The first Europeans arrived in Suriname in 1499                    St. Petrus & Paulus Cathedral is the largest wooden structure in South - America                    In 1676 the Dutch swapped New York for Suriname!                    Suriname became independent in 1975                    Surinamese dug out canoes are known as korjalen                    The largest rapids are located at Wonotobo                    A Leatherback Turtle can weigh 600 kg                    The highest point of Suriname is Julianatop                    3.000 km of rivers flow through Suriname                    Suriname has approximately 600 species of birds                    Suriname is home to 8 species of monkeys                    80% of Suriname's land area is rain forest                    The only Dutch speaking country in South America                    45.000 turtle nests have been recorded at Galibi                    Only in Suriname you can find the meloncactus                   

Welcome!

It is my pleasure to welcome you in our beautiful country Suriname.
You have chosen the perfect holiday destination to enjoy cultural riches and the unique flora and fauna of the untouched
tropical Amazon rainforest.
I therefore invite you to visit our nature reserves and various eco-tourism resorts to admire enchanting waterfalls and
the refreshing meandering rivers and to participate in adventurous mountain climbs in the jungle. Apart from all this,
you will also be able to make trips by dug-out canoe through the seething rapids. See for yourself how many different
types of sea-turtles come to our beach to lay their eggs. The multi-ethnic population with their heart-warming hospitality
is a token of a diversity of cultural traditions and is well-known for its culinary arts. You will enjoy the various
types of delicious food which the Surinamese kitchen has to offer. Different places of interest such as museums, the
colonial architecture of the wooden buildings in Paramaribo and the fascinating traditional African culture are also
elements of the beauty of our country. Suriname has many more tourist attractions to offer which, I hope, will be reason
for you to visit our country again.
Enjoy your stay and see you soon!


Alice Amafo
Minister of Transport, Communication & Tourism




Welcome to Suriname, and enjoy a taste of South America with a Dutch flavour!