CW
Willemstad
Candy-coloured Dutch Caribbean capital
Candy-coloured Dutch Caribbean capital
The postcard of Curaçao — a row of gabled Dutch colonial houses painted in vivid colours, lining the Punda waterfront along St Anna Bay.
💡 Come at golden hour and after dark, when the facades are beautifully lit.
The ‘Swinging Old Lady’ — a floating pedestrian bridge on pontoons that opens sideways to let ships pass, linking the Punda and Otrobanda quarters.
💡 If it swings open, hop the free ferry across, or wait to watch the ships pass.
The two historic halves of the old town — Punda’s shops and floating market, Otrobanda’s colourful alleys, street art and the Kurá Hulanda museum.
💡 Explore Otrobanda’s back lanes for murals and hidden courtyards.
Beyond the city, Curaçao’s coast hides dozens of sheltered coves and turquoise beaches — from Playa Forti and Kenepa to Cas Abao — with calm, clear water.
💡 Rent a car to reach the best western beaches like Kenepa and Cas Abao.
Curaçao is a world-class diving and snorkelling destination, its dramatic cliffs and coral reefs dropping into vivid blue water just off the shore.
💡 The famous Mushroom Forest and shore dives are superb for snorkellers too.
Curaçaoan food is a delicious Caribbean-Dutch-Latin-African fusion. Look for keshi yena (a whole cheese stuffed with spiced meat), fresh karni stobá (stewed beef), goat stew, funchi (cornmeal polenta) and just-caught fish and seafood. Don’t miss the colourful floating market, where Venezuelan boats sell produce, and the buzzing Old Market (Marshé) for cheap, authentic local lunches. Being Dutch, the island also has great bitterballen, cheeses and beer. And of course, sip the famous bright-blue Blue Curaçao liqueur, distilled here from the peel of the local laraha citrus. Willemstad’s waterfront and Pietermaai district are full of lively restaurants, bars and cafes to suit every taste and budget.
Curaçao’s international airport (near Willemstad) has direct flights from the Netherlands, the US and across the region. Willemstad itself is compact and walkable, with the free Queen Emma bridge (and a free ferry when it’s open) linking Punda and Otrobanda. To explore the island’s beaches and coves, a rental car is strongly recommended, as public transport is limited; the main Konvoi/bus service links the city and some towns cheaply but infrequently. Taxis are available (agree fares first). The island is fairly large, so beaches on the west end are a 45-60 minute drive from the city. Driving is on the right, and the currency is the Netherlands Antillean guilder (US dollars widely accepted).
The Handelskade, Queen Emma bridge, Punda, Otrobanda and the floating market.
Drive west to Kenepa, Cas Abao and Playa Forti for beach time and snorkelling.
A dive or snorkel trip, the Hato Caves, and sunset drinks in Pietermaai.
The best coves are spread across the island — a car unlocks the western beaches.
Curaçao is warm, dry and sunny year-round and rarely hit by hurricanes.
Taste the famous liqueur at the Landhuis Chobolobo distillery where it’s made.
Many reefs are reachable straight from the beach — bring or rent a mask.
Quick answers to the questions travellers most often ask before visiting Curaçao.
Its UNESCO World Heritage old town — especially the colourful Handelskade waterfront of Dutch colonial houses and the floating Queen Emma pontoon bridge — plus its blend of Dutch and Caribbean culture, the floating market, and the bright-blue Blue Curaçao liqueur invented here.
Yes — it combines one of the Caribbean’s prettiest, most characterful capitals in Willemstad with dozens of gorgeous coves, world-class diving and snorkelling, a warm dry climate outside the hurricane belt, and a rich multicultural culture. It offers more variety than a typical beach island.
It is Willemstad’s iconic floating pedestrian bridge, mounted on pontoons, that connects the Punda and Otrobanda districts across St Anna Bay. Nicknamed the ‘Swinging Old Lady’, it swings open to let ships pass; a free ferry runs when it’s open.
Curaçao is a year-round destination — warm, sunny and dry, and largely outside the hurricane belt. The driest, most popular months are roughly January to September; brief showers are more likely from October to December, but it stays warm throughout.