The Dutch Caribbean

Sunset at the Marriott beach resort

When hearing Caribbean most people might think of Islands like the Dominican Republic or Trinidad, small wonder since they are the most touristic ones and surely worth a visit. But touristic often comes with mass tourism which might ruins you picture of lying on an unspoiled beach in paradise. You might want to give the not so popular Islands a shot when you are visiting the next time, and let me tell you you don't have to go to over the top exclusive places like Mystique or St. Barths for the real Caribbean experience. Last year I visited Curacao a part of the so-called ABC Islands which consists of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao and make the most Southern part of the Dutch Caribbean. Until October 2010 these three Islands were administered as Dutch territory within the former Netherlands Antilles, but since then it's a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. They accept Dollars but you are better off if you pay in the local currency “Antilles gilders” because they charge you way more for dollars

So since this Island lies a little off the beaten track near the Venezuelan coast it's often forgotten but there lots advantages it has to offer, some of them being:

• It's outside the Hurricane-belt so you don't have to worry about the weather.
• It's easy to reach from Europe, Air Berlin has flights there every Tuesday and KLM also flies out frequently
• It's less crowded than other Islands, most tourists come from the Netherlands or the US
• It has it's own special Vegetation, a lot of parts of the Island are desert-like
  
  

  

  
  

  The biggest ethnic groups of the country are Afro-Caribbean people and Dutch due to it's connection to the Netherlands. Official languages is are Dutch, Papiamentu and English. Papiamentu is a Creole language and I found it to be very interesting since it's a mix of Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish. The people there are the nicest and will help you however they can. Like we once got lost by car and as we stopped to study the map a man stopped by and asked if we needed any help. We told him where we wanted to go and he drove all the way with us to show us. People will start having random conversions with you while you are waiting for your coffee at the coffee-shop which is a great way to get to know the culture and the service is excellent anyway. In my post about Rome I have been ranting about the worst hotel I've ever been, well the best so far was actually the Marriott Resort in Curacao which is the perfect choice for your stay there. It lies just 10 car-minutes away from the Capital, so it's not too secluded but still offers one of the nicest private beaches on the Island. I can only recommend.

Here I have summed up the tops things to do and see in Curacao:

1. Blue-bay beach: This was without a doubt the most amazing beach. It lies within a gated community, but you can get in with an ID and a 7$ fee for the lounge chairs. This is just exactly how you imagine a beach in the Caribbean. White sand, crystal clear turquoise water and a lounge chair in the shadows of the palm trees.

   

   Blue-bay beach
2. Willemstad: The Islands Capital looks a lot like Amsterdam just more colorful. It consists of the two parts Otrabanda and Punda which are divided by the natural harbor and connected via the Queen Emma bridge for pedestrians and the Queen Juliana bridge for cars.
   While Otrabanda offers you a range of art exhibitions and shops, Punda houses the market and those colorful houses that remind you of Amsterdam.
   
   

    

   Punda

   

   Art in Otrabanda

   
   

   

   Willemstadt by night

   
   
3. Diner at the market: Willemstad is famous for it's floating market, a place where mongers, mainly from Venezuela sale their goods such as fish directly from their boats. There is also a big market hall where locals prepare traditional specialties on charcoal grills, a good possibility to get a delicious and authentic meal for reasonable prices.
   
   
   
4. Curacao Sea-Aquarium: Good to go there with kids. Watch a walrus pull of a show, see the Dolphins doing ticks with their trainers or even pet a shark.
   
   
   
5. Fishalicious: A small restaurant in Punda run by Dutch people. They offer the best seafood in town. It's a little pricey but worth it! One of the best restaurants I have been so far. Try their fish-soup

   

   Fishalicious Seafood and more

   
   
6. Grote knip: The grote knip also called Playa Abou in Papiamentu which means “beach in the valley” lies in the North-west of the Island. The beach itself is not that great and even a little dirty. But the water there was the nicest and most turquoise. It's also good for snorkeling because there is a coral reef nearby.

   

   Grote Knip

   
   
7. Curacao Liquor distillery: Yes the blue liquor gets it's name from this Island. The factory lies a little outside Willemstad and you can visit it to see how the liquor is produced, what it consists of and also learn it's history. Really fun!

   

   From fruit to liquor

Of course there are many more things to do and see in Curacao but these were my favorites. So all in one if you are looking for for an authentic Caribbean experience with nice people and delicious food as well as a relaxing vacation Curacao is the way to go. Oh and you shouldnt be afraid of this little guy, Iguanas are found all over the Island and some of them are not very shy ;)