Linden

Linden is Guyana's second town and it exists because of bauxite: the ore has been dug here since 1916 and the town grew around the mine and the works, split into Mackenzie on one bank and Wismar on the other with a bridge between. The worked-out pits have filled with groundwater and turned an intense turquoise from the mineral content, and the red spoil hills stand above them. Production has been cut back repeatedly and the town's fortunes have followed.

What you'll find

• The turquoise pit lakes - flooded workings coloured by mineral content.
• The red spoil hills - bauxite waste heaps rising above the town.
• The Demerara bridge - the crossing linking Mackenzie and Wismar.
• The mining works - the plant and infrastructure the town was built around.

When to go

September to April is drier and the most comfortable. The road from Georgetown is sealed and quick year round. Mornings are best before the heat.

Before you go

The pit lakes are on mining property and access is not always permitted; asking locally matters. The town has little tourist infrastructure. Water in the pits is not safe to swim in despite its colour.

Nearby

Georgetown is north, and the Lethem road runs south into the interior.