Suriname > Sailing on the Suriname River

It’s warm in the room during the night. We keep the window closed to keep the mosquitoes out. Still, we sleep well and wake up on time. We pack our luggage for the next three days on the Suriname River. The rest of our luggage can remain in the hotel room. At half past nine, we board the bus, which takes us to the dock in the city center. Here, the open-cabin boat for the next three days is already ready for us. We load our luggage on board and set sail on the river. We pass by the center of Paramaribo, seeing Fort Zeelandia and the famous buildings along the Waterkant. Along the quay, besides the beautiful houses, there are also many dilapidated buildings and completely rusted ships. In the middle of the Suriname River lies a capsized German warship. The captain sank the ship during World War II to prevent it from falling into Allied hands. The ship broke in two during an attempt to remove it, after which it was decided to leave it where it lay.

Suriname - The Jules Wijdenbosch bridge connects the two banks of the Suriname River

A little further, we pass the Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge, also known as the Suriname Bridge, which connects Paramaribo with Meerzorg on the opposite bank. The bridge was completed in 2000 and named after its initiator, President Wijdenbosch. In Domburg, a little further along, we stroll through the village. We look at the old plantation houses and pass a small bar playing Dutch-language music. A little further along, on the opposite bank, we dock at the town of Laarwijk. Here, we take a short walk, during which Wibo, our guide, explains the fruits, plants, and local customs. On the way back, light rain begins to fall. Back on the boat, lunch is ready. While sailing, we enjoy rice, chicken, vegetables, and delicious peanut sambal. In the afternoon, the boat docks at an old stone pier. This was actually planned for the last day, but the water level now makes docking possible.

Suriname - The remains of the Chatillon colony, where leprosy patients were once exiled

The pier is part of the former leprosy colony of Chatillon. Here, leprosy patients from Suriname were housed to prevent further infection. The remains of the colony are completely overgrown by the jungle, and the buildings have collapsed. From the pier, we walk into the jungle. Hidden among the trees, we see the remnants of Chatillon. Little remains of the complex. Wibo explains the history of Chatillon as well as the surrounding flora and fauna. We continue sailing along the Suriname River toward our overnight stop at Overbridge. It’s already four in the afternoon when we arrive. In a sheltered area safe from piranhas, we take a dip. The river water is so warm that it barely cools us, but it’s still wonderful to float in the water. Dark clouds are gathering above Overbridge, however, and we wonder how long we can stay dry. We get out of the water, and as we dry off on the small beach, light rain begins. Soon, it turns into a heavy downpour. We try to shelter under a party tent on the grounds. When the rain eases slightly, we move to the covered area where we will also sleep tonight. After about twenty minutes, it dries up, and we return on board, where dinner is ready. After dinner, it’s time for the hammocks. Each hammock needs two ropes to hang it up and the mosquito net must be stretched. Wibo tries to explain how to do this, but we convince him of a more practical way to thread the hammock through the net. Soon, everyone is busy with their hammock and mosquito net. Now it really comes down to trusting your own knot to avoid ending up on the ground in the middle of the night. Hanging and testing the hammocks provides plenty of laughs. In the evening, we decide to have another beer and try out the hammocks early. By a little after nine, everyone is already in their hammock. It takes some getting used to, but lying diagonally, it’s actually quite comfortable.