CURACAO
Curacao... Isn't it the name of a liquor? Right! But actually, it's a Caribbean island, next to Venezuela, Aruba and Bonaire. A former part of the Netherlands Antilles, it is now an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The most seen image of Curacao is certainly the famous Handelskade, the line-up of beautifully painted houses along the channel entering the harbor of Willelmstad, the island's capital. Adding to the attraction is the Queen Ema pontoon bridge connecting both sides of Wilhemstadt if you like to walk. Another impressive bridge for cars towers over the town panorama. Although tourism is an important source of revenue, Curacao has some industry and offshore banking. Wilhelmstadt is a nice little town with street cafes and shops inviting to a stroll. |
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While the Northern coast is quite rough, the Southwestern Coast has a good amount of beautiful, often postcard-like beaches. Some have fine white sand, other pebbles, many are lined by cliffs and some hidden in picturesque coves. You should check out the beaches before booking a hotel, so that you can stay near your ideal beach. If not, you will have to drive around. But then, Curacao has many attractions, like ancient country houses and plantations, and the singular vegetation of scrub, cacti and divi-divi trees. There are many beaches around Willemstad, where you will find the high rise hotels. Some hotels may restrict access to the beach. A good choice is the Sea aquarium beach, a public one with lots of bars, restaurants, great for kids because of the shallow lagoon and accessible for a low fee.
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A nice place to visit, especially with kids is the Sea Aquarium, although not everybody loves the fact that dolphins are kept in captivity. You can dive with stingrays and groupers and feed them. And talking about diving, Curacao has lots of great dive sites. A part of the deep Superior Producer wreck, most of the reefs and thus dive sites are very near to the coast and not very deep. You get a lot of time under the water and much to see. Some sites are really great. And on many places, you get amazing snorkeling a few meters from the beach. The island has a lot of good dive shops. And if you like to dive in t-shirt or bikini, Curacao, Bonaire and Aruba are good places to go, the water is soooo warm! |
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Curacao is not very expensive. You will find lots of restaurants at a decent price, the same is valid for supermarkets. If you like Indonesian food, this is a good place in the Caribbean to taste it. Curacao has a very mixed population, but the Dutch inheritance is more visible than for instance in St. Maarten. You can also find nice bungalow hotels to rent for a decent price to enjoy natural surroundings, if you don't like big crowded hotels. As for activities, expect the usual water sports and other sports like tennis in hotels. There are several places for excursions around the island when you get fed up of the beach, for instance the rugged North coast or a boat trip to the virgin white sands of Klein Curacao island. |
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Curacao has a little bit for everybody: Beaches, diving, activities, good shopping, restaurants and accommodation for all types of budgets. It's not a luxury island, entertainment doesn't have to be expensive, there are some nice beach bars with happy hour. With many shallow beaches and interesting attractions, the island is a good place if you come with kids. The only negative aspect is the refinery smell which can be sometimes noticed on beaches around the capital. While nearly everybody speaks English and Dutch, expect to be greeted upon arrival with the words "Bon Bini", which means welcome in Papiamento, the local language. |
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