Boutique hotels in Suriname

Suriname is the smallest independent country in South America and one of the greenest: more than 90 percent of it is rainforest. Its capital, Paramaribo, has a UNESCO-listed center of wooden colonial houses, a mosque and a synagogue standing side by side, and the population is a rare blend of Javanese, Hindustani, Creole, Maroon, Amerindian and Dutch roots. Beyond the coast, almost everything is wilderness.

Paramaribo and the plantations

The capital has a small group of boutique-style hotels in restored buildings and a handful of newer small properties on the edge of town. Across the river, the Commewijne district is a landscape of former sugar, coffee and cocoa plantations, with cottages and bungalows that make a gentle night away.

The interior

The Upper Suriname River is the heart of the Maroon country, where island lodges sit beside rapids and are reached by long drives and dugout canoes. The Central Suriname Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of about 1.6 million hectares, and the Brownsberg plateau offer wildlife, waterfalls and rustic accommodation run by the park authority.

The coast

Galibi, in the far east, is a nesting beach for sea turtles from roughly March to July, reached by boat from Albina.

When to go

The two dry seasons, from February to April and August to November, are the easiest for travel. Most interior trips are sold as packages through Paramaribo operators, so plan on booking ahead and confirm what is included.