Find places in Suriname

Must-Haves

• Fort Zeelandia and Suriname Museum (Waterkant)
  The star shaped riverside fort tells the story of the colony, slavery and independence in one walkable visit.
• Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral (Henck Arronstraat)
  One of the largest wooden buildings in the Americas, with a glowing honey coloured interior.
• Neve Shalom Synagogue (Keizerstraat)
  A historic synagogue with a sand covered floor standing right beside the city mosque.
• Keizerstraat Mosque (Keizerstraat)
  The elegant mosque next to the synagogue is the city symbol of religious harmony.

Fun for Everyone

• Arya Dewaker Temple (Johan Adolf Pengelstraat)
  A large, peaceful Hindu temple that welcomes respectful visitors and shows Hindustani faith in the city.

Must-Haves

• Independence Square (Onafhankelijkheidsplein)
  The grand open square framed by the white Presidential Palace is the ceremonial heart of the old town.

Fun for Everyone

• Waterkant riverfront (Waterkant)
  The riverside street of old merchant houses comes alive in the evening with food stalls and locals enjoying the breeze.
• Bike rental for Commewijne (Paramaribo)
  City bike shops rent bikes and advise on the boat crossing for a plantation ride.

Off the Beaten Path

• Neotropical Butterfly Park (Lelydorp)
  A butterfly garden on the road to the airport with many tropical species.

Fun for Everyone

• Palm Garden (Palmentuin)
  A shady grove of towering royal palms behind the palace where monkeys sometimes play in the treetops.
• Cultuurtuin (Cultuurtuinlaan)
  A big green park and former agricultural garden, good for a morning walk and birdwatching.
• Blakawatra (Para district)
  A black water creek resort for swimming and picnics an easy drive from the city.

Off the Beaten Path

• Weg naar Zee (Weg naar Zee)
  The road to the sea leads to mudflats and fishing spots where locals watch sunsets and scarlet ibis fly by.
• Colakreek (Para district)
  A recreation park with a red, cola coloured creek for swimming, popular with local families.

Must-Haves

• Central Market (Waterkant)
  A huge, noisy market hall of produce, fish, spices and medicinal herbs, best explored in the morning.
• Jodenbreestraat shops (Jodenbreestraat)
  The old shopping street for fabrics, gold jewellery and everyday goods in the centre.

Fun for Everyone

• Hermitage Mall (Lalla Rookhweg)
  The main modern mall for air conditioned shopping, cinemas and food courts.

Off the Beaten Path

• Maroon craft stalls (Waterkant)
  Look for carved wooden trays, paddles and stools made by Maroon artists near the river.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Vaillantsplein market area (Vaillantsplein)
  A busy local area of stalls and shops where everyday city life unfolds.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Roopram Roti (Zwartenhovenbrugstraat)
  A classic Hindustani roti shop for chicken, potato and long bean roti eaten with your hands.
• Joosje Roti Shop (Zwartenhovenbrugstraat)
  A long running favourite for roti and Surinamese snacks right in the centre.
• Warung Mirosa (Blauwgrond)
  A much loved Javanese warung for saoto soup, bami and saté in the Blauwgrond neighbourhood.
• Blauwgrond warungs (Blauwgrond)
  A whole neighbourhood of Javanese eateries where locals go for nasi, bami and saté at night.

Great for Date Night

• Garden of Eden (Virolastraat)
  A romantic Thai restaurant set in a lush garden, popular for special evenings.

Must-Haves

• 't Vat (Kleine Waterstraat)
  A classic open air terrace opposite the Torarica area for coffee by day and drinks by night.

Fun for Everyone

• Zeeland Coffee Beans (Domineestraat)
  A local coffee chain for an iced coffee and pastry break while walking the centre.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Fernandes Bakery (Paramaribo)
  A long established Surinamese bakery brand for bread, cakes and local sweets.

Must-Haves

• Kleine Waterstraat bars (Kleine Waterstraat)
  The strip of terraces and bars near the Torarica is the centre of Paramaribo nightlife.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Borgoe rum tasting (Paramaribo)
  Try Borgoe, the national rum, which locals drink neat, with cola or in a cocktail.

Must-Haves

• Owru Yari (Waterkant)
  New Year in Paramaribo means huge pagara firecracker strings, street parties and music on the last day of the year.
• Keti Koti (Paramaribo)
  Emancipation Day on the first of July brings traditional dress, music and celebrations across the city.

Fun for Everyone

• Phagwa (Paramaribo)
  The Hindu spring festival turns the streets into clouds of colour and joyful music.
• Diwali in Paramaribo (Paramaribo)
  The festival of light fills Hindustani neighbourhoods with lamps, sweets and celebrations.

Off the Beaten Path

• Indigenous Peoples Day (Paramaribo)
  The ninth of August celebrates the country's first peoples with culture, food and gatherings.

Must-Haves

• Hotel Krasnapolsky (Domineestraat)
  A long established central hotel walking distance from the old town sights.

Great for Date Night

• Royal Torarica (Kleine Waterstraat)
  A riverside hotel by the nightlife strip with a pool and river views.
• Eco Resort Inn (Cornelis Jongbawstraat)
  A relaxed hotel in the centre with a garden pool, close to the river.

Fun for Everyone

• Torarica Resort (Mr. Rietbergplein)
  A large riverside resort hotel with pools and gardens next to the nightlife area.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Guesthouse Albergo Alberga (Lim A Po straat)
  A restored wooden house guesthouse in the UNESCO old town.

Must-Haves

• Fort Nieuw Amsterdam Open Air Museum (Nieuw Amsterdam)
  The star fort at the meeting of the rivers is now a museum on slavery, contract labour and defence.
• Marienburg sugar plantation (Marienburg)
  The rusting factory and old railway of a once vast sugar estate tell a powerful story.

Must-Haves

• Peperpot Nature Park (Meerzorg)
  Forest trails on a former coffee plantation where monkeys, sloths and toucans are often seen in the early morning.

Off the Beaten Path

• Matapica beach (Matapica)
  A wild beach reached by boat through mangrove creeks, with turtle nesting in season.

Great for Date Night

• Plantage Frederiksdorp (Frederiksdorp)
  A restored plantation by the river with wooden buildings, a small museum and rooms for the night.

Must-Haves

• Dolphin boat trips from Leonsberg (Leonsberg)
  Late afternoon boats look for Guyana dolphins where the rivers meet, often ending with sunset.

Fun for Everyone

• Cycling the plantation loop (Meerzorg)
  Flat quiet lanes past villages, rice fields and old estates are perfect for a day on a bike.

Fun for Everyone

• Commewijne plantation day tours (Commewijne)
  Organised tours from Paramaribo combine the fort, plantations and lunch in one easy day.

Must-Haves

• Danpaati River Lodge (Danpaati)
  A popular island lodge with comfortable cabins, village visits and swimming in the rapids.
• Anaula Nature Resort (Ma Lobi)
  A lodge by the rapids with a pool, forest walks and village trips for a softer interior stay.

Must-Haves

• Atjoni landing (Pokigron)
  The bustling end of the road where dugout canoes load passengers, food and fuel for the river.

Off the Beaten Path

• Village evening drumming (Upper Suriname River)
  Some lodges arrange drumming and dance with villagers, a joyful evening.

Must-Haves

• Saamaka Museum (Pikin Slee)
  A village museum on Saamaka history, carving and daily life run by the community.

Off the Beaten Path

• Botopasi village (Botopasi)
  A Saamaka village with an airstrip, often visited with lodge guides.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Saamaka wood carving (Upper Suriname River)
  Buy carved paddles, combs and trays directly from makers in the villages.

Fun for Everyone

• Swimming in the Suriname River rapids (Upper Suriname River)
  Natural pools between the rocks make the best part of a hot river day.
• Jungle walk to medicinal plants (Upper Suriname River)
  Guides show how forest plants are used for medicine, food and building.

Must-Haves

• Brownsberg Nature Park (Brownsweg)
  A cool forested plateau with monkeys, birds and waterfall trails above Lake Brokopondo.

Fun for Everyone

• Leo Val (Brownsberg Nature Park)
  A forest waterfall reached by a steep trail from the plateau visitor area.
• Irene Val (Brownsberg Nature Park)
  A pretty waterfall walk through dense rainforest that is popular with day visitors.

Off the Beaten Path

• Fishing for peacock bass on Brokopondo (Lake Brokopondo)
  The lake is famous among anglers for its fighting peacock bass.

Must-Haves

• Brownsberg viewpoint (Brownsberg Nature Park)
  The plateau edge looks out over the vast reservoir and its drowned forest.

Off the Beaten Path

• Afobaka Dam (Afobaka)
  The dam that created Lake Brokopondo, a striking sight with a complex history.

Fun for Everyone

• Berg en Dal zip lining (Berg en Dal)
  Zip lines and a suspension bridge over the forest make a fun family day out.

Off the Beaten Path

• Brownsweg village (Brownsweg)
  A Maroon village at the foot of the plateau on the way up to the park.

Great for Date Night

• Berg en Dal Eco and Cultural Resort (Berg en Dal)
  A riverside resort with zip lines, a pool and forest activities on the Suriname River.

Must-Haves

• Galibi Nature Reserve turtle beaches (Galibi)
  One of the world's key leatherback nesting sites, best from around March to July.

Fun for Everyone

• Hatchling season (Galibi)
  From around July, baby turtles race to the sea on the same beaches.

Must-Haves

• Christiaankondre (Galibi)
  A welcoming Kalina village where local guides lead turtle walks and sell crafts.

Off the Beaten Path

• Langamankondre (Galibi)
  A neighbouring Kalina village with simple guesthouses and pottery traditions.
• Tembe Art Studio (Moengo)
  A creative hub that turned a former mining town into a home for contemporary art.

Fun for Everyone

• Marowijne River boat trip (Albina)
  The boat ride from Albina to the coast passes mangroves, fishing boats and birds.

Off the Beaten Path

• Albina river crossing (Albina)
  Watch the busy boats shuttle across the river to Saint Laurent du Maroni in French Guiana.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Galibi village guesthouses (Galibi)
  Simple community run rooms let you stay close to the nesting beaches.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Kalina pottery and weaving (Galibi)
  Buy handmade pottery and woven goods directly from village makers.

Must-Haves

• Bigi Pan Nature Reserve (Nickerie)
  A vast coastal lagoon of mangroves where scarlet ibis, flamingos and herons gather.

Off the Beaten Path

• Wageningen rice fields (Wageningen)
  Endless flat rice fields and irrigation channels full of birds.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Nieuw Nickerie market (Nieuw Nickerie)
  The riverside market of the rice capital shows everyday life in the far west.

Off the Beaten Path

• Coronie coconut coast (Coronie)
  A quiet coastal district of coconut palms and Creole villages on the road west.
• Boat to Bigi Pan (Nickerie)
  Boat tours through the lagoon reveal birds, caimans and fishing camps on stilts.

Fun for Everyone

• Nickerie seawall walk (Nieuw Nickerie)
  Locals stroll the waterfront in the evening as the sun sets over the river mouth.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Nickerie Hindu temples (Nieuw Nickerie)
  The town's temples show the deep Hindustani heritage of the rice growing west.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Nickerie roti and curry shops (Nieuw Nickerie)
  Small local shops serve some of the best Hindustani cooking in the country.