I have been to Baganara for several occasions. And everytime I book I always ask if the chef Trevor is there.
He is just so good and dsiplays a variety of options.
Try it yourself. You will be delighted and very satisfied.

We landed up at Baganara after an intense few weeks in the jungle. It was clean and comfortable, and the staff was lovely. The food was also very good. We did a short kayak trip around the island, but mostly we just relaxed. One late afternoon, we took a 10-minute boat ride to Parrot Island. DO NOT MISS THIS! Hundreds, if not thousands, of parrots flew in from all over to roost. But there was much politicking and scuffling and flying to another tree before everyone finally settled in. About two minutes after it got quite dark, the cacophony switched off, as if on command. It was an amazing site. On our way out, we stopped in Bartica for a few hours. A mining town, it was an interesting contrast to the wilderness lodges scattered across the Rupununi. I would skip Fort Island, however.

One night it was our friend's birthday, and the staff made her a cake. As we were the only guests that night, they hung out with us for awhile and told us stories about Bartica and gold mining.

Baganara was the last main stop (other than a final night in Georgetown) on our trip to Guyana. We spent 1 night at Atta and 2 nights each at Surama, Rock View, Karanambu and Maipaima, all in the North Rupununi. Baganara is a small island set in the Essequibo river about 5 miles from Bartica. The island has its own airstrip which is a big plus if, like us, you are travelling here having been in the Rupununi. Our flight from Lethem took no more than an hour and a half.

We were the only people staying at Baganara for the three nights we were there. There was a major conference with 39 guests arriving on the morning that we departed and there was a lot of work going on in preparation for that conference during our stay. The focus on the imminent conference may therefore have contributed to some of our experiences.

The accommodation is not bad. We were in the newer building which has twelve superior rooms, but this is only a short walk from the main Baganara House where all meals are served. Electricity was provided by generator and this went through the night so that the room fan kept things pleasant at night. The bathroom is a good size, but we found that “hot” water rarely lived up to expectations. In the mornings the “hot” water was no more than tepid. We did get noticeably warm water one day about 12 noon after leaving the water to run for 5 minutes, but that was the only time.

The food at Baganara was a major disappointment. Being the only guests, instead of having a buffet, we were served a plate of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food itself was very variable. We had a couple of quite good meals, but several very poor ones. On our first evening we were served fish, but it was uncooked. Having sent it back to be properly cooked, it turned out to be quite tasteless. Our final breakfast was a triple decker sandwich, with one layer of bright green 'paste' and one layer of bright pink 'paste; a small nutmeg cup-cake; and a slice of fruit bread! Very strange! In the middle of our stay there were some other day guests staying, which meant that we did have a couple of buffet meals. These were generally a lot better than the plated meals and it may well be that, if other people are there when you stay, you may find you always get buffet meals and that the food is therefore better than we found. Tea and coffee were, in theory, always available, but the hot water was not always provided or kept refilled.

What is there to do at Baganara? Well that was where Baganara really fell down for us. There is absolutely nothing to do! The island isn't very big and two thirds of it were inaccessible. The 'Nature Trail' was closed due to the prolonged rains, so we could only wander round the lawned area and the airstrip. Having done a birding walk on the first afternoon, there was nothing new to do for the rest of our stay. We did take a kayak trip one morning which was peaceful but unfortunately we didn't see very much wildlife. We also had a trip to Bartica and Parrot Island, which took up the last two hours of daylight one evening. The rest of the time there is just nothing whatsoever to do here and no-one showed any interest in making sure that we were having a good time.

As for the staff, they seemed to be having a great time! They barely noticed that there were any guests staying! Leon, our allocated guide, was very good and is excellent with birds. Also Raj, the barman, and the lady who seemed to clean and wait on the tables were quite friendly. Apart from that we were generally ignored, or eventually attended to after the much more important conference work was finished!

If you really do want to do nothing – and there's a pretty good beach if that's for you – then maybe this is the place. If you've travelled to Guyana though, presumably you want to experience the wildlife, the culture or both. You'll get very little of either here and a three night stay was at least two nights too many!

Baganara Island is a true gem, which is no small accomplishment given that Guyana generally lacks basic tourist infrastructure common in other developing countries. My girlfriend and I spent week on the island in January and it was a lovely experience. The grounds are beautiful and secluded, the rooms are spacious and clean, and the staff is exceptionally attentive.

The resort is located on an island in the middle of the Essequibo River, approximately 50 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean. To get there, you need to drive from Georgetown to Partica, then take an hour or so boat ride up the Essequibo River just past Bartica. Make sure to book through Evergreen Adventures (they own the island) who will take care of all the logistics for you. Other operators may triple the cost of your trip if you book through them, so make sure to book through Evergreen (more on this below). You can also arrive by plane, as the Island is frequently a stop on tourist flights to Kaiteur Falls.

Once you arrive - whether by boat or plane - you are greeted with a glass of a beverage. It's a small touch of thoughtful hospitality that reflects how you will be treated during your stay. As you step out of the launch, you'll walk towards the main house where the first floor is completely open and has no windows or doors. All the meals are served here buffet style, which usually entail a mix of typical guyanese cuisine (satay, curries, jerk...even pepperpot, they take requests). Incidentally, the food is great and they will tailor the menu to dietary preferences or limitations. Just ask.

In the main house, there are many comfortable chairs, couches, and hammocks where you can lounge and enjoy the breeze off the river, as well as a billiards and ping pong table. They have a few board games - such as scrabble - to help pass the time when the rain comes as well.

In terms of activities, you have plenty of options. Many folks swim in the river (they maintain a nice beach at the resort) or you can take out a kayak and explore around the island and the nearby inlets - or "creeks" as the locals call them. For me, kayaking was one of the highlights of my stay. During one morning kayak trip, I kayaked a ways into the jungle and saw a group of howler monkyes overhead. It was a unique experience I won't soon forget. In the dry season, I'm told you can also hike around the island as well.

The resort staff will also organize outings for you as well. Note, you do pay extra for these excursions, but they are well worth it. We went to Marshall Falls, and loved it. The dusk trip to Parrot Island was also an interesting experience, if you're not into birdwatching but want to get a taste. If you are a birdwatcher - which I'm not - they have guides on staff that can take you on more specialized outings see exotic and rare species. They also organized a day trip to Bartica (there isn't a lot to see, but they do have an ATM and it's the only town nearby) and the Saxacali preserve for us as well. We also went to Kaiteur Falls directly from Baganara (we did pay an extra "diversion fee" though as the plane went out of it's way to pick us up).

Truth be told though, one of the most attractive features of Baganara is that it is a great place to do nothing and decompress. We spent extended periods of time lounging in the main area - largely because of the Cashew Rains - but nonetheless, really enjoyed our stay. Just make sure to bring a couple of good books to help pass the time.

Baganara is an island in the middle of the jungle - literally. Accordingly, the experience can be a bit rustic and shouldn't be viewed as a typical "resort" experience. It's not a typical all-inclusive resort. There is no electricity available during the day - though generators run at night. It is incredibly humid so everything becomes damp. And it's probably a good idea to put your shoes by the door of your room in the afternoon, otherwise, your room might be visited by some little frogs (though unassuming and cute). If you can get beyond these slight inconveniences - many of which are to be expected considering that you'll be staying in the middle of a rainforest - you'll manage to have a great time.

Finally, the people who work at the resort genuinely care that you enjoy your stay, and go to great lengths to make your stay welcoming. Their hospitality is unsurpassed. Whether it's to prepare vegetarian/non-dairy cuisine or to organize tailored trips to some of the surrounding sites, they make sure to do the little things to make your stay more enjoyable.

I'm not sure when I'll be in that part of Guyana - or the world - again. But if I find myself with time spare again on the Essequibo River, there's only one place I'll stay, and that's Baganara.

As an epilogue - make sure to stay away from Frank Singh and his company "Rainforest Tours." He is not trustworthy and a thief. We arranged a tour with him in advance, and within five minutes of him running my credit card, he changed terms of the trip of us. He then refused to give us a full refund. Do yourself a favor, stay away from Frank Singh. Try Evergreen instead, especially if you plan to stay at Baganara. Wilderness Explorers, another tour company, received good reviews in guidebooks we read and a travel companion of ours had a good experience with them in a trip to Kaiteur Falls as well.