Introduction
Lush jungles teem with wildlife; diverse cultures coexist in the sultry heat. With a buzzing capital full of Dutch colonial architecture and a wild interior riddled with rivers, waterfalls and wildlife, exotic Suriname is an adventure traveler's dream.
Its extraordinary ethnic diversity makes for phenomenal, spicy cuisine and friendly, open-minded people.
It's not always easy to get around this river-heavy, forest-dense country, and the mix of languages can make it hard to communicate. But, with a little perseverance, travelers will be richly rewarded as they stroll the streets of gorgeous Paramaribo or watch giant turtles emerge from the sea.
Geography:
Suriname lies on the northern coast of South America, squeezed in between Guyana to the west, French Guiana to the east and Brazil to the south. The majority of Surinamese inhabit the Atlantic coast, where most of the country's few roads are located. The country is divided into quite diverse topographical regions, primarily dense tropical forest and savannas. To the west, the Corantijn (Corentyne in Guyana) River forms the border; a disputed area with Guyana in its most southerly reaches. The Marowijne (Maroni in French Guiana) and Litani Rivers form the border with French Guiana to the east; the southern portion of this boundary is disputed by French Guiana. The major links to the interior are by air or north-south rivers, though there is a road to the Brownsberg Nature Reserve. The nearby Afobaka Dam created one of the world's largest reservoirs (1550 sq km/580 sq mi), Brokopondo, on the upper Suriname River. Rapids limit the navigability of most rivers. The highest point in the country is the 1230m (4035ft) Juliana Top in the central Sipalawini district.
Destination Facts
Capital: Paramaribo
President: Ronald Venetiaan
Government: constitutional democracy
Time zone: GMT -3
Area: 163270
Population: 470,800
People: 37% East Indian or Hindustani, 31% Afro-Surinamese or Creole, 15% Indonesian or Javanese, 10% Maroons (descendants of ex-slaves who inhabit the upland forests), 2% Amerindians, 2% Chinese, 1% Caucasian
Languages: Sranan (an English-based Creole) is also spoken.Hindustani, a dialect of Hindu.
Hindu (27%), Protestant (mainly Moravian) 25%), Roman Catholic (23%), Muslim (20%), traditional beliefs (5%)
Currency: Suriname Dollar ($)
Major industries: Bauxite mining and alumina production, palm oil, timber, shrimp and fish
Major Trading Partners: Norway, US, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Trinidad and Tobago, China, Japan, Brazil
Country Dialing Code: 597
Getting there and away
There are twice-weekly flights from Amsterdam to Paramaribo. Miami and Atlanta are the main departure points for flights from the US, and there are also flights from various Caribbean islands and Brazil. Surinam Airways offers flights to/from Miami and Amsterdam, and other carriers flying into Suriname include KLM, Air France and Caribbean Airlines. There's a rickety passenger ferry from Nieuw Nickerie across the Corantijn River to Springlands, Guyana; and another across the Marowijne River between Albina and St Laurent du Maroni (French Guiana).
Getting around
Air services to the interior usually operate on a charter basis. Medium-sized buses on the coastal highway are frequent and exceptionally cheap, but crowded; taxis, which are faster though more expensive, travel along the same routes. To visit the interior and some coastal areas, river transport is the least expensive (and often only) option.
Weather
Perched just above the equator, Suriname offers two kinds of weather, hot and wet - usually simultaneously. Temperatures in the lowlands and coastal areas are invariably warm to hot, with high humidity. Conditions hardly vary and can therefore be quite oppressive. However, the mercury never soars to dangerous levels, usually hovering around 30 ° C (86 ° F) or below, and there is plenty of sunshine. The wettest months, spanning two seasons, are May to July and November to January. Inland, there tends to be slightly lower temperatures, milder humidity and a single wet season from April to September. Suriname's wet seasons are never very wet and the dry seasons are never truly dry; pack an umbrella, light clothing and a good pair of shades.
Related Posts: Guyana, Brazil, French Guiana
Lush jungles teem with wildlife; diverse cultures coexist in the sultry heat. With a buzzing capital full of Dutch colonial architecture and a wild interior riddled with rivers, waterfalls and wildlife, exotic Suriname is an adventure traveler's dream.
Its extraordinary ethnic diversity makes for phenomenal, spicy cuisine and friendly, open-minded people.
Suriname lies on the northern coast of South America, squeezed in between Guyana to the west, French Guiana to the east and Brazil to the south. The majority of Surinamese inhabit the Atlantic coast, where most of the country's few roads are located. The country is divided into quite diverse topographical regions, primarily dense tropical forest and savannas. To the west, the Corantijn (Corentyne in Guyana) River forms the border; a disputed area with Guyana in its most southerly reaches. The Marowijne (Maroni in French Guiana) and Litani Rivers form the border with French Guiana to the east; the southern portion of this boundary is disputed by French Guiana. The major links to the interior are by air or north-south rivers, though there is a road to the Brownsberg Nature Reserve. The nearby Afobaka Dam created one of the world's largest reservoirs (1550 sq km/580 sq mi), Brokopondo, on the upper Suriname River. Rapids limit the navigability of most rivers. The highest point in the country is the 1230m (4035ft) Juliana Top in the central Sipalawini district.
Capital: Paramaribo
President: Ronald Venetiaan
Government: constitutional democracy
Time zone: GMT -3
Area: 163270
Population: 470,800
People: 37% East Indian or Hindustani, 31% Afro-Surinamese or Creole, 15% Indonesian or Javanese, 10% Maroons (descendants of ex-slaves who inhabit the upland forests), 2% Amerindians, 2% Chinese, 1% Caucasian
Languages: Sranan (an English-based Creole) is also spoken.Hindustani, a dialect of Hindu.
Hindu (27%), Protestant (mainly Moravian) 25%), Roman Catholic (23%), Muslim (20%), traditional beliefs (5%)
Currency: Suriname Dollar ($)
Major industries: Bauxite mining and alumina production, palm oil, timber, shrimp and fish
Major Trading Partners: Norway, US, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Trinidad and Tobago, China, Japan, Brazil
Country Dialing Code: 597
There are twice-weekly flights from Amsterdam to Paramaribo. Miami and Atlanta are the main departure points for flights from the US, and there are also flights from various Caribbean islands and Brazil. Surinam Airways offers flights to/from Miami and Amsterdam, and other carriers flying into Suriname include KLM, Air France and Caribbean Airlines. There's a rickety passenger ferry from Nieuw Nickerie across the Corantijn River to Springlands, Guyana; and another across the Marowijne River between Albina and St Laurent du Maroni (French Guiana).
Air services to the interior usually operate on a charter basis. Medium-sized buses on the coastal highway are frequent and exceptionally cheap, but crowded; taxis, which are faster though more expensive, travel along the same routes. To visit the interior and some coastal areas, river transport is the least expensive (and often only) option.
Perched just above the equator, Suriname offers two kinds of weather, hot and wet - usually simultaneously. Temperatures in the lowlands and coastal areas are invariably warm to hot, with high humidity. Conditions hardly vary and can therefore be quite oppressive. However, the mercury never soars to dangerous levels, usually hovering around 30 ° C (86 ° F) or below, and there is plenty of sunshine. The wettest months, spanning two seasons, are May to July and November to January. Inland, there tends to be slightly lower temperatures, milder humidity and a single wet season from April to September. Suriname's wet seasons are never very wet and the dry seasons are never truly dry; pack an umbrella, light clothing and a good pair of shades.
Related Posts: Guyana, Brazil, French Guiana
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