We will start our Suriname Travel Tips by talking about this country. It was formerly known as Dutch Guiana. Suriname is pronounced like “Surinam”. In January 1978 the word “Surinam” was legally changed to “Suriname.” This is a small country on the northeastern coast of South America.
It is characterized by large swaths of tropical rainforest, colonial Dutch architecture, and society of melting pots. Suriname capital is the city of Paramaribo.
The city, Paramaribo, is on the Atlantic side, where palm gardens flourish near Fort Zeelandia, a trading post dated from the 17th century.
Paramaribo still contains the Basilica of Saint Peter and Paul, a majestic wooden church that was built in 1885.
Things to do in Suriname
- Brownsberg Nature Park
- Fort Zeelandia
- Suriname Nature Reserve
- Brokopondo Reservoir
- Historic Innercity of Paramaribo
- Garden of Palms
- Waterside Street
- Colakreek
- Peperpot Nature Park
- Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, Paramaribo
- Paramaribo Zoo
Language
Suriname’s official language is Dutch. English, Sranan (a Creole language), Hindi, and other Asian Indian, African, and Amerindian languages are also popular in this country. Altogether, Around twenty-two languages are spoken by the people of Suriname.
The most popular language is Sranan Tango which is also classified as Taki-Taki. This incorporates features of the languages French, Dutch, and some African. Most of the people in this country speak & understand English very well. You will not face any language problems in this country.
Currency & Banking
Suriname’s primary currency is the Surinamese Dollar. The currency code is SRD. One Surinamese dollar is equivalent to 100 cents. Bank issue notes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 dollars. Whereas coins come in the denominations of 1, 5, 10, and 25 cents.
Most of the hotels, better restaurants, and travel agencies accept credit cards, usually for a fee. However, Anywhere else it is nearly impossible to use cards. ATMs is widely available in this country. According to Suriname Travel Tips, It is better to carry some cash for emergency situations.
Best Time to Visit
The perfect time to travel Suriname is from February to March. This is the dry season in this country. Most travelers would probably prefer to travel in this period as conditions tend to be a bit cooler. Hotel rates are on the higher side in this period. Traveling conditions can be quite difficult during the wet season.
However, Suriname is even outside of the hurricane zone, It still heavily hit by monsoon conditions. While one more dry season comes later in the year but that is shorter however you can still travel in that period as well.
Suriname Tourist Visa
Among other nations, the Tourist Card is launched for India and is intended solely for tourism purposes. The Tourist Card shall only be valid for a single entry. For the next entry to Suriname, a new Tourist Card must be issued. Stay in Suriname is permitted for not more than 90 days.
Documents required for Suriname Visa
- Application form
- One recent passport size photograph
- Copy passport (all the written pages) Passport must be valid for 6 months from the date of intended travel
- Confirmed itinerary
- A recent health certificate (see additional doc)
- Invitation letter/identification proof of the sponsor for the tourist visa
Time Zone
Time zone in Suriname (GMT-3).
Emergency Numbers
The emergency number in Suriname is 115. In case of an emergency, you should dial this number to notify the police, ambulance or fire service.
Internet
Internet Speed in Suriname is average & Prices are affordable. You can buy SIM cards for your phone from the airport or one of many retailers all over this country. All you need is the passport to get the sim card in Suriname. While Telesur (TeleG) & Digicel are the two major internet service providers in this country.
According to Suriname Travel Tips, Places with a free internet connection are coffeehouses, airports, hotels, restaurants. You might face poor connections in some of the areas of this country.
Electricity
The default voltage is 220 V and the normal frequency is 60 Hz. The power plugs and sockets are of form A, B, C, and F in Suriname. Form A is mainly popular in North and Central America, China and Japan. This socket only works with form A. While form B is similar to form A but with an extra prong for grounding.
This socket also works with form A. While as Type C is also popular as the normal “Euro” plug. This socket also works with form E and form F. However, Form F is also famous as “Schuko”. This form also works with type C and type E. Although it is advisable to carry a travel adapter to stay connected with the world.
Reasons to Travel Suriname
- Off-the-beaten-path
- Beach
- people
- Wildlife
- Nature
- Tribes
- Melting Pot
- Food
- Safety
- Festivals
History of Suriname
Suriname has a history that stretches way back when the Amerindians were Suriname’s first inhabitants. During the conquest, the Dutch and British introduced Africans to the country in the 16th and 17th centuries to work as slaves on the coastal plantations.
The surviving African slaves escaped into the interior where they restored their western African civilization to tribal settlements. Following the end of slavery, Chinese, Indian, and Indonesian men were brought as indentured laborers to serve on the plantations.
The NPK-government immediately started talks with the Netherlands over Suriname’s independence after the 1973 elections. The talks proved to be successful. Suriname got freedom on November 25, 1975.
The Netherlands has decided to fund the young nation for a minimum of four billion guilders for a period of ten years. Dr. Johan Ferrier was the first elected president of Suriname and Henk Arron was the first prime minister.
Culture
According to Suriname Travel Tips, It is one of the most diverse and competitive cultures in the world. The population of the world is a mixture of distinct ethnicities such as indigenous Amerindians, Africans, Creoles, Hindu(India), Javanese (Java Island, Indonesia), Chinese, and Europeans.
Suriname has a number of cultures, one that creates solidarity between neighbors with differing origins, while maintaining the distinct identities with different communities.
Climate
Suriname has a solid tropical atmosphere with the dry and rainy seasons. There is plenty of rain, high humidity, and relatively steady year-round hot temperatures. There are two dry seasons a year, and two wet seasons. The season of brief rainy fall between December and January.
The long rainy season stretches from April to July. Approximately 90 percent of the country’s area is surrounded by rainforests and has over 200 rainy days a year. The average daily temperature ranges from 21 to 32 degrees Celsius (70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit) over the entire year.
Religion
Christianity is the primary religion in Suriname, followed by Hinduism and Islam. However, There’s no religion predominating in the region. Christianity is common among Creoles and Maroons, in both of the form of Roman Catholicism and the varieties of Protestantism.
There are also several Christian communities that adopt traditional African traditions like Obeah and Winti. Winti is a mostly underground West African religion. It recognizes a myriad of gods and spirits, each with their own stories, rituals, sacrifices, tabos (forbidden acts), and supernatural powers.
Packing Tips for Suriname
- Important Documents- passport & Travel map
- Day Bag or Backpack
- Sunglasses and Sun Hat
- Comfortable Clothes
- Breathable tees
- Power Charger
- Travel Adapter
- Insect Protection
- Toiletries
- Shoes
- Accessories
- Tickets and travel documents
- Medical kit
Is it Safe to Travel Suriname?
Yes, Overall Suriname is a safe country to travel. However, Pickpocket is common in this country, especially in the night. You have to walk attentively in the capital’s main retail and business districts. Whereas Natural disasters like the flooding in Suriname come with a mortality rate of 100 percent during wet seasons.
There is no risk of Terrorism in this country. While violent crimes like armed robbery and burglary occur in Suriname but not so common. You should remain careful all the time while visiting this country.
It is relatively safe for Solo Women Travelers. However, Better to say in the group due to pretty crimes are so common in this country. While Rapes and Kidnappings are not common in this country.
Conclusion
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FAQs
Good Things about Suriname?
1. Biodiversity 2. Beaches 3. Bauxite
Bad Things about Suriname?
1. Petty Crime 2. Bad infrastructure 3. Capital is crowded
Weird Things about Suriname?
1. 90% of the people live in Capital 2. Smallest country in South America 3. 75% country is covered by forest
Suriname Travel Restrictions?
Suriname is closed for Tourists as of now.
Lockdown Suriname update?
Now lock down is uplifted now in Suriname but you need to cover your face in public.