Matapica

Price on request: we work with several operators at different prices.
If you are interested in this tour, please contact us.

Walk on the beach and witness something remarkable at Matapica:
the egg-laying of several species of large sea turtles!
Stunning nature and a white sandy beach, right on the Atlantic Ocean.

Tour to the Matapica sea turtles

In the Commewijne district lies a stretch of nature called Matapica.
What makes this nature area special is that no fewer than four different turtle species lay their eggs here during the nesting season.
Above all, there are large populations of leatherback turtles, which can grow up to 2 metres long and have swum thousands of kilometres to mate off this coast and lay their eggs.
The other large sea turtle species found here is the green turtle (Surinamese: krape).
The smaller species are the olive ridley (warana) and the hawksbill (karet).

It's not just special turtles: Matapica is also a paradise for every bird lover.
It is the breeding ground of several tropical bird species.

The tour leaves from Paramaribo and goes via Mariënburg on the Commewijne River.
From Mariënburg you go by boat to the Johanna en Margaretha plantation, where you switch to smaller swamp boats towards the beaches of Matapica.
This trip takes you through a 20-kilometre-long swamp.
On arrival you have time to relax, take a walk on the beach or swim if the water allows.

During the tour you can see the turtles come ashore to lay their eggs and witness the whole process up close.
The next day you get the chance to enjoy the beach, for example by birdwatching.
If you are lucky you'll see tiny baby sea turtles emerging from their nests.
After lunch you head back towards Paramaribo.

Want to experience this unique event? Book now!
(The sea-turtle season runs from late January to the end of July.)

Every day from 3 people: daily departures possible during the nesting season, subject to availability.

You can find the scheduled departure dates in the tour overview.