Suriname (Bradt Travel Guide)

Good guide. Very helpful. That said, many of the prices for restaurants and such are WAY off. I think most of these prices listed in SRD should be in USD or Euro. Also, the big waterfall at Brownsberg is called Irene, not Elena.

This is about as good as it gets for a serious look at tourist traveling in Suriname. IF you plan on going, get this. This is your bible as to what to see and do there, as well as how to travel about and where to eat, sleep, and shop.Two issues:1. Map related. Of course, the big green map up front is nice, but not too detailed. Unfortunately, the individual chapters do NOT have maps of the administrative divisions. There are just 2 small half maps that cover the entire country. One on the bottom third of pages 68-69 covers the north half of Surinam and then a slightly less than half-page map on p. 189 covers the south half! So when you go to Chapter 8, Saramacca, Coronie and Nickerie, the map is on pages 68-69 and it utterly fails to do justice to the area. Or see Chapter 12, The Deep Interior, the map is on p. 189 and it fails to do justice to the area!And sadly there are odd omissions that stand out as you look at various regional and city maps. Take Meerzog, which is directly east of Paramaribo across the Suriname River. Seems rather large. The Commewijne Plantation Loop map, full pages on pgs. 124-125, clearly show Meerzorg, including specific things to be found in it. Is Meerzorg in the text? NO. In the Index? NO. The author went to the Peperpot Nature Park just immediately SE of Meerzorg but failed to mention Meerzorg at all. The ONE bridge to the east of Paramaribo across the Suriname River goes directly to Meerzorg! So why no Meerzorg?Or see Chapter 7, Marowijne. The map on p. 69 that covers the area clearly shows a large Wanecreek Nature Reserve. Larger than the Galibi Nature Reserve just to the NE of it. BUT the author goes to the latter but makes no mention of the former, even though the primary E-W road here cuts thru the southern part of it. No mention of any Wanecreek Nature Reserve in the Index, either.And don't get me started on the MESS that are the various maps and map insets for Paramaribo! The Sommelsdijck Canal that can clearly be found on the maps on pgs. 82-83 & p, 91 doesn't exist on the map on pages 76-77.2. Paramaribo. Even with all the maps, it is hard to create a walking path around the city using the map and text. The text will often have items wildly spread out. Forcing you to reference two or more different maps on the same page. And there is NO walking path set out on the maps or in the text for possible day walking. When I go, I know I want to spend a couple days walking about the capital, but these maps and this text don't really help me plan good walking routes.The two issues mean I'd like to give this a 4.5 but I can't, so 5 it is, for it is the best there is and I pray for a future 3rd edition.