook of British Guiana”, the “handsomest city in the West Indies”. Georgetown’s wards and streets were usually given names in honour of historic persons of the time as…

Visit Guyana’s magnificent waterfalls

March 15, 2012March 15, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Guyana boasts more than 300 glorious waterfalls, including several of the world’s highest waterfalls: Kaieteur, the world’s largest single drop waterfall is five times the size of the US Canadian border falls, the Niagara Falls; King George VI falls, at 525 feet, and King Edward VIII at 840 feet. This week Guyana Times International features just a few of the 300 waterfalls. Amaila Falls on the Kuribrong River, a tributary of the Potaro River is one of the most scenic. The river drops from the escarpment over Amaila Falls vertically…

Bat Creek

March 1, 2012March 2, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Bat Creek or Tumalau, as the local Amerindians refer to the area, is a black-water tributary of the white waters of the Rupununi River; its source is from a small drainage system in the northern foothills of the Kanuku Mountains. This is a remote fishing destination, and, due to its hidden nature, rarely accessed by sport fishers. The forest and lakes here are incredibly rich in biodiversity and are traditional breeding grounds for several species of game fish including butterfly peacock bass, arowana, pyara also known as the ‘vampire fish’,…

Exploring the crevices of Guyana

February 24, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Dr Raquel Thomas-Caesar of the Iwokrama International Centre has been taking interesting shots of various parts in Guyana not easily accessible by many. This is the most recent collection of photography from Dr Thomas-Caesar over at Iwokrama River Lodge. She has been sharing these on her Facebook page and they have served as a means of showcasing Guyana’s aesthetics to the wider world. The Iwokrama forest and its research centre are unique, providing a dedicated site in which to test the concept of a truly sustainable forest, where conservation, environmental…

Guyana joins Amazon tourism sector

February 17, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Guyana was formally presented with the Tourism Circuit Manual of the Amazon Tourism Trail during a forum at the Guyana International Conference Centre that was organised by the Tourism Ministry, the Guyana Tourism Authority and the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO). Following the presentation, a workshop was held to discuss the manual’s uses, applications and the next step forward. The formulation of the manual resulted directly from the involvement of ACTO’s move to develop integrated tourism for the Amazon region, and focus on Guyana, Suriname and Brazil, the Government Information…

Turu Falls

February 17, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Local legend states there was a pool that was an ancient source of water for the Macushi people during the 18th century when they were forced to take refuge in the Iwokrama Mountains. It kept them supplied with water even when the creeks were no longer running in the dry season. This led to its name ‘Turu’, meaning ‘reservoir’, which is the name it keeps today. Iwokrama offers trips to this ancient pool with a 30-minute drive from the Iwokrama River Lodge to arrive at the waterfall trail. Along the…

Turtle Mountain

February 9, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Turtle Mountain provides one of Iwokrama Forest’s signature vista, and visitors can now settle in for the night at the foot of the nearly 300m (950 ft.) tall mountain. The Turtle Mountain Base Camp offers accommodations for large groups or individuals who wish to stay in the heart of the rainforest, but with some conveniences. The facility augments other accommodations Iwokrama now offers its visitors, including tourists, researchers and youth and other groups. The 3 huts at the camp accommodate up to 10 guests each. There are hammocks, running water,…

A wildlife spotting adventure

February 3, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Imagine yourself cruising on the Essequibo River through the black of night, maybe lit only by a pale moon. Your guide shines the spotlight and there it is: the red-eye glare of a Black Caiman. Frequently seen lying on the river banks, the world’s largest of the alligator family grows to 6 metres (20 ft.) long. A boat ride at night may also introduce you to other nocturnal creatures such as the Tree Boas, Pacas, Nightjars, and Hula tree frogs. At dawn you can take an early morning boat trip…