Cacao, French Guiana

Cacao is a Hmong village along the Comté River in French Guiana organized into four residential blocks with narrow streets. The settlement sits within agricultural fields where residents grow traditional Asian and local crops.

The French government established this community in 1977 by resettling Hmong refugees from Laos who sought similar environmental conditions to their homeland. The comparable climate and river landscape proved suitable for transplanting a population with deep agricultural roots in Southeast Asia.

The Sunday market draws sellers offering Hmong embroidery, traditional garments, regional produce, and Southeast Asian dishes that reflect the community's heritage. Daily life here revolves around agricultural practices and family traditions that remain visibly distinct from surrounding French settlements.

The village can be reached from Cayenne by car or via a two-hour motorized pirogue journey upriver from Roura. Water levels fluctuate seasonally, which affects river access and travel conditions throughout the year.

The community operates a freshwater prawn farm that exports over one ton of product monthly to markets in the United States and Puerto Rico. This specialized aquaculture enterprise sets it apart from typical economic activities found in other regional settlements.