Under new management, Shanklands Rain Forest Nature Resort, the once-popular Essequibo Island resort is being renovated for an official reopening by August, when it will be marketed as a destination for tourists and locals alike looking for a nature retreat.
Stabroek News was told by an employee of the new buyer—Holmes Street Seafood exporter Chatterpaul Ramischand—that while day tours can be arranged, upgrades are ongoing at the resort.
“We have day tours to the resort but renovation and development works are currently ongoing, so that by the end of the next two to three months Shanklands will be back with a bang, offering even more activities than it once did and making the stay for customers even better,” said the employee.
“We have added jet skiing, kayaking, rafting and many other fun activities to what was previously offered. We are seeking to make the stay activity-oriented, [so] that persons have a variety to choose from,” she said. Fishing has remained one of the most popular activities among visitors of the resort.
Former owners Joanne Jardim and her husband Maxwell put the once-thriving nature getaway on the market in 2008 and migrated to Canada. In 2009, Ramischand bought the Essequibo island getaway and while the exact cost was never stated, a source indicated that it was over US$1 million.
Joanne Jardim stated that after approaches by many prospective buyers, she was “thrilled” to hand over the title to a Guyanese and one who was keeping with the same dream she had for the place. “I was so happy to sell to them. They are the nicest people you would meet… real down to earth and [they] have great plans for the place,” she said.
Shanklands was commissioned in 1990 and was developed into a popular getaway from the city. The resort occupies 98 acres of land, comprising 83 acres of pristine forests, 15 acres of rolling lawns, with hiking and biking trails. There is also a wide variety of flora and fauna, including plants with medicinal value.
