IF YOU GO
WHERE TO STAY:
— Hilton Curacao: hiltoncuracaoresort.com. Rooms from $119.
— Kontiki Beach Resort: kontikibeachresort.com. Rooms from $179.
WHERE TO EAT:
— Jaanchie’s, Westpunt: Local Curacao treasure in Westpunt. Highlights include grouper, stewed beef and iguana.
— Pirate Bay Beach, Piscadera Bay: Classic Caribbean beach bar. Great place for a quick bite and a tropical drink on a beach overlooking the bay.
— Papagayo Beach Club, Jan Thiel: Sleek atmosphere, international cuisine, great ocean views, excellent cocktails. Try the paparit, it’s cool and spicy, getting its kick from red pepper flakes.
— Mambo Beach Restaurant, Seaquarium Beach: Upscale outdoor dining at one of Curacao’s hot spots.
— Marsche Bieuw, Punda: The Old Market is a great spot for lunch; it’s where all the locals eat. Food stalls serve up traditional dishes such as goat stew, funchi, okra soup and pumpkin pancakes.
— Serafina, Pietermaai: Maurice Romer recently opened this modern Italian eatery with expertly prepared dishes and an extensive wine menu. He charmingly explains each course with a level of detail and passion that is only matched by the food on your plate.
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WHAT TO DO:
— Aquafari Excursions: Self-propelled submersibles. One and a half hours — including instruction — $115. aquafari.net.
— Christoffel National Park: The island’s highest point, Mount Christoffel, is the scene of the largest national park in Curacao. Offering eight hiking trails, the area is teeming with local flora and fauna and offers breathtaking views from Christoffel’s 1,227-foot vantage point. 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Adults, $12; ages 6 to 12, $4.50; under 6, free.
— Curacao Liqueur Distillery: Tour the historical Landhuis Chobolobo and learn about the distillation of “the genuine Curacao liqueur,” the only liqueur made from the peels of the laraha (the bitter orange native to Curacao). 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Free.
— Curacao Sea Aquarium: Get a close-up look into Curacao's underwater marine habitat and feed sharks and turtles by hand, separated by a plexiglass divider. Adults, $21; over 60 and children 5 to 12, $11; under 5, free. Curacao-sea-aquarium.com.
— Curacao Winery: The Visscher family recently opened the island's first winery and vineyard. Walk around the vineyard free or try a guided tour and wine tasting. Curacao.com/en/directory/do/sights-and-sounds/curacao-winery.
— Dolphin Academy Curacao: Offering a variety of dolphin-interaction opportunities, prices start at $99, children ages 1 to 4, $50. Dolphin-academy.com.
— Hato Caves: On the north side of the island, more than 200,000 years old. The caves, which are open to the public to explore, offer a look at the nature, history and culture of Curacao. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Guided tours available every hour. Adults: $6.50.
— Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue and Jewish Museum: 9 to 11:45 a.m. and 2:30 to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday. Donation: $18.
— Ostrich Farm: One of the largest breeding farms outside of Africa, with opportunities to interact with, feed and even ride an ostrich. Guided Jeep safari tours every hour from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Safari tour: adults, $16; children, $13.
— Shete Boka National Park: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. $1.50.
— Carnival: The season starts at the beginning of January and ends on Mardi Gras (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday). The Grand Parade turns the streets and alleys of Willemstad into one big street party. The climax of the festivities is the burning of King Momo at midnight to wash away all the negativity of the past year.
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FYI:
— Language: The official language is Dutch, but English is widely spoken. The locals speak Papiamentu, a combination of Dutch, Portuguese, English, Spanish and African languages.
— Common phrases: Bon bini (welcome), bon dia (good morning), dushi (nice, great, wonderful).
— Water: Tap water is safe to drink.
— Currency: National currency is the Netherlands Antillean guilder. U.S. dollars are widely accepted.
— Climate: Arid and dry, low humidity, trade winds from the east. Average yearly temperature is 82. Total annual rainfall is 22 inches.
If you’ve ever been to or seen photos of Curacao, you’ve noticed a distinct feature: the brightly colored buildings that line the bank of Sint Anna Bay in the capital Willemstad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The beautiful buildings of traditional Dutch architecture are painted in vivid hues of blue, gold, green, pink, teal and yellow with crisp white trim and greet tourists, merchants and cruise ship visitors to this nation’s capital.
On a walking tour, we learned why.
Our guide, Clarita Hagenaar, a 72-year-old Curacao native, explained the Dutch influence on the “C” island of the Dutch Caribbean ABC islands (Aruba and Bonaire are “A” and “B,” respectively) and why Curacao is so colorful.
The story, according to Hagenaar, is that a 19th century governor of the island complained of headaches caused by the bright sun reflecting off the white buildings. He ordered that all buildings be painted any color but white. Legend has it that he also had a stake in the only paint company on the island.
We started our journey with a traditional batido (smoothie shake) — pineapple for me, though mango was picked by almost everyone else — and a kala (a spicy doughnut made from black-eyed-pea flour).
From there, we walked across the Queen Emma (aka the Swinging Old Lady), a floating bridge that connects the districts of Punda and Otrobanda (“the other side”). The tour meandered through the streets of Willemstad, stopping by the governor’s palace and heading down to the floating markets, where fishing boats and merchants from Venezuela lined up to sell red snapper, kingfish, grouper and a dizzying array of fruits and vegetables.
We sampled a small, strange fruit called guinep: Pop it open and suck on the fruity flesh, which tastes like sweet-tart candy.
We strolled over to the Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue — or Snoa, as it is locally know — the oldest continuous-use temple in the Western Hemisphere, dedicated in 1732. The temple’s interior is striking, with white walls and a red mahogany bimah and benches. Two huge 24-arm brass chandeliers with wax candles hang from the ceiling.
But most interesting are the floors covered in sand from Israel. It serves as a reminder of the biblical story of the 40 years Jews spent wandering the Sinai Desert and of the persecution of Jews during the Inquisition in Spain, where they spread sand on floors to muffle the sound of prayers and footsteps as they worshiped in secret.
As we paraded through the city, Hagenaar, our guide, entertained us with fun facts and personal stories — her father was once the police chief in Willemstad.
A highlight was a stop at the Marsche Bieuw, or Old Market, with lunch at Yvonne Di Plaza for traditional Curacao food — steak di wea (stewed steak), komkommer stoba (stewed cucumber), funchi (cornmeal polenta), fried plantains and okra soup. Order it extra-slimy; trust me, it’s the only way to have it. It may not look good, but you’ll love it — guaranteed. Besides, how often can you ask for something extra-slimy?
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HITTING THE BEACH
So why pick Curacao over another Caribbean island? Most vacationers go to the Caribbean for two reasons: the beach and the water. Curacao has all that and then some. The island boasts 38 beaches — some long stretches, some just cool little alcoves.
Some beaches charge a small daily fee while others are free. Playa Knip on the west side of the island is a local favorite, and Seaquarium Beach, just east of Willemstad, is a well-liked tourist spot. Playa Kalki and Jeremi are popular as well.
Spend part of a day exploring the north and west sides of the island. The huge, crashing, windswept waves and otherworldly landscape at Boka Tabla in Shete Boka National Park are a must-see. The limestone bluffs of the rugged coast have been carved away by the raw power of the ocean, creating spectacular views and hidden caverns. It’s a photographer’s dream.
While on the west side, take a slight detour to Nena Sanchez’s gallery at Landhuis Jan Kok to view her awe-inspiring work. Her colorful paintings capture the essence and beauty of the island and its people. The gallery also overlooks a flamingo sanctuary.
On the way back, stop for lunch at Jaanchie’s in Westpunt; it’s a local gem. Besides feasting on the best grouper on the island, Jaanchie himself will entertain you. He’ll sit to tell you what’s on the menu for that day and probably sing a bit. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the iguana — it’s a bit boney, but it tastes like dark-meat chicken.
For me, the best part of a Caribbean island is the turquoise blue water. I’m always ready to take the plunge, whether it’s from the beach or off a boat — scuba diving or snorkeling, just give me a mask and snorkel and fins, and I’m happy.
There are more than 70 diving and snorkeling spots on the island, and a plethora of shops to get you there. On this trip I tried something different, an aquafari excursion, which is perfect for someone without any diving experience but interesting enough for a certified diver.
It uses a strange-looking yellow vehicle called a self-propelled submersible scooter, which looks like a cross between a fish bowl and a moped. It seems a little intimidating at first, but once you dip under the water, slide onto the vehicle and pop your head up into the air pocket in the helmet and realize that you’re breathing … everything is good. The water stays about neck level. Think of it as riding a Vespa underwater, but with your head in an upside-down fish bowl.
The helmet gives you a great viewing range and lets non-divers get a close-up look at Curacao’s colorful underwater wonders. The operation of the submersible scooter is pretty simple: A switch on the handle turns it on, and you move forward; turn the switch off and you slow to a stop and hover. The handle steers just like a bicycle.
Your guide will give you hand signals to tell you when to go and when to stop. The tour lasts about an hour underwater and guides you through depths ranging from 7 to 21 feet. There’s even a stop to feed the fish where you will get up close and personal with an array of marine life, including juvenile angelfish, blue parrotfish, sergeants major and smooth trunkfish, which sport an amazing black-and-white dotted pattern.
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