Curacao Vacation Guide

Introduction

Curacao, the largest island in the Netherlands Antilles, is part of the Dutch Leeward Islands, also known as the Dutch Antilles. Willemstad, the capital, is noted for its brightly coloured, Dutch-style houses and Cunucu dwellings (based on African-style mud and wattle huts). It is one of the finest shopping centers in the Caribbean. The harbour has a floating market where colourful barges full of agricultural produce are moored. Nearby is the new market building, the design of which is very striking. St Christoffel National Park, occupying the most northwestern part of the island, is a nature reserve dominated by the mountain of the same name. There are several caves decorated with Arawak Indian paintings, some unusual rock formations and fine views across the countryside. Lucky visitors may spy iguanas and shy Curacao deer. Traditional Dutch food is popular, as well as the exciting flavours of Creole food, criollo, which makes good use of fresh fish. There are several discos run by hotels on the island, some of which also have a casino.

Full country name: Curaçao
Area: 171 sq km
Population: 170,000
Capital City: Willemstad
People: African descent, mixed African and European descent, Dutch
Language: Dutch, Papiamento, English, Spanish; Castilian
Religion: Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and Jewish
Government: autonomous state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Time Zone: GMT/UTC -4
Dialling Code: 599
Electricity: 110-130V ,50Hz
Currency: Netherlands Antilles Guilder or Florin (NAG)

We constantly update vacation deals and flights + hotel packages for Curacao and the Caribbean. You can also check out some of the best hotels and resorts in Curacao with exciting attractions like golf, casino, scuba diving and other water sports. Popular hotels & resorts in Curacao are Marriott Curacao Resort and Holiday Beach Hotel & Casino.

Visas are generally not required on Curaçao. US and Canadian citizens can visit with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate and picture ID. All other travellers need a valid passport. A roundtrip or onward ticket is required.

Unless you're on a cruise or you've built yourself a raft, the only way to get to Curaçao is by aeroplane. From the US, Air Aruba, ALM, American Airlines, Guyana Airways and United have frequent flights to the island from Miami, Atlanta, Chicago and New York. From Europe, KLM offers daily service from Amsterdam while TAP Air Portugal has flights from Lisbon. Most other flights from Europe require a change in the Puerto Rican capital San Juan. Air Aruba and ALM fly between Curaçao and Aruba and Bonaire, while Avensa has daily flights to the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Hato International Airport is 12km (7mi) northwest of Willemstad. There are rental car agencies at the airport and taxis and buses waiting to take you into the city; several hotels provide their guests with free transport from the airport.

Most visitors to Curacao rent a car or jeep to be able to get to the best beaches and dive spots. For getting around Willemstad you're better off using Konvoois, the reliable, if ambling, yellow public buses. Buses and minibuses depart from near the waterfront in Punda, right by the post office.

Temperature is not an issue when planning a trip to sunny, dry Curacao, since the average year-round daily high is 82°F (28°C) and constant trade winds keep humidity low. If rain falls, it's usually in November or December. The island lies below the hurricane belt, so there's usually no need to worry about being blown away while on vacation. If you're planning on diving, the most popular sites are at their calmest between September and December. If partying is more your scene, Carnival (February) is a great time to visit, but book early and expect higher prices.

Playas are the larger, classic sandy beaches, and bocas are small inlets between two large rock formations.

Seaquarium Beach, ideal for swimming, just to the east of the center of Willemstad. Just northwest of Willemstad, Blauwbaai (Blue Bay) is the largest and most popular beach on Curaçao. West side of Curaçao, Daaibooi is a good beach. A beach popular with families and a base for fishing boats, Playa Lagun lies well concealed in the corner of the village of Lagun as you approach from Santa Cruz. Knip Bay, just north of Playa Lagun, has white sands, rocky sides, and beautiful turquoise waters, making it suitable for snorkeling, swimming, and sunbathing. South of Willemstad is Santa Barbara Beach, it's between the open sea and the island's primary watersports and recreational area known as Spanish Water.

Curacao doesn't have the long beaches typical of other Caribbean islands: many are short of sand and have been beefed up with imported grains. But there are small natural beaches in the coves on the leeward (southern and western) coasts that are great for swimming and sunbathing. The best beach isn't on the island at all - it's on Klein Curaçao, an uninhabited cay a few miles off the southeastern coast.

For hikers, the place to start is Christoffel National Park, where trails lead through mahogany forests and past rock faces covered with Amerindian petroglyphs. The Hato Caves, on the northern side of the island, offer great spelunking. You can examine fossilized fish and feel the cool spray of underground waterfalls.

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