French Guiana is an off-the-beaten-path and pristine paradise for ecotourism lovers, and ¨the Everglades of Guiana,¨near the village of Kaw and town of Roura (about an hour from Cayenne), is a fine example Accessible only by boat, it comprises -947 square kilometres of wetlands (France´s largest, as well as being the country's second largest nature reserve) as well as mangrove forests, savannas, and tropical rainforests. In terms of wildlife, in addition to more than 500 species of birds, you can spot black caimans, manatees, giant otters, and - if you´re very lucky - jaguars.

Plus right next door there's a ¨pocket park,¨ you might say, called Trésor, which packs ecosystems including mountain and marsh forests as well as savanna, along with more than 100 species of mammals and 1,100 of plants, into just over 25km², accessible via a 1.75km hiking trail

Jo Carletti