Suriname

Suriname is one of the most unusual countries in the world. It's the smallest nation in South America, the only Dutch-speaking country on the continent, and 93% of its territory is covered in pristine tropical rainforest — the highest percentage of forest cover of any nation on Earth. The capital Paramaribo feels more like a Caribbean town than a South American city, with wooden Dutch colonial architecture listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a synagogue next to a mosque, and street food from every continent.

The country's population of around 600,000 is one of the most ethnically diverse on Earth: Hindustani (Indian), Creole, Javanese, Maroon (descendants of escaped African slaves who built free communities in the jungle), Chinese, Indigenous, and European — all living in a remarkably peaceful mosaic. This diversity means you can eat roti, nasi goreng, pom (a Creole casserole), and Dutch bitterballen all in the same block. The interior is one of the most pristine wilderness areas left on the planet, accessible mainly by small aircraft or dugout canoe, where Maroon and Indigenous communities maintain traditional ways of life.