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Suriname Practical information Surinam

 
 
Area : 63037  sq.mi - Population 436000 hab.
Surinam

Our expert Suriname

map

map Suriname

Weather

Practical information Surinam

superficie

Area

63037  sq.mi
vol

Flights

8 hours from Amsterdam or Brussels.
decallage horaire

Jet Lag

population

Population

436000 hab.
aeroports proche

Airports

Johan-Pengel international airport is 30 miles from Paramaribo. The fare for a minibus is 3 USD (£2) and 20 USD (£13.50) for a taxi. Airport tax on departure for international flights is 15 USD (£10).
securite

Security

Some streets in Paramaribo are to be avoided and some parts of the countryside are dangerous, you should always find out from the people which areas these are, and avoid brandishing your camera.
langue

Languages

The official language is Dutch, but English is widely spoken. Sranan tongo, a Creole language, is also widely spoken.
formalites

Requirements

A valid passport as well as a visa (to be requested at the consulate) are required to enter Surinam. To obtain a visa, write to the consulate to have a request form sent.
religion

Religion

27% Hindu, 25% Protestant, 23% Catholic and 20% Muslim.
monnaie

Currency

The national currency is the Surinam gilder (SRG). Credit cards are accepted in the capital and it is easy to withdraw cash. Travellers cheques can be cashed but the transaction fee varies a lot from one office to another. Banks are open from 9:00am to 2:00pm, Monday to Friday.
transports

Local transportation

From east to west, there is a flight from Paramaribo to Nieuw Nickerie twice a week. Small companies rarely serve flights to remote areas. Travelling by road within Surinam can become an adventure if you decide to go to the countryside. 530 miles out of 1,550 miles of road are cobbled, so, if possible, you should go by 4x4. Otherwise, it is easy to rent a car in Paramaribo, but you must have an international driving licence and you should always find out about the state of the bridges before crossing the various rivers. As for travelling by boat, you can take a boat to cross the country's numerous rivers or go cruising eastwards for a few days on the Marowijne River or westwards on the Courantijn River.
sante

Health

Vaccines against yellow fever and tetanus are required and for those who wish to visit further inland, an antimalaria treatment is necessary as well as a vaccination against typhoid. Moreover, since the risk of cholera is not totally eradicated, you should only drink bottled or purified water and only swim in rivers or at the seaside, never in stagnant waters.
electricite

Electricity

110 or 127 V. An adaptor is needed.
frequentation

Flood of tourists

taxe

Taxes and tips

telephone

Telephone

To call Surinam from the UK, dial: 00 + 597 (country code) + followed by the number of the person you are calling.
To call the UK from Surinam, dial: 00 + 44 + followed by the number of the person you are calling without the initial 0.