Making the most of Paramaribo
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
The port of Paramaribo is located on the Suriname river.
The dock is within walking distance of town.
Printable map to take along.
Paramaribo (nickname: Par'bo) is the capital and largest city of Suriname, located on banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 250,000 people.
The city is located on the Suriname River, approximately 15 km inland from the Atlantic Ocean, in the Paramaribo district.
Paramaribo, the 17th-century capital of Suriname, is graced with attractive Dutch, French, Spanish and British colonial architecture. Imposing brick buildings overlook grassy squares and wooden houses crowd narrow streets. Towering palms shade some areas and mangroves still hug the riverside.
Mosques and synagogues sit side by side, while Javanese vendors peddle satay and Dutch-speaking Creoles guzzle beer at sidewalk cafe's. Central Paramaribo's focus is the Onafhankelijksplein (Unity Square), fronting the Presidential Palace. Immediately behind the palace is the Palmentuin, an attractive park with tall palms inhabited by tropical birds. To the east is Fort Zeelandia, a 17-century riverside fortification used for the detention and torture of political prisoners after the coup of 1980.
Food and shopping
The main market is found on the riverside boulevard, Waterkrant, and ferries for Meerzog, on the other side of the river, leave from nearby.
Money
On 1 January 2004, the Surinam Dollar replaced the Surinam Guilder as the new monetary system. Surinam Dollars are tied to US Dollars. The government has kept the SRD exchange rate relatively stable since its inception, at around S$2.7 per US Dollar. Surinamese bank notes can only be exchanged at the Central Bank.
Staying connected
Dutch (official), English (widely spoken).
Alarm number, 115
Opening Hours and
Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1630, Sat 0730-1300.