Highlights
Willemstad's Handelskade
The row of colourful, gabled buildings along the harbour in the Punda district is the island's most famous view. The historic centre and harbour are a UNESCO World Heritage site, and markets, cafés and museums fill the streets behind.
Queen Emma Bridge
A floating pontoon bridge for pedestrians that links Punda with Otrobanda across St Anna Bay. It swings open to let ships pass, sometimes leaving people waiting or riding a free ferry instead, and is lit up at night.
Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue
Dating from 1732, it is the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the Americas. Its floor is covered in sand, and an adjoining museum tells the story of the island's Sephardic Jewish community.
Beaches of Westpunt
The north-west has small coves set between cliffs, such as Grote Knip (Playa Kenepa), Playa Lagun and Playa Piskado, where fishermen clean their catch and turtles often swim close to snorkellers.
Christoffel National Park and Shete Boka
Christoffel Park has hiking trails, including a climb up the island's highest hill, along with deer, orchids and cacti. Nearby Shete Boka National Park protects a rugged north coast where waves crash into limestone inlets.
Klein Curaçao
A small, flat, uninhabited island reached by boat trip, with an old lighthouse, a shipwreck on the shore, a long white beach and clear water where turtles are often seen.
Diving and snorkelling from shore
Reefs start just metres from many beaches, so you can walk in from the sand. The Tugboat wreck near Caracas Bay and the reefs of the Curaçao Marine Park on the south-east coast are popular sites.
Interesting facts about Curaçao
- Blue Curaçao liqueur is made from the dried peel of the laraha, a bitter orange that grows on the island.
- Papiamentu, a creole language drawing on Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and African languages, is spoken by most of the population and is an official language.
- Curaçao lies south of the main Atlantic hurricane belt, so direct hits from hurricanes are rare.
- In 2025 the Caribbean guilder replaced the Netherlands Antillean guilder as the currency of Curaçao and Sint Maarten.
- Curaçao became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010, when the Netherlands Antilles were dissolved.
Best time to visit
Curaçao is warm, dry and sunny year-round, with constant trade winds that keep the heat bearable. The short rainy season, roughly from October to January, brings brief showers rather than days of rain. December to April is the busiest and most expensive period, with many visitors escaping winter in Europe and North America. Carnival, usually in February or early March, fills the streets of Willemstad with parades.
Practical information
| Capital | Willemstad |
|---|---|
| Currency | Caribbean guilder (XCG); US dollars are widely accepted |
| Languages | Papiamentu, Dutch, English |
| Plugs | Type A, B |
| Voltage | 127 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | 911 for all emergencies |
| Driving | On the right |
| Tipping | Many restaurants add a service charge to the bill; extra tipping for good service, and for guides and dive crews, is appreciated. |
Getting around
Renting a car is by far the easiest way to explore, since many beaches are scattered along the west coast and public buses are infrequent. Roads are generally in good condition and traffic drives on the right. Taxis are available in Willemstad and at hotels and the airport, but fares are fixed rather than metered, so agree the price first. Willemstad's centre is best explored on foot.
Staying connected in Curaçao
Mobile coverage is good across most of the island, including Willemstad and the main beaches, though signal can weaken in parts of the national parks and in some coves below cliffs. Hotels, apartments, beach bars and cafés usually offer Wi-Fi. Roaming on a home plan can be expensive in the Caribbean, even for EU plans, as Curaçao is outside the EU's roaming area. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
See Curaçao eSIM plans · How to install an eSIM
Useful apps for Curaçao
- Google Maps: Driving directions between beaches; download the island for offline use.
- WhatsApp: Widely used by dive shops, tour operators, apartments and taxi drivers.
- XE Currency: Convert between Caribbean guilders, US dollars and your home currency.