The nature-oriented and breathtaking town located in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo River, Region Nine, Lethem is the destination for nature lovers who are looking to have sun baths while being surrounded by hospitable people.
St. Ignatius Sports Complexpartial aerial view of lethem
The town that is located next to Brazil the powerhouse of South America provides a range of options to visitors. One can gear their taste buds to the local cuisine of Lethem, in addition to sampling the exquisite meats and other delicacies from neighbouring Brazil.
The road trip to the town takes approximately 11 hours, while an aircraft will take just around an hour.
An aerial view of any place is always awesome, which Lethem poses no exception. The road trip to Lethem may be bumpy and long but, if you are travelling with the right crew, you never feel a minute of the long hours travelling.
The roads of Lethem are not tarred and painted as the City’s roads but the feeling of being on the mud road and being surrounded by the lush green forest is liberating and can strike a sudden interest of discovery into anyone.
The people of Lethem are mainly indigenous (First Peoples) who are warm and hospitable to each other and their visitors. Their disposition is vastly different from the folk in Georgetown and their humbleness and contentment with life is something that should truly be emulated.
Clearly, their pride and joy are not in the things they hang in their houses or the garments they place on their bodies but the peace they exude, seemingly, from within. It is amazing to see so much unity within a town; one can only gather that the encouragement and upliftment they provide to each other are subliminal.
Only recently, at a Digicel’s school football tournament in Lethem, the St Ignatius Sports Complex came alive with residents, far more than the facility could have accommodated, who were there to watch Chase Academy play the home team Annai Secondary School.
Baby, child, woman, father, grandmother, grandfather, mother, were all there at the ground cheering for their beloved team, whether they were hopping with a stick or pushing their babies in a stroller, not one of them appeared to enjoy the game less.
Each time the Annai Team looked as they were headed to goal, the Sports Complex became silent with cumulative willpower as if they were all playing, while their faces became effulgent with pride every time their home team scored goal.
Lethem, with its surprisingly modern amenities, also offers many services for tourists to partake in, such as the well known and much talked about Rodeo. There are also a host of commercial establishments to cater to the needs of the locals and tourists alike.
The Takatu River that runs through Lethem separates Guyana from Brazil. Visitors to this region are able to enjoy a taste of the savannahs and Brazil since there is a bridge (established in 2013) that links the two countries.
The neighbouring Brazil provides another way of life for the people/tourists who travel to that country; even for those who return within minutes.
Visitors are able to visit Bon Fin from Lethem without travel restrictions but if you are interested in venturing deeper into Brazil, you will need your passport and a card to show that you have been vaccinated against yellow fever.
A few hours by taxi from the Guyana/Brazil border is Boa Vista, is a more upscale town than both Lethem and Bon Fin. Visitors go there for shopping and dining.
Just as any other town, Lethem possesses nursery, primary and secondary schools. The region has one hospital that was commissioned in 2009. Religious sanctuaries are also present within the town.
The region was named after Sir Gordon James Lethem, who was the Governor of British Guiana from 1941 to 1947.
Lethem is the capital of Region 9 and is a hub linking many surrounding villages. The main activity in this region is farming and mineral extraction.
There are a number of luxurious hotels located there that are geared to make your stay enjoyable with arranged tour to the captivating savannahs and neighbouring Brazil.
