Nieuw Nickerie, Suriname: The Rice Town in the West
Suriname's second town, built on paddy fields, an hour from the Guyanese border.
Why Go
Nieuw Nickerie is the largest place in western Suriname and the centre of the country's rice growing, which is not a tourist proposition and is exactly why it is interesting. It sits on the Nickerie River near where it meets the Corantijn, four to five hours west of Paramaribo through an unbroken landscape of paddies and drainage canals. Most visitors are here for one of two reasons: the crossing to Guyana, or Bigi Pan — the enormous brackish lagoon north of town where scarlet ibis come in to roost.
The Experience
The town itself is flat, low and laid out on a grid behind a sea dyke, with a market, a handful of Chinese and Indian shops and a strongly Indo-Surinamese character that shows in the food and in the temples. It is not picturesque and does not try to be. The interest is the surrounding district: rice fields to the horizon in every direction, sluices and canals from the Dutch water-management inheritance, and beyond them the coastal wetland. From the dyke at the edge of town the mudflats stretch out toward the Atlantic, and birds are everywhere — this coast is a globally significant stopover for migrating shorebirds, and you do not need to leave town to notice it. The town also explains something about how Suriname was assembled. Rice growing here was built by Javanese and Hindustani labourers brought under indenture after abolition, and the district's temples, mosques and food are the direct result. Nickerie is where that history is least diluted by the capital.
What to Try
Go to Bigi Pan, which is the reason to come. Boats run out from the district into a vast brackish lagoon with lodges built on stilts over the water; scarlet ibis, flamingos, herons and spoonbills use it, and late afternoon into dusk is when the roosts fill. Eat well and cheaply while you are here — Curry & More and Sew's Roti Shop cover the Indo-Surinamese cooking that is western Suriname's real strength, and roti in this part of the country is a serious matter. Walk the dyke at dawn for the shorebirds. If you are heading on to Guyana, the ferry crossing is south of town and runs to a schedule worth confirming twice. Drive out into the polders in the late afternoon if you have a vehicle. The rice fields flood and reflect, egrets work the bunds, and the flat western light over water is the one genuinely beautiful thing about the landscape.
Insider Tip
Arrange Bigi Pan before you arrive rather than after. The lodges are small, the boats go from points outside town that are not obvious, and turning up in Nieuw Nickerie hoping to organise it that afternoon usually costs you a day. Go for an overnight rather than a few hours — the birds come in at dusk and leave at dawn, and a midday visit to the lagoon shows you water and heat. Bring far more insect repellent than seems reasonable; this is wetland, and the evening is when both the birds and the mosquitoes arrive.
The Practical Stuff
Nieuw Nickerie is in Nickerie District, four to five hours west of Paramaribo by road, with regular minibuses and a short domestic flight as alternatives. The ferry to Guyana crosses the Corantijn from a landing south of town and runs on a limited schedule. Accommodation in town is modest, and Bigi Pan lodges are booked separately and in advance. The currency is the Surinamese dollar and cash is essential outside the main shops. Dutch is official and Sranan Tongo universal; Sarnami Hindustani is widely spoken here. Yellow fever vaccination is commonly required for entry. Rain is heaviest roughly April to August, with a shorter wet spell around December and January.
Common Questions
Why visit Nieuw Nickerie?
For Bigi Pan, the vast brackish lagoon north of town where scarlet ibis and flamingos roost, or as the staging point for the ferry crossing to Guyana. The town itself is a working rice centre.
How far is it from Paramaribo?
Four to five hours by road through continuous paddy fields, with minibuses running the route and a short domestic flight as an alternative.
What is Bigi Pan?
A large brackish coastal lagoon with lodges built on stilts over the water. Boats run out from the district, and the birds come in to roost at dusk and leave at dawn.
Should you stay overnight at Bigi Pan?
Yes. A midday trip shows you heat and water; the roosts fill in the late afternoon and empty at first light, so an overnight is the difference between seeing it and passing through.
What is the food like?
Strongly Indo-Surinamese — roti above all — reflecting the district's population. It is one of the better eating regions in the country and very inexpensive.
Can you cross to Guyana from here?
Yes, by ferry across the Corantijn from a landing south of town. The schedule is limited and worth confirming twice before travelling.
Pair It With
- Curry&More — Eating before the run out to the lagoon.
- Sew's Roti Shop Guide — The roti this district is known for.
