Curacao, the Dutch Caribbean

Located 35 miles off the coast of Venezuela, Curaçao is the largest of the islands comprising the Netherlands Antilles and its neighbors are Aruba and Bonaire. The island chain is part of the Dutch Leeward Islands and is also known as the Dutch Caribbean.

The first inhabitants of Curaçao were the Caiquetios, a peace-loving Arawak Indian group who settled the island in A.D. 600. The island was discovered by a Spanish expedition led by Alonso de Ojeda in 1499 and remained under Spanish control until 1642 when the Dutch claimed it. Willemstad, the port city they founded on the shores of the huge natural harbor of Sint Annabaai, the largest bay in the region and seventh largest in the world, soon became one of the most important trading enclaves in the Americas.

Island capital, Willemstad, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. With its tall gabled houses painted in vibrant colors, the city brings an air of Amsterdam to the tropics. The Handelskade waterfront is the site of Fort Amsterdam, an 18th-century stronghold that once guarded the approaches to the Schottegat Harbor, and was the headquarters of the Dutch West India Company. The garrison church now houses the Fortkerk Museum. From the harbor it’s a short walk to the Punda District, site of the duty free shops so popular with visitors and the Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue (1732), the oldest continuously used Jewish temple in the Western Hemisphere. A Jewish Cultural Museum is located next to the synagogue. The lively Floating Market, where traders from Venezuela, Colombia and nearby West Indian islands congregate every day to sell tropical fruit and vegetables, spices and crafts is also worth a visit.

On the other side of the harbor, and accessible by Koningin Emmabrug Bridge, is Otrobanda, a district of 18th and 19th-century merchant houses. The Kura Hulanda Museum is also located here and documents the history of slavery on Curaçao and in the Caribbean. It also showcases the great ancient civilizations of West Africa and their legacy, tangible in the music, art, kunuku thatched roof houses and traditions of the islanders. Other sites of interest in Otrobanda include the St Anna Basilica (1734), the Curaçao Museum with informative exhibitions on island history from the days of the first Amerindian inhabitants, and the Riffort, a 19th-century fort. The residential districts of Scharloo and Scharlooweg also boast fine examples of colonial architecture. The Amstel Brewery, the only plant in the world to produce beer from seawater, and the Senior Curaçao Liqueur factory offer visitors a chance to learn about distillation processes and to sample the local brews. Hilltop forts (some nrted into restaurants) offer stunning views over the city and the Caribbean.

Exploring the island

Curaçao is semi-arid, the predominant vegetation a mix of scrub, stunted trees and cacti. A trip to the Cristoffel National Park in the north of the island gives visitors a glimpse of local flora and fauna, including Curaçao white-tailed deer, iguanas, the trupial bird and even flamingos. Climb Mt. Cristoffel (1240 feet) for views of the Caribbean and the island of Bonaire. Located at the entrance to the park, the old Savonet plantation house is home to the Museum of Natural and Cultural History.

Hugging the rugged northern shore is Shete Boka, the island’s latest national park, a series of picturesque bays, beaches, rugged cliffs and the piece de resistance, Boka Tabla, a cave and headland offering dramatic views of the coastline.

Hato Caves is a labyrinth of galleries festooned with stalactites and stalagmites, which house still pools, a waterfall and the cave paintings of the Arawak Indians who once sought refuge here. The Caves are near the International Airport and guided tours are available.

Also worth a visit are the Den Paradera herb garden, the Hofi Pastor Nature Reserve and the Curaçao Ostrich & Game Farm, one of the largest of its kind outside Africa.

By the early 19th century, over 300 plantations and estates had been founded on Curaçao to work the land, growing corn, peanuts and fruit, and exploit naturally occurring salt pans. Many of the brightly painted plantation houses or landhuizen have been restored as restaurants or museums.

Beaches

Apart from the Sea Aquarium Beach, visitors have 37 others to choose from. Scattered along the coast, they range from secluded bays rimmed by cliffs to long stretches of pearly white sand and each has its own charm. Worth a visit are Playa Kalki, Westpunt Beach, Knip Bay, Cas Abao, Daai Booi Bay, Playa Lagun, Porto Marie, Playa Barbara and Klein Curaçao, a desert island off the southeast coast.

The Underwater World

With underwater visibility of 150 feet, over 100 dive sites, pristine reefs close to the shore, 400 species of fish and a host of other colorful marine creatures, caves, drop offs and wrecks, Curaçao is a diver’s dream and has been rated as one of the top three shore dive destinations in the world. It is also an excellent dive location for novice divers.

The Curaçao Underwater Marine Park protects a 12-mile-stretch of reef lying in shallow waters off the southeastern shore and there are plans to extend the park along the entire coast. Other spectacular dive sites include those off the coast at Banda Abou and Blauwhaal and the Superior Producer wreck in the Central Area. Many of the reefs are also suitable for snorkeling and visitors who would rather not get wet can see the marvels of the coral world up close at the Sea Aquarium, located next to the Sea Aquarium Resort.

The Sea Aquarium

A visit to this spectacular aquarium is a must! With over 400 species of fish, corals, sponges and other colorful creatures on display, it offers visitors the chance to learn about the reefs of the Caribbean, reef ecology and conservation. Other activities on offer at the Sea Aquarium include snorkeling or diving with stingrays, feeding sea turtles, a sea lion show, submarine ride and a dolphin swim program.

Other activities

Curaçao offers excellent shopping, look for fine gold jewelry, gems, perfumes, fashions and luxury goods.
When the sun goes down, visitors can enjoy dinner at one of the many restaurants offering a wide variety of interesting cuisines. The casinos are also a popular option for evening entertainment.

Island facts

Dutch, English and Spanish are spoken on the island and 90 percent of the population also speaks Papiamento, a Creole language which is a blend of Spanish, Portuguese, African, Dutch, French, English and even Amerindian words.

The Airport is 15 minutes from Willemstad and close to most hotels. A passport and a return airline ticket are required to enter Curaçao. The island has a population of 160,000 and is ethnically diverse - over 50 different cultures are represented. These cultures are celebrated in island music, dance, art and festivals.

Dress is tropical casual, although some casinos require jackets for men and some restaurants discourage shorts and sandals.