Major Tourist Attractions: Fort Zeelandia, Brokopondo Reservoir, Central Suriname Nature Reserve, Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge, Julianatop
Suriname Travel Insurance
Arch RoamRight offers travel insurance for U.S. residents traveling to Suriname. Whether you need travel insurance to help protect the expenses you’ve paid into your vacation, or short-term travel medical insurance while you’re in Suriname, we have several travel insurance plans for you to choose from. Get started by completing our quote form above.
About Suriname
Surely the most colorful of the three Guyanas, Suriname is a country of contradictions and complications, equally of tolerance and conflicts. As multi-ethnicity goes it can’t be much more varied in a country where Dutch is the official language and influences
are to this day heavily felt from four continents. A great evidence for this widespread acceptance for diversity is the peaceful coexistence of a church, a synagogue and a mosque right next to each other in the heart of the capital Paramaribo, as
the most natural thing in the world. But Parbo, as the capital is endearingly called, offers even more with its laidback, relaxed attitude.
Suriname’s main attraction is the continuously evolving eco-tourism, with tours into the deepest rain forests where most sites are difficult to reach independently. In fact, the best way to approach some of the most spectacular attractions is only by
flight to the resorts deep inside the jungle. Life at the resorts will easily soothe your mood, where the total removal from city life will offer new perspectives, all while exploring the jungle in search of wildlife. In regards to specific vistas
there are plenty of regions to explore with specifically high importance reserved for the Brownsberg Nature Park and the Voltzberg Nature Reserve. Some of the most spectacular sites of the country are the Tafelberg Mountain with its characteristic
flat mountain top and the spectacular Raleigh Falls.
Life in Suriname is otherwise mainly characterized by the country’s great rivers. In the aftermath of the slavery years, most of the liberated slaves – maroons – settled upriver, creating a different world more resembling African life; different from
the Amerindian culture already existing here. The native tribes are even more reclusive than the maroons, found even deeper into the jungle. Transportation on the rivers is carried out with the huge motorized dugout canoes that cut through the wild
rapids of these treacherous rivers (an experience both fascinating and somewhat scary too).
Life on the coast and especially around Paramaribo is different. A great part of the experience here is focused on history, be it the unique wooden architecture the capital demonstrates or the old plantations of the Jodensavanne that offer a glimpse back
to another era. In Paramaribo the wooden Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral and the wooden parliament building and the Fort Zeelandia in similar style are just some of the most important buildings offering a unique Surinamese experience. Suriname is also
the home for huge populations of Chinese and Indian immigrants, especially noticeable around the city’s market. A visit to the market offers both a glimpse into the bizarre, but also of the ordinary, helping you to understand this country better.
Along the coast it’s also possible to experience the unique nature, where the highlight is the sea-turtle nesting grounds of Matapica and Galibi. These sanctuaries are some of the most exceptional sites in the world, but also alarmingly threatened due
to human interference. A more accessible experience is being on the lookout for the pink dolphins on the Commewijn river tours, an opportunity offering both nature and history in one go.
- Suriname’s lively capital, Paramaribo, with its unique wooden architecture.
- Paramaribo’s Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, the world’s largest wooden cathedral.
- Pink dolphin spotting on the Commewijn River tours.
- The historic agricultural settlements of the Jodensavanne (Jews' Savannah).
- Fort Zeelandia’s unique wooden architecture and the nearby Presidential Palace, also made of wood.
- Palmentuin is a special square where palms present the unique natural decoration, creating an unforgettable sight.
- Brownsberg Nature Park offers a unique experience only possible to find in this part of the world.
- The Brokopondo artificial lake is the home of a diverse nature, easily reached from Paramaribo.
- The Voltzberg Nature Reserve is a UNESCO protected 6,000 square mile tropical forest offering fantastic vistas, where the Tafelberg is just one of the many.
- Tafelberg Mountain with its flat greenery-covered mountain-top is the most spectacular beauty spot of the country.
- Nieuw Nickerie on the border to Guyana is a different Suriname, where the Hindu influence is strongly present.
- The Raleigh Falls is one of the great nature experiences in the country.
- The maroon villages on the Marowijne River are unique cultural experiences.
- The Coppename River is just one of the great rivers of the country, where river tours can be carried out.
- Matapica or Galibi to see the sea-turtles nesting on the Atlantic coast within the North Commewijne-Marowijne Multiple Use Management Area (MUMA).
- Fietsen-in-Suriname – bike ride to the outskirts of Paramaribo to visit the plantations.
- Tour to Palumeu for experiencing the way of life of the Upper-River Amerindian communities and see hundreds of howler monkeys and birds.
Embassy Contact
Address: 129 Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat
Paramaribo, Suriname
Phone: (597) 472-900