Essential Curacao Vacation Guide for the Best Holiday

Hi there! Planning a trip to the beautiful island of Curacao? Welcome to your essential Curacao vacation guide!

Curacao is an incredible Caribbean island known for its beautiful beaches, fantastic snorkeling, and brightly painted colonial architecture.

It is a wonderful place to visit and one that I highly recommend!

Let’s get right into your Curacao vacation guide, where you’ll find everything you need to know to plan a wonderful trip to the beautiful Dutch Caribbean!

Curacao Vacation Guide

Sleep – The Best Places to Stay in Curacao

When visiting Curacao you’ll find a wide variety of accommodation options. There are beautiful AirBnbs, lovely boutique hotels, and fantastic resorts on the beach.

You can’t go wrong with any of these options – as they all offer great stays while in Curacao.

Personally, I always tend to book AirBnbs and boutique hotels, as I prefer a more local and relaxed experience. There are tons of great AirBnb and boutique hotel options all across the island.

Where to stay in Curacao?

When considering which area of the island to stay in, I recommend Punda and Pietermaai for those who want to be right in the center of the old city (a UNESCO World Heritage Site.) Here you’ll find small streets with beautifully painted colonial style buildings. There are tons of shops and restaurants, and it’s a great place to walk around!

For those who want to be closer to the beach, the Jan Thiel neighborhood has many beaches within a close proximity!

Boutique Hotels in Curacao:

• Bed & Bike Curacao – Jan Thiel ($)
• BOHO Bohemian Boutique Hotel ($$)
• Wynwood Boutique Hotel ($$)
• Pietermaai Boutique Hotel ($$)
• Scuba Lodge & Suites ($$)
• BijBlauw ($$)
• Boutique Hotel ‘t Klooster ($$)

Resorts in Curacao:

• Renaissance Wind Creek Curacao Resort ($$)
• Kontiki Beach Resort  ($$)
• Papagayo Beach Resort  ($$)
• Dreams Curacao Resort, Spa & Casino ($$$)

AirBnb/Apartments in Curacao:

• Punda, The Best Spot Right in the ❤️️ of Willemstad
• Explore Pietermaai on Foot from Monumental Retreat
• AMAZING 2 Person Studio in Vibrant Pietermaai
• Green Oasis at Otro Curaçao
• Modern Apartment 50 Meters From the Beach

Eats – The Best Restaurants in Curacao

The Curacao food scene is very unique! You’ll find a mix of Caribbean, Dutch, Latin American and North American dishes. There are tons of restaurants to try all over the island, and many are delicious.

Curacao used to receive much of its produce from neighboring Venezuela, but due to the current embargo, these shipments have been halted. Now, more and more farms are popping up on the island, but local, fresh produce is still not plentiful. Instead, the vast majority of food in Curacao is imported from other countries. This makes food on the island relatively expensive – both in grocery stores and restaurants.

While there are certainly budget friendly restaurants on the island, many places will be serving dishes with relatively high price tags. I found the prices to be comparable to major cities in the USA, like New York, Miami and Boston.

Breakfast/Brunch

Breakfast in Curacao, with coffee, will typically cost anywhere from $7-$12 per person at a cafe or restaurant.

• Reina Cafe
• Bonchi Coffeehouse
• Cafe Copacabana
• Van Gogh Coffee (they also have a cute drive through)
• BijBlauw

Lunch

For lunch at a restaurant expect to pay $10-$15+ per person.

• La Boheme (very inexpensive!)
• Altijd in de Buurt (good vegetarian options)

Dinner

Dinner entrees, without appetizers and drinks, will typically be $15+ per person.

• Maira’s Kitchen (the best food I had in Curacao)
• Grand Cafe ‘t Klooster
• Roast Cannibal Rumbar (expensive, but really good food)
• De Heeren @ Sea (amazing view, make a reservation for dinner)

Drinks

• Iguana Cafe
  • The food here is only okay, but it’s a great place to watch the Queen Emma Bridge swing open to let boats in and out. Come for drinks only!
• Mr Porter (enjoy drinks outside)
• Mundo Bizarro (not great food or service, but a nice place for a coffee or drink)

Tips: If you have an AirBnb or hotel room with a kitchen, cooking a meal or two at home each day is a fantastic way to save money. Even just having coffee in your room will save you money each morning.

Additionally, many restaurants are closed on Sundays and Mondays, so these are great days to cook at home! The restaurants that are open on Sundays and Mondays are often very packed due to high demand.

Activities – The Best Things to do in Curacao

Curacao is known for its amazing beaches, and during your trip to the island you should definitely visit some of the beautiful beaches for swimming, relaxing and snorkeling.

In addition to the beaches, Curacao offers a wide variety of other activities for travelers and there is sure to be something on the island for everyone.

Have a Beach Day

There are so many beaches all over Curacao that you could visit multiple every day and still not see them all during your trip!

While it is great that there are many options to choose from, it also means you’ll need to choose carefully so that you find a beach that matches the vibe you’re looking for.

Curacao’s Best Beaches

Playa Porto Mari:

This is my favorite beach on the island! The water is so blue and crystal clear and I loved the white sand. There are also rocky areas to explore and a full service bar and restaurant.

Parking is free and you can rent beach chairs for $3.50. You can also rent snorkeling equipment to use on the beach!

Additionally, there are wild pigs that roam around the beach! While I was there the pigs were hiding, but I’ve been told they’re very cute.

Lastly, while at Playa Porto Mari you can take painting lessons with an artist! I had so much fun doing this, and it was such a fun way to spend the afternoon. No reservations are required, just walk right in!

Cas Abao:

Cas Abao is another beautiful white sand beach located not far from Playa Porto Mari. This beach is absolutely beautiful, and is definitely a fantastic place to come to take photos. The shots will be postcard worthy.

There is a $6 entrance fee per car, and beach chairs are another $5. That being said, it is a truly relaxing and peaceful place to spend the day (they close around 6pm.) There is a small snack bar to buy food and drinks, and you can easily spend the day snorkeling and swimming in the crystal clear water.

One thing to note about Cas Abao is that they rope off (with caution tape) an area of the beach just for cruise ship excursion passengers. While this isn’t necessarily an issue, as there is quite a bit of space, it does take away a little from the picturesque quality of the beach.

Tip: Try to visit on a day when a cruise ship is not docked!

Tug Boat Beach:

Tug Boat beach is a must visit in Curacao if you enjoy snorkeling! There are tons of beautiful fish, seahorses and a sunken tugboat to see. You can rent snorkeling equipment at the beach, and there are also beach chairs, snacks, and painting classes available.

The beach is rocky and a little small, but the water is blue and gorgeous! This is a fantastic place to spend a full day.

Playa Canoa:

Playa Canoa is a little off the beaten path, and the roads to get there can be a little bumpy – but it’s a fantastic beach! There is a lovely, protected lagoon area to swim in, and beyond the lagoon you’ll see large waves crashing.

There are no facilities on this beach and it is a much more low-key, local experience. While there are no sunbeds to rent, restaurants, or bathrooms, personally I think it is a fantastic place to relax and spend a few hours.

Older reviews of this beach may mention a trash problem, but this was not the case at all when we visited. It was very clean and it is clear that an effort has been made to keep this beach beautiful and a nice place for families to relax.

Beaches to Skip

Mambo Beach:

When you visit the island, you’ll likely hear that Mambo Beach is one of Curacao’s best beaches. Personally, I disagree with this. The beach is man-made, and while that is fine, it definitely doesn’t have the beautiful white sand like other beaches do. Furthermore, it is filled with shops and restaurants, so it’s more of an urban-beach experience, as you’re right in the middle of everything.

Additionally, as there is a huge focus on bars, restaurants and beach clubs, it can get very loud and crowded.

While this can be a good place to go if you’re specifically looking for a place with a good bar scene, I wouldn’t recommend it for a day of relaxing, reading, and snorkeling – there are much better beaches in Curacao.

Jan Thiel Beach:

Like Mambo Beach, Jan Thiel beach is another manmade beach with a variety of restaurants and bars. While this beach is a fine place to spend the day, it’s not great for swimming as instead of a gradual decline into the ocean, it’s a straight drop off (because it’s manmade.) There are swimming areas, but not as many as other beaches.

Entrance to the beach is $3 and beach chairs can be rented for $3+.

If you’re looking for a place with a beach club feel, you may enjoy Jan Thiel Beach, but personally I think there are nicer beaches on the island – that are also far less crowded.

Visit Klein Curacao

Klein Curacao is a small uninhabited island located about 15 miles (24km) away from Curacao. The island of Klein Curacao is absolutely gorgeous, the beach is stunning and it’s an amazing place to spend a day.

Klein Curacao is only accessible by boat, so you will need to take a day trip to the island.

There are many tours to choose from that offer day trips to Klein Curacao, but I recommend going with either Mermaid Boat Trips or Miss Ann Boat Tours, as they are the only two companies with beach structures (and bathrooms) on the island. Trust me, having a place to relax in the shade and access to a bathroom makes a big difference – especially because you’ll be on the island for 6+ hours.

On Klein Curacao there is an abandoned lighthouse to explore, a shipwreck, and the most beautiful beach I have ever seen. You can snorkel, swim, and spend a wonderful day relaxing in paradise!

Most all of the boat trips include breakfast and a BBQ lunch in the ticket price.

To note: It takes about 1.5 hours to get to Klein Curacao, and the sea is really rough. About 1/4 of the people on-board with me got sick, and spent the entire 1.5 hour trip throwing up over the side of the boat. If you get even slightly motion sick, do yourself a favor and bring sea-sick medicine. Otherwise, the trip can be really, really unpleasant.

Check out my full Klein Curacao guide with tips for visiting the uninhabited island!

Other Klein Curacao Tours – if you don’t mind not having a beach structure:

• Klein Curacao Powerboat Adventure
• Boat Trip to Klein Curacao
• Full Day Catamaran Trip to Klein Curacao with Lunch
• Klein Curacao Adventure Day Trip

Swim With Dolphins

Through the Curacao Dolphin Academy, at the Curacao Sea Aquarium, you can swim, snorkel and/or scuba dive with dolphins!

This is a fun experience for all ages, and all Dolphin Academy tickets also come with free aquarium entrance. The aquarium itself is quite limited, and not really worth visiting unless you’re swimming with dolphins. But it’s a nice place to walk around after your dolphin adventure!

Check out Hato Caves

The Hato Caves are located directly across the street from the airport, and make a great place to visit when you arrive, or are leaving, Curacao.

The caves are interesting to learn about, and during your cave tour you’ll learn about the island’s history and how the caves came to exist.

If you prefer to visit Hato Caves as part of a day tour there multiple options!

• City Highlights and Cave
• Hato Caves, Turtles & Beach
• Ostrich Farm and Hato Caves Adventure
• Curacao Beach and Hato Caves Tour

To note: these caves are warm caves, not cool caves – so they’re not a great place to go if you’re trying to escape the heat.

Explore Punda, Scharloo, Pietermaai and Otrobanda

Walking around the historic areas of Willemstad and visiting the many shops, cafes and restaurants is such a fun way to spend the day! The architecture is bright and colorful, and you can easily spend an entire day walking around and exploring.

Punda is the main commercial area of the city, and you’ll find the majority of shops and restaurants in this neighborhood.

While I definitely recommend exploring on foot, guided tours of the area are also great to learn more about the city’s history and hidden gems.

Willemstad Tours:

• The Best Walking tour Willemstad
  • I went on this walking tour of Otrobanda with Jaqueline, and it was incredible! So informative and fun – 100% one of the best Curacao tours.
• Trolley Train City Centre in Curacao

Take an ATV Tour

An ATV tour is such a fun way to explore the island of Curacao! You’ll drive on both back roads and main roads, and have the opportunity to stop at fun sites along the way.

There are many different ATV tours to choose from in Curacao, that stop at a variety of different locations.

I went on the Curacao Half Day ATV Tour with Eric’s ATV Adventures and we stopped at the Ostrich Farm, a beach and and amazing ocean lookout point. The tour was about three hours long and a ton of fun!

Curacao ATV Tours:

• Buggy Private Tour in West Side Curacao
• Curacao Half Day ATV Adventure Double seat ATV Tour

More Fun Things To Do – If You Have Extra Time:

Visit the Ostrich Farm

Head out on a guided bus tour of the farm to see and learn about the ostriches and other animals!

Visit The Aloe Vera Farm

Take a tour of the Aloe Vera Farm to learn about its production!

Located just 4 minutes by car from the Ostrich Farm.

Take a Distillery Tour

Take a tour of a distillery to see how the famous Blue Curacao liqueur is made! You’ll be able to learn about the process, sample the distillery’s liquors and grab a cocktail at the bar. Those who are interested can also take part in the Chobolobo Cocktail Workshop!

Things to Know When Planning a Curacao Vacation

• Is Curacao Expensive?
  • Curacao is more expensive than other Caribbean islands (like the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Jamaica), however, it is still possible to visit Curacao on a budget.
• What language do they speak in Curacao?
  • Almost everyone in Curacao speaks four languages: Dutch, English, Spanish and Papiamento.
• Should I rent a car in Curacao?
  • Yes! Taxis need to be scheduled in advance (or picked up at the airport), and you’ll definitely want a car to explore the beautiful island.
• Can I use US dollars?
  • Yes! Everywhere on the island accepts USD, but you may receive change in the local currency, Netherlands Antillean Guilders.
• How long should I spend in Curacao?
  • I recommend at least five days, with seven-ten days being ideal for really exploring the island.
• What’s the best time of year to visit Curacao?
  • Curacao is beautiful all year long, and it is outside of the Caribbean hurricane belt so you don’t need to worry about tropical storms. Curacao has great weather all year long, but if you visit in December-April you’ll likely avoid the rainy season.

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I hope you found this essential Curacao vacation guide to be helpful in your trip planning! Curacao is a beautiful island, and it makes a relaxing and fun vacation destination.

If you have any questions about Curacao vacation planning, let me know in the comments below!

Lastly, I appreciate you sharing this post with someone you know who would love a Curacao vacation!

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More guides for planning your Curacao vacation:

• How to Have an Unforgettable Klein Curacao Boat Trip – Travel Guide and Tips

♡Kate

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