A wonderful holiday in Suriname’s Paramaribo

The city of Paramaribo is the capital of the lovely South American nation of Suriname. The city is by far the largest in the entire nation and without a shadow of a doubt the most populous of the lot as well. The city is home to some 250,000 people, which is more than half of the entire country’s population.

The city is situated on the banks of the nation’s largest and most crucial river, the Suriname River. The city is part and parcel of the Paramaribo district. The historical inner part of the capital city is a World Heritage site since 2002.

The city is popular the world over owing to its diverse ethnic makeup. You can find people from different communities and faiths here and the city is classic example of people from different races and cultures existing peacefully. Some of the groups which are found here in large numbers are the Hindus and Europeans, which are pre-dominantly the English and the Dutch. Besides, there are the Chinese, Creoles and Native Americans also present in large numbers.

The economics of the city is dependent mainly on exports and the areas of specialization of the city are gold, sugar cane, rum, coffee, tropical woods and rice. As regards to the manufacturing activities of Paramaribo, the city produces tons and tons of paints and cement.

An important aspect of the culture of the city is the bird song competition, which is held on Sundays and all other holidays. Besides, the city is home to the nation’s only cinema hall.

Suriname has produced some world class footballers over the years and many of these stars later went on to represent the Netherlands as well. Some of the sons of the soils are Aron Winter, Clarence Seedorf, Stanley Menzo, Romeo Castelen, Regi Blinker, Mark de Vries, Maarten Atmodikoro, Jeremain Lens, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Jerry de Jong, Henk Fräser, Fabian Wilnis, Edgar Davids, Andwele Slory and Mitchell Tjin-fooh.

The other sports which are quite popular in the city include basketball, golf and tennis.

Let’s go through some of the important landmarks of the city in brief.

Suriname Mosque:

This masterpiece is more popularly referred to as Mosque Keizerstraat and is the head for the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of Islam in the capital city.

The mosque is situated in the Keizerstraat area and is just adjacent to another famous landmark of the city, Neveh Shalom Synagogue. This mosque was constructed in the year 1984.

The city of Paramaribo is amongst the very few cities of the world where a Muslim mosque and a Jewish Synagogue co-exist side by side. Therefore, you should definitely visit the site on your next visit to the city.

The National Assembly:

This landmark is locally referred to as De Nationale Assemblée and popularly abbreviated to DNA. This building houses the legislative branch of the government of Suriname.

The assembly came into existence in the year 1975 and succeeds the states. The house of the assembly is made of 51 elected members. These members have a fixed five year term, after which there is an election via the proportional representation of the nation’s districts.

Neveh Shalom Synagogue:

The Neveh Shalom Synagogue is the only one of its kind found in the entire city and country.

Being the only synagogue for the Jewish community in the nation, the place is maintained well and due importance is also given to the structure. The synagogue was designed by a prominent architect of the city, J.F. Halfhid and it is estimated the construction was completed in either 1842 or 1843. The synagogue is located bang adjacent to another world famous landmark of the city, the Mosque Keizerstraat.

The Roman Catholic Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral: This architectural masterpiece is the most frequently visited site in the entire city of Paramaribo. This huge structure has a very unique distinction to its credit as it is known to be the biggest wooden structure to be found in the Americas.

This masterpiece was constructed between 1883 and 1885 and the architect for this wonder was Frans Harmes.

Palmentuin:

The Palmentuin is a small park and a major characteristic of the park are its huge palm trees, which are around a thousand in number. The Park is situated just behind another popular landmark of the city, the Presidential Palace.

Fort Zeelandia:

This fort was constructed by the French and is a wonderful landmark. It is recommended, all history lovers should visit the site without fail as the place gives you a glimpse of the city’s glorious historical past.

In the present day, this historical site has been well preserved by the authorities and there is a museum within the boundaries of the fort. The museum displays exhibits which gives you an idea about the history of the entire nation and region.

The Presidential Palace:

This masterpiece is also commonly referred to as Independence Square. This landmark is right in the heart of the city and a visit to the capital city of Paramaribo is just not complete without a glimpse of the Presidential Palace. In fact if you have visited the capital city you must have also viewed this masterpiece.

Bird watching tours:

The entire nation of Suriname is known the world over for the rare species of birds it houses. Besides, it is also a haven for bird watchers. The city of Paramaribo is no different and it is very easy to be part of bird watching tours. The tours start from the city and you will be provided with a guide and driver to take you to your desired place.

The fees for the tour are all-inclusive of food, snacks, transportation etc. However, there are some conditions before one can undertake the tour, the main conditions include the person must be in good physical condition, besides, the person needs to have an insurance cover as well so that an untoward incident can be taken care off.

The Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge:

This Bridge is a very important landmark of Paramaribo and connects two major cities of the country. Popularly known as the Suriname Bridge, the bridge is build over the huge Suriname River and connects the capital with another major city, Meerzorg, which is part of the neighboring Commewijne District.

The bridge is part of the nation’s East-West Road Link and is named the country’s former President, Jules Wijdenbosch. The bridge is made of two lanes and is approximately 1504 meters in length. The bridge was constructed by noted Dutchman Ballast-Nedam and thrown open to the public in May, 2000.

Listed below are some of the questions which may be on your mind.

How do I reach the city of Paramaribo?

The city houses two popular airports. The Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport is the premier airport of the entire nation and hosts a series of flights from the US and other major cities of the world. You need to align here to kick-start your adventure in Suriname.

This airport has seen a fatal air crash on 7 June, 1989, when a Surinam Airways Flight 764 crashed while on approach to the runaway. This fatal day saw 176 out of the 178 passengers on board lose their lives besides the 9 crew members.

Once you have set foot on Suriname’s territory, it is recommended you hire the services of a private cab to take you to your respective destinations. However, you need to be careful here as the cab drivers are not trustworthy and are also known to fire unrealistic prices; hence you need to bargain for a reasonable price with the cab drivers.

The city also has another airport, the Zorg en Hoop Airport, which hosts local flights and facilitates travel within the country.

Where do I stay during my Paramaribo holiday?

The city of Paramaribo boasts of good accommodation options available in various budgets to suit your needs. Some of the more popular landmarks of the city are Residence Inn, Hotel Krasnapolsky, Guesthouse Twenty4, Stardust hotel, Suriname Torarica Hotel Casino, , Ambassador Hotel, Eco Resort, Albergo Alberga and Guesthouse Amice, Paramaribo.

When is the best time of the year to visit Paramaribo?

The weather of Paramaribo is classified as tropical on account of the city being very close to the equator. As such the temperatures are quite hot throughout the year. However, the region also sees heavy rainfall as well and it is advisable you avoid the place during the rains as your holiday schedules can be adversely affected.

The rainy season runs in two seasons, the first spell runs during the December-January period, whereas the other season is much longer from March through July. It is recommended you stay away from the place during the above mentioned periods.

Therefore, the best possible time to visit the city is during February, which sees no rain. You may also visit the city during the period from August through November.

The weather during these months is warm, however, as the rainfall is almost devoid you can enjoy you holiday and all outdoor activities go as per plan.

In addition, the city of Paramaribo has all the potential to become a premier travel destination of the world. The city is full of ancient sites, which are full of history, besides there is tons of modern architecture as well. In the present day, the city is definitely not a haven for tourists, however, the city boasts of the best in tourism services in the whole of Suriname and I am quite confident, the city will be in the news for positive reasons in the next few years.

The city has a good number of accommodation facilities for its visitors and most importantly, English is spoken and understood amongst the local populace here. In addition to being an adventure and bird watching destination, the city also offers some fine restaurants and shopping options.

On the negative side where the authorities need to do some work, the city is definitely not the safest of tourist destinations. This is proved by the fact of the number of robberies, car-jacking complaints, pick pocketing incidents and other petty crimes reported from the city. Hence, the authorities need to provide a strong assurance to the visitors guaranteeing them their security. Hence, it is recommended you avoid carrying valuables especially during the nights. You should also avoid traveling alone at night as such situations are ideal for the anti-social elements to strike.

If you follow these simple precautions, I’m sure you will have a safe and wonderful holiday. So, what are you waiting for, just go ahead and plan that all important holiday to the wonderful Paramaribo in the gorgeous Suriname.