Transport In Suriname

In Suriname, there are various forms of transport offered. The least expensive and most enjoyable is travelling by bus. The wild bus, that is. Because although Suriname does have public transport, these ‘lanti’ buses are used on limited routes and they run less frequently than the wild buses.

The less pleasant thing about travelling by these buses is that you sometimes have to wait quite a long time for one to pass by and in some cases, especially during rush hour, they are already full when they pass by. You stop the bus by waving your hand when you are standing along the road and at the boarding point you can ask which bus is the next to leave. The wild buses leave at random times because the driver only leaves the boarding point when the bus is full.

It is best to travel short distances by taxi. Do ask what it costs before getting in because the prices for taxi rides in Suriname are not standardised and the taxi meter is not common in Suriname. Of course, you can also rent a car. The prices vary and depend on the type of car. For those who want to drive outside the city with a rental car, it is a good idea to rent a Four Wheel Drive.

The roads can be very bad, especially during the rainy season, and holes in the road surface are not always clearly visible. Keep in mind that Suriname has left-hand traffic and not everyone adheres to the traffic rules. Transport to the interior takes place in two ways: transport by road in combination with water transport and air transport.

From Paramaribo, you drive to the Atjoni landing site in the Brokopondo district, where you can take the boat to Boven Suriname. From Zorg en Hoop airport, just outside Paramaribo, small aircraft depart for various airstrips in the interior. This is the most expensive form of transport, but also the fastest.

To visit the resorts in the interior of Suriname, it is best to book your trip with a tour operator. Most of them are located in Paramaribo and offer various packages of tours to the interior. The tours are usually all-in, which means that transport, meals and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the price.