Suriname is one of South America’s most overlooked gems. While it's the least visited, it's full of green jungles, wide rivers, and historic towns. Paramaribo is a nice place to start, but the country's real beauty lies outside the capital. A road trip in Suriname lets you see the wild side of the country, meet locals, and explore places that tour buses don’t reach. From coastal towns to deep forests, many of the best tourist spots in Suriname are best seen by renting a car. Our Suriname travel will let you know what destinations to include on your journey.
Renting a car in Suriname is simple. Many international travelers book online or rent directly at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport. You’ll also find rental offices in downtown Paramaribo. Choose 4WD vehicles if you plan to visit nature parks or jungle lodges, especially in the rainy season. Driving licenses from most countries are accepted, and the roads around the city are in decent shape. Just remember that Suriname drives on the left side of the road, and signs are in Dutch.
Some of the best places to drive to in Suriname are far from Paramaribo, where buses don’t operate, and tours can be expensive or fixed to tight schedules. Having your own car gives you full control of time, lets you stop in small villages, and access nature parks without a guide. Below are the top tourist destinations you can reach by car in Suriname.
Brownsberg Nature Park is one of the best places to drive to in Suriname if you want a true rainforest experience. It’s about 120 km from Paramaribo, and the last 13 km to the summit needs a 4WD due to steep and uneven terrain. Once you reach the top, you’ll get stunning views of Brokopondo Lake, a vast man-made reservoir surrounded by dense forest. You can hike well-marked trails that lead to waterfalls and viewpoints. You might also spot howler monkeys, colorful frogs, and birds like toucans and parrots. The area is also great for birdwatching and photography, especially early morning.
You can stay overnight in the park at De Kolibrie Appartementen or one of the STINASU-run campsites and lodges. These places are near the forest, so you can start your hikes early and enjoy the quiet jungle sounds at night. When you drive here, you can stop in roadside villages and explore without a guide.
How to Reach Brownsberg Nature Park by Car
Drive west from Paramaribo via Piscesstraat, Ariesstraat, and Aquariusstraat. Follow Noordwijkweg to Kwattaweg, then take Tweede Rijweg and Lalla Rookhweg. Continue on Franchepanestraat, Jaggernath Lachmon Straat, and cross the Saramacca bridge. Drive along Martin Luther Kingweg, then Avobakaweg for 55 km. Turn right, continue 18.5 km, stay right at the forks, and reach Brownsberg.
Commewijne District is a peaceful area just 15 minutes from Paramaribo. It is known for its riverside villages and Dutch colonial history. You’ll cross the Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge and follow quiet roads lined with greenery and plantation ruins.
At Frederiksdorp, you can walk through restored plantation buildings and learn about life during Suriname’s colonial period. The site also has small museums and cozy guesthouses. In Mariënburg, you’ll find the remains of Suriname’s largest sugarcane factory. The rusted machines and quiet grounds give a powerful sense of the country’s labor history. After exploring, stop for lunch along the river. Restaurant Peperpot is a popular choice, offering Surinamese dishes like pom and grilled fish in a peaceful garden setting. You can also find small cafés near the water where you can eat while watching boats pass or spotting river dolphins.
How to Reach Commewijne District and Plantation Ruins by Car
Start west on Piscesstraat, then turn left onto Ariesstraat. Continue left onto Aquariusstraat, then turn right onto Tillystraat. Stay on Tillystraat and turn left onto Kwattaweg. Follow Henck Arronstraat, then Onafhankelijkheidsplein. Turn left onto Kleine Combéweg, make a sharp right, then turn right again. Fort Zeelandia will be on your left.
Just 30 minutes from Paramaribo, Peperpot Nature Park is one of the easiest protected areas to reach by car. The area was once a working coffee and cocoa plantation during the Dutch colonial period. Some buildings, including the plantation house and processing structures, are still on site and marked with signs. Now, the land is managed as a protected nature park, with well-maintained trails that are flat, shaded, and mapped at the entrance. Trails range from 1 to 3 km, making them easy for most fitness levels.
Expect to see capuchin monkeys, tropical birds like woodpeckers, herons, and jacamars, and many butterflies in the open clearings. The best time to visit is in the morning when wildlife is more active. After your walk, you can have lunch at Restaurant Peperpot with a peaceful garden setting and local dishes. If you want to explore more, it’s easy to extend your drive to nearby Commewijne plantations.
How to Reach Peperpot Nature Park by Car
Start west on Piscesstraat, then turn left onto Ariesstraat. Turn right onto Aquariusstraat, then left onto Noordwijkweg. Continue to Kwattaweg and turn right onto Tweede Rijweg. Follow Lalla Rookhweg, turn left onto Franchepanestraat, then go straight to Jaggernath Lachmon Straat and Willem Campagnestraat.
At the roundabout, take the 4th exit to Hernhutterstraat. Turn left onto Kankantriestraat, then right onto Van Het Hogerhuysstraat. At the next roundabout, take the first exit onto Jules Wijdenboschbrug. Continue on Oost-West Verbinding for 5.3 km. Turn right, and the entrance to Peperpot Nature Park will be on your left.
Bigi Pan is one of Suriname’s top birdwatching spots, especially known for the bright red scarlet ibis. It’s located near Nieuw Nickerie, around 230 km from Paramaribo. The drive takes 3 hours and 30 minutes. The road is fully paved and passes through rice fields, open farmlands, and quiet coastal villages like Wageningen.
Once you reach Nieuw Nickerie, you’ll switch to a guided boat tour to enter the wetlands. These boats take you through shallow waters and mangrove edges where you’ll spot over 120 bird species, including spoonbills, herons, hawks, and more. The best season to visit is February to April and August to November, when water levels drop and large flocks gather. Most boat tours last a few hours, but some offer overnight stays at floating lodges. Stay overnight to reach birdwatching spots early in the morning when birds are most active.
How to Reach Bigi Pan Wetlands (via Nieuw Nickerie) by Car
Drive west from Paramaribo via Piscesstraat, Ariesstraat, and Aquariusstraat. Continue on Soekhanstraat to Kwattaweg. Follow Garnizoenspad, Wayamboweg, then merge with Oost-West Verbinding for 187 km. Turn onto Soekramsing Straat, C.R. Biswamitreweg, and H.N. Van Dijkstraat. Pass through Achterdam, Emmastraat, and Julianastraat. Turn left to arrive at Nieuw Nickerie, near the border with Guyana.
Located about 90 km southeast of Paramaribo, Jodensavanne is one of the earliest Jewish settlements in the Americas. It was founded in the 1600s by Jewish families escaping persecution and became a small riverside community with a synagogue, cemetery, and plantation homes. Today, the site remains quiet and peaceful, offering a rare glimpse into Suriname’s layered past. The trip from Paramaribo takes around 3 hours. You’ll pass indigenous villages and stop at Carolina, where the main bridge over the Suriname River has collapsed. Most travelers now park near the river and cross by ferry.
Many visitors join a 2-day guided tour from Paramaribo, which includes a stop at Jodensavanne and an overnight stay at Overbridge River Resort nearby. The resort offers riverside cabanas, lunch and dinner, swimming spots, and time to relax—ideal for combining culture with nature in one trip. You can explore the synagogue ruins, walk past centuries-old gravestones, and follow quiet forest paths. The area is calm and rarely crowded, making it perfect for travelers interested in heritage tourism and religious history.
How to Reach Jodensavanne (Suriname River) by Car
Start west from Piscesstraat, then follow Ariesstraat, Aquariusstraat, and Noordwijkweg. Continue through Kwattaweg, Tweede Rijweg, and Lalla Rookhweg. Drive along Franchepanestraat, Jaggernath Lachmon Straat, and cross the Saramacca bridge via Van Het Hogerhuysstraat. Follow Martin Luther Kingweg and Avobakaweg. Turn right, then left after 89 km. You’ll reach the Suriname River.
Before you start your road trip in Suriname, it's good to know which roads have the nicest views and most interesting stops. Some roads lead to peaceful countryside views, while others take you deep into the forest. Here are three scenic routes worth the drive:
The East-West Highway is Suriname’s main road, running across the country. It connects Albina in the east to Nieuw Nickerie in the west, passing through villages, farms, and rivers. It’s the best route for travelers visiting coastal towns, plantations, and Bigi Pan. This road is fully paved and easy to drive, even for beginners. You’ll pass scenic rice fields, water channels, and roadside markets along the way. It’s not a fast road, but relaxing and full of local life. The East-West Highway gives a great introduction to rural Suriname and is perfect for those doing multi-day trips.
The road to Brokopondo and Brownsberg is one of the most scenic interior routes. It takes you into Suriname’s hilly central region, past Brokopondo Lake, one of the largest reservoirs in the world. As you drive, you’ll notice more forest and fewer towns. The view from the higher parts shows just how wild Suriname is. Once you leave the main road, you’ll go through gravel roads surrounded by jungle. This is where you’ll need a 4WD. The landscape is full of deep green trees, rushing creeks, and occasional wildlife crossings. This road gives you a real feel of Suriname’s rainforest without needing a plane or boat.
The drive to Atjoni gives you the closest road access to Suriname’s deep jungle. It takes about 3 hours from Paramaribo, heading south through villages, rivers, and thick vegetation. This route ends at a river dock, where you’ll catch a boat to reach jungle lodges like Danpaati. The drive is smooth for the first half, but the last stretch becomes more rural and forested. You’ll pass through Maroon villages, which are home to descendants of African people who escaped slavery. It’s the best drive if you want to connect to Suriname’s rainforest life.
Driving in Suriname gives you full control over your journey. It lets you visit hidden villages, stay longer in peaceful parks, and go off the usual tourist track. Whether you love nature, history, or wildlife, a car helps you explore more. From the scenic East-West Highway to the forested roads near Brokopondo and Atjoni, the country has many great places to drive.
FinalRentals is a trusted car rental platform in Suriname. You can choose from compact cars for city trips or 4x4 SUVs for forest roads and remote areas. Our platform offers a wide range of vehicles that match different travel needs and budgets. You can drive through Paramaribo’s historic streets or reach nature parks deep in the interior. With us, you can travel at your own pace, without relying on group tours or limited transport.
