Oiapoque Bidge

18.10-2013 – 20.10.2013,
108 109 km since the beginning of the journey,
Route: Cayenne - St.Georges - Oiapoque - Calcoen - Macapa (849 km).




The road leading from Cayenne up to the border has now asphalt.

There are two police check posts on the road. The passport and the documents of the car will be checked, but no longer explanation is required - as the world map with the black line of the route of the journey from Estonia on the door of the car says more than 1,000 French words.


the border. The sign indicates that driving straight on one would reach Brazil or at least to a state of similar name




Also, this part of the road seems to be - by all the signs - being recently completed.


Then the road ends with a big freshly constructed border station.

Everything seems to be ok, as there are no cars waiting in the queue, but the barriers are closed. Further on there is a larger building and having investigated the matter there, it is confirmed that the Bridge and the Border Station have not been opened yet. That everything is completed on this side, but on the Brazilian`s side still something is missing.

And I was not even supposed to drive here as there had been the entrance - blocking sign before. In short – from French Guajaana to Brazil, one can still get by ferry, like I expected.


To make a long story short –at the Immigration Service, they understood that my wish is to leave EU. After getting the exit stamp on my passport and asking about the ferry and its timetable - I will get a yellow sticker with two numbers, the first is a Brazilian phone number, and the second is 250 €.

This 250 is the crossings price of the ferry. The barge is on the Brazilian side and will start to move as soon as there are over-travelers, and if there are more vehicles the sum is smaller. 250 is not that I had expected.

Some cyclists whom I met at Kourou just a few days ago said that they had paid 20 euro for the river crossing. And then I understand that this price was cheaper because a small boat was used at that time.




A little piece of France in South America.




I will take time off until Aleksey and Dawen arrive.


At four o'clock the next day we take a boat to Brazil`s side to investigate the matter.


Ahead there is a beautiful and new bridge, which was ready already by August 2011, but the bridge is not officially open.

The road on the side of Brazil goes through the rainforest, and a 100 - kilometer long part of the road is not ready yet, at least it is said that when the road is all finished, the bridge will also be opened.








The barge is in place, it is a good indicator that there are also the ferrymen. The vehicle is in good condition but no bargaining over the price. If there were more cars, it could be cheaper, but nowhere to take any more cars.

We were said that when we were ready, we could cross the river right then, or just the day after tomorrow. Not the next day for some reason. Well, If now, then now. The men will start the engine of the ferry and we're getting in a small boat to reach back at the side of Guajaana to be at the port for the arrival of the ferry.

Good that the exit stamp is already in the passport. Hundred meters from the shore the engine of the boat stops. As the engine refuses to restart we will move over to a river - taxi – boat that was just passing by.


On the barge, leaving the European Union.










We arrive at Brazil in the dark.

While landing - here is an official who looks over the car documents. Then it is necessary to drive to the police station to register into the country.

Since Brazil is now visa –free for Estonians it is allowed to spend in the country three months in a half-year. I am asked how long I have planned to be here this time and the new stamp in my passport confirms that I can stay in Brazil for 60 days this time. After the formalities the safest place to spend the night seemed - in front of the police station, on the other side of the road there were some restaurants, and around the usual life of Brazil, later, however, it all was quieter.




The morning fog


At a gas station




It is less than 600 kilometers to Macapa.

In Youtube there are several videos of BR -156, that are not recommended to the faint-hearted people but actually the road is not that bad. The first 50 kilometers here is of relatively fresh asphalt.


Then 100 kilometres of red and dusty road through the rain forest. But fortunately it is not raining and the morning light rain has already dried out




A typical wooden bridge, but a bit worn out.










The construction of new bridges has been begun, but no active construction work to be seen now.




An older part of the road.




The last 400 kilometers the road again is smooth and dust-free.

Reaching Macapa it is already dark. Ahead is the next river –crossing, but this time this is from a completely different category.

The Amazonas is ahead.