Explore Willemstad

The glorious Curacao capital has a lot to offer, including valuable insight into the local culture and lifestyle. What is even more thrilling is the fact that Willemstad has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage City (and whatever thrill such a distinction comes with). Furthermore, the city’s east (aka Punda region) and west (aka Otrobanda area) parts are divided by (or connected with) the Queen Emma Bridge, which enables visitors to explore both sides whenever they please.

While meandering the alleyways of this scenic town, expect inviting and vibrant architecture to take over you, and numerous local attractions and streets lined with colourful colonial Dutch houses that can make your heart stop. Where can you see all that? The historical centre of the curacao capital, of course. From a picturesque pier and 17th-century colonial Dutch building in pastel shades to a colourful bay and remains of the island’s rich history, Willemstad’s historic centre is simply spectacular in every sense.

And while you stroll through its scenic cobbled streets, grab a seat at Iguana Cafe to admire the beautifully-designed buildings that speak volumes of the island’s Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish influences, moments before the ravishing Queen Emma Bridge swings open, offering unique sights!

Bonus activity: Crossing the pontoon late-1800s Queen Emma Bridge is another option worth exploring, especially around sunset, when the entire capital slips into its most romantic attire.

Get Lost in the Stunning Underwater Cosmos

It is impossible to come to the Caribbean and not try scuba diving at least once before you pack your bags for the return home trip. Curacao is notorious for its amazing aquatic world featuring shipwrecks, thriving marine life, natural coral reefs, walls, caves, and many more attractions readily available to caress your adventurous self. With warm sea temperatures year-round, you can’t go wrong with a scuba diving or snorkelling endeavour at Shete Boka National Park or another pristine dive site of the more than 60 that exist across the over 30 beaches in Curacao.

Visit the Ostrich Farm

Located less than 15 minutes from Willemstad, the Ostrich Farm will certainly augment your Curacao vacations, especially if you sign up for the Ostrich Safari Tour. During this unique experience, you will learn all about the Emu and the African Ostrich while riding around the farm in a safari Jeep. You will also be able to watch various stages of an ostrich’s life, from its first moments inside an egg to adulthood, while having baby ostriches and emus capturing your heart forever!

Tip: Curacao’s Ostrich Farm is the largest farm of this kind outside Africa!

Cliff Jump or Lounge at Playa Kenepa Grandi

Playa Kenepa Grandi is a dreamy place to practise cliff jumping from 6 metres high (20 feet) and spike your adrenaline levels. Safe for both adults and kids, this place is also a fantastic beach in Curacao with crystalline waters and an exceptional landscape. Once you take the first dive from up there, you can either climb back up the cliffside or swim back to the shore and then use the stairs. For a more relaxed experience, we suggest going with the second alternative as it is less tedious and a tad safer (you may bump into sea urchins while climbing up the cliffside). Just watch where you jump as the sea bottom is rocky in some places.

Swim with Dolphins

Heading to the Dolphin Academy will provide you with a unique opportunity to swim with dolphins in the open sea! A super-exciting venture for families with children, as well as groups of friends and couples, that enables you to be picked by dolphins and enjoy a fun side-by-side swim. Each experience lasts about 90 minutes, half an hour of which is spent in the water. Just make sure you bring sunblock, your swimsuit, and a towel and you are good to go.

Explore the Hato Caves

You will find this popular local attraction near the Curacao airport. The Hato Caves are believed to have been formed beneath the ocean after many millennia. Once inside them, expect to be awe-inspired by the natural terrain that consists of natural pools, beautiful waterfalls, stunning limestone formations, imposing statues, and many more. The tour itself lasts a little less than an hour. However, please note that taking pictures is not allowed the further inside the caves you walk due to a bat colony that exists here - we need to keep them calm and respect their natural environment, without causing these lovely creatures any unnecessary distress.

Can’t Miss Things to do in Curaçao

• Visit the most alluring beaches, such as Grote Knip, Kenepa Grandi, Playa Porto Mari, and Playa Forti.
• Wander through the Amazonia rainforest garden and be welcomed by a lush terrain featuring cool reptiles and colourful birds from the Amazon.
• Check out the open-air galleries and street art in the Scharloo and Otrobanda colonial neighbourhoods.
• Sample great local green rum at the Blue Curacao distillery or any of the bars that serve it, such as Netto Bar and Breedstraat.
• Discover the location of the Cathedral of Thorns – a majestic art piece (sculpture) the size of a building that’s hidden inside thorny walls in the Landhuis Bloemhof region.
• Stop at the Natural Pool (aka Blowhole Suplado) and enjoy a refreshing experience on the north coast of the island.
• See the impressive murals created by local artists at the gentrified areas of Pietermaai and Skalo in Willemstad.
• Learn the herbal remedies of local flora and the attributes of the local aloe vera or visit the Aloe Vera plantation.
• Treat your palate with absolutely appetising dishes and flavours (over 100 different foods and drinks to sample) at the island’s capital and throughout Curacao.
• Visit the ravishing, recently restored plantation mansions that impress with their original architecture and history.