Suriname offers a unique adventure for those who love nature and culture. This small South American country is a hidden gem that your family can explore at your own pace. Planning a family road trip in Suriname is the perfect way to see its rainforests, rivers, and multicultural cities. One of the first steps is to rent a car so you have the freedom to roam. Public transportation outside the capital is limited, so having a car lets you discover family-friendly attractions in Suriname without being tied to bus schedules.
This Suriname travel guide for families will help you plan a memorable journey. We’ll cover the basics of when to go and what to pack. By the end, you’ll have a clear idea of how to organise your road trip and what attractions to include.
Suriname may be small, but it offers a wide range of experiences for families. There's something for everyone, from a lively capital city to tranquil rainforest parks. These destinations are easy to reach by car.
The journey typically begins in Paramaribo. The centre of Paramaribo is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its wooden colonial buildings and multicultural history. As you drive or walk through the Waterkant, you’ll see beautiful 17th- and 18th-century buildings painted white with green shutters. Take the family for a stroll around Independence Square (Onafhankelijkheidsplein) to admire the Presidential Palace and catch an ice-cream from a nearby vendor. Just off the square is the Palmentuin (Palm Garden), a shady park filled with tall royal palms. It’s an oasis where you can relax while the kids play. Keep an eye out for the capuchin monkeys that live among the trees and sometimes pop into view.
For a bit of learning and culture, you can show your children Paramaribo’s famous street of worship. There’s a historic synagogue beside a mosque, symbolising the harmony of Suriname’s diverse people. It’s an excellent opportunity to discuss different cultures simply. The Fort Zeelandia, a 17th-century fortress turned museum, stands a short walk away. The fort’s thick walls and old cannons will spark kids’ imaginations, and you’ll find exhibits about Suriname’s colonial past inside. Older children might appreciate the history, while younger ones enjoy exploring the fort grounds.
Don’t miss the Paramaribo Zoo if you have animal lovers in the family. It’s a small zoo featuring local animals like jaguars, caimans, tropical birds, and monkeys. The zoo is affordable and a nice introduction to the fauna of South America. Cycling is another fun way to explore Paramaribo. Some hotels rent bikes, or you can join a bike tour to see the city’s highlights while burning off some energy.
Peperpot Nature Park is a fantastic spot to introduce your kids to the rainforest without a long trek. This park was once an old coffee plantation but is now a protected green area with easy walking trails. You can reach Peperpot by car in about 15 to 20 minutes from downtown (cross the bridge to the Commewijne district).
The trails are flat and suitable for children. You can rent bicycles to make it a fun ride. As you explore, you’ll be surrounded by lush greenery and might spot all kinds of creatures. The park has monkeys, iguanas, countless birds, and fascinating insects. Squirrel monkeys often scamper across the path or in the trees above. Birdwatchers will love it here. Parrots, toucans, and woodpeckers live in the secondary forest and former plantation groves. For a bit of history, you can show the children the remnants of the plantation.
When visiting Peperpot, wear insect repellent and long sleeves or pants if possible. Being near the water and forest means mosquitoes are common, especially in the early morning or late afternoon. The park has an information centre and maps at the entrance, and you can hire a guide if you want a more informative tour. A guide can point out animals that are hard to spot. Early morning is the best time to visit. It’s cooler, and animals are more active. If your kids are patient, they might glimpse a blue morpho butterfly fluttering. These are large, bright-blue butterflies that are stunning to see.
Heading east of Paramaribo, a 1-hour drive brings you to the Commewijne River area. This region is rich in history and natural beauty. This is a great destination for a day trip full of variety. Start with a visit to Fort Nieuw Amsterdam, an 18th-century fort at the confluence of the Suriname and Commewijne Rivers.
The fort is now an open-air museum and park where kids can roam freely. They’ll love climbing on the old cannon installations and exploring the powder magazines. The museum displays artefacts and exhibits about the colonial era, slavery, and plantation life. Because it’s outdoors and spacious, children can learn a bit of history without feeling cooped up. There’s also a small playground on site. The rivers meet in Fort Nieuw Amsterdam, giving you a lovely view of the water and passing boats.
After soaking up some history, it’s time for an adventure on the Commewijne River. One of the best family activities here is a dolphin watching boat tour. The Commewijne River estuary has a population of friendly pink river dolphins. Grey dolphins with a pinkish belly are locally called profosu dolphins. Several local operators run boat trips in the late afternoon, when dolphins are easiest to spot. You’ll hop on a motorised wooden boat and cruise along the calm river channels. Before you know it, you might see the dolphins popping up and playing in the water around you.
For families that love adventure and the outdoors, Brownsberg Nature Park is a must-visit stop on your Suriname road trip. Brownsberg, meaning “Brown’s Mountain,” is a forested plateau about 120 km south of Paramaribo, overlooking the stunning Brokopondo Lake. You’ll drive 2 to 3 hours from the city to get there. The last stretch is a steep, bumpy road up the hill. You will need a 4x4 vehicle for this part, as it’s a dirt road with potholes and occasional mud. The climb is an adventure, but the reward at the top is worth it.
Once on Brownsberg, you’ll find yourself in the rainforest with cooler air and incredible views. There is a visitor centre and some picnic facilities where you can park. From the plateau’s edge, you get a panoramic view over miles of jungle and the wide blue surface of Brokopondo Lake below. It’s a perfect spot for a family photo, and kids will appreciate the vast forest.
Several well-marked hiking trails begin near the visitor area. Even with children, you can manage a short hike to one of the waterfalls. Two popular trails lead to the Irenevallen and Leoval Falls. The walk to Irenevallen takes about 45 minutes one way and can be steep in sections, so younger children may need support on slippery ground.
Reaching a waterfall is often the highlight of the visit. The cascade drops into a pool where you can splash your face or dip your feet to cool off. Always supervise children closely near the rocks and water. The jungle sounds and the rushing falls create an atmosphere that families rarely forget. After your hike, you can enjoy a picnic at the top. Open-air shelters and benches provide rest spots, though curious coatis or birds may visit you.
After coming down from Brownsberg, another stop in the area is Brokopondo Lake, also known as the Brokopondo Reservoir or Afobaka Lake. One of the easiest and nicest access points is Stone Island. Despite its name, Stone Island isn’t truly an island but a peninsula stretching into the lake, about a 30-minute drive from Brownsberg’s turn-off. The scenery here is completely different, and kids can relax by the water after the bumpy mountain road.
The lake was created in the 1960s when the Afobaka Dam was built, flooding a large rainforest. This left behind a striking sight: hundreds of tall, dead tree trunks poking out of the water like a ghostly forest. Children often find it either spooky or fascinating, and it’s a great moment to explain how the lake is man-made and used to be a jungle before the dam.
At Stone Island, you’ll find a small sandy beach where local families gather on weekends. The shallow shore makes it safe for wading. However, ask locals about swimming conditions. While piranhas exist in the lake, they are generally not a risk in such a vast body of water, and most people simply splash near the shore instead of swimming far out.
For a true family adventure in the jungle, spend a few days along the Upper Suriname River. While you can’t drive into the deep rainforest, your road trip can take you to Atjoni, a riverside village about 3 hours from Paramaribo. At Atjoni, the road literally ends. From there, travel continues only by boat. You can park your car in a secure lot and board a long wooden boat called a korjaal, powered by an outboard motor. This is the local “water taxi” service. The ride is exciting for children, with jungle views on both sides and small Maroon villages appearing along the riverbanks. Families often bring their own child-sized life jackets for extra safety, though adult vests are provided.
Other highlights are the river activities. Daytime boat trips take you to rapids or small waterfalls where you can swim or cool your feet, while evening rides let guides spot caimans with flashlights along the riverbanks. Seeing their glowing red eyes in the dark is thrilling for children. Safety is well managed, with life vests required during all boat rides and trained guides leading every trip. Visiting the Upper Suriname River requires booking with a lodge or arranging boats at Atjoni, but it’s worth the planning.
For a change of scenery, drive to the western tip of Suriname to explore Bigi Pan, a vast wetland area near Nieuw-Nickerie. This drive is the longest on our list. It is about 3 to 4 hours from Paramaribo each way. However, the reward is an entirely different environment with lots of birdlife. The road to Nickerie is flat and paved. It passes through rice fields, small villages, and swampy landscapes. It’s interesting for kids to see how the scenery changes and to spot rice paddies with egrets stalking about. Once you reach Nieuw-Nickerie, you’ll arrange a boat to enter the Bigi Pan nature reserve. Bigi Pan is a large, shallow lake and swamp, so the only way to see it is by boat. There are local guides who offer tours on motorised skiffs, and some even have simple overnight lodges on the lake.
Bigi Pan is a bird-watching paradise, with over 120 species recorded in the area. If your children have binoculars, bring them along. This is one of the best places in Suriname to see wildlife up close. You’re almost guaranteed to spot flamingos at certain times of year, their bright pink feathers striking against the blue water. Other common sightings include herons, kingfishers, scarlet ibises, ospreys, and different types of ducks. Local boat guides are experienced and will point out the birds as you glide through the wetlands.
The thrill of Bigi Pan lies in its wide, wild landscape. Fish often leap out of the water near the boat. On some days, you may see a caiman sunbathing on the shore or an anaconda resting in the distance. The wetlands are like an open-air classroom where nature shows something new every few minutes. During boat tours, guides often make short stops so children can explore further. They might try fishing with simple lines or feel the soft mud flats squish between their toes.
By now, you’ve seen how Suriname can offer a wide range of family experiences. The key is to travel at your family’s pace. Distances aren’t huge, but road conditions and the richness of each stop mean you shouldn’t rush. Mix active days like waterfall hikes with relaxing evenings at a comfortable lodge. Kids often recharge best where there’s a swimming pool or simple comforts like Wi-Fi. Keep flexibility in your itinerary. If your children enjoy watching dolphins or splashing at the lake, let them linger. The beauty of a road trip is that you control the schedule, not a tour operator.
Tap water is not always safe outside Paramaribo, so carry bottled or filtered water. Keep some Surinamese dollars on hand for small purchases because villages do not always accept cards. English may not be standard in rural areas, but a warm smile and simple words like “danki” (thank you) greatly help. Suriname is not filled with theme parks or fast food, but what your children gain is a sense of nature, history, and different cultures. They will remember spotting wildlife, hearing jungle sounds, and meeting children in Maroon villages long after the trip ends.
Exploring Suriname as a family is a variety-filled adventure from city streets and colonial forts to rainforest trails, wide lakes, and river lodges deep in the jungle. Each stop brings new sights, sounds, and stories for children. Every moment, from spotting monkeys in the trees to tasting tropical fruits by the roadside, becomes part of your family’s shared memory of Suriname.
To make your journey smooth, rent a car in Suriname with Final Rentals. Pick-up points are available at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, Zorg en Hoop Airport, Eduard Alexander Gummels Airport, and Jaggernath Lachmonstraat. Select compact cars for exploring Paramaribo or sturdy 4x4 SUVs for tackling rainforest roads. The booking process is quick, confirmation is instant, and prices are always transparent. For extra convenience, you can also download the Final Rentals app on Google Play and the App Store.
