Суринам

Buy

right|thumb|315px|$20 Surinamese banknote Accommodation and food is relatively cheap. Retail prices for clothing, gifts, etc, are similar to Western Euurope and the US.

Things which are well worth buying are: Handcrafted jewellery handcrafted woodcarvings art Tropical flowers Perfumes

Eat

thumb|The regional version of chicken masala, served with roti, is one of the most popular dishes in the country. Because of the ethnic diversity there is a variety of exotic food available. Indian (specially roti with chicken), Chinese, Javanese (Indonesian), Creole.

Drink

Suriname wouldn't be the tropical paradise it is without its wide variety of great fruit juices. Even the well-known orange juice is a sensational taste, but do not hesitate to try great tropical fruits like passion fruit (known locally as 'markoesa') or soursop, better known as guanábana (locally known as 'zuurzak'). Since locals have an appetite for sweetness, sugar is added to most juices you buy in bottles. For pure juice it is best to ask for freshly made juice.

In the city it's also possible to get shaved ice in different flavours from the local vendors, which is very refreshing in the tropical climate.

The Javanese have a pink (and occasionally green) coloured drink called dawet, which consists of coconut milk.

Try to get a local 'east-Indian' to make you a glass of lassi if you have the chance.

Sleep

thumb|Street scene in Nickerie There are several good hostels and guest-houses available in Paramaribo and Nickerie. See the appropriate page for more information. When going into the rainforest it is best to buy a hammock in Paramaribo. Some guest houses in the forest provide hammocks, but these tend to be less hygienic, since washing machines are not that available in the forest. Bring mosquito repellent and sunblock when going into the forest.

Stay safe

If you are concerned about safety try to avoid venturing at night alone. Try using a bike when possible. When in Paramaribo at night, avoid the Palm Garden as this is a well known crime site where much drug trade is done. The police force is only so large and can only protect you to a certain extent. Therefore, stay where you know police protection is offered. So please, use common sense when venturing outside downtown, which in itself can have problems. Do not venture to the bush (binnenland) alone.

Stay healthy

To enter Suriname there's no need for any special kind of vaccination, though some are recommended (see below).

If you plan a jungle-trip, which is highly recommended, it is possible that you may want to take precautions against malaria, depending on the area you are planning to visit (although since 2005 there have not been any cases of malaria reported in Suriname).

Be sure to check with BOG, or your local pharmacist or health clinic what prophylactic you should take. The bigger threat nowadays comes from dengue, also spread by mosquitoes, for which there is no prophylactic, nor any cure. Traveller's diarrhoea can also potentially be a problem.

Tap water is drinkable in Paramaribo but not elsewhere.

Yellow fever vaccination is recommended (and is required to get into Brazil afterwards!) Tetanus-diphtheria vaccination is recommended. Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended.

The adult HIV/AIDS prevalence is reaching 2% or 1 in 50 adults, which is 3 times higher than the US and 9 times higher than the Netherlands. Be sure to practice safe sex.

The CDC has listed Suriname as a country affected by the Zika pandemic. Men and women planning to become pregnant, and pregnant women are advised to take extra caution.

If you are near French Guyana, you can move to the French side, where you can get treatment with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).