Suriname travel guide

Getting there

Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport near Paramaribo has flights from the Netherlands, the Caribbean and South America. Ferries and boats cross the border rivers to Guyana and French Guiana.

Best time to visit: Aug–Nov – the long dry season.

Flights: see the cheapest month to fly to Paramaribo, with live one-way and return fares from your nearest airport.

Tougher months: May to mid-August – the long rainy season, when trails are muddy, though rivers are high and the forest is lush.

Weather by month in Paramaribo

• 30°J●●
• 30°F●
• 31°M●
• 31°A●●
• 31°M●●●
• 31°J●●●
• 31°J●●
• 32°A●
• 33°S
• 33°O
• 32°N●
• 31°D●●

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: America/Paramaribo. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 21 of 198 other passports can enter Suriname without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 176 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 1 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of Suriname (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions (U.S. Department of State, updated 2026-09-08). Read the advisory.

Stay

Most trips to Suriname are based around Paramaribo, Commewijne District or Central Suriname Nature Reserve. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$40–60 for a backpacker and US$90–160 mid-range, per person.

Connect

Plug types: C, F. Voltage: 127 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +597.

Mobile data: set up a travel eSIM or check your roaming plan before you fly, so data works as soon as you land.

Do

• Paramaribo (Capital · colonial architecture): A UNESCO-listed city of wooden buildings, markets and multicultural life.
• Commewijne District (Coast · plantations): Historic plantations, Fort Nieuw Amsterdam and countryside cycling.
• Central Suriname Nature Reserve (Interior · rainforest): Huge pristine rainforest with Raleigh Falls and the Voltzberg dome.
• Brownsberg Nature Park (Interior · mountain views): A hilltop park with monkeys, waterfalls and views over the Brokopondo Reservoir.
• Upper Suriname River (Interior · Maroon villages): River lodges and traditional villages reached by dugout canoe.
• Galibi Nature Reserve (Northeast · turtle beaches): Important nesting beaches for sea turtles near Indigenous Kaliña villages.
• Bigi Pan (West coast · wetlands): Mangrove lagoons famous for scarlet ibis and other birds.

Things to do

• Walk Paramaribo's historic centre. Stroll among white wooden colonial houses, Fort Zeelandia and the riverside Waterkant.
• See a mosque and synagogue side by side. Visit Keizerstraat, where a mosque and a synagogue stand next to each other.
• Cycle the Commewijne plantations. Cross the river by boat and bike through old plantation estates and quiet villages.
• Spot river dolphins. Take a sunset boat trip to see Guiana dolphins where the Suriname and Commewijne rivers meet.
• Explore the Central Suriname Nature Reserve. Venture into a vast UNESCO-protected rainforest with waterfalls and abundant wildlife.
• Stay in a Maroon village. Travel up the Upper Suriname River to stay in a lodge and learn about Maroon culture.
• Watch nesting sea turtles. See leatherback and green turtles nesting at Galibi beach in season.
• Climb the Voltzberg. Hike through jungle to a granite dome with sweeping views over the rainforest.

Eat and drink

• Roti – flatbread with curried chicken and potatoes
• Pom – baked dish of chicken and grated tayer root
• Bami – Javanese-style fried noodles
• Moksi alesi – mixed rice with meat and vegetables

Money and safety

Currency: Surinamese dollar (SRD). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: About 10% in restaurants..

Emergency numbers: 115 police · 113 ambulance · 110 fire.

• The currency is the Surinamese dollar (SRD); US dollars and euros are also widely used for larger purchases.
• ATMs are available in Paramaribo, but cards are not always accepted, so carry cash for the interior and markets.
• Use normal precautions in Paramaribo, especially at night, and avoid isolated areas.
• Drive on the left and watch out for scooters and animals on rural roads.