Here’s the bucket list for your day ashore: the most extraordinary thing to do at each stop, and the private, small-group, or expert-led way to make it yours — your own pace, real access, none of the crowd.
In port at Devils Island, the bucket-list move is Îles du Salut: Private Guided History & Wildlife Immersion. Travel the Guianas runs it — a private, expert-led experience at your own pace, not a 40-person coach. Below: all 6 bucket-list things to do on a Devils Island port day, each with the independent way to make it yours.
1history
Step ashore the legendary Îles du Salut — Île Royale, Île Saint-Joseph & the forbidden Île du Diable — with a private expert guide decoding the full penal-colony story amid capybaras, agoutis, and howler monkeys. A bucket-list dark-history experience in the raw tropics.
Book it withTravel the GuianasFrom USD 75 per person (group boat transfer + entry); private guiding supplement approx. USD 150–200 extra
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2history
Arrive at Île Saint-Joseph on the first morning boat to walk its haunting open-roofed solitary-confinement cells in near-total solitude — the most chilling and atmospheric hour in all of French Guiana. Pure bucket-list dark history at its most visceral.
Book it withUndiscovered DestinationsSmall-group guided tour from approx. USD 180–220 per person including boat transfer
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3landmark
Tour the Guiana Space Centre — Europe's spaceport and the most active commercial launch facility on Earth — on a guided visit that takes you to the Ariane 6 launch zone, the Jupiter control room, and the rocket assembly building. Utterly unique on any cruise itinerary.
Book it withCentre Spatial Guyanais (CSG) – Official Visitor ProgrammeFree for standard tours; VIP guided access approx. EUR 50–80 per person (pre-booked only)
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4wildlife
Paddle a traditional pirogue deep into the Amazonian creek systems fringing Kourou with a Creole naturalist guide — spotting caimans, scarlet ibis, giant river otters, and three species of monkey in genuinely wild jungle. Utterly remote, utterly unforgettable.
Book it withJal Voyage (Cayenne)Private half-day pirogue safari from approx. USD 200–280 per person (2-person minimum)
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5adventure
Join Adventures Abroad's intimate small-group expert-led tour of French Guiana's most compelling sites — Devil's Island, jungle waterways, and Creole culture — in a format designed for curious, unhurried travellers who want real depth over highlights.
Book it withAdventures AbroadMulti-day small-group programmes from approx. USD 1,200 per person; single-day Îles du Salut extensions bookable on enquiry
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6food
After touring the ruins, settle into the island's only restaurant — the colonial-era Relais de l'Île Royale — for a leisurely Creole and French lunch on a terrace overlooking the Atlantic and the forbidden Île du Diable. One of the most extraordinary lunch tables on Earth.
Book it withRelais de l'Île Royale (Société Île Royale)Set lunch approx. EUR 25–40 per person (drinks extra); boat transfer from Kourou from USD 75 per person
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