Sarakreek

Sarakreek is a resort (an administrative sub-district, or ressort) in Brokopondo District, in the gold-mining region of Suriname's forested interior. The 2012 census recorded a population of around 3,000, predominantly Maroon. The name belongs to the Sara Creek area on the eastern side of the Brokopondo Reservoir, and the place is bound up with one of the defining events of modern Suriname: the flooding of the valley after the Afobaka Dam was built in the early 1960s.

A large part of Sarakreek was submerged when the reservoir filled, and the villages lost beneath the rising water were resettled — many residents were moved to transmigration settlements such as Marshallkreek and Tapoeripa. This history of displacement is central to the area's identity, and the standing dead trees that rise from the reservoir here are a literal monument to the drowned forest and the communities that once lived along the creek. In more recent years the wider Sarakreek area has again been in the news for large-scale gold concessions, reflecting the region's long association with mining.

The climate is hot and humid throughout the year, with daytime temperatures in the low 30s °C. Two wetter periods (roughly April–August and December–January) alternate with two drier windows (February–April and August–November); the drier months suit boat travel and forest excursions best. Sarakreek is not a single town but a dispersed group of communities around the reservoir's eastern arm, so movement here means water as much as road.

By Plane

There is no airport at Sarakreek. The nearest international gateway is Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport (PBM) near Paramaribo, from which travel continues overland and by boat across the reservoir. Access is by road and water, not scheduled air.

By Car / Road

Sarakreek lies on the eastern side of the Brokopondo Reservoir and is reached overland from Paramaribo into Brokopondo District, with the final approach typically by boat across the reservoir to the lakeside communities. Interior roads vary from paved to rough dirt and are slow in the rains; a 4x4 is advisable for the land portion. Shared minibuses and vehicles serve the district informally from Paramaribo — confirm timings locally — and motorised boats or dugout canoes (korjaal), arranged with local boatmen, handle the water crossing.

Getting around Sarakreek is fundamentally by boat: the communities are spread around the reservoir's eastern shore, and the water is the highway. Motorised boats and dugout canoes link villages and reach fishing and mining areas. On land, movement is on foot within a village or by 4x4 on forest tracks; there is no public transport, taxi rank, or ride-hailing in the interior. Carry cash in Surinamese dollars (SRD), and agree boat fares — including the return — in advance, as services are informal and weather-dependent.

• Brokopondo Reservoir (eastern arm / Sara Creek) — the great artificial lake with its forest of submerged dead trees is the central sight; the Sarakreek side offers the same haunting drowned-forest landscape best seen from the water.

• Drowned-village landscape — the reservoir here covers the sites of communities flooded in the 1960s; the standing trunks and quiet inlets carry the memory of that displacement.

• Transmigration settlements (Marshallkreek, Tapoeripa) — nearby villages established to resettle people displaced by the flooding, of strong cultural and historical interest.

• Surrounding rainforest and creeks — forested shores and waterways rich in birdlife, explored by boat.

• Boat excursions on the reservoir — cruise among the dead trees, visit inlets and islands, and reach lakeside villages; the principal activity.

• Fishing — the reservoir is a productive fishery and fishing is a way of life here; go out with local boatmen.

• Wildlife and birdwatching — the lake shore and forest edge are good for birds and other wildlife, especially early and late in the day.

• Cultural visits — learning the resettlement story and Maroon heritage of the eastern reservoir communities, with a local guide.

Food is simple and local — rice, cassava, plantain, and freshwater fish from the reservoir, prepared in the Maroon style, served in villages rather than restaurants. There are no formal eateries to depend on; arrange meals through your host, boatman, or tour operator, and carry your own snacks and water for boat days.

Do not assume reservoir or untreated water is safe — drink bottled, boiled, or properly treated water, and carry enough for excursions on the lake. Soft drinks and beer (Parbo, the national lager) are sold at village shops. There are no dedicated bars or cafés of note; drinks are had at small shops and any lakeside lodging.

• Budget: Simple village lodging can sometimes be arranged informally with hosts in the reservoir communities; supply is very limited, so confirm ahead.
• Mid-range: Lakeside resorts and lodges around the Brokopondo Reservoir offer cabins with meals and boat access; book through a Suriname tour operator.
• Upscale / heritage: Higher-comfort nature lodges in the wider reservoir area cater to nature travellers, usually as part of organised packages.

Sarakreek has no shopping district — only small village shops with basic provisions and drinks. Buy food, water, cash, and supplies (sunscreen, insect repellent, batteries) in Paramaribo before travelling, since interior stock is minimal and card payment is unavailable. Maroon crafts such as woodcarving may sometimes be obtained directly from artisans in the communities; the main souvenir markets are in Paramaribo.

• Marshallkreek & Tapoeripa (nearby) — transmigration villages settled by people displaced when Sarakreek flooded.
• Brokopondo town & Afobaka Dam (across/around the reservoir) — the district capital and the dam that created the lake.
• Brownsweg / Brownsberg Nature Park (within Brokopondo District) — Maroon gateway village and rainforest plateau park with waterfalls.
• Kwakoegron (within the district, on the Saramacca River) — Matawai Maroon village and gateway to the goldfields.
• Paramaribo (north) — Suriname's UNESCO-listed capital and main transport hub.