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Suriname 🇸🇷

backpacking South America Suriname 🇸🇷Wooden Dutch streets in town, canoe-only villages upriver.

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Backpacking Suriname in 2027

A complete guide including when and where to go, costs, transport, itineraries, and practical travel advice.
A practical introduction for travelers

Backpacking Suriname
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 9, 2026

Most travelers in Suriname end up booking a guided river trip into the interior, and the map explains why. The paved road south stops at Atjoni, a muddy landing on the Suriname River, and beyond it the only way on is a motorized dugout canoe. About nine-tenths of the country is rainforest, and most of that forest has no road at all.

In return, you get a country that smells of diesel, wet leaves and frying roti, sometimes all at once. In Paramaribo, white wooden Dutch houses creak in the afternoon heat, and a mosque and a synagogue stand side by side on Keizerstraat. Upriver, Saamaka women wash pots on sun-warmed granite. At Raleighvallen, howler monkeys roar you awake before dawn. The hard parts are real too. Interior trips cost far more than city days, distances swallow whole afternoons, and the long rainy season, roughly late April to mid-August, turns trails into red clay.

French Guiana next door costs more and feels more like a French department. Guyana has rougher roads and less reliable food. Suriname suits slow travelers who are happy to sweat for the forest and linger over a plate of rice. Anyone chasing a tight checklist will find it frustrating.

👉 Get the 📖 Travel Guide of Suriname

Paramaribo

Backpacking Suriname almost always starts in the capital, and you can cross its UNESCO-listed inner city on foot in an hour. Mornings mean the shouts of fishmongers along the Waterkant. Evenings mean blaring dancehall and the smell of satay smoke from Javanese stalls. It is compact, social and easy to handle without a car. It suits first-timers who want a soft landing and a different curry every night.

Commewijne

Across the river, old plantations sit along flat, shaded lanes lined with coconut palms and drainage canals. You rent a bike and pedal past crumbling sugar mills and rusting cannons at Fort Nieuw Amsterdam. Mosquitoes join you at dusk. It is quiet, mostly Javanese and Hindustani countryside. It suits cyclists and day-trippers, and the ride ends with river views where Guiana dolphins sometimes surface.

Upper Suriname River

Past Atjoni, life follows the river. Maroon villages, simple lodges on stilts, and kids paddling to school. Getting here takes a long road plus a canoe ride, and going further means more canoe. It suits travelers who want to sleep in a hammock and hear the rapids all night.

Central Suriname Nature Reserve

This is the deep interior. Reaching it takes either a small plane or a full day by boat, then steep, root-tangled trails. It suits fit hikers with a real budget. On top of the bare granite dome of the Voltzberg, unbroken canopy runs to every horizon.

Nickerie

The far west is rice country. Flat, windy and sleepy, with long empty roads to Guyana’s border. Few foreigners make the long drive. Birders do, for the scarlet ibis flocks over the Bigi Pan lagoon.
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Why go?What makes this country worth the trip

Low cost

Daily life in Suriname costs less than in neighboring French Guiana, and city days are where you save. In Paramaribo, expect roughly US$40 to 60 (around SRD 1,500 to 2,300) a day for a guesthouse bed, street food and local minibuses. Your money mostly goes on food. A heaped roti with chicken and long beans, or a bowl of peppery saoto soup, fills you for little. The interior is the exception, since multi-day river or reserve trips cost several times … read more 👉
Daily life in Suriname costs less than in neighboring French Guiana, and city days are where you save. In Paramaribo, expect roughly US$40 to 60 (around SRD 1,500 to 2,300) a day for a guesthouse bed, street food and local minibuses. Your money mostly goes on food. A heaped roti with chicken and long beans, or a bowl of peppery saoto soup, fills you for little. The interior is the exception, since multi-day river or reserve trips cost several times a city day. For cheap meals, head to the Javanese warungs in the Blauwgrond district, where bami and satay come straight off the charcoal.

⭐ HighlightsThe places that define a trip here

  • Paramaribo’s historic inner city: Wooden merchant houses with dark green shutters lean over streets where scooters weave past Hindu temples and Dutch Reformed churches. Duck inside the Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, one of the largest wooden buildings in the Americas, and the air turns cool and smells of old cedar. Walk the old brick walls of Fort Zeelandia afterward for a river breeze.
  • Raleighvallen and the Voltzberg: Deep in the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, the Coppename River breaks into a staircase of rapids beside a small ranger camp. The climb to the Voltzberg dome is a slick, sweaty scramble. At the top, the granite feels hot through your shoes, and swifts cut the air below you.
  • Upper Suriname River villages: Saamaka settlements line the banks, with drums, cassava drying on mats and canoes knocking against wooden jetties. Ask before photographing anyone. The river water is the temperature of weak tea and about the same color, perfect for an evening swim.
  • Brownsberg Nature Park:
… read more 👉
  • Paramaribo’s historic inner city: Wooden merchant houses with dark green shutters lean over streets where scooters weave past Hindu temples and Dutch Reformed churches. Duck inside the Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, one of the largest wooden buildings in the Americas, and the air turns cool and smells of old cedar. Walk the old brick walls of Fort Zeelandia afterward for a river breeze.
  • Raleighvallen and the Voltzberg: Deep in the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, the Coppename River breaks into a staircase of rapids beside a small ranger camp. The climb to the Voltzberg dome is a slick, sweaty scramble. At the top, the granite feels hot through your shoes, and swifts cut the air below you.
  • Upper Suriname River villages: Saamaka settlements line the banks, with drums, cassava drying on mats and canoes knocking against wooden jetties. Ask before photographing anyone. The river water is the temperature of weak tea and about the same color, perfect for an evening swim.
  • Brownsberg Nature Park: A plateau about 500 meters above the vast Brokopondo reservoir, with trails that drop to waterfalls hidden in ferns. Mist hangs here in the early morning. You smell the forest floor long before you can see the view.
  • Galibi: On the beaches near the Marowijne River mouth, leatherback turtles haul themselves ashore at night, mainly between February and August. You hear the heavy rasp of sand being flung before your eyes adjust to the dark.
Beyond these, look for the ruined synagogue at Jodensavanne, the street art of Moengo and the bird-filled Bigi Pan lagoon.
Spotted a mistake or missing a highlight? Contact us.
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🧭 RoutesSuggested travel routes through Suriname

The 5-Day Capital and Plateau Route


Wooden churches, river breezes and plantation ruins fill the first days, then the trip climbs to a forested plateau above a flooded valley. It is a compact, low-stress taste of the country that never strays far from Paramaribo.
  • The cedar interior of Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral
  • Cycling among birds and old factory ruins at Peperpot
  • Waterfall hikes and reservoir views at Brownsberg


👉 explore this 5-day route

The 10-Day Turtles and Rainforest Route


This trip trades city sightseeing for wildlife, splitting its time between the Atlantic shore and the heart of the central forest. Expect nights on a nesting beach and days on a river island beside roaring rapids.
  • Night watches for leatherback turtles at Galibi
  • A crash course in Surinamese history and food in Paramaribo
  • Island life at Raleighvallen
  • The granite-dome climb of Voltzberg


👉 explore this 10-day route

The 15-Day Coast to Deep South Route


Two weeks let you link colonial streets, Jewish heritage, Maroon river … read more 👉

The 5-Day Capital and Plateau Route


Wooden churches, river breezes and plantation ruins fill the first days, then the trip climbs to a forested plateau above a flooded valley. It is a compact, low-stress taste of the country that never strays far from Paramaribo.
  • The cedar interior of Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral
  • Cycling among birds and old factory ruins at Peperpot
  • Waterfall hikes and reservoir views at Brownsberg


👉 explore this 5-day route

The 10-Day Turtles and Rainforest Route


This trip trades city sightseeing for wildlife, splitting its time between the Atlantic shore and the heart of the central forest. Expect nights on a nesting beach and days on a river island beside roaring rapids.
  • Night watches for leatherback turtles at Galibi
  • A crash course in Surinamese history and food in Paramaribo
  • Island life at Raleighvallen
  • The granite-dome climb of Voltzberg


👉 explore this 10-day route

The 15-Day Coast to Deep South Route


Two weeks let you link colonial streets, Jewish heritage, Maroon river villages and the far southern mountains in one sweep. It is a slow, river-paced journey that ends somewhere very few visitors ever reach.
  • The ruins of Jodensavanne above the Suriname River
  • Dugout journeys to the rapids of Awarradam
  • Sea turtle nights on Galibi Beach
  • Flying south to climb Kasikasima

👉 explore this 15-day route

🌤️ When to go?When to go for the best experience

The best time for backpacking Suriname is mid-August to November, the long dry season, when monthly rain drops to roughly 70 to 100 mm, forest trails firm up and airfares from Amsterdam ease once Dutch school holidays end. Paramaribo and the interior rainforest follow the same calendar, but the interior gets more rain and runs on river levels, so timing matters more upriver.
  • Long dry season (mid-August to November): Hot, sunny days of 31 to 33°C (88 to 91°F), the year’s lightest rain and the best conditions for Brownsberg, Raleighvallen and Upper Suriname River lodges. Crowds thin out after August.
  • Short rainy season (December to January): Heavy showers return. Dutch-Surinamese families fly home for the holidays, pushing up fares and filling Paramaribo guesthouses.
  • Short dry season (February to mid-April): Drier spells, few visitors and the start of sea turtle nesting at Galibi and Matapica.
  • Long rainy season (mid-April to mid-August): The wettest stretch, with 250 to 300 mm or more in May and June, muddy dirt roads and full rivers, though leatherback nesting peaks.
The risk most people overlook is low water at the end of the dry season: by October and November exposed rocks on Upper Suriname River rapids make boat trips slower and sometimes force detours. Book flights for July, August and December two to three months ahead, and pack a light rain shell in any month.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: good for travelingFEBFebruary: good for travelingMARMarch: good for travelingAPRApril: fair for travelingMAYMay: fair for travelingJUNJune: fair for travelingJULJuly: fair for travelingAUGAugust: highly recommended for travelingSEPSeptember: highly recommended for travelingOCTOctober: excellent for travelingNOVNovember: highly recommended for travelingDECDecember: highly recommended for traveling
Suriname-pixabay-body-of-water-3237144

💰 Costs (as of 2026)What things cost day to day

Backpacking Suriname on a budget costs about US$35 to 55 (roughly SRD 1,300 to 2,050) a day, which puts it above Brazil, below Guyana for most things, and far below French Guiana across the river. Prices in Paramaribo are often given in US dollars or euros for rooms and tours. Food, buses and shops are mostly paid in Surinamese dollars (SRD), at roughly SRD 37 to the US dollar. Exchange rates have moved a lot in recent years, so check the rate before you change money at a cambio.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Dorm accommodationUS$15 to 25 (SRD 550 to 925)Paramaribo has only a few dorms. A bed in a guesthouse in or near the historic center runs about US$15 to 20, and a basic private room in a guesthouse costs US$30 to 45. You can pay less by staying a week, since many places give weekly rates, or by sharing a private room between two people. Guyana’s Georgetown charges about the same for far less choice, and Cayenne starts around €40.
MealsUS$8 to 15 (SRD 300 to 550)Street food is the better deal. A roti with chicken at a Hindustani roti shop costs about SRD 150 to 250 (US$4 to 7), and bami or nasi at a Javanese warung in Blauwgrond is SRD 100 to 175. Self-catering from Chinese-run
… read more 👉
Backpacking Suriname on a budget costs about US$35 to 55 (roughly SRD 1,300 to 2,050) a day, which puts it above Brazil, below Guyana for most things, and far below French Guiana across the river. Prices in Paramaribo are often given in US dollars or euros for rooms and tours. Food, buses and shops are mostly paid in Surinamese dollars (SRD), at roughly SRD 37 to the US dollar. Exchange rates have moved a lot in recent years, so check the rate before you change money at a cambio.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Dorm accommodationUS$15 to 25 (SRD 550 to 925)Paramaribo has only a few dorms. A bed in a guesthouse in or near the historic center runs about US$15 to 20, and a basic private room in a guesthouse costs US$30 to 45. You can pay less by staying a week, since many places give weekly rates, or by sharing a private room between two people. Guyana’s Georgetown charges about the same for far less choice, and Cayenne starts around €40.
MealsUS$8 to 15 (SRD 300 to 550)Street food is the better deal. A roti with chicken at a Hindustani roti shop costs about SRD 150 to 250 (US$4 to 7), and bami or nasi at a Javanese warung in Blauwgrond is SRD 100 to 175. Self-catering from Chinese-run supermarkets saves less than you’d hope, because most groceries are imported. Bread, eggs and instant noodles still come to around SRD 150 to 250 a day.
Local transportUS$1 to 6 (SRD 35 to 220)Minibuses are the cheapest way around Suriname. A ride within Paramaribo is about SRD 15 to 25. The trip from Paramaribo to Albina on the French Guiana border runs roughly SRD 100 to 150, and it’s around SRD 150 to 250 to Nieuw Nickerie. Taxis within the city start around SRD 150 to 250, so on bus days you spend a fraction of that.
ActivitiesUS$0 to 100+ a dayWalking the wooden old town and Fort Zeelandia museum costs little (the museum is about SRD 150 to 300). Most of your budget goes on the interior. A Brownsberg day trip runs US$70 to 100. A 3 to 4 day lodge trip on the Upper Suriname River costs US$250 to 450, and fly-in trips to Raleighvallen cost much more. Book a group tour and split the transport to cut costs.
MiscellaneousUS$3 to 8 (SRD 110 to 300)The tourist card or e-visa runs about US$50 to 60 per entry. A Digicel or Telesur SIM with data costs SRD 100 to 300. A one-liter Parbo beer is roughly SRD 60 to 90, and big bottles of water and mosquito repellent take another SRD 50 to 150.
Total Daily BudgetUS$35 to 55 (SRD 1,300 to 2,050)A day in Paramaribo with a dorm bed, two warung meals, minibus rides and a beer costs about US$35 to 45. Add an interior tour and the daily average rises fast, so plan those separately. That’s cheaper than a day in Georgetown, and less than half what French Guiana costs.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

✈️ The backpacker research shortcutSuriname Travel Guide

An offline-friendly backpacking guide with optimized travel routes, ranked highlights, transport advice, and the best areas to stay.
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The digital guide (180 pages) contains:
✅ 43 highlights, ranked by travel appeal
✅ Optimized 5, 10 & 15-day travel routes
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📅 Plan smarter in minutes, not weeks
✅ Month by month travel advice
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🗺️ Go to the right places, skip the overrated ones
✅ Honest pros & cons of destinations
✅ Top hikes, parks & viewpoints
✅ Lesser-known places most travelers miss
✅ Clear “worth it vs skip it” guidance

🛏️ Travel smoothly without rookie mistakes
✅ Best areas to stay
✅ Transport systems explained simply
✅ Common scams & safety advice
✅ SIM cards, money & practical tips

🌍 Understand the country, not just visit it
✅ Culture & traditions
✅ 52 Essential phrases & customs
✅ Festivals worth planning around
✅ Traveler-friendly historical context
✅ Insights that make places more meaningful

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🛏️ Where to stay?Areas travelers tend to prefer

Suriname has few true hostels, but Paramaribo has plenty of budget guesthouses with dorms or private rooms from roughly US$15 to 40 a night. The historic inner city puts you within walking distance of the riverfront Waterkant, the wooden colonial streets and the bars around the Palmentuin, though some blocks feel deserted and dodgy after dark. Residential areas such as Zorg en Hoop and Rainville are quieter, safer at night and closer to supermarkets, but you will need taxis or minibuses to reach the center.

If you enjoy meeting fellow travelers, consider choosing hostels with high ratings for atmosphere. … read more 👉
Suriname has few true hostels, but Paramaribo has plenty of budget guesthouses with dorms or private rooms from roughly US$15 to 40 a night. The historic inner city puts you within walking distance of the riverfront Waterkant, the wooden colonial streets and the bars around the Palmentuin, though some blocks feel deserted and dodgy after dark. Residential areas such as Zorg en Hoop and Rainville are quieter, safer at night and closer to supermarkets, but you will need taxis or minibuses to reach the center.

If you enjoy meeting fellow travelers, consider choosing hostels with high ratings for atmosphere. On the other hand, if you prefer having your own space, a hotel might be a better option.

Best hostels in Suriname


Best quality hotels in Suriname

🚌 Getting aroundWhat moving around is really like

Backpacking Suriname comes down to one trade: cheap, slow minibuses and riverboats on the coast and up the rivers, or small-plane flights into the interior that cost ten to twenty times more and save you a full day of road and river each way. Most travelers mix the two. They bus the coastal highway and fly only where a jungle lodge or the Upper Suriname River makes the long overland route impractical.
  • Minibuses (city and long-distance) Painted minibuses blasting kaseko music run out of central Paramaribo,
… read more 👉
Backpacking Suriname comes down to one trade: cheap, slow minibuses and riverboats on the coast and up the rivers, or small-plane flights into the interior that cost ten to twenty times more and save you a full day of road and river each way. Most travelers mix the two. They bus the coastal highway and fly only where a jungle lodge or the Upper Suriname River makes the long overland route impractical.
  • Minibuses (city and long-distance) Painted minibuses blasting kaseko music run out of central Paramaribo, around the Heiligenweg and the area near the Central Market. In-city rides cost roughly SRD 10 to 20 (US$0.30 to 0.55). Long-distance routes to Albina (about 140 km, 2 to 2.5 hours) or Nieuw Nickerie (about 235 km, 3.5 to 4.5 hours) run roughly SRD 150 to 300 (US$4 to 8). You pay cash to the driver or conductor, and buses leave when full, so mornings before 9 a.m. move fastest. The seats are tight, and the windows open onto flat green rice polders and roadside roti stalls.
  • Bus to Atjoni plus korjaal To reach the Saramaccan villages, a bus runs from Paramaribo to Atjoni (Pokigron), about 190 km and 3 to 4 hours, with the last stretch on rough, dusty road. From the landing, motorized dugout canoes (korjalen) push upriver for 1 to 4 hours depending on your lodge. Most lodges bundle the transfer into their package, and booking that way is usually cheaper than arranging boats on the spot. Bring a dry bag. The spray is warm, and you pass kids swimming off granite rocks.
  • Domestic flights Small Cessnas and Islanders leave from Zorg en Hoop airport in Paramaribo for interior airstrips. Flights take 45 to 90 minutes, and one-way fares run roughly US$150 to 300, usually booked through a lodge or tour operator. Baggage limits can be as low as 10 to 15 kg. In return you see unbroken rainforest canopy below the wing.
  • Taxis Taxis have no meters, so agree the fare before you get in. Short trips within Paramaribo cost roughly SRD 100 to 250 (US$3 to 7), more after dark. Ask your guesthouse for a trusted driver’s number.
Traffic drives on the left here, and the coastal highway is the country’s single east-west spine. To cross toward Guyana or French Guiana, take the earliest bus so you reach the border ferry before it closes for the day.
Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport (Zanderij) sits about 45 km (28 miles) south of central Paramaribo, a 45 to 60 minute drive. Taxis wait outside arrivals and charge roughly SRD 1,300 to 1,900 (US$35 to 50) to the city center. Agree the price before you leave, since there are no meters. Pre-booked airport shuttles cost roughly US$15 to 25 (SRD 550 to 950) per person and suit solo travelers, especially on late-night arrivals when most flights from Amsterdam and Miami land. There is no dedicated airport bus, but public minibuses on the Zanderij route run along the main road into Paramaribo for roughly SRD 50 to 100 (US$1.50 to 3). The ride takes about 1.5 hours and the buses stop running in the evening. International ride-hailing apps do not operate in Suriname, so a taxi or shuttle is the practical choice with luggage.
⚠️ Prices and routes can change, so take this as a rough guide and ask for local advice when you arrive.
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We’ll generate a route that minimizes unnecessary travel and fits your available days.

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🔒 Safety (risk Level: low)Common concerns and things to watch out for

Safety for solo travelers, including women and LGBTQ+ individuals
Suriname is generally safe for solo travelers if you take normal city precautions, though Paramaribo has petty theft and occasional robberies, especially around the Waterkant, the Palmentuin and empty streets after dark. Take taxis at night, keep your phone out of sight on the street, and book interior trips with established operators. Women traveling alone may get catcalls and persistent attention, which is usually harmless but is best met with firm disinterest. Same-sex relations are legal and Paramaribo has a small, visible LGBTQ+ scene with pride events, but the wider society is fairly conservative, so discretion with public affection is wise, especially outside the capital.

✈️ VisaEntry requirements and paperwork

Most visitors to Suriname, including citizens of the US, Canada, the UK and most EU countries, do not need a full visa but must pay an online entry fee (around US$50) or obtain an e-visa before travel, depending on nationality. You apply through the official Surinamese e-visa portal, linked from the government website, and carry the approval with you on arrival. CARICOM nationals and a few other nationalities can enter visa-free, so check your passport’s category before booking.

source: gov.sr
⚠️ Visa requirements can change over time, so always check the latest visa requirements with the official embassy or government website before you travel.

🎒 What to pack?What to pack for Suriname

Suriname is hot and humid year-round, with temperatures around 30°C (86°F) and heavy downpours, especially in the long rainy season from roughly April to August, so pack quick-dry, breathable clothes and a light rain jacket. If you head into the interior, long sleeves, long pants and strong DEET repellent are your best defense against mosquitoes, and everything you carry should fit in a dry bag for canoe trips. Paramaribo is relaxed but fairly conservative in dress away from the pool, and interior Maroon villages expect modest clothing, so a wrap skirt or loose trousers covering the knees comes in handy. Sturdy sandals that can get wet work better than heavy hiking boots for muddy trails and river landings.

Apart from this country specific advice, I have also crafted a general packing list that should help on any trip. authorOver the years, I've learned the importance of packing minimally. It's so much easier to jump on the back of a truck or squeeze yourself into the last spot of a minibus without that supersized backpack. If you're headed to a warm destination, leave your winter jacket at home; for colder regions, opt for thin thermal underlayers. Instead of packing your entire wardrobe, bring just three sets of clothes, as laundry facilities are available everywhere.

View the full list 👉

🙋 FAQTravel questions about Suriname

Trip Planning

Planning a backpacking route through Suriname can be tricky — you need to balance must-see places, travel times, budget, and how long to stay in each destination. Our free personalized Suriname itinerary planner creates a route based on your travel style, trip duration, and interests, so you can spend less time researching and more time exploring.



Personal tip: I normally search on good rating for atmosphere (for meeting people) and location (for easy exploring). Cleanliness as a bonus.


Travel Essentials

For Suriname, make sure routine vaccines (MMR, tetanus-diphtheria, polio) are current, and get hepatitis A and typhoid shots, both recommended for most travelers. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for anyone age 9 months or older, and a certificate is required if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk. Hepatitis B and rabies are worth considering for long stays or remote interior trips. There is a malaria risk in parts of the interior, especially near gold-mining areas, so ask a travel clinic about prophylaxis. Dengue, chikungunya and Zika also circulate, so mosquito protection matters day and night.


vaccination requirements
When I first started traveling, I often spent part of my first day in a new country hunting for a local SIM card. While this can still be slightly cheaper, it also takes time and planning.

These days, it's much simpler to install an eSIM before leaving home. Once you arrive in Suriname, you can activate it immediately and have mobile data from the moment you land — which is especially useful for ordering transport or navigating away from busy airports.

There are many providers nowadays, and price differences are usually small. I personally go with Holafly, as it offers excellent network coverage throughout the country and strong global coverage, so you can manage multiple countries from a single app.


HolaFly eSim

Culture & Customs

Suriname’s mix of Hindustani, Creole, Javanese, Maroon, Indigenous, Chinese and Dutch communities works on mutual respect, so treat every culture’s holidays and places of worship with equal care. Do remove your shoes when entering homes, mosques and Hindu temples, and dress modestly there with shoulders and knees covered. In Maroon and Indigenous villages, do ask permission before photographing people, houses or shrines, follow your guide’s lead on where you may walk, and don’t touch sacred objects or flags marking holy spots. Some Maroon villages have specific rules for women, such as wearing a wrap skirt (pangi) or avoiding certain areas during menstruation, so follow them without argument. Don’t joke about ethnic politics or the country’s 1980s military era. Same-sex couples should keep public affection low-key, particularly in rural areas.
Trying traditional food is always a great way to experience the culture. Here are some must-try dishes for Suriname.
  1. Pom Suriname’s celebration dish: grated pomtajer root (a tuber related to taro) baked with citrus-marinated chicken until the top caramelizes. It comes from the Afro-Surinamese and Jewish Creole kitchens and appears at every birthday party. Locals also stuff it into a roll as broodje pom.
  2. Roti A legacy of Hindustani contract workers: a soft, split-pea-filled flatbread served with curried chicken, potatoes, a boiled egg and kousenband (long beans). Roti shops are everywhere in Paramaribo, and one plate easily feeds you for the day.
  3. Moksi alesi Literally “mixed rice”: rice cooked with salted meat or fish, beans and spices in one pot. It is everyday Creole comfort food and shows how the country’s kitchens blend.
  4. Saoto soup A Javanese chicken broth with bean sprouts, shredded chicken, fried potato sticks and a boiled egg, finished with sambal. It is the go-to cheap meal at Javanese warungs, especially in Lelydorp and Blauwgrond.
  5. Bami and nasi Javanese-style fried noodles and fried rice, sold at warungs with satay, peanut sauce and fried plantain (bakabana). They make the best budget meal in the country.
  6. Pindasoep with tom tom A rich peanut soup served with tom tom, pounded plantain dumplings. This Afro-Surinamese dish is often eaten on Sundays and at family gatherings.
  7. Heri heri Boiled cassava, sweet potato, plantain and other root crops served with salted fish. It recalls the food enslaved Africans survived on and is traditionally eaten around Keti Koti on July 1.
Tap water in Paramaribo is treated and generally considered safe, and many locals drink it without problems. Travelers with sensitive stomachs often stick to bottled water at first, and outside the capital, especially in the interior, where river or rainwater is common, you should drink only bottled, filtered or purified water. A filter bottle saves money and plastic on longer trips.
The main language in Suriname is Dutch. Backpacking is way more rewarding if you know a bit of the local language, so I'd suggest brushing up on the basics just in case your Dutch skills have become a bit rusty.

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English is widely understood in Paramaribo, especially among younger people, guesthouse staff and tour operators, and in Nieuw Nickerie, near the Guyana border, it is common. Dutch is the official language of Suriname, used in schools, signage and government, while Sranan Tongo is the everyday lingua franca nearly everyone speaks. In rural areas and interior Maroon or Indigenous villages, English drops off fast, so a guide or a downloaded offline Dutch pack in Google Translate helps. A few words of Sranan Tongo, such as “odi” (hello) and “grantangi” (thank you), earn instant smiles.

Money & Payments

The local currency of Suriname is SRD (Srd).
ATMs are easy to find in Paramaribo and the larger coastal towns, but not every machine accepts foreign cards, so look for banks such as Hakrinbank and DSB, whose ATMs usually take international Visa cards (Mastercard support is patchier). Expect your home bank’s foreign-transaction fees plus a modest local charge, and note that withdrawal limits can be low, so you may need several withdrawals. In Suriname, cards work at hotels, supermarkets, larger restaurants and tour operators in the capital, but markets, minibuses, roti shops and the entire interior run on cash. Bringing crisp US dollars or euros is smart, since both are easy to exchange and widely used for tours and lodges. Change money at licensed exchange offices (cambios) in central Paramaribo, which usually give better rates than banks. Never change cash with people on the street.
Tipping in Suriname is appreciated but not expected, and many locals don’t tip at casual roti shops or warungs. In sit-down restaurants in Paramaribo, leave around 10% for good service unless a service charge already appears on the bill. Interior guides and boat drivers rely more on tips, so budget roughly US$5 to 10 per day of a multi-day tour, given in cash.

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📸 PhotosScenes from around the country

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Photographed by: Johan Kruseman

We 💚 feedbackFinal notes for travelers

Come to Suriname for the interior. Few places let you sleep beside a river in a Maroon village one night and eat Javanese saoto soup in a colonial capital the next. The drawback is cost and access. The forest is reachable mostly through tours or planes, and that adds up fast. One worry is easy to put to rest: you do not need Dutch. English is widely understood in Paramaribo and at lodges, and people switch to it readily.

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The information on this page is based on in-depth research, insights shared by experienced travelers, and feedback from the local travel community in Suriname. While every effort is made to keep the information accurate and current, conditions can change — so if you spot anything incorrect or outdated, please get in touch.



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