Sawan Slijterij
A neighborhood bottle shop where Paramaribo stocks up on Borgoe, Parbo and everything in between.
Why Go
Tucked away on Jagdeiweg, Sawan Slijterij is the kind of unpretentious slijterij (liquor store) that locals swing by on the way home from work ΓÇö a fluorescent-lit counter of Surinamese rums, ice-cold beer and imported spirits, priced like you actually live here rather than like you flew in yesterday.
The Experience
Slijterijen are a small institution in Suriname, and Sawan fits the mold: a compact shop tucked into a residential stretch of Paramaribo, with shelves running from local Borgoe and Black Cat rums to Parbo pilsner in returnable brown bottles, plus wines, whiskies and mixers. You order at the counter (Dutch or Sranan Tongo will get you further than English), the staff grabs your bottle from behind the grille, and you're back out into the tropical afternoon in under two minutes. It's not a tasting-room experience ΓÇö it's how Paramaribo actually drinks. Come for a top-up before a river cruise, a house party in a rental, or a quiet Djogo (the local 1L Parbo bottle) on your guesthouse porch.
What to Try
Borgoe 8 (or the pricier Borgoe Extra) is the rum most Surinamese will point you to — smooth, molasses-forward, and made just outside the city at SAB. Grab a 1L 'Djogo' of Parbo Bier for the full local ritual, or reach for Black Cat if you want something rougher and cheaper for mixing. Mariënburg 90% is the legendary overproof souvenir bottle — pack it carefully.
Insider Tip
Bring cash in SRD; card machines at neighborhood slijterijen are unreliable at best, and prices are quoted informally. If you're buying Parbo by the Djogo, ask about the statiegeld (bottle deposit) ΓÇö you can bring the empty back for a small refund, or just leave it with your guesthouse, which will happily reuse it.
The Practical Stuff
Jagdeiweg 17, Paramaribo. Roughly MonΓÇôSat 09:00ΓÇô19:00, Sun 09:00ΓÇô13:00 (hours in Suriname flex with the neighborhood ΓÇö call +597 861-1411 to confirm before a special trip). Cash (SRD) strongly preferred. It's a take-away shop ΓÇö no seating, no tastings. A short taxi ride from the city centre; ask for 'Jagdeiweg' and most drivers will know it.
Pair It With
- Paramaribo river cruise on the Suriname River — Pick up a couple of cold Parbos or a half-bottle of Borgoe here first ΓÇö most sunset cruises let you bring your own, and drinks on board cost several times what you'll pay at Sawan.
- A stay in a Paramaribo guesthouse or Airbnb — Slijterijen like Sawan exist for exactly this: stocking the fridge for a porch evening with mosquito coils, chilled Djogos and the sound of the neighborhood winding down.
- Roopram Roti or a warung dinner — Grab takeaway roti or Javanese saoto and swing by Sawan on the way home ΓÇö a Parbo with spicy chicken curry is the unofficial Paramaribo house meal.