SIPALIWINI

With its breathtaking jungle, calm rivers, rugged rapids, mighty waterfalls, and ancient petroglyph, Sipaliwini is by far the most ideal district for those who want to experience wilderness adventure.

Sipaliwini is the largest of Suriname’s districts. It is so large that the other districts of Suriname could effortlessly fit into it. The various attractions in the district mean that many tourists from the Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport head straight for Sipaliwini. There are several hotspots where you will meet other visitors, such as the mooring place Atjoni on the Upper Suriname River. Here the car is exchanged for the boat and you continue south by water. The landscape changes visibly as you sail deeper into the jungle.

In the village of Pikin Slee, stands the Saamaka Museum; a unique museum set up by the Totomboti art collective, showing the culture, customs, and history of the Saamaka people. Here you will be introduced to the idea behind the rituals of this group of Maroons who chose the Upper Suriname region as their home.

In the middle of the district is Suriname’s largest nature reserve; the Central Suriname Nature Reserve (CSNR) which covers nearly 10 percent of the country’s territory. The CSNR has flora and fauna of global importance, which is why it has been included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

From Raleigh Falls, located in the reserve, you can climb Mount Voltz (a 240-meter-high granite rock) and from the top, the view of the canopy is almost magical.

Sipaliwini is also the place to spot the orange-red rock hawks and one of the largest eagle species in the world, the Gonini or Harpy Eagle. Monkeys, exotic frogs, felines, and other wildlife species also abound. The nature reserve is also home to the 1280-meter-high Juliana peak of the Wilhelmina Mountains. The Devil’s Egg, a boulder that looks like an egg from afar, seems to be balancing on the edge of the mountain peak and is an absolute sight to behold.

In short, Sipaliwini has everything that makes Suriname an attractive vacation destination; unspoiled flora and fauna, culture, adventure, peace, and quiet but above all fairy-like views from the tops of the highlands that are perfect for taking an impressive selfie.