Why should you choose Curacao over a vacation to Bonaire or Aruba? In this article, we discuss the differences between the abc islands. Curacao is the largest island of the Netherlands Antilles. With its population fluctuating between 130,000 and 150,000 inhabitants, Curacao is the largest island of the Netherlands Antilles. Although it has a less touristy image than Aruba or Bonaire, Curacao has much (if not more) to offer any diver or other active vacationer.

Continue reading Waarom naar Curacao ipv Bonaire of Aruba?

During a vacation Curacao comes every tourist face to face with the beautiful nature and culture that Curacao has to offer. From the many palm trees, to the white beaches and blue sea, a vacation Curacao guarantees relaxation, adventure and enjoyment!

Continue reading Cultureel ontspannen op Curaçao

During your vacation on Curaçao you can do various excursions and activities. You can include diving, deep sea fishing, golfing, sailing, mountain biking, on safari, hiking or parasailing. See here an overview of what to do in Curacao.

Diving

Diving is by far the most booked excursion on the island. The tropical sea is a perfect place for diving. The underwater life is very special: various tropical fish and moreover you will find a lot of coral and beautiful underwater rocks. On the west side of the island you will find a lot of coral. On this side of the island the water is calmer.

The northern tip of the island is relatively rough and often unsuitable for good diving. This area is especially popular with kite- and windsurfers.

Curaçao has many different diving schools where you can go. You can ask at your hotel or resort for the nearest dive school. Diving on Curaçao is downright beautiful. They say that Bonaire is even slightly more beautiful, but Curacao is already a step in the right direction.

Deep Sea Fishing

Not only divers and surfers can enjoy the waters of Curaçao, but also the real fishermen among us can have fun here. The real anglers can catch mega-sized fish. It is a real challenge to bring in the fish!

Golf on Curacao

A slightly more relaxing sport is of course golf. Also on Curacao you can enjoy golf. The most famous golf course is Curacao Golf & Squash Club. There are 18 holes and you can play a lot.

Sailing

If you book a vacation to Curacao to enjoy sailing you've come to the right place. In the north there is enough wind for great sailing.

Mountain biking

Mountain biking during your vacation in Curacao is great fun: there are suitable paths for cycling. The rugged landscape is perfect for the extreme sportsman. Large parts of the island are covered with forests, which makes for great off-road mountain biking. This is why many professional mountain bikers travel to the island to enjoy some cycling. In addition to mountain biking, you can also rent a regular bicycle and cycle over the less rugged terrain.

On Safari

Several safari tours are offered on the island. Your hotel or resort can advise you on the nearest safari tour. Respect nature, however, as it can quickly become unbalanced. Therefore, follow the rules imposed by the tour company. There are three different parks where tours are offered: the Christoffel Park, Watamula Park and the Shete Boka Park. You will find various species of birds, lizards and sea turtles among other things in the three parks.

Hiking on Curacao

The island offers countless opportunities to go hiking. Curacao has about 40 different paths that you can walk to visit all ends of the island. Alternatively, you can rent a car or travel by public transportation. You can also rent a bicycle.

Parasailing

Parasailing is a popular water sport that can be booked relatively cheaply these days. Once in the air you have a beautiful view over the island and that is why it is highly recommended. Floating above the sea is a fun activity and offers a lot of entertainment. Check in advance to the various providers, because in terms of price it can be quite a difference.

Many people wonder what the best travel time to Curaçao is. Curaçao has a tropical savanna climate. The temperatures are generally always the same, but there is a difference in the precipitation pattern. In the months of October, November, December and January the weather is considerably wetter than in the months of February to June. In the latter months it is also slightly warmer, but that is only a few degrees. For a real beach vacation you can basically always go to the island, but the months of February to June are preferred. After all, there is less rain. Moreover, there is more chance of a hurricane in the months of June to December. During Christmas, ticket prices are significantly more expensive than in all other months. The summer period is also more expensive than other months.

About Curacao

Curaçao is an island in the Caribbean Sea, just off the coast of Venezuela. The island belongs to a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and was the largest island of the Netherlands Antilles until October 10, 2010. The capital is Willemstad and the island has about 150,000 inhabitants. Curacao is a popular vacation destination among Dutch, Germans, Belgians and Americans.

For whom is Curacao suitable?

Curaçao is suitable for beach-goers: people who like a lot of sun. But in addition to the beautiful beaches, you can also see many sights there. Most people who travel to the Caribbean island do so for the following reasons:

• A relaxing beach vacation;
• A sunny vacation;
• A diving vacation;
• A honeymoon.

Of course, there are those who combine these reasons.

In recent years the number of car rental companies in Curacao has exploded. Currently there are no less than 39 providers. The reason for this is that there is currently a huge demand for rental cars. The tourism of the island is on the rise and there is good business for handy suppliers. As a result, the larger car rental companies on Curacao are competing with each other, but it has also become difficult for tourists to find the best deals. The prices vary per (vacation) period and are also highly dependent on the type of cars that the rental companies still have available. So it can happen that one moment lessor A is the cheapest and the next moment lessor B. Continue reading Prijzenoorlog autoverhuur op Curacao

The BNN travel program 3 op reis visited Curaçao. Did you miss this broadcast? Watch the full episode of 3 on reis in Curacao back below. The program consists of two parts about Curacao. In the first part Geraldine Kemper makes a cultural tour on the island. She goes to a country house and the Kura Hulanda museum, among other things. In the second part the nicest beaches of Curaçao visited. Geraldine starts at Grote Knip and shows where the residents of Curaçao relax. Next, Geraldine grabs a party at Mambo beach. Finally, they swim with turtles at Klein Curaçao.

The decision is made: I'm going back to Curacao. After a wonderful vacation in Curacao in September 2013, it is high time to go to the Caribbean sun again. In March 2015 I will go to Curacao for 2 weeks. After a few weeks surfing around among all the travel providers, I decided to put together a trip to Curacao myself. To start with, the possibilities in a row that I went down.

Options:

• Booking a package tour at Arke / TUI
• Booking a package tour at Corendon
• Booking a package tour at Kras
• Booking a los ticket at KLM
• Booking a separate ticket at Arke / TUI

Choice of accommodation

In the end, the choice fell on a accommodation near Mambo beach. I was looking for a place to stay near Mambo Beach or Jan Thiel.. I found the bungalows of the Bon Bini Seaside resort on the Arke website. The possibility to cook independently and the good reviews convinced me that this was the right accommodation. It is nice that there is a swimming pool on the complex and that there is the possibility to park your rental car next to the bungalow.

Unfortunately, booking through Arke turned out to be a bit trickier than expected. In our desired period there was limited supply and I decided to look for other providers of accommodation. Unfortunately, it was also no longer bookable through Kras. As a last option, I decided to send an email to the corporate website of the Bon Bini Seaside resort. This mail was quickly followed up and within a few hours I had a competitive offer to rent the last available bungalow. The basis was thus established. Now we had to look for transport!

Flying ticket Curacao via Arke or KLM?

As some may know, there is currently a fierce battle between Arke and KLM for the favor of the traveler to Curacao. Years ago you usually paid €800 to €1000 for a one way ticket, currently tickets can be found from roughly €450 (search carefully!). Because the media offer and the catering of KLM is of a high level, my preference went to a flight with KLM. A quick search... on the desired date there was a flight available for €579 per person. A nice price, but still a check with Arke. It turned out that Arke had a Ticketsale so a ticket to Curacao on this date was only €500. That seems like a deal! Quickly ask for Monday's leave and book it!

World deal weeks not a world deal?

Option on accommodation: check! Cheap flight found: check! Leave request approved: check! On Monday I wanted to get to work and book the ticket to Curacao. On this particular Monday, I received an e-mail from KLM that the world deal weeks were coming up. And what does that mean? A lot of discounts to all destinations of KLM. I asked myself whether it was smart to book the ticket of Arke or to wait until the start of the world deals on Wednesday. Finally, a nice option of Arke caught my eye: Free cancellation within 5 working days. This made the choice easy for me: book the ticket with Arke and when there is a super deal on Wednesday, just cancel and wait for the world deals to start. KLM booking.

So said, so done, on Wednesday check with KLM what world deal is on the menu. Flying ticket Curacao on the selected date, original price: €579, world deal price €609! What a joke! During the world deal weeks, the ticket to Curacao was €30 more expensive than the days before. I was embarrassed at the thought of canceling Arke and ventured another irritated tweet to the otherwise always so helpful webcare team of KLM. When I read the tweets with the hashtag #werelddealweken I was definitely not the only one who noticed this. Don't dwell on it, confirm the accommodation and continue with the last part of the preparation.

Rent a car at Hato airport

Accommodation and flight are in the pocket, now the means of transportation on Curacao. Curacao is an island that is ideally suited to explore by car. Public transport is inadequate, cabs are limited and the road surface is too bad to rent a scooter. It's all possible, of course... but the easiest way is to have a car. Since we don't have a transfer to Bon Bini Seaside resort I started looking for a rental car from Hato.

I am allergic to the desks and people of the big rental companies so looked for a smaller rental company that delivers cars to the airport. The first rental company, specializing in Jeeps, unfortunately had no more availability. The second party, rentacarcuracao.com, seemed reliable and still had availability. The all-in principle appealed to me and after a quick quote I booked the car here. After arriving on Curaçao I immediately have to call someone who will deliver the car at the exit of Hato. I'm curious how it will go, I'll share my experiences with you during or after my vacation!

School vacations 2014 - 2015

Want to know when you can take the whole family on vacation to Curacao? View the overview of the school vacations here.

New in the center of Willemstad: Free WiFI. Since last week, a free wireless internet network has been in operation in Willemstad. Under the leadership of the Curaçao Tourist Board, a network of UTS was set up. The purpose of this wireless network is to facilitate visitors to Willemstad and Curaçao. It should make it easy for tourists to find their way to tourist attractions. In addition, it is an extra service towards tourists visiting Curacao. Visitors can of course check their mail or Internet on a website of your choice. The free wifi network was officially inaugurated by Minister Palm of Economic Development.

For 15 years this beautiful place in Curacao was closed: Landhuis Brievengat. The former top location on Curacao reopened on November 9. On the occasion of the opening, the Hague rock band Kane was flown in. Landhouse Brievengat has been completely renovated and it was a great party last weekend.

The renovation of Landhouse letterhole has taken about five years. The new owner Gerrit Schoen, together with Ryan Rijger and Wilbert Powel, has invested heavily in this country house. The country house lettersgat will focus on events, weddings and other parties.