Things to see and do Suriname

One of a kind, the building is made entirely of wood! In fact, this yellow-and-blue Catholic cathedral is the largest wooden religious building in South America, with towers reaching 44 meters in height. Built at the end of the ^19th century on the ruins of a former theater, it has undergone numerous restorations, both inside and out, its wooden structure making it extremely fragile and particularly prone to termite attack.

Accessible by a dirt road from the village of Brownsberg, Ston-Eiland Resort is a wonderful place to recharge your batteries for the day by taking a dip in Lake Van Blommenstein, or to explore the strange landscape formed by the trunks of dead trees by renting kayaks and canoeing. It's also a beautiful resort where you can sleep and enjoy the colors of the sunset. A restaurant is also available on site, but reservations must be made the day before.

Managed by the Stinatsu organization, Brownsberg Nature Park offers eight hiking trails that will enable you to appreciate the nature reserve. They are the only signposted trails in Suriname. With varying degrees of difficulty, they enable you to appreciate the local flora and fauna, and take a refreshing dip in the waterfalls. Beware, however, that in the rainy season, the rocks can be particularly slippery, and access to the site, especially by vehicle, can be very complicated! Check the road conditions before you go.

STINASU is a public structure in charge of the management of some natural reserves and the Brownsberg National Park. It provides a shuttle service to the park and also offers day or 2 to 4 day excursions from Paramaribo. It is also one of the first nature conservation organizations to have introduced the concepts of ecotourism in Suriname. The foundation also offers bird watching and turtle watching.

Who is that pudgy man standing proudly in Independence Square? The statue you'll see represents politician Johan Adolf Pengel (1916-1970), a very popular Surinamese Prime Minister in the 1960s. Indeed, under his government, Suriname's infrastructure underwent major development: roads were built and existing infrastructure greatly improved, two new hospitals were built..

This peninsula is a pleasant resort. You can rent a boat (SRD 20 hour) to travel as you like the lake of Brokopondo, go to discover this strange landscape formed by trunks of dead trees (60 SRD for a group of 6 people) or simply take advantage of the waters of the lake for a refreshing swim.

This agency offers "standard" excursions lasting from 1 to 4 days. Accompanied by native or black-brown guides who know the area inside out, you can explore the Galibi reserve or the Commewijne plantation on foot, by boat or by bike. Adventure tours are aptly named. Generally lasting from 4 to 8 days, you'll discover the Tapanahony and Palumeu rivers or the Kasikasima mountain for an immersion in deep Suriname.

Orange Travel Suriname is a travel agency in Paramaribo. They offer a variety of guided tours, including historical and heritage tours, nature and wilderness-themed tours, bus tours and day trips. Customer reviews are generally positive, highlighting the quality of the guides and drivers, as well as the agency's efficient organization. Some customers also recommended the night visit to watch giant tortoises lay their eggs, a unique experience offered by Orange Travel Suriname.

Brownsberg Nature Park is a natural park located near Paramaribo. It offers many activities for nature lovers, including hiking, waterfalls and diverse wildlife. Visitors can enjoy beautiful lake views from the carbet, an accommodation available on site. The park is accessible by bus from Paramaribo, but the track is in poor condition, which can make the journey difficult. Once there, however, visitors are rewarded by the beauty of the park. Advance reservations are recommended with Stinasu in Paramaribo.

Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname, is full of possibilities for travelers seeking adventure and discovery. Mets Travel & Tours is a well-established travel agency in the city, offering a range of tour packages to explore the region. Options include stays at jungle lodges such as Awarradam Jungle Lodge & Spa and Palumeu Jungle Lodge. These packages include nature excursions, hikes and cultural activities. For those who prefer day trips, Mets Travel & Tours also offers visits to the Colakreek Recreation Park, where you can swim in beautiful natural surroundings.

Peperpot is an old plantation, and a little history is necessary to understand the site. When Suriname was taken from the English by the Dutch in 1667, the plantation system already existed. The majority of plantations were located up the Suriname River, not far from the river mouth, where sugar and tobacco were the main crops. In 1683, a new administration was put in place which introduced the Zeeland polder system, leading to the successful development of plantations downriver, closer to the capital Paramaribo.

The ancient coffee and cocoa plantation of Peperpot was acquired in 1692 by Simon van Halewijn, a wealthy and influential man. Cocoa was introduced in 1702 after an unsuccessful trial with tobacco, followed by coffee in 1720. After van Halewijn's death, the plantation passed through a succession of owners. It enjoyed a few prosperous years, but neglected maintenance combined with competition in the markets soon led to the plantation's closure.

Today, the site has become a private nature reserve, world-famous among ornithologists for the diversity of its birds. Every year, the site welcomes numerous school classes and an average of 500 visitors a month! An education and awareness center is currently under construction at the entrance to the park. A 3.2 km walking and cycling trail guides you through the plantation, revealing the old navigation channels used to transport coffee from the plantations to the factory in small boats. Small wooden bridges allow you to cross the plantations, and observe the surrounding fauna: toucans, monkeys, sloths, falcons... You can also relax in the shade of a tree in the rest and picnic areas set aside for the purpose. A little further along the trail, the old village or "kampong" of the Javanese workers is well worth a visit: you'll find the very old cocoa and coffee factory (not yet open to the public) and the magnificent houses of the director and manager. At the entrance to the Kampong, you'll find houses rented out for the night and old dwellings in this small village, which seems a little deserted: the workers' children and their families still live here. Beyond the village, a beautiful nursery with all kinds of flowers and orchids.

There's a small store at the entrance to the site where you can buy water, postcards, a book on trees and bird identification cards.

Matu Island is located in the Blommensteinmeer reservoir, in the Brokopondo district. You can reach it by road, on the Afobakaweg, about 2 hours from Paramaribo. On the degrad Tiemba, the boatswain from Matu Island will pick you up and take you to the site, more than an hour away by pirogue. The main building has 16 rooms, all with king-size beds or king-size bunk beds, washbasin and fan. Toilets and showers are located in the corridor. For more privacy, or if you're in a group, you can also opt for the bungalows: there's a three-bedroom cabin and a four-bedroom cabin. In terms of activities, you won't be outdone on this magnificent site: kayak excursions, Tukunari and Piranha fishing, boat trips along Bakaaboto, observation of local wildlife or simply relaxing in one of the two hammock camps, with a splendid view over the lake. It's also at night that the site delivers on its promise of wonder: in the darkness of night, a sky glittering with a thousand stars awaits you, to round off your stay on this island paradise.

Even if it's a little less luxurious than Paradise Island, it's just as worth the detour! And although there's no swimming pool in the middle of the island, you'll find that there are plenty of options for swimming... We'll leave you to discover all this for yourself!

Blanche Marie Falls are a must-see when visiting Suriname. Located 300 km south-west of Paramaribo, in the Nickerie River, these impressive waterfalls were rediscovered in 1897 by the districtcommissaris of Nickerie and named after his wife, Blanche Marie. Stretching over 100 metres, they are set in the middle of a beautiful rainforest, offering a magnificent landscape. All the characteristics of the Amazon rainforest can be found here, with eight species of Surinamese monkey, over two hundred species of bird and a wide variety of tropical vegetation. Several hiking trails lead to these high waterfalls, and the view is particularly impressive during the rainy season, when the water moves in gigantic quantities. Prices start from 350 euros. The Access Suriname Travel website offers guided tours of the falls.

Blanche Marie is a tourist destination located over 300 km southwest of Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname. It is famous for its magnificent waterfalls, among the largest in the country at over 120 meters high. To get there, you'll need to travel by all-terrain vehicle for around 4 days. The route passes through the rainforest, offering visitors the chance to observe a wide variety of animals such as monkeys, sloths, deer, turtles and numerous bird species. The tour program also includes a visit to the indigenous village of Apoera and the old railroad line. Visitors can swim in the waterfalls, explore the area, go fishing and enjoy Blanche Marie's natural beauty. Meals and accommodation are included in the tour price of 350 euros. Blanche Marie is a true paradise for nature lovers and adventurers in search of new discoveries. Visitors can enjoy the region's exceptional flora and fauna, as well as the culture of the indigenous villages. It's a unique experience not to be missed on a trip to Suriname.

An inselberg is an isolated mound overlooking a plain, and its ascent usually affords a very fine view of the canopy, overlooking the entire landscape. ThePotihillinselberg is no exception to the rule, and this walk through the forest is very pleasant. If you choose a guide to accompany you up to theinselberg (which is highly recommended for finding your way back), he or she will first explain the various uses of certain trees in the local pharmacopoeia. Then begin your ascent: the view is magnificent.

This village, located right next to the lodge, was created in the late 1950s with the construction of the airstrip known as Vincent Fayks Airport. This provided plenty of work for the area's native and black-brown peoples. These two peoples joined forces to build the runway, and congregated on the site, which eventually became a village. In October 1959, Vincent Faijks and his co-pilot Ronald Ellwin Kappel, who were resupplying the airstrip workers, crashed and became local heroes. In their honor, the runway is named after the first pilot to die in the line of duty.

Between 250 and 300 natives live in this small village, from three different communities: the Trio, the Akurio and the Wayana, who live together peacefully despite their language differences. The village has a chief and assistants(basja). Like their ancestors, the inhabitants depend on the forest for survival. Food is obtained through fishing, hunting and agriculture (tubers, fruit...) Vegetables are not really part of their diet, cassava being their main staple. Many tools and materials still come from the forest (bows, handicrafts, etc.), even if some things are bought in town, such as clothes, cooking equipment, gasoline, etc. Thanks to the tourist activity, several infrastructures have even been created for the villagers (infirmary, housing for teachers, solar panels...).

The native village of Redi Doti is a pleasant stopover where you can familiarize yourself with the Kali'na ethnic group and their handicrafts, particularly pottery. Redi Doti means "red earth", named after its ancient location, which you can also visit. The village is relatively young, with around 100 inhabitants. Their main source of income is hunting and fishing, while the women weave dresses and make cassava bread. From here, you can visit the village of Blakawatra and the Cassipora cemetery.

The garden is located in the village of Boxel, not far from Domburg, still in the Wanica district, 22 kilometers from the capital Paramaribo. The botanical garden covers some 5,000 m² and features tropical trees, medicinal plants and ornamental plants such as orchids and other exotic flowers. Three ponds have been dug, all connected by ditches and flowing into the Suriname River via a stream. Thousands of liters of water are thus supplied and discharged every day by tidal action.

This tropical "water garden", with its 3 ponds, is regularly visited by school classes and universities, so that future generations can learn more about the importance of Suriname's floristic diversity. Volunteers can also help maintain the site, in exchange for board and lodging.
The garden boasts a variety of trees, shrubs, plants and flowers. The emphasis is obviously on flora, but when it comes to fauna, we're not outdone either: the vast majority of species you'll encounter will be birds and reptiles, with the many species of frogs and toads that come in the rainy season. And don't forget the iguanas and the famous " sapakara ", the large lizard that varies in length from 50 to 70 cm.

A wonderful discovery and a walk that can be extended by staying overnight at Erik Kuiper's Little Paradise guesthouse, to enjoy the peace and quiet of the area.

Benastrand beach is very popular with the locals: families and couples alike come here to relax and enjoy the little picnic cabins by the water. A playground is available and a large, if somewhat imposing, net placed not far from the shore prevents you from being swept away by the current. You can eat or drink, but you can also spend the night in a hammock for a small extra charge: toilets and showers are also available. If nature means simplicity to you, we recommend a visit.

The Jewish settlement chose the Jodensavanne site for its 4 natural springs, one of which is considered to be medicinal: its curative virtues were already described by the first settlers as well as the natives living in the vicinity. For centuries, the spring is said to have provided a small but constant supply of healing water. This hilltop water has even been tested and found to combat constipation. Today, people still go there just to pick up a bottle of this miraculous water.