The place
Commewijne starts as soon as you cross the river. The Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge and the Meerzorg ferry both make the crossing. Beyond them the district is creeks, fields, and former plantations rather than a second city.
Fort Nieuw Amsterdam sits where the Commewijne River meets the Suriname. Estates such as Frederiksdorp and Peperpot keep wooden houses, and Mariënburg still shows the ruins of the sugar works. This is plantation history, including the history of slavery. Read the place that way.
Getting there
From Paramaribo, drive over the bridge or take the ferry to Meerzorg. A car, a bicycle on the quieter roads, or a boat with a local operator are the usual ways through the district. Distances look short on a map and take longer on the water.
Pair it with
Easy to add to any stay in Paramaribo. It is the river day of the four-day route.
Follow it in a route: Four days in Paramaribo and Commewijne