Paramaribo Carnival, Surinam

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What is the Paramaribo Carnival?

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40% of the population of Suriname is Christian, plus it is a South American country close to the Caribbean, so it brings with it great African influences. However, the Carnival in Suriname is not a big event and as a result, it is not celebrated on a large scale. Despite all of the above, Suriname has a celebration called “Avondvierdaagse”, which is a rather similar ceremony.

Suriname’s carnival is called “Avondvierdaagse” and is a celebration that takes place every year in the capital of the country. It is a somewhat peculiar celebration, as it does not feature the typical carnival celebrations, but its purpose is more of physical activity mixed with the different cultural and ethnic elements that the country possesses. The “Avondvierdaagse” consists of walking long distances for 4 continuous days. However, the activity is much more than that, as it brings with it the cultural representation through dances and costumes of the different people who attend. It is also one of the largest events of its kind, with approximately 6,000 participants each year.

 

 

During the event, participants walk along different roads of the city while partying, performing choreographies and playing music. Some of the participants and comparsas wear uniforms or carnival costumes, while others wear comfortable, sporty clothes. Each day the route is different, which makes the celebration dynamic and fun every day.

 

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When is the Paramaribo Carnival

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The Avondvierdaagse usually takes placeduring the month of April and lasts for 4 days.

 

 

History of the Paramaribo Carnivals

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Suriname was a colony ofThe Netherlands for just under 3 centuries, which resulted in many of the traditions of The Netherlands being passed down to the South American locality.

The celebration of the Avondvierdaagse was held in the Netherlands since 1909 thanks to the Dutch Association for Physical Education or NBLO, which organized and planned marches for 4 days. These marches were held for a couple of decades until the occupation during World War II, a period in which such celebrations were prohibited.

After theWorld War II, marches were reestablished in the different sectors and municipalities of the country, taking place again a few days later. Since then the Avondvierdaagse has been part of the culture of the Netherlands, celebrating the festivities for 4 consecutive days.

These traditions began to be taken to Surinam, which caused the integration of the marching or walking festivities with the already present culture of the locals. That is why, despite having the characteristics of the walks, it was transformed into a new concept takingelements of the traditional culture of the South American country.

 

 

Where is the Paramaribo Carnival

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The Suriname Carnival or Avondvierdaagse is held in theSurinamese capital, Paramaribo. During the event, different parts of the city are toured.

If you want to know more about tourism in this country I recommend this guide:.

 

How is the Paramaribo Carnival celebrated

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The concept of the celebrations is quite simple, you just have to walk for a specific amount of kilometers set by the organizer of the event. Normally the Avondvierdaagsen are held in 2 or 3 walk formats; 5, 10 or 15 kilometers distributed among the 4 days of the celebration.

 

 

Some hours before, people get ready at the differentstarting points to begin the walks. Likewise, the groups take positions and get ready to parade, dance, carry banners and play music throughout the walk.

 

Tips for going to the Paramaribo Carnivals

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If you wish to attend these peculiar carnivals, we advise you to plan your trip in advance, make an itinerary of activities and finally, make a reservation at your preferred lodging.

Also, please note that the tour has first aid assistance and the different routes have different modalities and schedules, so we advise you to keep an eye out for any publication in this regard.

 

 

Events in Paramaribo Carnival

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Carnivals are held under the same concept every day. During the 4 days of celebration, the people walk a specified distance as they march, parade, sing and celebrate. The different comparsas wear attire of varying colors, some very elegant, while others somewhat more sporty. However, the aim of the celebrations is to travel the given distance and celebrate through music the various traditions of the country.

 

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Paramaribo Carnival Parades

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The parades are composed of the various participants who go in groups or in individual walks. Likewise, the comparsas span the streets with large banners and wearing colorful and distinctive costumes while singing and dancing to the rhythm of the percussion band. In addition, on the sides of the road are the various observers who encourage the participants with banners and shouts.

 

Parade route

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The routes of the marches or walks are published a few days before the celebration of the festivities. However, the parades cross the different streets of Paramaribo for a distance of approximately 5 kilometers.

 

 

What to eat at the Paramaribo Carnival

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One of the typical foods you can try in Paramaribo is the Bojo cake, a cake made of rum, cassava, coconut, spices and sugar. You can also try the Moksi-alesi, a dish that consists of rice with fish or meat with tomato, beans and coconut milk.

The city also offers you some options for eating out, some of these are Zus & Zo, Souposo and De Gadri..

 

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Travel Insurance

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From Carnavalesdelmundo.org we recommend to hire a good insurance to visit this carnival and to know the rest of the country. For being our readers we offer a 5% discount on all IATI insurances. Read more information about all insurance offers here:

 

 

What to see and do inside the Paramaribo Carnival

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Within the carnivals you can be part of the marches that take place during the 4 days of celebration and be part of the cultural traditions through the dancing and the dance of the different comparsas..

If you’re not in the sporting spirit, you can stand at the sides of the walks to give encouragement and still be able to see the comparsas dancing and partying.

If you don’t want to complicate things, here you can book interesting excursions in Spanish in this city:.

 

What to see and do outside of the Paramaribo Carnivals

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Some of the tourist attraction options the city offers you are:

 

Zeelandia Fortress

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It is a fortress built in the 17th century. Since 1872 it was used as a prison and in 1968 it was restored to be used as a museum.

 

Presidential Palace of Suriname

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This building is the presidential house. It was built in 1730 and today hosts events held by government and diplomatic agencies.

 

Cathedral-Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul

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It is one of the main temples of the city. The temple was built from 1883 to 1885 and today is a World Heritage Site.

Also, if you want to visit museums and important buildings in this city we recommend that you book your entrance ticket in advance through Tiquets:.

 

Safety at the Paramaribo Carnival

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Paramaribo is a somewhat safe city. You should keep a low profile and not wear jewelry or flashy clothing. Also, do not carry large amounts of money in public and keep your personal belongings and documents in a safe place. Also, we recommend the following products to keep your belongings safe:

 

 

Weather at the Paramaribo Carnival

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The temperature in Paramaribo during Carnival is somewhat warm, with temperatures ranging between 25 and 31 degrees Celsius. We advise you to bring sunscreen and light clothing.

 

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How to get to the Paramaribo Carnival

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How to get there by plane

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The closest airport to Paramaribo is the Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport. Once there, you can approach the city via different means.

We recommend buying airline tickets through Kiwi.com or Skyscanner where they are usually cheaper. More information on this link to review Kiwi.com..

 

How to get there by bus

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There are different buses leaving from Guyana to Paramaribo.

 

How to get there by car

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From the airport you can take the Johan Pengel Straat and the Nieuwe Charlesburgweg..

 

Where to stay at Paramaribo Carnival

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Booking.com

 

North Resort Hotel

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4-star hotel 700 meters from the city center. Rooms feature satellite TV, refrigerator and microwave. Facilities include 2 swimming pools, free wifi and parking.

 

Courtyard by Marriott Paramaribo

4-star hotel 1.9 km from the city center. Rooms have cable TV and private bathrooms. Facilities offer pool, free wifi, parking, bar and airport transfers.

 

The Golden Truly Hotel & Casino

3-star hotel 850 meters from the city center. Rooms have TV, air conditioning and private bathrooms. The hotel has a swimming pool, parking, bar, restaurant and free wifi.

We recommend you use Booking.com to book hotels at a good price, check more information here:.

 

Thank you for reading

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