Genvisec advises that business and leisure travel should continue to Suriname. Higher risk visitors may require specific security advice.

 

Crime

 

Burglary, armed robbery and violent crime occur in Paramaribo and surrounding areas. Pick pocketing and robbery are increasingly common in the major business and shopping districts in the capital. You should avoid wearing expensive jewellery or displaying large amounts of money in public. Keep valuables like your passport, tickets, driving licence and travellers’ cheques secure and keep photocopies of these documents in a separate place.

 

Avoid remote and secluded areas, quiet streets and quiet parks. Avoid the Palm Garden (Palmentium) area in Paramaribo at night. Apart from the entertainment centre around the Torarica Hotel, you should avoid walking at night anywhere in the city.

 

Travel in the interior of the country is generally trouble-free, although there have been reports of tourists being robbed. Use a well-established tour company if you intend to travel to these parts of Suriname

 

Local travel

 

Small aircraft operate to a number of interior and regional destinations. If using these services you should be aware of the potential risks, especially from bad weather. 

 

Although the UN’s International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea in 2007 ruled on the maritime border dispute between Suriname and Guyana, Suriname still claims an area of land (the New River Triangle) in the south-east of Guyana. Suriname also has a border dispute with French Guiana. Keep this in mind and take care in these border areas.

 

Sea travel

 

There have been reports of attacks against fishing boats in and around the waters of Suriname. Be vigilant and take suitable precautions.

 

Local laws and customs

Possession and trafficking in drugs leads to lengthy prison sentences and heavy fines. Pack all luggage yourself and do not carry any items that do not belong to you.

 

Money

Credit cards are not widely accepted outside the major hotels. You should check with your hotel to confirm that credit cards are accepted. In Paramaribo some of the ATMs will accept international credit and debit cards and dispense Surinamese Dollars. If you are bringing currency with you, bring US dollars or Euros; Sterling can’t be exchanged.

 

Health

Cases of Chikungunya virus have been confirmed in Suriname. You should take steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. For more details about this outbreak, see the website of the National Health Network and Centre.

 

Medical facilities are severely limited in Suriname. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.

 

In the 2012 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 3,800 adults aged 15 or over in Suriname were living with HIV; the prevalence percentage was estimated at around 1.1% of the adult population compared to the prevalence percentage in adults in the UK of around 0.25%. Exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS.

 

If you need emergency medical assistance during your trip, dial 115 and ask for an ambulance. You should contact your insurance/medical assistance company promptly if you are referred to a medical facility for treatment.

 

Much of the north and centre of Suriname is prone to flooding.

 

Visas

 

EU passport holders visiting Suriname as tourists and arriving at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport in Paramaribo are no longer required to obtain a visa before travel. You can now get a single entry tourist card for US$25 on arrival. If you are travelling to Suriname for other purposes, arriving at another port of entry, or need a multiple entry visa, you should apply for a visa before travel at a Surinamese Consulate. Visa information can be obtained from the Suriname Consulate in Amsterdam. Telephone: (00) (31) 206 426 137; Fax: (00) (31) 206 465 311; email: info@consulaatsuriname.nl 

You can also contact the Suriname Honorary Consul in the UK:

 

Dr.Amwedhkar Jethu

127 Pier House

31 Cheyne Walk

London SW3 5HN

United Kingdom

Mobile: (44) (0)7768-196 326

Email: ajethu@honoraryconsul.info

 

Emergency Travel Documents

 

Emergency Travel Documents are valid for entry into and exit from Suriname, but they must carry the appropriate Surinamese visa. Suriname requires travel documents to have at least a six months’ validity.

 

Passport validity

 

Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date of entry into Suriname.

 

Yellow fever

 

Yellow Fever vaccination is required for travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. This includes arrivals from Guyana, French Guiana and Brazil.

 

Departure tax

 

All passengers leaving Suriname must pay a departure tax. The current fee is $66 or €52. It cannot be paid in Surinamese dollars; only US dollars or Euros are accepted.

 

Previous travel to countries affected by Ebola

 

Entry restrictions may apply if you ordinarily live in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, or you have visited any of those countries in the previous 28 days. Check with the Suriname Consulate in Amsterdam. Telephone: (00) (31) 206 426 137; Fax: (00) (31) 206 465 311; email: info@consulaatsuriname.nl before you travel.