Suriname’s incredible rivers, waterfalls and mountain ranges make it breathtakingly beautiful and highly varied, but it also offers cultural attractions such as museums and native Indian villages. Here, then, is a preview of this magnificent country brimming with natural beauty.
To get acquainted with daily life in Suriname, you simply have to visit the central market in Paramaribo! This is located in the large building on De Waterkant behind Hotel Krasnapolsky. Open every day but Sunday, the market is a chaotic yet lively and interesting place to visit. You can find just about everything here: tropical fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, shoes, clothing, make-up, jewelry, CDs, tapes, books and much, much more.
The Palm Garden (Palmentuin) is a good place to take a break. This garden has been open to the public since the early 20th century. In earlier times, it was the favorite place for a romantic evening stroll. From the Palm Garden, which is located behind the presidential palace, you can see part of the private garden belonging to the President of Suriname.
Fort Zeelandia is the site where the early colonists first set foot on land in Suriname. Built by the English, the Dutch later added five bastions. This historic fort is quite probably the oldest structure in Paramaribo. It now accommodates the Surinaams Museum that displays many highlights of Suriname’s history, art and culture.
Highly recommended is the De Waterkant, a popular spot for visitors and locals alike. This long street is centrally located and less than a 10-minute drive from Hotel Krasnapolsky. A really nice romantic place to relax on De Waterkant is Hotel Torarica. A wooden footbridge takes you toward the water. Beneath the roof of a large wooden summerhouse is the perfect place to sit back, relax and enjoy a long balmy summer evening.
Nieuw Nickerie may have a population of only 12,000, but it’s still the second largest city in Suriname. Located on the border of neighboring Guyana, Nieuw Nickerie will surprise you with such attractions as its magnificent exotic garden full of tropical plants, the Zeedijk where you can enjoy a wonderful view of the Corantijn River, and the Indian village of Cupido on the Maratakka River.
In Suriname’s coastal region, in the districts of Nickerie and Coronie, is Bigi Pan. This is a huge wetland area with mangrove forests and many unusual bird species such as the Red Ibis, the Osprey, the Tern and wading birds. It’s also an attractive spot for fishermen: from huts built on poles over the water, many commercial fishermen cast their nets here for a rewarding catch.
From February to July, protected species of giant turtles arrive at the beach of Galibi in the district of Marowijne to lay their eggs. Three of the seven species of sea turtles (including the Leatherback Turtle and the Green Turtle) come especially to the beaches of Suriname to lay their eggs. This makes Galibi a special place to visit. Remember, however, that during the egg-laying season you can visit the nature preserve only when accompanied by a professional guide.
When you travel from Paramaribo to Galibi, you pass Fort Nieuw Amsterdam and the various plantations (plantages) on the Cottica River in the district of Commewijne. It is in this region that you find many former plantations such as Mariënburg where sugar cane used to be grown. Another of these interesting plantations is Plantage Rust en Werk. Nearby is a bustling village where the local economy depends on fishing.
More and more people from Paramaribo are going to the Braamspunt to visit the beach, especially during the weekends. Braamspunt is an island on the point at which the Suriname and Commewijne rivers converge and is also one of the few places that allow people to swim in the sea at high tide. At low tide, Braamspunt is the perfect place for a nice long stroll on the beach.
During the seventeenth century, a group of Jews who had been driven from Spain and Portugal settled in Cayenne (French Guyana) which was then a Dutch colony. This settlement, known as the ‘Jodensavanne’, flourished and became a prosperous community due in part to the production and export of wood and sugar. Much of the old settlement can still be seen: the oldest cemetery in North and South America, wells, and remnants of the synagogue built so long ago. Also nearby are the former leper colony of Groot Chatillion, the Indian village of Libanon and Plantage Toevlucht.