Peter Greenberg: Travelling to Suriname

By: Peter Greenberg | Source: AARP.org | 2008-04-22

I have searched and searched for a good method to take a vacation in the country of Suriname. I have learned that there are superb eco-tours to a South American nature area that is almost unspoiled. Too, most of the people there speak excellent English even though their language is Dutch (being a former colony of The Netherlands). However, there seem to be sparse listings or data on the Internet on how to book air travel there at a reasonable price. Could you advise me on how to solve this travel problem?
-Jerry, San Antonio, Texas

Suriname Airways is going to be about your only option to fly into Suriname's capital city of Paramaribo. To make matters more complicated, they do not have any service out of the United States. So, you must fly into either Aruba or Curacao. From there, you can get into Paramaribo on Suriname Airways for about $395 to $495. Calling Suriname Airways at 305-599-1196 is the best way to make a reservation, because the flights are few and are not always accessible online. Suriname Airways flies from Aruba on Fridays at 7 p.m. EST, and from Curacao on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

American Airlines is the only airline that will fly you all the way from Texas to Curacao. A round-trip flight on American Airlines from San Antonio to Miami will cost you around $870 and will take you from San Antonio to Dallas, from there to Miami, and from Miami on to Curacao. Delta and Continental offer seasonal service, but you will likely encounter difficulty matching up their availability with when you would like to fly.