The Waterkant is the oldest street in Paramaribo, running along the western bank of the Suriname River through the heart of the UNESCO-listed historic centre. The street is lined with restored colonial wooden buildings — most of them a creamy white, with shuttered windows and deep verandas — that give a clear sense of what the Dutch colonial town looked like at its peak.
Walking the Waterkant is the best introduction to Paramaribo's character: the river is wide and brown, fishing boats and ferries cross constantly, and the air smells of the tropics even in the middle of the city. In the evening, locals bring chairs out to the embankment and watch the sun go down over the water. The wooden Waag (weigh house) at the northern end is the most photographed single building on the street.