Short Description

Located outside the hurricane belt and being surrounded by coral reefs, make Curacao a popular destination anytime of the year.

Destination Highlights

Curacao is outside the hurricane belt, making it a sure holiday destination for good weather. Coral reefs surround the island, making it a popular diving destination.

Local Weather

Located in the tropics, just 12 miles north of the Equator -- and outside of the hurricane belt -- Curacao has a warm, sunny climate year round. The average temperature is about 27 C ( mid 80s F). Refreshing trade winds blow constantly from the east, picking up in the spring months. The rainy season, October to February, is marked by short, occasional showers, usually at night, and continued sunny weather by day. Total annual rainfall averages only 570 mm (22 inches). Occasionally a tropical storm brewing elsewhere in the Caribbean can cause uncharacteristically cloudy weather for a day or two.

Other Destinations Acapulco Antigua Aruba Bahamas - Abaco - via Treasure Cay Airport (TCB) Bahamas - Exuma Bahamas - Grand Bahama Island Bahamas - Nassau Bahamas - Paradise Island Barbados Belize Bermuda Bonaire BVI Tortola Cancun Cayman Islands Costa Rica-Arenal Volcano/Monteverde Area Costa Rica-Guanacaste Beach Region Costa Rica-Puntarenas/Jaco/Manuel Antonio Areas Costa Rica-San Jose City Costa Rica-Tambor/Mal Pais Cozumel Curacao Dominica Dominican Republic - La Romana Dominican Republic - Puerto Plata Dominican Republic - Punta Cana Dominican Republic - Samana Dominican Republic - Santo Domingo Grenada Huatulco Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo Jamaica Los Cabos Manzanillo Martinique Mazatlan Nevis Nicaragua Panama Puerto Rico Puerto Rico - Vieques Puerto Vallarta Riviera Maya Riviera Nayarit Roatan St. Barths St. Kitts St. Lucia St. Maarten/St. Martin Tobago Turks & Caicos USVI St. Croix USVI St. John USVI St. Thomas

Description

Curacao was born millions of years ago, developing under the sea from lava rock on which coral has grown for centuries. For millions of years reefs have surrounded the island, attaching to the shore like a narrow fringe. In some places they are like beautiful gardens, with delicate corals and are home to brightly colored tropical fish. In others, massive coral formations extend into depths with deep-water fish patrolling the plunging walls.
Curacao's countryside is marked by arid landscapes, rocky terrain and cactus and aloe plants. In the past few years, tourism has swiftly grown and visitors have come to enjoy the excellent diving, lively casinos and high-quality shopping which the island has to offer. Curacao is a popular cruise port and a beautiful place to visit. Willemstad's colorful buildings are architecturally reminiscent of Amsterdam, with the colors of the Caribbean, and there are lots of things to do and see. Shopping is great, the heat is tempered by cooling trade winds, an underwater park and little beaches to explore make Curacao a great Caribbean island destination.

Local Information

Dutch is the official language, but Curacaoans also speak English, Spanish and their own unique blend, Papiamento. Curacao is on Atlantic Standard Time: one hour earlier than US Eastern Standard Time (the same time as Eastern Daylight Savings Time) and four hours later than Greenwich Mean Time. Tap water is distilled directly from the sea, tastes good, and is safe to drink. Selected banks branches have ATMs that disburse US dollars.
US dollars are accepted almost everywhere, traveler's checks less so. Bills of US$ 50 and 100 can be hard to cash. International credit cards are accepted at most major commercial establishments. Debit Cards are accepted at a few large shops and supermarkets.
The larger denominations of guilder bills (100 and 250) are hard to cash for small purchases. There are currently two versions of guilder coins in circulation. The old square nickel and the newer square fifty cent piece are some of the only square coins in the world; along with the 21/2 guilder coin they are popular souvenirs, particularly for children.
Electricity is 110 - 130 volts/50 cycles, similar but not identical to the US standard. Most 60 cycle electrical appliances from the United States will function properly, although appliances that have internal time mechanisms will not keep the correct time and hairdryers and curling irons may overheat if used for too long. Dual voltage appliances from Europe and South America will need an adapter plug, readily available on the island.

Airport Information

Curacao is served by American Airlines, Avianca Airlines, and Air Jamaica from the United States. Flight time from Miami is 2-1/2 hours. Please be advised that many destinations charge a departure fee. Generally, most airlines include this fee in the cost of your airline ticket. We recommend you contact the airline directly to review the details with the carrier.

Entry Requirements

Effective December 31, 2006, the U.S. Department of State and Homeland Security requires all travelers to and from the Americas, the Caribbean, and Bermuda to have a passport or other accepted document that establishes the bearer's identity and nationality. This information should be used only as a guideline and non-U.S. citizens should contact the airline they are traveling on, or their local consulate regarding the specific entry requirements that apply to their nationality.