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Discover Curacao!
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General information Curacao is a small island in the Southern Caribbean, located just off the coast of South America and on the outer fringes of the hurricane belt. The island is a true melting pot of diversity, of history and culture and is one of the six islands that constitute the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. Curcçao is blessed with a combination of sun, beautiful beaches and refreshing trade winds. Whether its beaches, culture or sports that attract you, you will certainly have a good time in Curacao! Historical capital
Willemstad, capital of Curacao, and the Netherlands Antilles, is one of the richest cities in he world in term of culture and diversity. Not surprisingly, the inner city of Willemstad has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1997. The city is actually divided in two sections – Punda and Otrobanda – connected by the Queen Emma pontoon bridge. Both sections provide visitors with duty-free shopping. Willemstad has a population of 135,000 which is composed of 55 nationalities.
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Culture
The culturally minded visitor will find an interesting choice of musea, including the Curacao museum, the Slavery Museum, the Shipping Museum and the Jewish Historical Museum, to name a few. The stately collection of former plantation houses, scattered over the island, is also worth exploring. Or you can visit the oldest Jewish synagogue on the Western hemisphere. For more information about cultural highlights, check www.donwtownwillemstad.com and www.hicuracao.com
LanguageCuracao’s culture embraces many languages. Although Dutch is the official language, and English and Spanish are also widely spoken, many residents speak Papiamentu- a Creole mixture of Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, English and Arawak Indian. Back to top
Climate & landscape
Located in the tropics, just 12° north of the Equator, Curaçao has a warm, sunny climate year round. The average temperature is about 27° C (in the mid 80s F). Cooling trade winds blow constantly from the east, picking up in the spring months. The rainy season, which is between October and February, is usually marked by short, occasional showers, mostly at night, and continued sunny weather by day.Restaurants
terms of gastronomy, Curacao can satisfy many different choices, varying from a fast food meal to a five star menu, prepared by experienced chiefs who have often earned their credits in Europe, the States and elsewhere. The local cuisine, wit its mix of Caribbean and Dutch influences, is definitely worth a try. The website www.curacao-travelguide.com offers an excellent overview of local restaurants.
Taxi services
The are many ways to recognize a taxi, they are easily identifiable with the taxi-sign on top of the cab and the letters TX on the license plate. All taxi-drivers carry a badge to identify themselves, and inside the taxi you will also see a label, identifying the driver. Every taxi has a taxi meter with fixed rates for your journey. There are taxi stands at the airport, in Punda and Otrobanda, and outside major hotels.
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Shopping
Punda's Breedestraat and Otrobanda's Breedestraat are main shopping thoroughfares, The shopping is not duty-free, but is "duty-relaxed", meaning the shopkeepers pay low duty. You'll also find an array of shops on the Punda side, particularly at the Waterfort Arches on the harborfront. Many town shops also have branches in hotels around the island.
On Breedestraat on the Punda side, try Boolchand's for cameras and electronic equipment, Little Holland for fine cigars, Eccolet for designer shoes for men and women, and Little Switzerland for watches, china, leather goods, and jewelry. One of the more intriguing stores is J.L. Penha and Sons, in a large, circa 1700 building. This store is a large department store, with jewelry, per-fumes, electronic equipment, and more.
Curacao’s international code is 5999; there are no internal areas codes. All local telephone numbers are seven digits, except for some special numbers, which are three or four digits. International roaming is available in Curacao, so you will be able to make and receive calls outside the coverage area. Local companies are UTS (United Telecommunication Services) and Digicel.
Electricity
Electricity is 127/120 VAC at 50 cycles. This means that most appliances made in the USA (60 cycles) will work well, except for electrical devices with internal time mechanisms. For electrical appliances from the USA you do not need an adapter plug. We use the same two-pronged flat plugs as in the States.
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Interesting sight-seeing spots
Hato caves
Centre of it all is the bustling city of Willemstad. When you want to get away to find some quiet, you will find it easy to find the sights of Curacao. There is plenty to see and do in the cunucu (countryside). Just north of town, near Hato International Airport, are the Hato Caves. The caves, gouged out of limestone cliffs ages ago as the island emerged from the sea, are still forming, albeit by one drop at a time. You will see water dripping from the walls and massive stalacmites and stalactites.
Christoffelpark
At the west end of the island is the impressive Christoffel Park, part of the island's national park system since 1978. The park, about a 40-minute drive from Willemstad, is the home of the 1,239-foot (377-meter) Mt. Christoffel, the island's highest point, as well as dozens of species of trees and plants, including an orchid forest, birds, lizards, and sea life, including nesting sea turtles.
Curacçao Sea Aquarium
The Curacao Sea Aquarium is possibly Curacao's most popular tourist attraction. It is one of those places where you can immerse yourself, even literally, in the vast underwater world for the better part of a day. Located on the south coast just Est of Willemstad, the Aquarium area comprises a marina, a large beach, a hotel, and the aquarium complex.
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