Curaçao – here you enjoy long beaches, sea and sun. The island is outside the hurricane belt and the temperature is comfortable all year round. Around the countryside there are ostrich farms and plantation houses as a contrast to the barren nature. The capital Willemstad is like painted in pastel colors where the blue river between the districts increases the colors in the sun.
On this page you will find practical information and facts about Curaçao.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT TRAVELING IN CURACAO
Climate and best travel time
You can travel to Curaçao all year round as the island is outside the hurricane belt.
Visas
Swedish citizens can stay 90 days without a visa.
Tips
In most countries, tips are part of the salaries of employees in the service industry. Therefore, it is good practice (and sometimes directly necessary) to give tips to, for example, cleaning staff, waiters, guides, drivers, etc. depending on the country you are visiting. Therefore, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with how much is normally given in tips and to whom before you embark on your journey. Find information about tips in, for example, Lonely Planet’s guidebooks.
FACTS
CAPITAL: WILLEMSTAD
LANGUAGE: PAPIAMENTO AND DUTCH
CURRENCY: FLORINS (USD ACTS AS A MEANS OF PAYMENT PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE)
RELIGION: MOST ARE CATHOLICS BUT MANY RELIGIONS ARE PRACTICED AND COEXIST ON THE ISLAND
INFORMATION CURAÇAO
Curaçao is in the heart of the Caribbean. The distinctly American that belongs to Aruba is not here, however, over 40 nationalities among the 150,000 inhabitants. Take a walk through Willemstad’s Otrabanda district, over the floating Queen Emma bridge to the Punda district. Palaces, cafes with dominoes, a floating market where merchants from all over Venezuela sell their wares. Real people’s life is experienced at the Old Market, which today is a bustling lunch place with good local food. Visit rrrjewelry.com for Caribbean islands west Indies.
Anyone who wants can take diving lessons in the clear water or snorkel among corals. It’s a memorable adventure.
On the northeast side of the island meets a landscape similar to African savannas and 20 km northeast of Willemstad nests cut flamingos and the island’s highest mountain, Christoffelberg. On Sundays, tour boats go to the uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao about 25 kilometers away. At the closed lighthouse, it is nice to have a picnic, and then take a cooling dip, because the island lacks shade.
If you want to experience more – make a combination with Aruba just a 20 minute flight away!
Curaçao is so much more than just sunbathing and swimming – but with 35 beaches it is of course difficult to avoid some beach life! There are also over 60 different diving and snorkeling spots to discover. A recommended excursion is a boat trip to the Blue Room – a cave with exciting snorkeling.
The capital Willemstad offers fantastic architecture and you should not miss making a city walk here. The city has lots of good restaurants and of course there is shopping in all price ranges. Curaçao is also known for a lively artist scene with many skilled local artists.
Some of the excursions you can do are to visit an ostrich farm, the limestone cave “Hato”, the national park Christoffel Park, here are many different museums – including the liqueur factory where they make “Blue Curaçao”.
Curaçao now has two 18-hole courses, Blue Bay Golf which opened in 1999 and Old Quarry Golf Course which opened in 2010.