Plantage Bakkie: A Coffee Plantation Frozen in 1744
Boat down the Matapica, wander a botanical garden, and step inside one of Suriname's most extraordinary private museums.
Why Go
Deep in the Commewijne district, a former coffee plantation founded by Nicolaas Reynsdorp in 1744 has been quietly preserved by the descendants of the people who worked its land ΓÇö and they're the ones who welcome you in.
The Experience
The day starts early in Paramaribo, usually around 08:00 from the Torarica Resort area, with a road transfer of roughly 75 minutes to Mon Tresor. From there you board a covered wooden boat and glide about 90 minutes through the bird-rich Matapica canal, water-lily channels and mangrove-lined banks opening onto Plantage Bakkie itself. Once ashore, you're greeted with homemade marva iced tea and guided through a lush botanical garden, a small but astonishing museum, and ΓÇö most memorably ΓÇö a conversation with descendants of the plantation who tell the story in their own words. Lunch is a vegetarian spread built almost entirely from what grows in the garden.
What to Try
Do not rush the museum. Museum Bakkie holds one of the most unusual private collections in Suriname, including original prints from Captain John Gabriel Stedman (1796), Pierre Benoit (1839), and naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian (1699) ΓÇö pieces you would normally only see behind glass in Europe. Bring binoculars for the boat ride out (kingfishers, herons and the occasional scarlet ibis are common), taste the marva iced tea before you decide you don't like herbal drinks, and take the walking loop through the garden with whichever family member is guiding ΓÇö the plant knowledge passed down here is the real exhibit.
Insider Tip
Tours do not run every day and the boat has limited seats, so email or WhatsApp at least a few days in advance rather than trying to walk in ΓÇö and ask specifically whether a family descendant will be on site that day, because their storytelling is what turns this from a nice day trip into a genuinely rare experience. If you're prone to sunburn, bring a wide-brim hat: the boat is covered but the garden walk is exposed, and the Commewijne sun is stronger than it feels on the water.
The Practical Stuff
Location: Plantage Bakkie #6, Reijnsdorp, Commewijne district, Suriname ΓÇö reached by road transfer from Paramaribo (~1h15) plus a boat trip (~1h30) via Mon Tresor. Typical day tour runs roughly 08:00 to late afternoon; hours are set per booking rather than fixed. Guided lunch and drinks are included in most operator packages. Bring: insect repellent, sunblock, water, closed shoes for the garden walk, and cash in SRD or USD for tips and small purchases. Bookings are essential and best made through a Paramaribo-based tour operator (Orange Suriname, SUFORYOU, Jenny Tours and Flora & Fauna Tours all run this route).
Pair It With
- 'T Vat Sidewalk Cafe Guide — A classic Paramaribo terrace on the Waterkant ΓÇö a good spot to unwind with a Parbo beer after the long day out to Commewijne and back.
- 168 Restaurant Guide — Easy, well-priced dinner in the city if you get back to Paramaribo hungry and don't feel like dressing up after a day on the river.
- 101 Suites Guide — A convenient central Paramaribo base for the night before your tour ΓÇö pickups for Plantage Bakkie leave early, so staying downtown makes the 08:00 start much less painful.