Paramaribo is the capital of Suriname and the main port. Amsterdam meets the Wild West in Paramaribo (Parbo), the most vivacious and striking capital in the Guiana’s. Black-and-white colonial Dutch buildings line grassy squares and spices waft from roti shops, mingling with exhaust fumes, while Maroon artists sell colorful paintings by somber Dutch forts. The locals in Paramaribo are justifiably proud of their multi-ethnicity - they live in a city where mosques and synagogues play happy neighbors. In 2002 the historical inner city was listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site. Elsewhere, towering palms offer welcome shade and mangroves hug the riverside.

From the United States, airline service is available from Miami and New York (JFK) via Carribean Airlines, which stops in Trinidad-Tobago enroute to Suriname. From August 2008 it is also possible to fly with Surinam Airways (Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij) to and from Maimi, which stops in Aruba. On the way to the USA the Aruba stop is used for the customs and immigration procedure so that at arrival in Miami you do not have to go to customs anymore. KLM has three weekly direct flights from Amsterdam.

If you're coming from Europe another alternative is to fly with Air France from Paris to Cayenne (in French Guiana) and travel from there, either by plane or overland. This route is generally not advised. Little boats can take you over the Suriname River to Commewijne. Till 2001 there was a ferry but with the completion of the Wijdenbosch Bridge the ferry was taken out of order. There are several car rentals services based in Paramaribo. In Paramaribo, Suriname the buses are private. The drivers however do follow routes that are collectively determined. The buses are somewhere between private taxis and public transportation, and only leave the “bus station” when they are totally full, meaning there are not specific schedules. If you do see a bus, take note that the buses are hand-painted.

Imposing brick buildings overlook grassy squares and wooden houses crowd narrow streets. Towering palms shade some areas and mangroves still hug the riverside. Mosques and synagogues sit side by side, while Javanese vendors peddle satay and Dutch-speaking Creoles guzzle beer at sidewalk cafes. Central Paramaribo's focus is the Onafhankelijksplein (Unity Square), fronting the Presidential Palace. Immediately behind the palace is the Palmentuin, an attractive park with tall palms inhabited by tropical birds. To the east is Fort Zeelandia, a 17-century riverside fortification used for the detention and torture of political prisoners after the coup of 1980. The main market is found on the riverside boulevard, Waterkrant, and ferries for Meerzog, on the other side of the river, leave from nearby.

Like the rest of Suriname, Paramaribo's weather is hot and wet. The mercury rarely falls below 25°C (77°F) during the day and tends to hover around the 30°C (86°F) mark. At night, it seldom drops below 22°C (72°F). There's little variation in temperature year-round, with only January to March being marginally cooler. Likewise, the rain gauge stays damp with two wet seasons: March to July and December to January. September and October are the driest months but remember - this is the tropics, so don't lose your umbrella at any time of year.

Anyone visiting Paramaribo should time their visit with one of the city's numerous festivals. Holi Phagwah is the lively, colorful festival of the Hindu community usually held in March. This is keenly followed by Easter celebrations. Just after Easter, check out the Avond Vierdaagse parade of the city's old and young in traditional dress. July 1 is the Emancipation Day national holiday, or Keti Koti, celebrating the abolition of slavery and the Afro-Surinamese Creole community. The Suriname Jazz Festival is held in October at various venues around town, and Eid ul-Fitr (or bodo), celebrating the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, occurs around this time. Paramaribo's key event, Surifesta, lasts from mid-December to early January, taking in Christmas and New Year.

Paramaribo has a museum, a cathedral, forts and canals that are reminiscent of the Netherlands. Paramaribo is a unique example of the contact between the European culture of the Netherlands and the indigenous cultures and environment of South America in the years of intensive colonization of this region in the 16th and 17th centuries. Reservations for flights to Paramaribo should be made as early as possible since they are quite popular!