Curacao - beautiful beaches and underwater world
Curacao is the largest of the trio of Dutch ABC islands and, like Aruba and Bonaire, lies just off the coast of Venezuela.
When we were planning our trip to the ABC islands, we just knew Curaçao would be the one for us, and we were right. It mixes the white beaches of Aruba with the underwater world of Bonaire, and has its own unique charm too. There are dozens of beautiful beaches, a vibrant capital city, and you might even spot some pink flamingos or piglets on the beach – it’s all waiting for you here.
The island belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and you can feel this influence in its history, architecture and the atmosphere of its capital, Willemstad. All the colourful houses along the waterfront are now a symbol of the island. They rightly belong to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Why visit especially Curaçao?
☀️ The sun shines all year round – Curaçao, like Aruba and Bonaire, lies outside the main hurricane zone, so you can enjoy sunny days almost all year round. Even in the rainy season, you’ll rarely experience bad weather. When we went here in November, we didn’t experienced rain even once.
🏖️ Beaches hidden among the rocks – Forget the long hotel beaches as we know them from Aruba. On Curaçao, you’ll discover dozens of small coves with white sand, turquoise water and dramatic cliffs. Among the most beautiful are Grote Knip, Playa Porto Mari or Cas Abao Beach.
🤿 Rich underwater world – Curaçao is famous for its rich underwater world. Colourful corals, sunken wrecks and plenty of fish can be found right off the shore, so you don’t even need a boat. Although neighbouring Bonaire offers much more beautiful coral reefs, colourful fish and turtles await you here too.
🎨 The colonial town of Willemstad – A sight to behold, the capital, Willemstad, is a true feast for the eyes. You’ll see colourful Dutch-style houses, the Queen Emma floating bridge, markets selling local specialities and authentic streets that create an unforgettable atmosphere.
🦎 Animals at every turn – You’ll see flamingos and iguanas on the road every day, just like on Bonaire, but you can only experience pigs on the beach here. And unlike in the Bahamas, you don’t have to pay to swim with them – they’ll come into the sea on their own when they want to cool off.
Local culture and wellbeing – Curaçao is a multicultural mix with influences from Africa, Latin America and Europe. Festivals, music, art and local markets are a great way to get to know the true soul of the island. The Christmas celebrations we experienced here in mid-November will never be forgotten
What to see and do in Curaçao?
Curaçao offers much more than just beaches, although these are beautiful and clearly the main attraction of the island. Each one is different and offers unique experiences. In order to properly explore the island, we rented a car, as it is quite difficult to get around the island without one. Taxis are expensive and public transport is almost non-existent. The rental price was very reasonable – around 20€ per day.
Visit one of the beautiful beaches. If you want to swim with the piggies, head to Playa Porto Mari or Grote Knip. If you’re looking for a beach where you won’t have company, Kleine Knip is the ideal choice. And if you’re looking for a day’s relaxation, Cas Abao will not disappoint. Curaçao is a beach paradise with countless beautiful beaches.
In addition to relaxing on the beach and snorkelling, Curacao offers many other activities.
Shete Boka National Park is a wild part of the coastline with dramatic waves crashing against the rocky cliffs. But you have to arrive before 16:00 or you won’t be allowed in the park.
Willemstad is the heart of the island. Stroll across the famous Queen Emma Bridge, visit the floating market and enjoy a coffee in one of the historic buildings
Hato Caves offer a completely different view of Curacao than just the beaches and the sea. Limestone caves filled with stalactites and stalagmites take you to an underground world where centuries ago slaves fleeing for freedom hid.
Watamula Hole is where the wild beauty of nature meets the majesty of the ocean. Noisy waves crashing against the rocky shoreline and the geyser of water splashing from a hole in the rock create an unforgettable experience.
And don’t forget to stop at the Santa Martha Bay overlook. You’ll have a spectacular view of a national park full of greenery and a sea that looks more like a river.
When to visit Curaçao?
Curaçao is a great place to visit any time of the year, with hardly any rain and nice, steady temperatures. Although high season is from December to April, even outside of this period, the weather is lovely and there are fewer tourists. Best of all, since Curaçao is outside the hurricane zone, you can come here any time of year and not have to worry about that.
Air and sea temperatures are above 27 °C all year round. Even in November, the water was really warm and there was always sun. It hardly ever rains on Curaçao, and when it does, it never lasts long.
How many days to spend on Curacao?
Curacao is bigger than Aruba, so if you want to enjoy the island without the hustle and bustle, we recommend a minimum of five days. We went there as part of our ABC Islands trip and spent less than five days there, which was just enough time to explore the beaches and town. Sadly, we didn’t get around to visiting the national park. As it closes at 4pm, we couldn’t squeeze it into our schedule without missing out on some of the stunning beaches, and we didn’t want to do that.
If you’re a diving lover, go for more days. We’d definitely recommend combining Curaçao with its neighbouring islands, as each one offers a different experience. Flights between the two are only 15-30 minutes, and the ticket prices are very reasonable – they were less than €50 each.
Where to stay in Curacao?
You’ve got all kinds of options for accommodation, from luxury beachfront resorts to affordable apartments around Willemstad. We chose a smaller apartment on the edge of the capital, which was perfect for exploring the island. Thanks to the rental car, we were able to explore the whole island.
Restaurants are slightly cheaper than in Aruba. You can find a place where you can eat within 20€, which was practically impossible on Aruba.
How to get around Curacao?
Just like Aruba or Bonaire, there’s no good bus service in Curacao. Most of the beautiful beaches aren’t accessible without a car. Taxis are quite expensive (at least by European standards), so we decided to rent a small car.
Our accommodation provided us with a car for only 20€ per day. The owners of the apartment picked us up and drove us to the airport, and just handed us the keys when we checked in. To give you an idea, the cab fare to and from the airport was €60 one way, even though we were only 5 kilometres away.
Curaçao’s roads are straight and asphalted, so a small car was all we needed. Each beach was well marked, and Google Maps worked without a hitch. We wouldn’t have been able to explore the island without a car, which would have been a great pity, because the most beautiful places you can’t reach by public transport.
