The Best of Curacao – with its delightful Dutch colonial architecture, bustling commercial capital and excellent history museums, go-go Curaçao feels like a little piece of Europe on the edge of the Caribbean. That is, a little piece of Europe with glorious hidden beaches, amazing onshore snorkeling and diving, and a wild undeveloped windward coast.
Curaçao has historic settlements, rugged landscapes and plenty of fun in the sun. Curaçao’s main port city, Willemstad is like an Old World European city. The brightly painted Dutch colonial buildings reflect pinks, yellows and blues. Once you leave the city, the landscape shifts to a desert scene, with spiny aloe and mesquite shooting upwards on weathered limestone cliffs. But Curaçao’s real draw is the beach. You will find picture-perfect bays and coves and turquoise waters gently lapping against powdery white sand. Curaçao’s reefs are packed with marine life, providing an excellent underwater playground for scuba divers and snorkelers. Best of all, the island is sheltered from the worst of the Atlantic’s hurricane season. Gentle trade winds keep temperatures in the mid-80s, so you can enjoy the outdoors year-round. To learn more about all the beautiful beaches on Curaçao, visit here. Now view our Curaçao travel guide to help plan your next Curaçao vacation!
Curacao Weather -When to Visit
Located in the tropics, just 12° north of the Equator, and outside of the hurricane belt, Curaçao has a warm, sunny climate year round. The average temperature is in the mid 80s. Refreshing trade winds blow constantly from the east, picking up in the spring months. The rainy season, October to February, is marked by short, occasional showers, usually at night, and continued sunny weather by day. Total annual rainfall averages only 22 inches. Occasionally a tropical storm brewing elsewhere in the Caribbean can cause some cloudy weather for a day or two.
The high season runs from December thru April. Accommodations will fill up fast and prices are significantly higher. January thru February is the Carnival, Curaçao’s biggest celebration. This is a month of music, costumes, parades and parties. It starts just after the New Year and runs thru Ash Wednesday. Although Curaçao is below the hurricane belt, the island does experience an increase in rain during hurricane season which is September thru December.
The Best of Curacao Beaches
Playa Knip
Playa KnipPlaya Knip is a local and traveler favorite. The west side beach won TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Award last year and we can see why. The turquoise waters are perfect for swimming. The coastal landscape is stunning. And on most days you can find a batidos stand with delicious fresh-fruit smoothies to cool off. But the best part? Parking and admission are free.
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Playa Lagun
Playa LagunPlaya Lagun is one of the most picturesque beaches on the island with colorful fishing boats that look like a coastal scene from Thailand instead of the Caribbean. But the real beauty is below the surface. Playa Lagun’s water is crystal-clear, making it perfect for spotting colorful reef fish, corals, sponges and sea turtles.
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Avila Beach
Avila BeachWant to splurge? The Avila Beach Hotel’s grounds are definitely worth it. The resort’s private beach features chaises loungers under parasols and palapas, or small tiki huts. With so many shade options, you can stretch out all day. With a colorful, frozen drink in hand of course! Head to the boat-shaped Schooner’s beach bar for delicious beach drinks and eats.
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Puerto Marie
Puerto MariePorto Marie is Curacao’s best-in-show beach. It has plenty of chairs in the shade to relax, vibrant, blue water for swimming and snorkeling plus a floating platform for kids. But the best feature is the mega-long pier that’s great for snapping vacation photos.
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Little Curacao
Little CuracaoKlein Curacao or “Little Curacao” is a tiny, uninhabited island eight miles off the coast of Curacao. You can book a cruise with Mermaid Boat Trips to visit the island during the day and experience this remote paradise practically all to yourself. The beach is long and pristine and the island has an old lighthouse to explore. Under the surface, there are incredible snorkel spots such as an abandoned shipwreck site and underwater caves.
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The Best of Curacao Restaurants
Gouverneur de Rouville $11 – 30
Restaurant & Café Gouverneur de Rouville is situated at the Otrabanda Waterfront, in the historic part of Willemstad. Enjoy your dinner while looking at big ocean-vessels passing you by on their way to the harbor or back to the Caribbean Sea. You will find great international cuisine and Antillean classics like stuffed cheese in a in a beautifully restored historic building. Telephone: 599-9-462-5999 Web: Gouverneur de Rouville.
Restaurant Fishalicious $31 – 60
Their culinary team considers quality as one of the key ingredients. Therefore they are only working with the freshest and finest products. Fish is delivered daily from local fishermen and flew in from Europe. Thhey have wines from all over the world, and focus on finding selections that pair well with what comes from the kitchen. Telephone: 599-9-461-8844 Web: Restaurant Fishalicious.
Pirate Bay Beach Bar and Restaurant (Hook’s Hut) $11 – 30
With Spirited atmosphere, a sprinkle of salt and a healthy drizzle of YO HO HO, Pirates Bay is where people meet people to sample Island-fare and where the island’s friendly staff is serving up smiles with your ice cold drinks. You can bet yer Golden Doubloons yer “Catch of the day” freshly caught by local fishermen at Piscadera Bay will be served to you at the water’s edge for your memorable, magical evening charmed by Local Musicians performing Island tunes or perhaps the sounds of haughty Jazz and Blues. Telephone: 599-9-461-0183 Web: Pirate Bay Beach Bar and Restaurant.
Zanzibar Beach & Restaurant $11 – 30
Located at the eastern part of the island, at Jan Thiel Beach, you can find the charming Zanzibar Beach & Restaurant. As the name implies, the bar and the restaurant radiate warmth and coziness of East Africa. Telephone: 599-9-747-0633 Web: Zanzibar Beach & Restaurant.
Landhuis Daniel Country Inn and Restaurant $11 – 30
The cuisine of Landhuis Daniel is an an eclectic mix of modern French, Mediterranean, Caribbean and Asian cuisine. Besides locally produced ingredients such as herbs and vegetables, fish and lobster, and they also serve Dutch seasonal specialties as steamed mussels, north Atlantic fish, white asparagus and game, all fresh flown in from Holland. An extensive winelist with old- en new world wines complements the menu. Telephone: 599-9-864-8400 Web: Landhuis Daniel Country Inn and Restaurant.
Best Curacao Bars & Nightlife
Schooner Beach Bar
Pick a seat at their unique bar, covered sea terrace or lazy Adirondack seats at the beach. Refresh with your favorite drink, bite and dish during daytime, at sunset and into the balmy, tropical night. Sit back, relax and indulge your mouthwatering bites, food and beverages, served with a warm smile. Sunset Happy Hour with complimentary snacks and live music every Friday from 5.00 PM – 7.00 PM Telephone: 599-9-461-4377 Web: Schooner Beach Bar.
Splash Pool Bar & Grill
Splash Pool Bar and Grill offers delicious frozen drinks and beach favorites including Fish Tacos, Volcano Nachos and the amazing Splash Burger. Relax with a cocktail or ice-cold beer while sun-bathing on beautiful Santa Barbara Beach or by the pool. Telephone: 599-9-840-4787 Web: Splash Pool Bar & Grill.
Captain Bligh’s Bar
Enjoy your favorite drink during their daily happy hour, refuel with a delicious meal, or have a beer while watching your favorite sports match. The Bligh’s Bar boasts a romantic view over the Caribbean Sea, while sitting in the shade of our indigenous Flamboyant tree and palm trees surrounding the bar. Telephone: 599-9-462-5000 Web: Captain Bligh’s Bar.
Celeste Beach Bar
The Celeste Beach Bar is the place to unwind and enjoy a well-deserved Caribbean cocktail, to eat freshly caught fish and South-American dishes. Visit them during one of their theme nights to enjoy delicious BBQ or steaks beneath the night sky with live entertainment! Located at the beach of the Hilton Curacao Hotel, overlooking the magnificent Piscadera Bay. Telephone: 599-9-462-5000 Web: Celeste Beach Bar.
Scuba Lodge Ocean Bar & Restaurant
Scuba Lodge Ocean Bar is located in Pietermaai, the most vibrant area of Curacao. Between the torches and with your feet in the sand, you can enjoy the sound of the sea and a romantic sunset. Scuba Lodge Ocean Bar is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Telephone: 599-9-465-4575 Web: Scuba Lodge Ocean Bar & Restaurant.
The Best of Curaçao Hotels
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26 Comments
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Hi Leahrae,
Thank you for a beautiful website! I lived in San Diego and Miami beach. Your pictures were so vibrant; some came right off the page calling for me to get to the beach, any beach! Your site looked great; I hope mine can look as good someday.
Although I couldn’t afford a trip right now a few of my friends and family that can. So I shared your site on FB.
Thanks again, Leahrae!
Cheers, and take care of yourself!
John
You are very welcome John, I am glad you enjoyed your visit to Beach Travel Destinations 🙂
How have I never actually heard of this place???? Your photos are so appealing and make me want to go there right now. It sounds like perfection to me.
Perfect weather – not too warm but not chilly
By the water – I am such a water baby
Historical buildings – I am drawn to history and wondering who else have walked the same path. Can you imagine the stories it has to tell?
The buildings themselves – I paint as a hobby and all of the colours of the buildings have brought out my desire to paint.
Oh boy, then you will love Curacao! Just for the history and the beautiful buildings. And yes, they are very colorful indeed! Thanks for visiting my Curacao Travel Guide.
Wow what a lovely destination to visit, infact it’s perfect!
I’m glad I found this site !
This is such an in-depth review that had totally made my mind up for me. I can not wait to read more reviews.
the colonial look of the town with all the different coloured buildings had me thinking of a danish town in first instance.
Yes, it is a really cool town, that is for sure 🙂 You will enjoy! Please let me know if you need any other information, and I will be glad to help!
Seems like an amazing place with lot of character. I’m imagining how amazing it would be to vacation in one of those wonderful resorts on the island. The Dutch colonial architecture looks incredible. I am going to continue perusing your website, as I have been looking for a good beach destination for this winter. Curacao seems like the perfect spot! When I decide, can you help me put together a vacation package?
Yes, I would agree that it is definitely a great place with so much culture, history and character. And yes, when you have decided on a destination, I would love to help you. I can put some great choices together for you. Just email me when you are ready 🙂
I love your website. You article is loaded with tons of great and detailed information. You not only described the place well that makes me feel as If I am there right now, but you also provided detail information on where to eat, what hotels to stay, what transportation are available. You pretty much covered everything a traveler needs to know. You have done an amazing job. Keep up with the great work.
Thank you so much Hong. It is a passion of mine as I love visiting beach vacation destinations. Guess you could call me a big ol’ beach bum. Thanks for reading the Curacao Travel Guide!
I am so glad I found your site! When planning a beach vacation researching for reliable information can be overwhelming. Your site just provided me with all the tips I was looking for. The video you included at the end of the article helped me to make my mind about Curacao. I found this destination fascinating, not just because of its beautiful beaches and landscapes, but for its diversity of cultures and history.
Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed reading about Curacao Millie. You will find that it is a very fascinating island of a gem in the Caribbean. I love the beach, but I also love to experience the culture and the history when I am traveling. You get a little bit of everything here for sure!
I always enjoy the articles you have on your website. You do such a good job of giving the details of a destination, and your article on Curacao is no exception.
I have been to many Carribean islands, but not to Curacao. It appears that I’ve missed a real gem in the Carribean. It sounds like a delightful place especially the architecture and the old world feel that you describe.
I’m gonna put this on my bucket list, and thanks for the great review of this island.
You are very welcome! I am glad that I could help you find this little gem in the Caribbean, and hopefully you will visit sometime soon. If you need any other information or help with planning, please let me know. Thanks for visit the Curacao Travel Guide!
Leahrae,
As seen by the image looking down at the buildings that represent a part of Curacao, indeed it does appear to be Dutch-European in appearance. Very quaint.
Of all the articles on your website representing different island destination vacation spots in the Caribbean, Curacao seems visibly to set itself a part from any of the others.
Going through your excellent review, (seen in every article on your website) you provided a great wealth of info on the sights, hotel accommodations, car/vehicle rental possibilities, (a better choice as you indicated that public transportation is not as readily available), dining and beach/water spots that could be found on this island.
Compared to the other islands the price of food at restaurants on Curacao appeared to be quite reasonable. The hotels appear to be of high class. Along with the fact that Curacao is an island in the Caribbean there certainly is not a lack of activities to do regarding water sports.
In looking back at all of your articles that I have read on your website, Leahrae, for whatever reason Curacao appears to be the most scenic and non-American of them all.
Thank you for sharing!
Jeff
You are correct Jeff in every sense, and this little island of paradise, does set itself apart from the rest and you can really experience the culture of the Caribbean life here. I think anyone visiting, will not be disappointed. They are also very lucky to be outside of the hurricane area. Glad you enjoyed and thank you for visiting my site beachtraveldestinatons.com 🙂
Hi Leahrae,
Ooooooo. Your site is amazing!!!
I love the dream quality of the images and it is clear you are offering some great information here!
The spread on Hawaii Beaches was of course my FAVE. Most people have been here once and call themselves experts. I have lived on Oahu for 24 years now, love to go holo-holo and visit all the other islands too – and you have NAILED it with the information! Nicely done. Now on to Curacao….being from Hawaii, I am always interested in visiting other islands with just a little different culture. Curacao looks to be perfect! You have pretty much covered all the bases. I am curious, how long would it take for me to fly there from Hawaii? Looks like the weather is pretty much perfect all the time. Do you think a week would be a sufficient amount of time to experience all there is in Curacao?
Wishing you the greatest of success.
Warmest aloha,
Dawn
Thank you so much Dawn and I am glad you enjoyed reading about Curacao and perusing BeachTravelDestinations.com. It will take you about 12 hours to get to Miami, and then almost another 3 to get to Curacao. Really not too bad of a flight. I would suggest maybe spending the night in Miami and resting up and then heading to Curacao. Curacao is not a huge island, at only about 171 sq. miles total. So you would be able to see a lot of sites, and enjoy outdoor activities, as well as experience the culture in a week no problem. It just depends on how much you want to see and do, and then how much time you want to spend relaxing on the beach 🙂
Wow, this place looks special, thats for sure. I had been looking into a great Caribbean getaway that has not been destroyed by the hurricanes, and this looks to be it! This is going to be my next holiday destination! It looks beautiful, and I love all the different colored houses. You’ve listed all the things you can do there which is very helpful. I think you’ve persuaded me to go and it is decided that I would love to visit Curacao. Do you know how long of a flight I would be looking at from Miami?
Hi Josh, what a great destination to vacation to for sure. I am glad you enjoyed reading the Curacao Travel Guide. You can fly to Curacao from Miami, nonstop, and the flight time is a little less than 3 hours. A pretty quick flight to get you to paradise 🙂
I love your website! Curacao is a destination that I have been researching for a possible vacation. I love the Caribbean islands with white sandy beaches and island culture. Your research is top notch on each destination it lays out everything a person needs to know before going and what you can do when you get there. It’s fantastic! I hope you will get to travel to all of these destinations and include your own pictures to add to the excitement of being there. I have found everything I need for information! My mind is now made up to visit Curacao. I know you mentioned that they are not affected by hurricanes. Did they see any damage from the recent onslaught of hurricanes?
Hi there, good choice to visit Curacao! I love the Caribbean islands as well for the same reasons really. Of course, I am a beach bum at heart, so these places are always appealing to me. No, the hurricane season this year has not affected Curacao at all. So you can plan your travel for any time really. Thanks for reading the Curacao Travel Guide!
Hi, Lea,
What can I say? This article is the only useful guide I could find on the net! You have given all the information that I need to enjoy the Curacao island thoroughly! Sorry, but there is nothing left to ask:) Also. The video is beautiful, it really makes me dream, which is fantastic! Oh, yes. I do have a question, though. What airline company would you suggest to flight with?
I have bookmarked this article so I can plan my next trip to Curacao soon! I think I will travel in Carnival time!
Thank you for this excellent
You can take American Airlines, Jet Blue, Avianca, Surinam Airways or InselAir. All of these fly into Curacao. It depends on where you are flying from. For me, out of Florida, it is American or Jet Blue. I always just check the prices for these two when flying out of Florida. I am glad you enjoyed and that I could provide you with everything you need! Thanks for visiting 🙂
Wow Leahrae! You have amazing information! I just read your Southern California beach review and that was ambitious…so many beaches. I really enjoyed your information as well as all the photos. I also like how you had a everything on the menu were affiliate programs. I am still learning so I appreciate all the info you have and all of the content. I have a beach webpage as well, but I am only concentrating on San Diego Beaches. You have given me much to think about. I was wondering about selling vacations and such but I do not have much info on it. Thank you and do you mind if I follow you ? Thank you
Colleen
Not at all Colleen 🙂 I would be glad to help in any way that I can. I am glad you enjoyed wandering around my site 🙂 Are you from California? Boy, I love beaches, and this has been a heftier project than I thought it would be, but definitely a passion of mine. Thanks for visiting my Curacao Travel Guide.