From the red-brick Dutch colonial facades of Paramaribo to the dense green of the Brokopondo reservoir and the braided waterways of the Suriname River, the country smells like wood smoke, citrus and ground spices.

Morning at the Centrale Markt is a chorus of vendors calling, baskets of moriche palm and cassava piled high, piles of chillies glittering next to jars of homemade samboel (hot sauce); you can hear Maroon drumming from a riverside stall and taste the sweet, molasses rim of a local rum in the same breath.

Rainforest humidity and coastal breezes shape the objects you’ll find here: hand-stitched koto dresses and angisa headscarves embroidered in Paramaribo, batik fabrics brought by Javanese families, and carved Maroon masks hewn from dense tropical hardwoods.

If you’re hunting for souvenirs in Suriname, follow the markets, listen for the languages – Sranan Tongo, Hindi, Javanese and let the textures and scents guide you.

Here’s what to buy in Suriname to bring a piece of its spirit back home.

1. Maroon Wood Carvings

Why pick this up:
Maroon carvings carry ancestral motifs and are made by communities descended from escaped enslaved people; they’re both decorative and deeply cultural. The tactile grain of tropical hardwoods and the weathered paint tell a history you can hold.

What to look for:
Seek heavy, hand-carved pieces with visible tool marks and traditional Saramaccan or Ndyuka patterns rather than resin reproductions. Ask which village made the piece and look for provenance or a maker’s name.

Price bracket (2025):
SRD 200–900 (small figures to larger wall panels).

Where to find it:
Maroon villages along the Suriname River, craft stalls at Paramaribo’s Centrale Markt, and weekend bazaars near Fort Zeelandia.

2. Koto Dress & Angisa Headscarves

Why pick this up:
The koto and angisa are living Creole traditions—ceremonial dress with painstaking embroidery and symbolic headwraps that tell social stories. Owning one is like taking home a piece of Suriname’s social fabric.

What to look for:
Look for fine, hand-stitched embroidery, cotton or silk fabrics, and authentic folding styles for the angisa; mass-produced synthetic koto lack detail. Ask a local tailor about measurements if you intend to wear it.

Price bracket (2025):
SRD 300–1,500 (depending on fabric and handwork).

Where to find it:
Tailors and textile vendors in Paramaribo, especially near Waterkant and the Centrale Markt.

3. Javanese Batik & Spice Blends

Why pick this up:
Suriname’s large Javanese community brought batik techniques and spice mixes (used for dishes like saoto and roti), blending Southeast Asian flavours into local cuisine. Batik cloths are vibrant and practical as wraps or wall hangings.

What to look for:
Choose hand-dyed batik with uneven resist patterns (a sign of authenticity) and sealed spice jars with ingredient lists for customs. Avoid printed batik imitations.

Price bracket (2025):
SRD 50–400 for batik; SRD 20–80 for spice jars.

Where to find it:
Paramaribo neighbourhood shops, Centrale Markt stalls, and Javanese-owned bakeries and spice sellers.

4. Handwoven Baskets (Moriche/Buriti Palm)

Why pick this up:
Indigenous and interior communities weave moriche palm into sturdy baskets and handbags—practical pieces made from local palms with natural dyes. Their earthy scent and resilience make them ideal everyday souvenirs.

What to look for:
Tight, even weaving and natural color variations indicate handwork; look for authentic moriche fibre and locally sourced dyes. Beware of plastic imitations sold as “handmade.”

Price bracket (2025):
SRD 40–500 (small market baskets to large storage baskets).

Where to find it:
Indigenous craft stalls, Palmentuin weekend fairs, and artisan markets in Paramaribo.

5. Surinamese Hot Pepper Sauces & Sambals

Why pick this up:
Local hot sauces capture the bold, multicultural palate of Suriname—lively chiles, citrus, and herbs that pair with Creole, Javanese and Hindustani dishes. They’re an easy, flavourful reminder of the country.

What to look for:
Prefer sealed jars with ingredient lists; artisanal bottles often include scotch bonnet, pimento, or mustard seed blends. Avoid unlabelled homemade bottles if you plan to fly.

Price bracket (2025):
SRD 15–60 per jar.

Where to find it:
Centrale Markt, supermarket aisles in Paramaribo, and roadside food stalls.

6. Artisanal Cocoa & Single-Origin Chocolate

Why pick this up:
Suriname has small-scale cocoa farms producing rich, aromatic beans; bean-to-bar chocolatiers in Paramaribo turn them into distinct bars. Chocolate reflects the country’s Amazonian terroir.

What to look for:
Look for single-origin labels, minimal ingredients, and small-batch makers; darker bars with cocoa percentage noted are best. Avoid generic supermarket chocolate if you want authenticity.

Price bracket (2025):
SRD 50–200 per bar/box.

Where to find it:
Specialty food shops in Paramaribo, museum shops, and farmers’ market stalls.

7. Tagua & Seed Jewelry

Why pick this up:
Carved tagua (vegetable ivory) and seed necklaces are lightweight, eco-friendly pieces crafted by Indigenous and Maroon artisans. They’re colorful, sustainable mementos of the Amazon.

What to look for:
Hand-carved beads with natural polish and organic shapes indicate true tagua; seed jewelry should show slight size variance and natural coloration. Avoid perfectly uniform plastic beads.

Price bracket (2025):
SRD 30–200 for earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.

Where to find it:
Centrale Markt stalls, craft tables at cultural events, and Indigenous craft villages.

8. Surinamese Coffee

Why pick this up:
Coffee grown in the hilly pockets and interior farms offers a mild, fruity profile unlike mainstream blends; local roasters in Paramaribo highlight Surinamese single-origin beans. It’s a practical souvenir that tastes like place.

What to look for:
Fresh roast dates, single-origin labeling, and small-batch packaging; whole beans preserve flavour longer than pre-ground. Ask about the roast profile for brewing at home.

Price bracket (2025):
SRD 50–150 per 250–500 g bag.

Where to find it:
Local roasters in Paramaribo, specialty food shops, and some market vendors.

9. Parbo Beer Memorabilia & Local Rum

Why pick this up:
Parbo is the country’s iconic beer, and Suriname produces distinctive rums aged in local barrels—both are souvenirs that capture everyday coastal life. A bottle of local rum makes a memorable gift.

What to look for:
Choose bottles with proper tax stamps and labels; aged rums often come with tasting notes. Keep beer multipacks sealed for transport.

Price bracket (2025):
SRD 10–60 for beer packs; SRD 80–400 for rum bottles.

Where to find it:
Supermarkets, duty-free at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, and market beer stalls.

10. Saramaccan & Aucan Textile Appliqué

Why pick this up:
Saramaccan appliqué is a riot of color—hand-stitched panels used in clothing and home decor that reflect Maroon history and symbolism. These textiles make bold throws, wall hangings or cushion covers.

What to look for:
Hand-stitched seams, layered fabrics and provenance from Saramaccan artisans; machine-made appliqué will feel flat and too uniform. Ask about pattern meanings if possible.

Price bracket (2025):
SRD 80–600 depending on size and handwork.

Where to find it:
Maroon craft markets, Paramaribo artisan fairs, and cultural festivals.

11. Bush Teas & Medicinal Herbs

Why pick this up:
Herbal teas—made from local leaves, bark and roots—are rooted in Indigenous and Creole healing practices and offer unique flavours you won’t find elsewhere. They’re a fragrant, lightweight gift.

What to look for:
Purchase from known herbalists or labelled packs with plant names and usage advice; avoid loose, unidentified blends that could be restricted by customs. Check for freshness and dryness.

Price bracket (2025):
SRD 20–120 per packet.

Where to find it:
Herbal stalls at Centrale Markt, Palmentuin vendors, and small apothecaries in Paramaribo.

Tip: Pack fragile carvings and fine textiles in checked luggage with soft clothes for cushioning, and request bubble wrap or banana leaves at markets when available. ✈️

Local Shopping Culture & Traditions

Shopping in Suriname is a morning ritual for many. Families walk to the Centrale Markt at sunrise for fresh produce, spices and the day’s gossip, while informal stalls and fixed vendors sell everything from textiles to tins of sambal.

Bargaining happens in open-air markets and with independent artisans, but prices in boutiques and supermarket aisles are usually fixed.

Weekends bring cultural fairs on the Waterkant and near Fort Zeelandia. Maroon, Javanese and Indigenous artisans display ceremonial textiles, carvings and foods.

Craft-making villages along the Suriname River and in the Commewijne district preserve traditional techniques like moriche weaving and Saramaccan appliqué.

Suriname’s multicultural influences such as African Maroon, Indigenous, Javanese and Hindustani shape what you find on the shelves.

Koto dress for Creole celebrations, batik from Javanese families, and Maroon woodwork with spiritual motifs. Many artisans sell directly from their villages, so you can often buy an item and hear the maker’s story, a common and valued part of the shopping experience.

How to Spot Genuine Local Souvenirs

Look for natural materials and irregularities. Handwoven moriche baskets will have slight asymmetry and rougher edges, hand-dyed batik shows uneven resist marks, and carved wood will display visible tool marks and patina.

Ask about provenance, good vendors can name the village or artisan and explain materials (e.g., tagua seed, moriche palm, or single-origin cocoa).

For foods and drinks, check sealed packaging, ingredient lists and origin claims; single-origin cocoa or labeled coffee indicate local production, while identical, glossy mass-produced items often come from regional factories and lack local craft signatures.

Finally, scent and touch are clues: real hardwood, natural fibre and hand-stitched textiles feel and smell different from synthetic imitations.

Where to Shop in Suriname

• Centrale Markt, Paramaribo (the busiest open-air market for spices, textiles and food).
• Waterkant and Palmentuin (riverside stalls and weekend crafts).
• Fort Zeelandia and cultural event bazaars (artisan showcases and museum shops).
• Maroon villages along the Suriname River and craft villages in Commewijne (for authentic carvings and textiles).
• Specialty food shops and roasters in Paramaribo (single-origin cacao and coffee).
• Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport duty-free (alcohol and packaged goods).

FAQs

Q: Are souvenirs in Suriname expensive?
A: Prices vary widely: small handicrafts and spices are very affordable, while large carved pieces, bespoke koto dresses and aged rums can be pricier. Expect bargaining room at markets but not in boutique stores.

Q: Is bargaining common in Suriname?
A: Yes—especially at open-air markets and with independent artisans; start below the asking price and settle on a fair middle ground. Fixed-price boutiques and supermarkets rarely negotiate.

Q: How do I know if food items will pass customs?
A: Prefer sealed, commercially packaged items with ingredient lists and avoid fresh produce or meats; check your home country’s rules for plant and animal products before packing.

Explore Paramaribo’s markets and the riverside villages to discover the best crafts and flavours—souvenirs in Suriname carry stories you won’t find anywhere else.

Let me know in the comments if you have any other top ‘what to buy’ ideas!

About the Author

Colin is the founder of SouvenirsIdeas.com and a passionate traveller with a soft spot for ceramics, markets, and food tours. He writes practical, first-hand guides to help you bring home souvenirs that actually mean something — not just more clutter!