Weekend in Georgetown

One of the world's tallest wooden churches, built from local greenheart timber in 1892. Its 43.5-metre spire dominates Georgetown's skyline.

Tip: Go mid-morning when the light filters through the stained glass. Ask a verger to let you climb the bell tower for wide views over the city.

A 4.5-km concrete promenade along the Atlantic Ocean, built to protect the city from the sea. Best at sunset when locals gather, jog, and sell snacks.

Tip: Bring a bag of roasted peanuts from the street vendors. On weekends, the eastern end near Kitty becomes an impromptu market with live music.

Georgetown's main covered market, housed in a cast-iron structure from the 1880s. A sensory overload of tropical fruit, spices, fish, and cheap household goods.

Tip: Go before 10am to see the fish auction and avoid the heat. Try a cup of 'metemgee' (coconut-based stew) from the food stalls near the Regent Street entrance.

A sprawling 60-acre park with walking paths, ponds, and the famous Victoria Regia lily pads (though the original Queen Victoria specimen died in the 1990s). Home to free-roaming manatees in the centra

Tip: Feed the manatees if you can – the park staff sell lettuce by the ticket booth for 50 GYD. Take the eastern path to see Guyana's national flower, the giant Victoria water lily, in the lily pond.

A compact museum covering Guyana's natural and social history, including Amerindian artefacts, colonial relics, and a stuffed giant anteater. Entry is 300 GYD (about £1.15).

Tip: The upstairs gallery on the 1978 Jonestown tragedy is grim but important. Budget 45 minutes total. No photography allowed inside.