COUNTRY PROFILES Suriname GOING DUTCH IN LATIN AMERICA


deserted beaches and untamed Amazonian rainforest. Touching down in Paramaribo


A


former Dutch colony and now a wonderful, a mishmash of


Caribbean, European, South American and Asian influences, Suriname is unique in Latin America. It delivers diverse culture and cuisine, lively nightlife,


■ Dutch-style buildings of Paramaribo


SAMPLE PACKAGE Last Frontiers' 17-day 'Suriname and Guyana: a jungle and cultural adventure' itinerary starts with two nights in Paramaribo, followed by six days in the Central Suriname Reserve at two different locations, before heading to Guyana.


visitors may wonder where they are, with colourful Dutch-style houses and wooden churches adjacent to the minarets of Keizerstraat mosque and Neveh Shalom synagogue. The city's historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site while its many markets are equally likely to sell exotic fruits as they are Chinese crispy duck and spicy Indian curries – Paramaribo may be small but it's beautifully diverse. On Suriname's coast the 4,000-


hectare Galibi Nature Reserve is home to endangered turtles, while heading inland leads to dense jungle. For more wildlife, visitors should be directed to the Central Suriname Nature Reserve where pristine tropical rainforest harbours


WWW.SURINAME-TOURISM.ORG Capital city: Paramaribo | Languages: Dutch & others | Currency: Suriname dollar | Visa: British visitors must obtain a visa in advance of travel to Suriname | Time zone: GMT -3hrs


HIGHLIGHTS  Galibi Nature Reserve  Capital city Paramaribo  Amerindian communities  Kwamalasamutu’s petroglyphs  Central Suriname Nature Reserve


unusual creatures like the giant armadillo, sloth and tapir. Deep in the jungle are a number


of Amerindian villages where visitors can discover ancient ways of life and centuries-old traditions. In Awarradam, on the rapids of


the Gran Rio river, for example, the Saramaccan people speak a dialect that combines English, Dutch, Portuguese and African languages, while remote Kwamalasamutu is home to nine indigenous communities and the chance to discover ancient petroglyphs hidden in the rainforest.


Uruguay G


SOUTHERN STYLE Capital city: Montevideo | Language: Spanish | Currency: Uruguay Peso | Visa: Not required by British citizens | Time zone: GMT -3hrs


lamorous beach resorts, sophisticated cities and rustic


gaucho towns are part of the experience that visitors can look forward to in Uruguay, a country sandwiched between significantly larger Brazil and Argentina. A fascinating history and great-


value food – with succulent steaks and good wines strong on the menu – combine with a warm welcome from a population with a passion for life. The capital, Montevideo, features


exclusive suburbs, high-rise beach communities and art deco and


HIGHLIGHTS  Colonia del Sacremento  Punta del Este  Montevideo  Jose Ignacio  The Cuchilla Grande


neoclassical buildings. Entertain- ment varies from vibrant carnivals to classical theatre, and night owls can tango the night away in classy cafés and bars, or dance long into the early hours at a beach disco. For sun seekers and surfers, Uruguay has a 400-mile coastline scattered with golden beaches and numerous resorts to the east of Montevideo, the biggest and best- known of which is popular Punta del Este. It is nicknamed the 'St Tropez of the Americas' with its fine restaurants, five-star hotels and yachts bobbing in the harbour. But celebrities are now heading to up-and-coming José Ignacio, a pretty former fishing village further along the coast to the east. To experience the 'real' Uruguay,


direct visitors up the Rio de la Plata, to the likes of gorgeous Colonia del


WWW.TURISMO.GUB.UY


■ Glamorous Punta del Este


SAMPLE PACKAGE Kuoni's nine-day Uruguay Explorer tour starts in Montevideo, travelling east to Rocha for an estancia visit, and on to the quiet coastal town of La Padrera. The tour continues to Cabo Polonio and José Ignacio and ends in pretty Colonia.


Sacramento – with its cobbled streets, cottages and low-key nightlife – or to the rolling green hills and plains of Cuchilla Grande where visitors will find the gaucho spirit thriving and can even try their hand at rounding up the herd.


Latin America | 37


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