Galibi
Suriname · Marowijne · 3 m
Description
Galibi sits where the Marowijne river meets the Atlantic on the border with French Guiana, and its two Kalina villages hold one of the largest leatherback nesting beaches in the world. Females haul out at night between February and August to dig above the tide line, and the peak is April to July when several may come ashore at once on the same stretch of sand. The reserve is run with the villages, which is why visits are led by their own guides. The only way in is a boat from Albina. The nesting beach is the same sand that continues across the river at Awala-Yalimapo.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 3 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: April – July
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Leatherback turtles nesting (April - July)
- Night walks on the nesting beach
- Kalina villages of Christiaankondre and Langamankondre
- Boat journey up the Marowijne from Albina
- Green and olive ridley turtles on the same beach
- Hatchlings running to the sea
- Birdlife on the river mudflats
- Kalina basketry and cassava bread
Getting there
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry