What to see in Suriname: 10 must-sees

Discover the Suriname River aboard a boat from Paramaribo, gliding between walls of jungle that close in on the banks. Stop at the waterfalls that interrupt navigation, camp at night on the sandy shores, and listen to wildlife moving around your tent. By day, walk trails through the riverside vegetation, watch birds and monkeys among the treetops, and explore the geological formations that emerge beside the water. The current connects the Surinamese capital with the country's forested interior.

Explore the Coppename River, cruising along the jungle banks of Sipaliwini, where the water pushes through dense forest and sandbanks. Watch birds, monkeys, and caimans from the canoe, pitch your camp on a river beach, and fall asleep to the sound of the jungle. Hike the nearby trails to get a close look at the flora and fauna of this little-visited corner of Suriname.

Explore Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname, and discover a historic center of white wooden houses, churches, and streets on the banks of the Suriname River. Visit Fort Zeelandia and the Neve Shalom Synagogue, built next to a mosque, and trace three centuries of Dutch colonial history. This old town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as an exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition, and its preserved wooden facades display the blend of European, African, and Creole influences that defines the city.

Get a glimpse of Galibi National Park, in the Marowijne region of eastern Suriname, where the jungle stretches down to the seashore. Between March and July you can watch sea turtles nest on its protected beaches, one of the most remarkable spectacles of the South American Caribbean. Snorkel in the coastal waters, hike trails through dense vegetation, and spot birds in their natural habitat. Local rangers accompany visitors and watch over the conservation of this area, key to the breeding of these reptiles. Bring repellent, comfortable footwear, and patience: the reward is worth every step.

Step through the entrance of Fort Zeelandia, built in the 17th century on the banks of the Suriname River, and walk its gun batteries, where the cannons that once defended Paramaribo still stand in a row. Climb the ramparts to take in the river and its mouth, note the brick and stone details that survive from the colonial era, and continue through its halls, now home to exhibitions on Suriname's history, from Dutch rule to independence, with views over the capital's historic center.

Traverse the untouched rainforest of the Central Suriname Nature Reserve in Sipaliwini and walk trails wrapped in tropical humidity. Stop beside rivers that descend from the central massif and feel the thunder of waterfalls between walls of ancient rock. Watch monkeys crossing the canopy, listen to toucans calling at dawn, and follow animal tracks in the mud of the trails. Here, geological formations rise amid dense forest where the flora grows without interruption and every step reveals the wildest nature in the country.

Cross Albina, the Surinamese town in Marowijne district that faces Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni across the river, and board one of the pirogues that cross the border into French Guiana loaded with fruit, fish, and goods. Browse the market by the dock, where granman, Dutch, and Sranan Tongo mingle, walk the streets of wooden houses inherited from the colonial era, and watch how the Marowijne River sets the daily rhythm of traders, gold prospectors, and travelers arriving by road from Paramaribo.

Sail up the Suriname River to Jodensavanne, the old 17th-century Jewish colony about 50 km south of Paramaribo. Wander the red-brick ruins of the Beracha ve Shalom synagogue, one of the first in the Americas, and walk among the headstones of the cemetery where Sephardic settlers lie at rest. See how the forest has slowly covered the settlement's walls and paths, and stop at the small interpretation center to learn the history of this community that prospered through plantations and river trade.