How to Get Around Suriname

Getting Around

Before travelling, a visitor arranges two things online: a single-entry tourist card valid 90 days, or an e-visa, and the entry fee -- US$54 by the UK advisory's figure -- whose payment voucher must be shown to airline staff at check-in; an Immigration and Customs Form is also completed up to three days before arrival and departure. Flights land at Johan Adolf Pengel International, at Zanderij 45 kilometres south of Paramaribo, and domestic flights to the interior airstrips leave from Zorg en Hoop in the capital, where Gum Air and Blue Wing are based. Overland, a ferry crosses the Corantijn from Nieuw Nickerie to Corriverton in Guyana and the Marowijne from Albina to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni in French Guiana; there is no road link to Brazil.

Traffic drives on the left, one of two countries on the continent that do, and both advisories are blunt about the roads: paved but poorly maintained in Paramaribo, generally poor outside the main centres, without sidewalks, with inadequate lighting, dangerous driving, poorly kept vehicles and hazards after dark; motorcycles may not occupy a full lane and Canada says not to ride one. To drive you need your licence and the correct international driving permit together in the car, and hire firms may want a year's experience, a higher minimum age and an IDP. The advisories say to use licensed taxis from official hotel ranks and not to hail them in the street, where foreigners are overcharged; agree the fare first; and to avoid the public minibuses. Inland, the 1,200 kilometres of waterway are the main transport, by boat with an established operator, and the Sipaliwini airstrips the rest.

Verified against UK Government (GOV.UK; FCDO travel advice abroad), September 2026.

Entry

Passport valid at least six months beyond arrival; no visa for tourism up to 90 days, but a tourist card (single entry, 90 days) or e-visa applied for online before arrival; an entry fee of US$54 paid before travel, with the voucher shown at airline check-in; the Immigration and Customs Form (ICF) completed up to three days before arrival and departure; a yellow-fever certificate if arriving from a risk country; stays over three months need an Authorization for Temporary Stay (MKV); overstaying or working without a permit is illegal; bring US dollars or euros, pounds cannot be exchanged; declare anything dutiable.

Airports

Johan Adolf Pengel International (JAP), Zanderij, 45 km south of Paramaribo. Zorg en Hoop, Paramaribo, for domestic flights (Gum Air, Blue Wing). The UK Air Safety List should be checked for domestic carriers.

Borders

Ferry Nieuw Nickerie–Corriverton (Guyana); ferry and boats Albina–Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni (French Guiana); no crossing to Brazil.

Driving

Left-hand traffic; licence plus the correct IDP in the car, obtained before travel; hire firms may require a year's experience, a higher minimum age and an IDP; poor roads outside the centres, unlit, no sidewalks, cyclists, pedestrians and animals at night; hazardous in the rainy season; do not ride motorcycles or scooters.

Taxis and buses

Licensed taxis from official hotel ranks only, fare agreed first; street-hailed taxis overcharge; avoid public minibuses.

Interior

By boat on the rivers and by small aircraft to the airstrips, with a well-established tour company; Galibi by boat from Albina, about 1.5 hours.

Emergency numbers

Police 115; medical 113 (or 115); fire and helicopter medical service 110; natural-disaster assistance 115. Canada has an honorary consul in Paramaribo and its high commission in Georgetown, Guyana, on 1-592-227-2081.

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Sources & verification Covers the sourced claims on this page.

Checked against UK Government (GOV.UK; FCDO travel advice abroad) — Passport valid at least 6 months after arrival; all travellers complete an Immigration and Customs Form (ICF) up to three days before arrival and departure; no visa for tourism up to 90 days but an entry fee of US$54 paid before travel; longer stays need a visa; overstaying or working without a permit illegal; yellow-fever certificate if from a risk country; declare dutiable goods; bring US dollars or euros, pounds cannot be exchanged, Credit cards not widely accepted outside major hotels; some cash machines in Paramaribo accept international cards and dispense Surinamese dollars; drivers need the correct IDP and their licence in the car, the IDP obtained before travel; hire firms may require a year's experience, a higher minimum age and an IDP; poor road sense, frequent hazards, inadequate lighting and poor road conditions in places; take care at night for cyclists, pedestrians and animals; licensed taxis or official hotel ranks only, do not hail from the roadside; check the UK Air Safety List for domestic airlines; flooding in the north and centre in the May-to-August rainy season; heatwaves, Demonstrations can become violent and lead to roadblocks; burglary, armed robbery and violent crime occur in Paramaribo and surroundings, criminals target quiet or secluded areas including the Palmentuin; pickpocketing and robbery increasingly common in business and shopping areas; keep documents secure with photocopies, avoid displaying jewellery or cash; attacks on fishing boats reported; tourists robbed travelling in central Suriname away from the coast, so use a well-established tour company; severe drug penalties, Passport valid at least 6 months after arrival; all travellers complete an Immigration and Customs Form (ICF) up to three days before arrival and departure; no visa for tourism up to 90 days but an entry fee of US$54 paid before travel; longer stays need a visa; overstaying or working without a permit illegal; yellow-fever certificate if from a risk country; declare dutiable goods; bring US dollars or euros, pounds cannot be exchanged, Credit cards not widely accepted outside major hotels; some cash machines in Paramaribo accept international cards and dispense Surinamese dollars; drivers need the correct IDP and their licence in the car, the IDP obtained before travel; hire firms may require a year's experience, a higher minimum age and an IDP; poor road sense, frequent hazards, inadequate lighting and poor road conditions in places; take care at night for cyclists, pedestrians and animals; licensed taxis or official hotel ranks only, do not hail from the roadside; check the UK Air Safety List for domestic airlines; flooding in the north and centre in the May-to-August rainy season; heatwaves, Call 113 or 115 for an ambulance; health risks include yellow fever, Zika, dengue and schistosomiasis; medical facilities are severely limited; not all facilities accept insurance payment, so keep accessible funds and insurance covering treatment and repatriation (September 2026).
Checked against Global Affairs Canada — Tourist visa not required; a tourist card, valid for single entry and 90 days, or an e-visa must be applied for online before arrival; an entry tax must be paid before arrival and, if flying, the entry-fee voucher shown to airline staff at check-in; stays over 3 months need an Authorization for Temporary Stay (MKV); severe drug penalties; same-sex acts not prohibited but homosexuality not widely socially accepted; dual citizenship not legally recognised, Road conditions and safety generally poor outside major centres; in Paramaribo most roads are paved but not well maintained, many without sidewalks; inadequate lighting, dangerous driving and poorly maintained vehicles; motorcycles and scooters cannot occupy a full lane, avoid riding them; hazardous driving in the rainy season; avoid public minibuses; taxis at major hotels, agree the fare first, street-hailed taxis overcharge foreigners; pirate attacks and armed robbery against ships in coastal waters, Tourist visa not required; a tourist card, valid for single entry and 90 days, or an e-visa must be applied for online before arrival; an entry tax must be paid before arrival and, if flying, the entry-fee voucher shown to airline staff at check-in; stays over 3 months need an Authorization for Temporary Stay (MKV); severe drug penalties; same-sex acts not prohibited but homosexuality not widely socially accepted; dual citizenship not legally recognised, Road conditions and safety generally poor outside major centres; in Paramaribo most roads are paved but not well maintained, many without sidewalks; inadequate lighting, dangerous driving and poorly maintained vehicles; motorcycles and scooters cannot occupy a full lane, avoid riding them; hazardous driving in the rainy season; avoid public minibuses; taxis at major hotels, agree the fare first, street-hailed taxis overcharge foreigners; pirate attacks and armed robbery against ships in coastal waters, Emergency services exist but may be limited: police 115, medical assistance 113, firefighters and helicopter medical emergency service 110, natural-disaster assistance 115; Canadian Citizen Services on 1-592-227-2081 and an honorary consul in Paramaribo; rainy seasons May to August and November to February with seasonal flooding, impassable roads and damaged bridges; dengue and Zika risks; rabies common in dogs and some wildlife including bats (September 2026).