Curacao

Curaçao is one of the Caribbean’s most sophisticated capitals. Don’t miss the Maritime Museum, the Sea Aquarium, and the Curaçao Postal Museum to see bright Antillean stamps. Visit the Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, the Caribbean’s oldest continuously operating synagogue, with a fine display on the island’s Jewish history. The winter-time Curaçao Carnival boasts parades with floats, Jump Ups (outdoors), Jump Ins (indoors) and outrageous costumes.  Serious divers come for the spring Curaçao Dive Festival to participate in a weeks’ worth of workshops such as Underwater Digital Photography.

The western shores have a series of beautiful beaches, each one occupying a separate cove:  popular Daaibooi, tiny Playa Lagun, and Knip, which opens onto a large bay of luminous water. Curaçao also offers some of the best diving in the world. Spectacular dive locations provide some of the most colorful and awe inspiring scenes imaginable.

Also in the west is Christoffel Park. Drive, hike, or ride a horse through kadushi cactus, tamarine, divi-divi trees and lignum vitae trees, the road curving upward to amazing vistas of Mount Christoffel.

Curaçao also hosts a jazz festival, a gospel festival, a food festival and a kite competition.  The locally famous Jazz Night at Blues Restaurant on a pier overlooking the sea is not to be missed.  Classy, joyful and mellow, it’s the perfect summary of what’s so appealing about Curaçao.

General Description:

Language Dutch is the official language. Multi-racial Curacaoans also speak English, Spanish and their own unique blend, Papiamento.
Government Constitutional monarchy
Location 40 miles off the coast of Venezuela.
Climate and Temperature Annual average temperature – 80 degrees F. Average humidity – 77%. Average rainfall – 21inches. Windspeed 16 mph.
Driving Driving is on the right-hand side of the road, and a driver’s license is required.
Currency Netherlands Ant. Guilder
Curacao – Capital Willemstad
Airport: International Airport HATO
Land Area 171 sq. miles
Population Approx 135,000
Ministry of tourism +599 9 434 8200
Website http://www.curacao.com