Things to see and do Mana

Headphones on, tune in to the Mananese frequency and stroll through the town to the rhythm of the voices of its inhabitants: anecdotes, daily life, cuisine, leisure, memory, identity... a concentrate of Guyanese life! The audio tour starts at the Tourism Department and winds its way through the town from east to west. To experience it for yourself, go to the corner of rue Bastié and rue Javouhey, where you'll be given a free map and audio guide.

Built in 1938 by convicts, Mana's church stands out for its Wapa wood shingle roof flanked by a high bell tower. A timeless jewel in the heart of the village, its sky-blue façade is a must-see. In 1945, the convict Bourgeois painted the Christ of the starry vault. On the forecourt, the bust of Anne-Marie Javouhey, Superior General of the Congrégation des soeurs de Saint Joseph de Cluny and founder of the village of Mana, pays homage to the Reverend Mother.

These two rivers are not often explored by visitors. Yet it is possible to fish for black piranha, of which there is no shortage in Grand-Laussat creek! Here, a Saramaca village, which lives to the rhythm of the sun and the forest, offers a genuine journey back in time, thanks to its simplicity and authenticity. You can take a guided excursion into the forest to discover its riches, canoe up the creek and discover Saramaca handicrafts.

The Mana River, Guyana's wildest river, cannot be tamed. It has to be earned, and discovering it is undoubtedly a singular experience, requiring good physical condition, a certain spirit of adventure and excluding amateurism. Fortunately, there are a number of easy and inexpensive ways to enjoy the mysterious atmosphere of this region for a day or a weekend. Alas, the river is increasingly damaged by gold-panning, and fewer and fewer service providers are offering it as part of their program.

An exhibition hall of almost 350 square meters rich with over 2,000 works by artists from West Guiana, CARMA is the initiative of Patrick Lacaisse, a French artist who opened this art center and artists' residence in 2014. The Chercheurs d'Art association (contemporary and traditional artists, teachers and researchers) is thus able to fulfill its mission of promoting Guyanese artistic creation. Beautiful exhibition of crafts from yesterday and today.