I recently visited Curaçao for the first time, and now I am convinced that Curaçao needs to be on your travel radar. Curaçao is a beautiful and colorful paradise that is often overlooked compared to its Caribbean neighbors. But there are so many reasons why Curaçao should be the next destination you visit. From its beautiful beaches to its diving and snorkeling and local food, there’s a lot to explore.
Due to its prime location, Curaçao doesn’t get hurricanes, so recently the island has been receiving more overflow traffic while the rest of the Caribbean is still recovering from Hurricane Maria. For those who love colorful destinations like Burano in Venice, Curaçao is for you.
This small Caribbean island nation is part of the ABC Islands along with Aruba and Bonaire just north of Venezuela. Curaçao was originally part of the Netherlands Antilles, and today is a constituent of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Because of this, the island’s official languages are Dutch, English, and Papiamento. A common Papiamento word you’ll see around Curaçao is dushi, meaning sweet or nice. Dushi is pretty much the slogan of Curaçao – there are even giant letters spelling it out in Willemstad.
Have I convinced you to visit the island yet? Here are 20 photos to show you why Curaçao needs to be next on your travels.
Table of Contents
The Beaches
Curaçao has 35 amazing beaches on the island. By far the prettiest we visited was Playa Knip, with its crystal-clear turquoise waters and white sand. There are also plenty of amazing diving and snorkeling opportunities in Curaçao, with its coral reefs and sunken ships. Kokomo Beach was another beach we visited that was a popular spot for divers and snorkelers. And if you’re new to snorkeling, don’t worry – here are some tips for beginner snorkeling!
The Colorful Buildings
Beyond maybe the island of Burano in Italy, I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere quite so colorful as Curaçao. Every building was painted a beautiful bright shade as you walk around Willemstad. A great place to photograph the colorful port buildings is from the Queen Emma Bridge. Also make sure to visit the most famous building in Willemstad, the Wedding Cake House – named after its unique architecture.
The Sunsets
During our trip, we stayed at the Scuba Lodge in the Pietermaai district of Willemstad. Every night I watched the sunset from the hotel, and it never disappointed me.
The Street Art
Make sure to spend an afternoon exploring all of the amazing street art around Willemstad. Or, do what we did and take a fun tuk-tuk ride around town to all of the best spots. My favorite was probably the one below of the yellow tree, but everywhere you go around Curaçao there are great murals to find.
The Cute Shops and Restaurants
I absolutely loved all of the storefronts and fun shops around town. You have to try a betido when you’re on the island. A betido is a smoothie made of fresh fruit (you can also add sugar and milk to it, which I recommend). It’s also fun to search for locally crafted goods. One fun souvenir you can pick up is a Chichi doll from Serena’s Art Factory. They’re all painted by local women from all over the island. Or, if you want to get more hands on, you can do a workshop and paint your own!
So have I convinced you to book your ticket to paradise yet? Curaçao awaits!
Disclaimer: Ready Set Jet Set was a guest of the Curaçao Tourism Board. As always, all opinions are my own.
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