Things to see and do Meerzorg

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.