Suriname is the smallest country in South America, wedged between Guyana and French Guiana, and most of it is rainforest. Visitors usually base themselves in Paramaribo, whose wooden colonial centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, cross the river to the old plantations of Commewijne, and head inland by road, boat or small plane to jungle lodges and the Brownsberg nature park. Dutch is the official language and most visitors come from the Netherlands, but Suriname is outside the EU's Roam Like at Home rules: a European SIM card roams there at its operator's own prices.
Key facts for Suriname
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Digicel (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: 115 for police, ambulance and fire; ambulance also 113; fire also 110
- Embassies: in Paramaribo
Before you fly: entry fee and arrival form
Many nationalities, British travellers among them, can stay up to 90 days for tourism without a visa, but have to pay an entry fee online before travelling. Every traveller also completes the Immigration and Customs Form (ICF) online, up to three days before arrival and again before departure. Your passport needs at least 6 months of validity on arrival, and a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if you arrive from a country with a risk of transmission.
Paramaribo
Burglary, armed robbery and other violent crime occur in Paramaribo and its outskirts. Quiet spots are where thieves strike, including the Palm Garden (Palmentuin) near the presidential palace, and pickpocketing and robbery are increasingly common in the main business and shopping streets. Leave expensive jewellery behind, keep cash out of sight and lock your passport in the hotel safe with a copy kept apart. Take licensed taxis or those from hotel ranks, never one hailed in the street. Demonstrations sometimes turn violent and block roads, so keep away from crowds.
Into the interior
Tourists have been robbed on trips into central Suriname, away from the coast, so go with a well-established tour company. Check the UK Air Safety List before booking a small-plane flight inland. Mobile coverage fades quickly once you leave the coastal belt, so download maps and booking details before setting off and expect to rely on lodge Wi-Fi, where there is any. The rainy season brings floods to the north and centre of the country, mainly from May to August, and spells of extreme heat can also strike. Parts of both land borders are disputed, with Guyana over the New River Triangle and with French Guiana in the south-east, so take care if your route goes near them.
Health, roads and money
Medical facilities are severely limited, and some will not deal with insurers, so you may have to pay first and claim later; make sure your policy covers evacuation. Dengue, Zika and yellow fever are present, and schistosomiasis is a risk in fresh water. Drug offences carry severe penalties.
Traffic drives on the left. To drive you need an international driving permit as well as your licence, both carried in the car, and at night watch out for cyclists, pedestrians and animals on badly lit roads. The currency is the Surinamese dollar. Bring US dollars or euros to exchange, since British pounds are not accepted, and do not count on cards: few places outside the big hotels take them, although some cash machines in Paramaribo dispense local currency on foreign cards.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM set up at home connects when you land at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, about an hour's drive south of Paramaribo. A Caribbean plan also covers Guyana, French Guiana and Trinidad and Tobago, which helps if you are travelling across the Guianas. Leave your own SIM in the phone for bank verification texts, with data roaming disabled.
Local SIM cards: Telesur and Digicel sell prepaid SIMs in Paramaribo; take your passport.
Consular protection: who to call in Suriname
- Phone 115 for the police, an ambulance or the fire brigade; you can also call 113 for an ambulance and 110 for the fire brigade.
- The Netherlands, France and the US have embassies in Paramaribo, while the UK covers Suriname from its high commission in Georgetown, Guyana, with an honorary consul in Paramaribo. Your own country's mission, with address and phone, is listed in the Telcomia app.
- If your EU country has no embassy or consulate in Suriname, the Dutch or French embassy, or that of any other EU country present, must assist you as it would its own citizens (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- Dutch is the official language and Sranan Tongo is widely spoken; the Telcomia app has emergency phrases in Dutch.
Questions travellers ask about Suriname
Does EU roaming cover Suriname?
No. Suriname is outside Roam Like at Home, so your operator applies its own roaming rates.
What do I need to do before the flight?
Pay the entry fee if your nationality requires it, and fill in the online ICF form in the three days before arrival.
Which network does a Telcomia eSIM use in Suriname?
Digicel, with 4G where available.
Can I pay by card?
Only in some hotels and larger businesses. Carry US dollars or euros and exchange them locally.
The short version
Pay the entry fee and fill in the ICF form before you fly, install the eSIM at home, use licensed taxis in Paramaribo, book the interior with an established operator, drive on the left, carry dollars or euros, and save 115.
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