Travel advice & practical information for travelogue:

'Laid-back Suriname'

Useful addresses

Washington

Embassy of the Republic of Suriname
4301 Connecticut Ave., NW ste. 460
Washington DC 20008
Tel.: 202-244 7488
Fax: 202-244 5878
Web site: Embassy of the Republic of Suriname in Washington

London

Honorary Consul for the Republic of Suriname
33 Pier House
31 Cheyne Walk
London SW3 5HG
E-mail: ajethu@honoraryconsul.info
Web site: Honorary Consul Suriname in London

Brussels

Embassy of Suriname
379, Avenue Louise
1050 Brussels
Tel.: 02-640 1172
Fax: 02-646 3962
E-mail: sur.amb.bru@online.be

One needs a visa to visit Suriname and one's passport should be valid at least for 6 months upon arrival in the country.

Climate and best time to travel

Suriname has a tropical climate with temperatures between 23 and 32 degrees centigrade and a high humidity: 80 per cent in the daytime, 95 per cent at night. The humidity makes it seem less hot, but clothes or shoes left outside at night will be wet with dew next morning. In the inland, temperatures at night are lower, down to 11 degrees.

Temperatures hardly differ over the seasons. Precipitation does: there is a short rainy season from early December to early Februari and a long rainy season from the end of April through mid-August. This is the time of the tropical showers, which will soak you within seconds. But usually one can hear or see the rain coming, your cue to run for shelter. The showers don't last very long. The chances for such torrential showers are highest in the afternoons, between 2 and 5 PM.

Money

If you know in advance which places you're going to visit, you can find out online if and where there are ATM's where you can use your MasterCard and Cirrus or Visa to withdraw money.

Health

A good source of information about health risks is the site of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Suriname. Always consult your family doctor as well.

Safety and security

Travelling in some countries or region can bring risk with it. That shouldn't always keep you from visiting there, but part of a thorough preparation should be to get information about possible risks.

One can find up-to-date information on the web site of the CIA World Factbook Suriname. Also always consult with your own country's Foreign Department.

Plan your trip to Suriname online

Through online reservation systems like À la Carte Vacations you can book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars and holiday houses. You can build a fly-drive itinerary with maximum flexibility, book a flight plus a hotel hotel for a night or weekend. Without the limitations of package deals from travel organisations and most times for a much better price.