3guianas travel blog by Mark Berman -
April 2015
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The 4 and a half hour bus journey from Suriname's capital Paramaribo west to Nickerie isn't particularly interesting or picturesque as far as sights go. The road isn't
that great either which is why it takes 4hrs and 30mins, the distance is only 234kms. Sights Along the Way
The countryside is nice of course
with lots of farms and palms and wide-open space. The main industries are coconuts, rice and bananas. You pass the occasional temple or mosque such as Masdjid Alie
Moertaza Muslim Temple. In Coronie, a small town we briefly stopped at, there is a statue of Tata Colin who was a slave in the cotton plantation Leasowes in Coronie
in the 1800's. There are lots of waterways and bridges to cross during the journey.
Sights in Nickerie
The town of Nickerie itself has
nothing to see of great note apart from a couple of churches (Eben Haezer and Vredeskerk), a cannon in the park and a couple of busts. One of the busts is of
Jaggernath Lachmon (1916-2001), a politician born in Corantijnpolder (a few kms west) in the district of Nickerie. I suppose the best sight in town would be the
huge lily waterway with pink flowers which has bridge crossings along it's route.
Modern Beside Shanty
One thing that is very
noticeable about Nickerie is the sight of, for example, an office building right next door to a shanty house or a hotel directly across the road from
a shanty shack.
Tourism
The Nickerie District of course has nature tourism opportunities - Bigi Pan for birdwatching, Apoera for river and jungle trips,
Washabo for local cultures and Blanche Marie Falls.
Distances Elsewhere
Distances from Nickerie to other parts of the country are:
Southdrain (the western border) 37kms, Wageningen 48kms, Totness 94kms, Coppenamebrug 144kms and
Albina (the eastern border) 373kms.
Border Crossing
After staying the night at a hotel that served Chinese food I left town early the next morning and headed to
Southdrain for the border cross to Guyana.
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The road becomes brick for a while, around Nickerie, Suriname.
One of the central streets with a few shops in Nickerie, Suriname.
Jaggernath Lachmon (1916-2001) bust in Nickerie, a politician born in nearby Corantijnpolder, Suriname.
One of the cannon beside the plaza in Nickerie, Suriname.
