Dates Visited: May 26, 2023 – May 30, 2023
Preface
I traveled to Suriname on a fallacy, as some would say.
Well, not quite but my initial interest was piqued by a Netflix drama series I watched in 2022 – Narco Saints. In the end, the show had very little to do with the real Suriname as my trip showed. Nonetheless, it’s a good show to watch so I do recommend it.
Suriname, in reality, is quite a safe place and a melting pot of various cultures, religions, and identities. I think the closest analogy would be Singapore, except the streets of Paramaribo are definitely not as clean and developed. The similarities are that there are multiple ethnic groups (Indians, Creoles, Javanese, Maroons, Chinese, Dutch, etc) living in harmony in Suriname. Not to mention, Suriname’s diversity in religion (Christian, Hindu, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, etc) is something that is rarely found in today’s polarized world. The Paramaribo Synagogue and Paramaribo Mosque are located right next to each other – crazy right? Something truly unique.
In terms of cuisine, Suriname felt like a slice of Asia to me – there are really good Indian, Chinese, and Indonesian restaurants all over Paramaribo. The food itself was a highlight of my trip there.
Safety
Generally, I felt safe wandering Paramaribo by myself during the daytime. There are plenty of people out and about and a decent police/ security presence. It’s a small city though, so downtown is deserted at night therefore there was no reason for me to be in downtown at night anyways.
The lively area at night is the tiny enclave of “Waka Pasi” near the Ramada by Wyndham Hotel which is well-lit, guarded by the police, and very safe to walk around by yourself. This is the epicenter of nightlife in Paramaribo with restaurants, bar, clubs, and casinos based here.
I was told by local drivers that the more sketchy areas of the city are closer to the big bridge which is located well out of walking distance anyways. There also appears to be no reason for a tourist to be there.
Visa Logistics
Simple – everyone has to pay a US$25 “Entry Fee” online and print out the Entry Fee Voucher to show immigration upon arrival. The website can be found at suriname.vfsevisa(DOT)com/suriname/online/home/entry-fee
Tour Agencies/Guides/Fixers
I did not use any tour agencies or fixers during my time in Suriname.
Arriving
Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport
Small airport with no jet bridges, you will board by air stairs. On departure, there’s a decent amount of stores that sell souvenirs, liquor, vegetables, groceries, etc where you can pick up last minute items and burn remaining local currency. There is one VIP lounge that costs US$40 to enter, and does not take Priority Pass. I did not enter. The check-in counters are crowded so I do recommend you arrive 3 or 4 hours prior to flight departure. At my flight departure time, there was only one security line and one immigration line which led to over an hour of wait time.
I suggest that you pre-arrange your airport transfers to and from the city with a taxi company such as Garage de Paarl. They can be reached on WhatsApp at +597 403600 and the price is 35USD/car. The airport is located 90 minutes outside the city and there appears to be no public transportation options to the city. By comparison, the Courtyard Marriott charges 50USD/car for the same transfer so it is more cost efficient to work directly with the transportation companies.
This airport only sees a maximum of 5 flights per day, including the two main flights in the afternoon to Panama City (COPA) and Amsterdam (KLM). Expect long queues at check-in, security and immigration on departure.
Immigration/Customs
Easy and uneventful – show them your printed Entry Fee Voucher and passport. The queue may take some time if you arrive on a large flight (Panama City, Amsterdam origin flights)
Currency
Suriname’s local currency – the “SRD”/ “Surinamese Dollar” is used alongside U.S. dollars in day to day transactions. For higher end restaurants that cater to tourists, US dollars will be used as the default price on menus. For local restaurants, SRD is used. At my time of visit, the street rate was between 36 and 37 SRD to one U.S. dollar. You can exchange your Euros or US dollars at a “cambio” shop, or for the best exchange rate (39 SRD: 1 USD) – visit the cashier booth of the Princess Casino in the Ramada hotel. Casinos tend to give a higher rate compared to the cambio shops.
I suggest that you bring USD $5, $10, $20 notes – I found quickly that Surinamese do not accept US $1 notes for some reason. They are also very picky on the condition of the USD notes – if the note looks beat-up, ripped, tore, or heavily used – they will reject it. Try to bring only clean, new, crisp banknote
On a day to day basis, I carried both “SRD” and USD notes in my wallet and depending on the establishment – I would select to use either. The largest SRD note is 100 SRD which is equal to two and a half U.S dollars.
Credit cards are rarely accepted – only major hotels and very large tourist-facing restaurants take credit cards. The local population seems to prefer to use cash.
Taxis/Rideshare/Local Transportation
There is no “rideshare” or Uber app in Suriname. Taxis can be hailed off the street, by calling a radio dispatch number (1690), or via WhatsApp messages to individual drivers. Hailing taxis off the street can be difficult as there are not many taxis available. Since I was staying at the Courtyard Marriott, the hotel contracts with a local taxi company that I used. I befriended each of my drivers and collected their WhatsApp contacts which made it easier for me to get around Paramaribo – but expect to wait a while for them to arrive since traffic can be quite congested. On some days, I hired my taxi driver for half-day to make it easier for both of us. On request, I am happy to share the WhatsApp numbers of my driver contacts in Suriname.
Taxi rides in Paramaribo range from US$3 to US$10 depending on how far you are traveling. For example, Courtyard hotel to the Hermitage Mall was US$10 one-way whereas Courtyard Hotel to the Cathedral was US$4 one-way. Overall, inexpensive city to travel in by taxi.
I did not try local public transportation.
SIM Cards/Wi-Fi
I paid USD$25 for a 25GB sim card at the airport from Digicel. There are SIM card kiosks near baggage claim that can set you up – passport is required. Telesur is another cell phone carrier that had a SIM card kiosk in Arrivals as well. WiFi was available at the hotels and some restaurants. Overall, internet speeds in Suriname were acceptable – I did not have any issues with conducting video calls.
eSIM is available with Digicel according to one flyer I saw in an official store at the Hermitage Mall, but I did not see any information about eSIMs available at the airport kiosks.
Sightseeing
Paramaribo
I traveled to Paramaribo in the middle of rainy season which I would not recommend. It was raining daily for at least a few hours and I was constantly stuck between whether to be using an umbrella or sunglasses. I would suggest going during the dry season to avoid this issue. The roads also tend to flood after a heavy rain storm.
Paramaribo is a small, compact city and visiting all of the major sites can be completed in one day. Plan accordingly here – I think two days in Paramaribo is more than enough.
Waka Pasi/Palm Garden
This is the heart of Paramaribo nightlife and comes alive after sunset. There’s a street along the river “Waka Pasi” it’s called which has small vendors selling cocktails, drinks, handicrafts, souvenirs, magnets, etc. There’s also a palm tree garden next door to take a walk through and take photos. Around the corner, the Princess Casino and surrounding nightclubs make the area a lively place to see and be seen on the weekends.
Readytex Art Gallery/Souvenir Stores
This is the Surinamese souvenir store – you can find any souvenir you could ever want from Suriname here. Worth a visit for shopping. They also have an art gallery nearby with Surinamese art collections that have gone on exhibits abroad.
Mosque/Synagogue
A few blocks west of the cathedral, you’ll find the mosque and synagogue of Paramaribo next to each other. The Neveh Shalom Synagogue and the S.I.V Mosque initially surprised me as there’s very few if none places in the world where these two entities would be juxtaposed next to each other. It goes to speak to the diversity and melting pot that is Suriname. Tours are available on certain days of the weeks at certain times, inquire at each site.
Fort Zeelandia
Closed when I visited but I am told all of the museum exhibits are only in Dutch. This is a fortress built by the French in the 1600s. There is an I <3 SU sign here for photos.
Paramaribo Central Market
Unfortunately did not have a chance to stop by here but it is one of the largest markets in the city.
St. Peter and Paul Cathedral
Centerpiece of Paramaribo – this is a cathedral made of wood and routinely hosts prayer services, weddings, events, etc. There is a small souvenir and gift shop counter inside. Dress appropriately to visit as they do have an enforced dress code.
Presidential Palace
I am told the president of Suriname does not actually live here but it’s rather a showpiece palace for state visits, meetings, etc. Unable to go inside but you can get quite close to the exterior for photos.
Hermitage Mall
This mall seems to be the most popular one in Paramaribo – there’s a good mix of both local and foreign brands here and while the mall is quite small, it has a decent selection of electronics stores, clothing stores, food options, household goods stores, etc. I would compare it to more of an American strip mall plaza, than an actual shopping mall.
International Mall of Suriname
Opened in late 2022, this mall sells mostly imported international brands (think – Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, Levi’s, Ralph Lauren, etc) and is located on the outskirts of the city. There is an I <3 Paramaribo sign here for photos too. This mall did not seem to be too popular with the locals compared to the Hermitage Mall. It appears that this mall is still very much vacant in terms of tenant occupancy.
Surpost Post Office
Standard post office in South America – I stopped by here to send some postcards off. I was surprised by how expensive postage is in Suriname – the cost of sending a postcard often exceeded the cost of purchasing a postcard.
Food/Drink
If you enjoy spicy food, ask for pepper sauce at all of the restaurants you visit in Paramaribo. It’s a sambal type sauce that is a bit too spicy for me, yet enjoyed by many.
De Gadri
This small Surinamese restaurant is located right next to Fort Zeelandia and serves some of the most famous local dishes like pom – the national dish of Suriname. Pom is similar to a casserole, with chicken and a form of taro. It’s pretty good if I say so myself. The menu is in Dutch but staff do speak English. It was crowded with locals when I went which is a good sign.
Grand Roopram Roti Restaurant
Another casual spot loved by the locals of Paramaribo, they have a number of locations around town but the menu seems to be the same – roti (Indian style) served with curry and your choice of protein (chicken, lamb, etc). This is very much a no frills hole-in-the-wall counter-serve spot where you are expected to eat with your hands and get messy. Sinks and handwash soap are provided of course. I was the only tourist in the whole restaurant at my time of visit.
Kong Nam Snack
This is an old-school dim sum shop located north of downtown. You won’t get the dim sum carts here in Suriname as all items are made fresh to order. I actually thought that the dim sum at Kong Nam was the best I’ve had outside of Asia and North America. The staff speak Dutch, Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. Order the har gow and siu mai here. It was very crowded both times I came here and I had to queue for a table.
Chinese Market (near the Soeng Ngie Oriental Market, only on Sundays until mid-day)
On Sundays, there is a small “street food” market of various Chinese and Indonesian dishes outside the Soeng Ngie market. It appears to be only open until noon though. Cash only of course and I thought the food options were acceptable but not the best I’ve had.
Sundays in general tend to be quiet in Paramaribo with stores either closing for the day or opening only in the afternoon. Locals use Sunday for rest and relaxation with very little business going on.
Spice Quest
A fine-dining restaurant with dishes that go up to US$60 (lobster tail), the owner and his staff are very kind and welcoming. The owner stopped by to explain the history of the restaurant and the printing presses located on site. The crispy duck I had was well prepared. This was the most gourmet of the restaurants I visited in Paramaribo.
Raja Ji Indian Restaurant
Located on the “Restaurant Street” near Waka Pasi, this Indian restaurant was very popular and served classic Indian dishes – I had my standard garlic naan and butter chicken – both were well prepared and delicious. Along the same street, you can find options ranging from ice cream to sushi to Italian here.
Restaurant Sarinah – Indonesian
Take-out only, they serve really good Indonesian food and my nasi kip was on point. It is located far away from the city center though so you will spend a considerable amount on a taxi. I was under the impression they had dine-in seating but that area is under renovation.
Choi’s Supermarket
A major supermarket in Paramaribo that sells imported goods from Netherlands, the US, and China – you can pretty much find any grocery necessity here.
Accommodation
Courtyard by Marriott Paramaribo
Originally not my first choice of accommodation in Paramaribo but due to road flooding issues that prevented me from getting to my original accommodation, I spent some Bonvoy points on a few nights here. I’m not sure this property is worth the cash price though – it appears Torarica (Royal) resort might be a better choice for cash.
This hotel very much looks and feels exactly like a typical Courtyard by Marriott you would find in a suburban American town. The rooms are dated but I did notice that there were some “2022 Renovation” rooms being advertised – make sure you ask for one of these newly updated rooms. Service, cleanliness, facilities were all up to standard otherwise.
The staff all speak fluent English and are very helpful if you need a taxi, advice, questions answered about Suriname, etc.
Location wise, this hotel is next to a very flashy casino, and nothing else. You need a car to get off the property, as it is located far from downtown and has no sidewalks surrounding it. The location is definitely a major downside for this property.