By Ben Eisenberg
One of the most common questions I get is, “What’s your favorite country that you’ve visited?”
It’s a tough question. How do I compare places? Italy had the best food. Indonesia had the best adventures. Every time I’ve gone to the Czech Republic I’ve had a blast. I lived in China for a year, and it holds a special place in my heart. I love the food and culture and have been there almost 10 times. But it’s not my favorite.
As I think more and more about it, one place continuously comes to the front of my mind: Suriname.
The vast majority of people I’ve talked to have never even heard of Suriname. Most assume that it’s in Africa or Asia. It’s not. Suriname is a tiny country on the northern coast of South America, tucked between Brazil, Guyana and French Guyana. I never would have thought to go to Suriname if a friend of mine hadn’t taken a job there.
Why is this country my favorite? To start with, it was the most unique place I have ever visited.
It’s on the Caribbean Sea and part of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). It has tropical beaches and the feel and culture of a Caribbean island, yet it’s also part of South America. There are rainforests and jungles, monkeys and jaguars and anteaters.
In spite of having only 500,000 people, Suriname has the most fascinating mix of cultures you’ll ever encounter. Over half of the population is of Asian descent, with Indian (27%), Indonesian (17%), and Chinese (10%) comprising the largest groups. About 37% of the population is considered Afro-Surinamese, describing themselves as either “Creole,” descendants of colonists and slaves, or “Maroon,” descendants of escaped slaves who integrated themselves into indigenous communities in the jungle.
And did I mention that everyone speaks Dutch? Known as Dutch Guyana before its independence in 1975, Suriname still calls Dutch its official language along with Sranantongo, a pidgin English.
With 96% of the country covered in unspoiled rainforest, eight types of monkeys, and 40 new species discovered here last year alone, the flora and fauna are even more diverse than the people. I saw monkeys, all sorts of exotic plants and insects, and I even went canoeing at night to see and catch mini crocodiles, known as caimans.
Everywhere I went there was delicious food – dim sum, curry, satay – as authentic as if I had gotten it in Guangzhou or Jakarta.
And if eating dumplings in the jungle made by Dutch-speaking Chinese people after a day of seeing wild animals wasn’t enough, Suriname and its capital, Paramaribo, have a unique history and sights that cannot be found anywhere else.
Graves at Jodensavanne
