While Curaçao is a favorite destination for Dutch people, the rest of the world doesn’t really have any knowledge about this Caribbean island. I always ask people “do you know Curaçao?” And they are like: Cura-what? Cura-que?

Curaçao is located in the south of the Caribbean above Venezuela and next to Aruba and Bonaire. Together with Aruba and Bonaire they are called the ABC islands and are Dutch territories. Because of this, one the spoken languages in Curaçao is Dutch.

Curaçao is the perfect island to see many highlights the island has to offer, but also to unwind and just relax from whatever you need relaxing from. 

I spend 11 days on this beautiful island which was plenty of time for me, since the island is pretty small. There are a few things that I haven’t done, but are highly recommended. I wrote some tips for you guys to fill your week and make your travels or holiday in Curaçao a bit easier. 

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What to do in Curaçao if you have a week?

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Explore Willemstad, Curaçao

If you want a break from the beaches, Willemstad is your perfect getaway. Willemstad is the capital of Curaçao and screams good vibes. The city bursts with colors and is good for getting nice instagram shots or just enjoy the nice weather. Besides strolling around and admiring the colorful houses, Willemstad has a lot more to offer. For example, there are many local markets and restaurants to stop for a drink or a bite.

Queen Emma Bridge

While strolling around in Willemstad you can’t forget about the Queen Emma Bridge. The Queen Emma Bridge in Willemstad is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The bridge swings open and closed several times per day. The bridge connects the neighbourhoods Punda and Otrobanda as well. Punda, known for its colored buildings, is one of the most photographed places in Curaçao.

After strolling over the Queen Emma bridge, pick one of the restaurants on the side of the river and enjoy your view. I recommend going to Iguana Café for a nice lunch or drink.

Climb the Christoffelberg 

Christoffelpark is the largest park in Curacao. Here you can climb the Christoffelberg (berg means mountain), which I recommend doing for sunset, because it gets so hot during te day. However, mountain climbing is allowed until 10 am anyway and the park is open until 2 pm.

The hike up the Christoffelberg takes around 2 hours. You can easily do this by yourself or with a group. However, if you don’t feel like hiking, you can also book a safari tour here in a 4X4. This tour will bring you to the Christoffelpark and Christoffelberg.



Entrance fee for the park is 15 USD. If you are with a group (15 people) the fee is 9 USD.

We didn’t get to do this, because let’s be honest: being on a island means that I have to do absolutely nothing that requires effort. Nevertheless, I kinda regret this, because the view suppose to be amazing.

Snorkeling or diving

The clear blue calm waters and white beaches in Curaçao are a great reason to visit the island, but beneath that blue surface is another amazing world filled with colorful fish and beautiful corals. Diving and snorkeling are amazing activities to do on Curaçao. You can simply walk in with your gear from the beach, or take a boat trip to more remote spots. 

Whether you’re looking for an easy shore dive or snorkeling spot or an unforgettable boat snorkel/dive, you’ll find a satisfying experience in Curaçao.

In addition I listed a few beautiful spots which are highly recommended.

• Cas Abou

This is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. You can walk into the water from the beach. The first part is sandy so great for getting used to the water and the gear if you are a beginner at diving.

A bit further, where the light blue changes into dark blue is a steep wall down full of corals. It’s also easy navigating if you are diving by yourself.

Cas Abou has a dive shop on-site for rentals and courses. You can rent sunbeds on the beach and buy food and snacks at the bar.

• Sandy’s Plateau

Shore dives are easy to do around Curaçao. It makes diving way cheaper and easier, especially if you are certified and you only have to rent gear or use your own gear. But Sandy’s plateau is one of the best dive spots in Curaçao and therefore a good reason to do some boat dives as well! It’s located in front of the Jan Thiel salt lake in between Jan Thiel and Mambo Beach. 

• The Tugboat

This is one of the few ship wrecks along the coast of Curaçao. This small boat only lays 5 meters deep and it is great for diving and snorkeling. It is overgrown with corals. It’s located in the Caracasbaai, in front of the historic ruins of the Quarantine house. 

There is a small rocky beach close to the boat with a bar where you can buy food and drinks.

• Playa Kalki (Alice in Wonderland)

The Playa Kalki dive site in Curaçao is also known as Alice in Wonderland. This is a popular shore dive easily accessible from the beach. The Alice in Wonderland site is loved by both snorkelers and scuba divers.

Visit the most beautiful beaches

• Kleine en grote knip
• Kokomo beach
• Mambo beach 
• Jan Thiel beach
• Cas Abao
• Playa Grandi
• Porto Marie

Visit the national park Shete Boka 

If you like to go off the beaten track and make your vacation a bit more active, National Park Shete Boka will fit perfectly in your itinerary. Shete Boka is on the countryside and adjoining the Christoffel Park. Together they cover almost 10 kilometers of the north coast of Curacao. 

There are 4 sightseeing areas within Shete Boka. Boka Pistol, Boka Wandomi, Boka Kaiki and Boka Tabla. However, Boka Kaiki and Boka Pistol are not accessible by car. To get there, you’ll have to hike from the main parking lot. This will take around 30 minutes to get there. 

On the other hand, Boka Wandomi and Boka Tabla are accessible. Both have a hiking trail that you can follow. The hiking trails start from the parking area.

• Boka Pistol Trail

This trail is a 1-hour walk leading through Boka Brown where sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. Here you can see huge waves and have panoramic overviews from the flat limestone hills.

• Boka Wandomi Trail

This trail is also a 1-hour walk along rolling lava hills down to Boka Wandomi and the limestone bluffs to a Natural Bridge. A short walk along the rugged north coast will bring you back to Boka Tabla.

Maps with hiking trails are available at the entrance for 1 USD.

Opening Hours

Mondays to Sunday:  09:00 AM – 16:30 PM

(No admittance after 16:00. You are required to leave the park before 16:30)

Entrance fees

10 USD

Shete Boka National Park adjoins to Christoffelpark, another national park with hiking trails that go up and around Christoffel Mountain. If you plan to do both parks, I recommend to start with the hike up Christoffel Mountain in the early morning, because it gets above 30 degrees during the day. 

If you are not interested in doing the hikes by yourself or you don’t have a rental car to visit the park. You can book a safari with a 4X4 here. Want to make your trip more adventures and do more than only visit the national park? There are also tour that offer safari’s with an extra snorkel adventure. You can book that tour here.

Day trip to Klein Curaçao 

Klein Curacao means “little island” and is a bounty island which is located 15 miles for Curacao and will take you 1,5-2 hours to get there. This island is definitely worth a daytrip to spend the day relaxing and disconnecting from the world. It is surrounded by white beaches and christal blue waters like you’ve never seen before. It’s also beautiful for diving and snorkeling. There is a big chance of spotting turtles here!

When you’re on Klein Curacao make sure to check out the ship wreck and the abandoned lighthouse, Wear shoes and out on a lot of sunscreen. The path can be rocky and the sun will burn your skin off, but it’s totally worth the 10-15 minute walk.



Most tours are around 100 USD and offer free drinks and a lunch on the boat. We booked our tour with Irie Tours which I highly recommend! There is unlimited rum and a delicious carribaen food to still your hunger.

Tip: take motion sickness medicine before you leave. The sea between Curacao and Klein Curaco can be rough. This is very common, because you are going in the opposite direction of the waves and the wind.

Practical tips

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• How to get there 

Curaçao is located near the coast of Venezuela. The easiest way to get there is to book a flight to the carribaen. Flights won’t go as often as you are used to because it’s a small island. Flying from Europe I recommend booking your flights with KLM. Most likely you will have a stop over in Amsterdam since Curaçao is a part of the Netherlands. 

Want to fly cheap to Curaçao? I recommend flying from Colombia. It’s only a one hour flight from Bogota and you can find a return flight for as cheap as 100 euros. 

• Visa requirements

Most countries don’t need a visa to visit Curaçao. You just get a stamp at arrival. 

• Best months to visit

Curaçao is a tropical destination that you can visit all year. You will always have nice weather or whatever you want to call a hot and humid 30+. High season is roughly from January until April, but because of the summer holidays in Europe, July and August also tend to be busy months.

Technically it’s rainy season in October and November, but we had perfect weather when we went at the beginning of October. Rainy seasons tend to be not so heavy like other countries. The island gets some rain, but not that much. 

• Getting around 

The best way to get around is to rent a car. Rental cars are widely available where as public transport is almost non existing. Your best option is to compare rental companies online beforehand and book the car you want. Most companies sell out especially in the higher seasons. You can pick up your rental car at the airport.

If somehow you don’t want to do that or rent a car later on in your trip, the company will pick you up at your accommodation and bring you to their office. I recommend Prince rental car. If you don’t have a drivers license you can use taxis. Keep in mind that Curaçao is a pretty expensive destination, so the prices can be crazy if you need to use a taxi everyday. 

• Currency + money

The most used currency in Curaçao is the guilder. At the time of writing 1 guilder is 1 USD. They also accept dollars. 

• Vaccinations 

At the time of writing none of the vaccins are mandatory in Curaçao. However, if you are coming from a high risk country, the yellow fever vaccin is mandatory. 

• Language 

Dutch is the official language for Curaçao, but also Papiamentu and English. Around some places you will hear some Spanish, but that not that common. 

If you are looking for more beautiful islands tips. You can start here.