When you think of Curaçao, you probably start dreaming about relaxing at white palm beaches with the bluest water and exploring colorful houses. Of course you can do that on the island, but there are way more things to do in Curaçao than just that! I did not expect doing a serious climb using both hands and feet to reach the top of a mountain, swimming with a bunch of sea turtles or sneaking up on flamingos to photograph them!
But before I start listing all the things to do in Curaçao, let me tell you more about the island first!
8 best things to do in Curaçao
Where is Curaçao?
Curaçao is one of the three ABC islands and the capital of the Netherlands Antilles, situated about 65 kilometers off the north coast of Venezuela.
When is the best time to visit?
The weather in Curaçao is sunny and warm all year round. Wet season lasts from October to December, but I was there in November and only heard heavy rain falling during the night. During my one week on the island I only had 3 days with 10 minutes of drizzling rain, so I’d say calling it wet season is quite exagerated. High season is from mid-December to mid-April. So I’d say low season is the best time to explore Curaçao.
Some practical tips
Make sure to rent a car so you can explore the island.
Wear loose and lightweight cotton clothes. Don’t bring synthetic fabrics. The climate is extremely hot and humid and you won’t be able to bear tight synthetic clothing.
When stopping in front of a traffic light, make sure to stop the car on the stop line. Most traffic lights are “intelligent” and react to the vehicles stopping at the lights. I stood in front of a traffic light that didn’t turn green, because I didn’t know about it, until a lady told me.
Curaçao has some late night shopping centers like Sambil (until 10 pm), Bloempot (until 8 pm) and Zuikertuin (until 7 pm). At Zuikertuin there is also a large pharmacy in case you need it.
Bring a flash light, the electricity tends to fail from time to time. When I was there the whole island was without electricity for about 14 hours!
Make sure to have some cash money in case there is no more electricity (ATMs don’t work then and card machines tend to fail too)
Be aware that the Queen Emma Bridge at Willemstad, which connects the Punda quarter with Otrobanda, often opens to let ships pass (even huge cruise ships!). Depending on the size of the ship this can take a while. Make sure to leave the bridge in time and at the right side. If it opens for longer than 10 minutes you can take the free ferry. Otherwise you just have to wait.
Parking at Willemstad is easy and free! I mostly parked the car at the big parking lot at Waaigat.
Where to stay in Curaçao?
Bario Hotel World Heritage – an authentic boutique hotel in the city
This unique monumental hotel is situated in the Otrobanda neighborhood in the city center of Willemstad. It consists of several colorful colonial houses which are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The hotel offers both rooms and apartments.
I stayed at one of the apartments which had one bedroom, a seating area, a small kitchen, a spacious bathroom and most importantly: air conditioning! 😀 Trust me, you can’t survive Curaçao without air conditioning!
The apartment was clean and if I needed something (like clean towels or candels during the electricity outage) I just needed to ask and I got it from the super nice owner Clayton. The pool was just outside the apartment, so perfect if I needed to relax and cool off!
The small breakfast buffet was served outside in the courtyard. I loved that they served different fruits and cakes every morning. The nice breakfast lady always asked how I wanted my eggs and served them freshly made with a smile!
There are no lunch or dinner options at the hotel. But Bario hotel is located in the city center, so there are plenty of restaurant options to choose from in the neighborhood! If you are on a budget, you can cook if you have a kitchen.
The hotel has a cute little bar and a parking lot where you can park your car safely. Clayton and his colleagues are always happy to share tips about the neighborhood and Curaçao.
I absolutely loved my 4 night stay here, not only because the hotel was absolutely fabulous and the staff was so friendly, but also because its location was perfect to explore both Willemstad and the rest of the island! It was fun to be able to explore by night as well!
Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort – an all-inclusive luxurious beach hotel
If you are more into a relaxing luxurious vacation at the beach or into sports like golf, tennis or water sports, then Santa Barbara Resort is the right choice for you!
You can choose between the breakfast package or the all-inclusive package. The breakfast buffet is extensive and is served at the Medi Restaurant. Lunch and dinner are à la carte (which I loved because I hate buffets). The hotel has 3 à la carte restaurants; the main restaurant Medi, the more chique Shore restaurant and Splash, near the pool, where they only serve lunch.
I loved the grilled fish tacos and the chicken quesadillas for lunch at Splash. Also try the Curacao Sunset cocktail here! The Curaçao fish stew at Shore was very tasty, but I preferred dinner at Medi. It had a more relaxed vibe and more light outside on the terrace.
Room service is not included in the all-inclusive package, but it is certainly a must do! I ordered breakfast one morning and it came right on time in extensive portions (we had ordered way too much, we realized!). It was so yummie and relaxing to eat in the room on our final morning at the resort.
The room was huge and me and my friend each had a Queen bed to sleep in. It was the typical hotel room with a desk, a TV (with Netflix!), a closet, air-conditioning and a spacious bathroom. It was very clean and light. I loved that there were so many pillows to choose from. I always sleep bad if a pillow is too flat or too thick. A nice extra was the terrace with view on the private beach.
The hotel has two giant pools and is right by the beach. I never had the feeling it was too crowded. It is not the kind of hotel where people fight for their sunbeds and place their towels before going to breakfast. The hotel had a relaxed vibe and I loved all the birds flying around in the palm tree garden.
You can do quite some activities like stand up paddle boards, kayaks, private boat trips, snorkeling and diving courses. But there is also a huge golf course (voted #1 Best Caribbean Golf Course by USA Today in 2018 and 2019), tennis fields and a spa! Honestly I couldn’t understand how people were able to do these things in the hot humid weather! 😀
I stayed here the first 4 nights of my vacation which was perfect. The big beds were excellent to catch up on jet lag and to rest from the more active stuff I did on the first days. I also needed to get used to the hot and humid climate. So during my stay here I was often already asleep at 9.30 pm!
How long should you stay?
I stayed for 8 nights which was enough to both relax and explore the island.
What are the best things to do in Curaçao?
Discover the colorful capital Willemstad
Willemstad is quite big (117 km²) and consists of many different areas. The old city center is rather small though, but fun to explore with all its pastel-colored colonial houses. I especially loved to explore the many colorful quarters:
Punda
This is the shopping area of the old city center. There are cute little souvenir shops, small clothing stores and some bigger brand stores like Victoria’s Secret and Tommy Hilfiger. I especially loved the colorful small bars at Columbusstraat and the view of the colorful houses at the Handelskade, where you can also find restaurants beside the water.
Otrabanda
When you cross the Queen Emma Bridge you arrive at Otrobanda (the other side). This area used to have a bad reputation of being a criminal neighborhood. But these days, thanks to initiatives (from the owners of the Bario Hotel) like the Kaya Kaya Street Party which gives the local artists a chance to perform their art and street art initiatives from the government, the area is now a colorful safe neighborhood to explore! There is many street art to discover and the locals were all really nice greeting me with a smile!
Scharloo/Fleur de Marie
After crossing the Wilhelmina Bridge or the smaller pedestrian bridge north of Punda, you will arrive at another former “bad neighborhood”. Prostitution, drug dealing and decay gave Scharloo a bad name. But now thanks to the government who wanted to revive the city, the Fundashon Rebiba Skalo Abou ( Fresa), the local street art foundation, and local street artists like Garrick Marchena, Francis Sling, Alex da Silva and Roberto Meeuw, Scharloo now is becoming a colorful decent area to explore with a lot of street art as well!
I met a local named Ethelson, who told me his personal story. He lost everything in a fire, told me about his mother and how he worked hard to keep the street clean. He showed me his family photos and his own personal street art. I think what he did was amazing and he really touched me. A lot of tourist tours give him a visit as well. I think he is kind of an icon in Scharloo.
Pietermaai
This is an area with a lot of colorful colonial houses turned into boutique hotels, restaurants, shops and bars. At night it is a quite vibrant area when everyone is having a cozy dinner or a big party. By day it is just fun to wander around and admire the beautiful houses.
Spot flamingos
There are two main areas at Curaçao where you can spot flamingos; Saliña Sint Michiel on the way to Bullenbaai and Sint Willibrordus. I visited both and saw some flamingos in the far distance at Sint Michiel. But the best spot to see flamingos was definitely Sint Willibrordus! You can approach them rather close if you keep low and move slow. I felt like a lion stalking its prey! A lot of people say you have more chance seeing them early in the morning, but I passed Willibrordus both in the morning and afternoon and the flamingos were always there!
Climb the Christoffel mountain, the most adventurous thing to do in Curaçao
This is one of the most adventurous things to do in Curaçao and definitely not something for the faint hearted. Climbing the Christoffel mountain is not just an average hike. The second part of the hike is quite steep and mainly consists of climbing rocks using both hands and feet. Even at the top you won’t find much steady ground!
Start the hike as early as possible since the Curaçao climate is already quite unbearable while doing normal activities. The humidity and heat make this hike very hard. The park opens at 6.00 am. After 10.00 am you are no longer allowed the start the hike.
To do this hike, wear loose and lightweight cotton clothes and decent shoes like sneakers or hiking shoes (no converse, they don’t give enough support). Use anti mosquito repellent and bring a towel to wipe your face and body, because you will be sweating HARD!
Watch the waves crash at Shete Boka
Shete Boka is the most beautiful national park of Curaçao. It means seven inlets. Giant waves of the Caribbean Sea formed these inlets. It sure is an impressive sight to watch the spectacle of waves crushing into these rock formations. My favorites were Boka Pistol, where the water really gets blown into the air, and Boka Wandomi, a natural bridge.
Swim in a sea cave
Curaçao contains a lot of sea caves. I decided to swim at the secret Tomasito cave. It is a true hidden gem, which is situated on the private grounds of the Kura Hulanda resort. Just ask the hotel reception how to get there.
Snorkeling with sea turtles
Make sure to bring your snorkeling gear to Curaçao because there are a lot of colorful fish to spot here! At Playa Grandi you can even swim with a LOT of sea turtles. The reason why so many turtles live here, is because the fishermen clean their catch here and throw the fish parts back into the sea. I started snorkeling at Playa Grandi in the morning before the tour groups arrived. It was way more pleasant. After the groups arrive the turtles become a little restless and they even bite sometimes!
Stand on a hidden natural bridge
Shete Boka is not the only place with a natural bridge. I actually found one in the northeast of the island near Playa Canoa. The fun part of this one is that you can actually go stand on it. But you have to be careful though and watch the rhythm of the waves. Normally they don’t reach the bridge itself, but I can imagine that when the sea is rough, they will just drag you into the water hole!
Enjoy the beaches
Curaçao has a lot of beautiful beaches where you can relax. These are the ones I visited:
Jan Thiel: This is probably the most famous beach of Curaçao. Here you find rows of lounge chairs packed with tourists and beach restaurants. I loved the Papagayo beach part though, which was a little more quiet.
Playa Porto Marie: I visited this beach because I heard there were pigs running around here. Don’t get fooled though. There are indeed 2 pigs. I only saw one dirty pig lying like dead in the mud. The beach itself is packed with lounge chairs and tourists. Definitely not my favorite one.
Mambo Beach: another tourist beach, also known for its parties and overpriced stores (150$ for a low quality dress you can find at the market for 20$… seriously). It is a fun place to have a drink or dinner though!
Pirate Bay: There is a quiet beach in front of this restaurant
Playa Grandi: the turtle beach
Kenepa Grandi (Grote Knip): This was a more natural beach, that wasn’t as packed as the other beaches I visited. It looked very pretty.
Kenepa Chiki (Kleine Knip): This was my favorite beach on Curaçao. It was quiet, just a few lounge chairs and the bluest water!
Cas Abao: a pretty beach with lounge chairs, but not packed like Jan Thiel or Mambo Beach
Where to eat in Curaçao?
Serafina
If you want to eat at a more refined restaurant with a cozy atmosphere, the Italian restaurant Serafina is definitely the place to be! Maurice, the Italian owner and his staff will make sure you feel welcome. The menu isn’t extensive, but that is because the kitchen only uses fresh ingredients. Maurice is very selective when it comes to all the products that are used in his dishes. He lets them ship straight from Italy. And it pays off! It was obvious the restaurant was packed with returning customers. They even got a hug from Maurice!
I was lucky to get the fine dining option. I didn’t know beforehand what I would get. The only thing I had to share was whether I liked fish or meat. Maurice made a special menu for me and it was absolutely fabulous! I definitely recommend this place!
Serafina – Lombokstraat, Willemstad, Curaçao
Mundo Bizarro
I discovered this restaurant thanks to Madelinde. She worked at the Bario Hotel and told me she and her husband organize Tango nights here on Tuesdays. So I decided to check that out. When I arrived at Mundo Bizarro I fell in love with its interior and atmosphere. The bar is completely covered with beautiful mosaic tiles and the furniture is a mix of old chairs, lamps, mirrors, closets etc. It looked a little as if I entered a pirate movie.
The people working here are extremely nice and the food and drinks are also very delicious! I had dinner here once and lunch on my last day, because I really needed to taste that pasta with shrimps and truffle cream sauce again!
Mundo Bizarro – 12 Nieuwestraat, Willemstad, Curaçao
Restaurant & Café Gouverneur De Rouville
At Otrabanda you’ll find De Gouverneur. It has a terrace with a fantastic view on the Handelskade. The food here is very good. Even during the electricity outage their chef managed to prepare a delicious fish trio in the dark!
Restaurant & Café Gouverneur De Rouville – De Rouvilleweg, Willemstad, Curaçao
Other places I ate at:
Iguana Café: A nice restaurant at the Handelskade in Willemstad where they serve both snacks and local dishes.
The Green House: a restaurant with a huge terrace at Mambo Beach where they serve huge portions of local dishes. Perfect place to watch the sunset while dining.
Pirate Bay Restaurant: a pirate themed restaurant at the beach
Also watch my video about the 10 best things to do in Curaçao!
Pin these best things to do in Curaçao for later!
This article is sponsored by the Curaçao Tourist Board and in collaboration with Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort and Hotel Bario – World Heritage. However, my opinion is, as always, my own.
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Don’t hesitate to leave comments or questions down below!
Hello enjoyed reading your article, especially the part about Scharloo Abou since I am involved with the street art there. Could you add a link to the district website we set up? http://www.scharlooabou.com there you can read up on things to do and the art part. The curating initiative is Street Art Skalo, not Fresa, and can you add the local artist name Blend a.k.a Sander van Beusekom. He made the one “teach a man to fish” on one of your pics, plus he is one of the initiators. (He is also the artist behind “life is a beautiful struggle on your other picture) We curated a mix of local artists to make the art in Skalo to help the neglected area in an alternative way. After bringing the arts, its slowly becoming a new hotspot. If there is a way to let me know when those changes have been made, then i can share the article to the fb of @scharlooabou and @streetartskalo