Suriname

Suriname is nestled between French Guiana, Brazil, and Guyana. As a former Dutch colony, it has a complicated history that has led to the cultural diversity that is celebrated in the country today. It is also rich in biodiversity and has the claim as the most forested country on Earth with 93% coverage.

Suriname, within the Region of the Guianas

Suriname's Fast Facts

Language

Dutch & English

Capital City

Paramaribo

Currency

Suriname dollar

Budget Range

$ - $$

Visa Info (Learn More Here)

Find out more about the visa requirements and immigration documents needed to get into the country.

Know Before You Go to Suriname

Having been a former Dutch colony, the main language of the country is Dutch. All signage will be in Dutch. However, a large majority of people speak English very well. In addition to English and Dutch, the descendents of former slaves in maroon communities speak their own languages, the indigenous people also have their own language, and there is a local creole language that is spoken as well. That being said, everyone in the country is multi-lingual and you should be able to always find someone who speaks English to help you through your travels. You should, however, learn a few key phrases in Dutch to be more respectful of the locals.

The weather in Suriname is incredibly tropical and can feel rather harsh. The months of December to February and April to July are the wet season and you will experience heavy rain every day. The rain can last between 30 minutes to 2 hours throughout the day but you will want to find cover when it starts to fall because it can be really heavy. The nice thing about the rain is that it cools down the temperature and removes the humidity in the air. During the dry season, the temperature can be very hot but the rain will not inhibit you from doing different things. It is important to be careful in the harsh sun and make sure to drink plenty of water.

Suriname uses the Suriname dollar as their currency. It is a primarily cash-based society and many international cards are not accepted throughout the country. The added complexity of the cash-based society is that many of their ATMs do not work for international cards or visa debit cards. Within Paramaribo, the Courtyard by Marriott has an ATM that does work for international cards. People claim that the ATM within the Republic Bank Suriname NV also works for international cards, but only if it contains available cash. You will have the hardest time withdrawing cash on weekends that are part of holidays and paydays. If you have any concerns about withdrawing cash, consider bringing sufficient cash in dollars or euros that you can then exchange in the city center for Surinamese dollars for any food, souvenirs, taxis, and tours that you may want.

For most of your time in Suriname, you will most likely be in Paramaribo, the capital city of the country. The center of Paramaribo is relatively small and you can walk most places, especially during the dry season. However, in the wet season, the streets may flood and it will be more challenging to walk around the city. The easiest way to get around the city then is with a taxi service. You can pick one up off the street but you will want to make sure that they are using a meter on their phones to track their distance. Otherwise, you can negotiate a price prior to taking the ride. You can also use the Tourtonne Taxi service application on their website to call a taxi to your location. (This particular taxi company always uses meters and is highly reliable.)

Tourism in Suriname

The best way to visit Suriname is by organizing packaged tours to explore the different parts of the country as independent tourism is not common in the country, especially for those who are not from the Netherlands.