Nieuw Nickerie

Nieuw Nickerie is the western town of Suriname, sitting on the Nickerie river a few kilometres from the Corantijn that forms the border with Guyana. The district around it grows almost all the rice in the country, and the flat green polders run to the horizon behind the dykes. The population is largely of Indian descent, which shows in the temples, the mosque and the roti shops. The ferry to Guyana crosses the Corantijn from South Drain, half an hour south of the town. Bigi Pan and its bird colonies begin just north of the town. The town was moved inland in stages after the river ate away its first site.