Choose from 20 Fun Things to Do in Curacao
Scharloo
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Savonet Museum
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Curacao Ostrich Farm
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Jan Kok
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Otrobanda
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Curacao Liqueur
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Christoffel National Park
Curacao’s largest nature reserve is Christoffel National Park, the ideal place on the island to see the rare Curacao white-tailed deer, native barn owl and wild orchids.
The best way to explore is by following one of the park’s 8 hiking trails, graded from easy to challenging. The easiest trail is the 20-minute walk through the white-tailed deer sanctuary. If you’re thinking of going on the relatively arduous climb to the top of Mount Christoffel, head off in the early morning so you avoid the heat of the day.
Scenic driving routes lead across the hills to the coastline, or you might like to take a tour of the historic Plantation Savonet within the park’s grounds.
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Christoffel National Park runs across the northern tip of Curacao, 40 minutes north of Willemstad in Banda’Bou.
Buses run here from the Otrabanda bus station in Willemstad.
Punda
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Cas Abao Beach
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Tugboat Wreck
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Hato Caves
Cave paintings, stalactites and stalagmites are a feature of Curacao’s limestone Hano Caves. The indigenous Arawaks used the caves for shelter, and runaway slaves hid here in the colonial days.
These days Curacao’s long-nose fruit bats call the cave home, and dramatic lighting illuminates the cave’s waterfalls, pools and Madonna statue.
Guided tours departing on the hour point out the 1,500-year-old cave paintings and share some of the legends and history of this mysterious underground world.
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The Hano Caves are 15 minutes north of Willemstad near the Curacao International Airport, off Roosevelt Weg which runs south to the capital.
Curacao (Willemstad) Cruise Port
- It’s best to book organized shore excursions—especially those with multiple stops or components—in advance.
- The historic district of Punda, located near the cruise port, is great to see if you’re short on time.
- Shore excursions to Klein Curacao, a tiny uninhabited island 15 miles (24 kilometers) off Curacao’s coast, are full-day excursions. The water tends to be rough, so you may want to bring motion-sickness medication if you’re particularly sensitive.
Shete Boka National Park
Shete Boke National park offers rocky coastal views and wild wind-lashed landscapes bordering Christoffel National Park. There are beaches tucked away on the rocky limestone coast, where three species of sea turtles lay their eggs.
At Boka Tabla, wild waves wash into an undersea cavern. Find a sheltered nook at the entrance to the cavern for a bird’s-eye view of the crashing sea.
Scenic one-hour hiking trails wind across the cliff tops for spectacular coastal views.
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Shete Boka National Park runs to the coast from Christoffel National Park, on the northern tip of Curacao. It’s 40 minutes north of Willemstad in Banda’Bou.
Buses run to Christoffel National Park from the Otrabanda bus station in Willemstad.
Queen Juliana Bridge
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Queen Emma Bridge
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Kenepa Beach
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Curacao Sea Aquarium
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Fort Beekenburg
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Playa Lagun
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Museum Kura Hulanda
Colonial relics, maps and Antillean art come together at the Kura Hulanda Museum, with the focus on the museum’s world-class collection of African artifacts. This well-regarded anthropological museum focuses on the cultures that have contributed to Curacao’s make-up over the centuries, including African slaves, West African empires and Pre-Columbian traders.
Guided and audio-guided tours are available, and a self-guided map helps you navigate your way around the exhibits. The museum shop has a good collection of maps, postcards, CDs and African art for sale.
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The Kura Hulanda Museum is set on the site of a former slave yard and merchant’s home.
The museum overlooks St. Anna Bay in the center of Willemstad’s historic colonial quarter, Otrabanda.