Suriname

Is Suriname safe to visit?

Mostly, yes. The US State Department rates Suriname Level 1, "exercise normal precautions", and calls it generally safe for travellers. It is a quieter place than its neighbours: UNODC recorded about 6.5 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people in 2023, well under half the rate in Guyana and a small fraction of Venezuela's. We score Suriname 67.

The catch is not violence aimed at visitors but everyday theft in Paramaribo, a road toll that is rising fast in 2026, and hospitals that cannot handle much. Plan for those, and Suriname is a straightforward trip.

Crime in Paramaribo

Small numbers mean big swings. Suriname has about 640,000 people, so a few dozen killings a year move the rate a lot: UNODC rates between 2019 and 2023 ranged from 5.0 to 9.0 per 100,000. Open police data for 2025, which InSight Crime said ran only to late November, showed 20 homicides against 27 for the same period of 2024.

Street crime is the bigger risk for a visitor. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says there have been burglaries, armed robberies and violent crime in Paramaribo and the surrounding area, and that pickpocketing and robbery are increasingly common in the main business and shopping districts. It names the Palmentuin, the palm garden behind the presidential palace, as one of the quiet places where criminals could target you.

Simple habits cover most of it. Leave jewellery at home, carry a copy of your passport rather than the original, and take a licensed taxi or one from a hotel rank at night. Credit cards are not widely accepted outside big hotels, so you will carry more cash than usual; split it up.

Roads and getting around

Road deaths are where Suriname looks worst. The World Bank series, based on WHO's estimate, gives 15.3 deaths per 100,000 for 2019, and we score on that series to keep countries comparable. WHO's newer 2021 estimate is slightly higher at 16.2, about 99 deaths. Police counts were lower in recent years, 61 deaths in 2025, but by the end of August 2026 the provisional count had already reached 72, according to the newspaper De Ware Tijd. That is already more than in all of 2025, with four months still to go.

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns of drivers with poor road sense, poor lighting and bad surfaces in places, and of cyclists, pedestrians and animals on the road at night. Traffic drives on the left. If you hire a car you need an International Driving Permit along with your licence, and it is wise to avoid driving outside Paramaribo after dark.

The interior: planes, boats and distance

Many visitors head inland to river lodges, the Central Suriname Nature Reserve (a UNESCO site covering about a tenth of the country) or Maroon villages upriver. Those trips use small planes and motorised dugouts, and they take you a long way from medical care.

Two things to check. First, the operator: the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says tourists have been robbed while travelling in central Suriname away from the coast, and advises using a well-established tour company. Second, the flight: the UK Air Safety ListEU Air Safety ListThe European Commission's list of airlines banned or restricted from flying in EU airspace because they do not meet international safety standards.More in the glossary bans all known Surinamese airlines from UK airspace because they do not meet international safety standards. That does not mean a given flight is unsafe, but ask about the aircraft and pilot experience before you book. On the water, insist on life jackets.

Health care and mosquitoes

Suriname became the first country in the Amazon region to be certified malaria-free by WHO, on 30 June 2025, and CDC reports no locally acquired cases since 2021. Malaria tablets are no longer needed for most itineraries.

Other insect-borne diseases remain. CDC recommends yellow fever vaccination for all travellers aged 9 months and over, and dengue, Zika and chikungunya circulate. Schistosomiasis is present in some fresh water, so ask locally before swimming in creeks and lakes. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary calls medical facilities severely limited and says some want payment upfront before treatment. Check that your insurance covers medical evacuation abroad.

Floods are the main natural hazard. The FCDO says the north and centre of the country flood in the May to August rainy season, which can cut roads to the interior. Suriname lies south of the usual hurricane track.

How we scored it

Conflict (85) and natural hazards (78) are the strongest factors: a Level 1 advisory, no terrorism and no hurricanes. Road safety (50) is the weakest, scored on WHO's 15.3 per 100,000 but pulled down by the surge in deaths in 2026. Health (58) and petty crime (58) reflect limited hospitals and theft in Paramaribo, and violent crime (70) follows a homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary in the 3-8 band. Confidence is medium because the latest complete homicide data are from 2023.