Like Amsterdam But in Pastels

What kind of traveler are you?

• High end/Luxury
• Repeater
• Off the beaten path
• Adventure
• Camping oh wait, that's not vacation
• Eco
• Trendy

We are a combination of high end and off the beaten path. Hiking and adventure are great provided there is a 5 star hotel with a hot shower and comfy bed at the end of the day.  When the kid was little we were also 'repeaters' and went to the same island a several years in a row.

I should start by saying we were headed to Cancun for a week at an all-inclusive for my sister-in-laws 50th birthday. Two days before we left Hurricane Wilma (cat 5) wiped out the Yucatan and our hotel. Initially PO'd but then thankful we weren't already there with a toddler, I spent the next week on the NOAA hurricane website looking for an island that hadn't been hit in recent memory.

Punta, Willemstad, Curacao

Enter Curacao. It's like Amsterdam in pastels but with much better weather! Mid-80's year round and warm water. Basically it's a desert island made of years of coral build up. And it is generally out of hurricane territory, just 30 miles north of Venezuela. The capital city Willemstad is divided into two sections, Punta and Otrabanda. A shipping canal runs through the middle and frequently you will see what looks like moving buildings. They have an oil refinery that they lease to the Venezuelan government so this is not a 'third world' island. A huge pontoon bridge (The Queen Emma Bridge) allows you to walk between sides easily.

Until recently this island was largely unknown to tourists but they've been working on publicity to the masses so if you want to go, go soon before it becomes like the island next door - Aruba.

Secluded Beaches!

There's lots to do regardless of what type of traveler you are. If you like museums, check out the slave trade history at the Kura Hulanda Museum. [This is part of the Kura Hulanda complex which is a lovely hotel and resort - highly recommend both their properties!] Then there's one of the oldest synagogues in the Mikve Israel-Emanuel, which has one of the over 700 historical buildings in Willemstad. Did I mention the entire downtown of Willemstad, is a World Heritage UNESCO site? And if you like boats visit the Curacao Maritime Museum.


This is a great diving island. Our fav is GO WEST Diving at Playa Kalki in Westpunt. Try to dive Alice in Wonderland and/or the Mushroom Forest. There are lots of other sites too. Check them out on the Curacao website.

Other outdoorsy stuff to do/see:

Hato Caves

Ostrich Farm

• Cristoffel National Park
• Curacao Sea Aquarium - mostly outdoors and lots of touch tanks for kids
• Curacao Ostrich Farm - have lunch at their Zambezi restaurant serving what else? Ostrich! 
• Parke Tropikal - Curacao's zoo, currently under re-construction <sorry!>
• Hato Caves - Arawak Indian cave paintings, slave hideouts, bats!
• Shete Boka National Park - natural bridge, easy day hikes

Cristoffel Park

 OK now on to the FOOD! Because this island was part of the slave trade routes, there is a high West African influence on the food.  Fish is obviously a big part of the diet with Creole twists, but if you want Thai, Indonesian or Chinese you can find those too.

Most of the big hotels cater to American and European palates but I strongly encourage anyone interested in local cuisine to have lunch at Marshe Bieuw, the Old Market in Punta. Only open for lunch GO EARLY [like 11:45] to avoid a long wait. This is where locals eat. You'll probably have to share a plastic covered picnic table but it's worth it. There are several operations within the market, check out menus and pick one. Daily fare usually includes goat stew, fried fish, pork or beef, rice, salad, fried plantains and funchi! 
The Floating Market is another local spot to pick up fresh veges, fruits and fish brought in daily from Venezuela.

Another good place, opposite the lower entrance to the Kura Hulanda, is the Restaurant & Cafe De Gouveneur de Rouville in another historic building in Otrabanda. Good food, fresh fish and great views of the harbor and Punta side of the city.

So are you ready to pack your bag and go NOW?