Things to see and do Paramaribo

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 metres 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.

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 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.

Founded in 1966 and inaugurated in 1972, this small zoo is not of the highest quality (especially given the size of the cages and the upkeep). Nevertheless, it makes an interesting outing for discovering the local fauna: monkeys, caimans, jaguars, snakes, sloths, harpy, giant otter... If you come at mealtimes, the animals will be more active. And as a new feature, a small water park has also just opened for children to play and bathe in.

Erected in 1994 as a tribute to Suriname's Indian community, this Baba en Mai (father and mother) statute means "where the earth brings salvation and work, there is my home". Despite this somewhat watered-down motto, history is not all rosy.

On June 5, 1873, a 61-meter-long sailing ship named Lalla Rookh docked in Suriname after a 99-day crossing. After 11 deaths at sea, she took on board 399 people: 279 men, 70 women, 32 boys and 18 girls. They were the first migrants from India to land in Suriname.

Indeed, following the abolition of slavery, the Dutch government opened its borders and called on foreign labor to work on the plantations, offering a contract in which the Indian immigrant committed to staying at least 5 years in the territory, in exchange for a salary and medical assistance.

Unfortunately, not everything changed overnight, and the living and working conditions of the first Indians were not so far removed from those of their unfortunate African predecessors. The history of the Surinamese plantations is marked by numerous revolts by Indian workers. But they had signed a contract and were not considered slaves. Between 1873 and 1916, a total of 34,000 migrants arrived from India. Today, they account for around 27% of Suriname's population.