New Amsterdam

New Amsterdam was laid out by the Dutch in the eighteenth century on the east bank of the Berbice, and the street grid, the canals and some of the older wooden buildings survive from that period and the British era after it. The town is quiet, much quieter than Georgetown, with a market, a mission church and the old hospital among the buildings worth looking at. The Berbice River Bridge, a floating structure opened in 2008, crosses to it.

What to look for

• The wooden architecture - colonial-era timber buildings through the older streets.
• The Dutch grid - the eighteenth-century layout with its canals.
• The Berbice River Bridge - a floating bridge opened in 2008 across the river.
• The market - the town's working produce and goods market.

When to go

September to April is drier and the most comfortable. The bridge opens for river traffic on a schedule and closures cause delays. The wet seasons bring heavy afternoon rain.

Before you go

Many colonial buildings are in poor repair and some have been lost. There is little formal sightseeing and no visitor infrastructure. The bridge toll and its opening times catch out travellers.

Nearby

No. 63 Beach is southeast on the Corentyne coast, and Georgetown is northwest.

Key facts