Curacao Attractions and Things to Do

One of the most famous Curacao attractions is the capital city of Willemsted, which was chosen a cultural heritage of the world by UNESCO.

A walk through the city reveals great historical places, monuments and architecture.

Tours around the island include the HATO caves and other historical landmarks.

Atlantis Adventures has semi-submarine tours; Curacao Sea Aquarium has 400 species from the ocean around Curacao and offers dolphin encounters in the water with them; and the separate Dolphin Academy has programs allowing visitors to swim, snorkel or dive with the dolphins.


Willemstad has more than 750 historical buildings. St. Anna Bay divides the city into two major districts — Punda on the east and Otrobanda on the west.

A highlight of Punda is Fort Amsterdam, built by the Dutch after they captured the island from Spain in 1634.

It now serves as the Government seat of the Netherlands Antilles. Unlike the orderly grid of Punda, Otrobanda is filled with twisting streets and alleyways.

In the 18th and19th centuries, free blacks began to migrate to the city and formed the city's first working class neighborhood and urban center.


Located on the oceanfront at Bapor Kibra, the aquarium is an ocean water system because of sea water pumped continuously into it.

Visitors can snorkel or dive with stingray, turtles, fish and sharks among the 400 species at the facility.

Other highlights include feeding shows, a Touch Tank and video presentations.


Visitors experience dolphins in six different programs at Dolphin Academy in Willemstad.

Dolphin Encounter allows them to stand on a platform in the water about waist deep, learn about the dolphins and have moderate contact with them. In Dolphin Swim, participants can swim next to dolphins and pet them.

For Dorsal Ride, two dolphins will pick up swimmers and give them rides by holding on to their dorsal fins.

In Dolphin Snorkel and Dolphin Open Water Dive, participants will dive on a reef with the dolphins. Dolphin Academy teaches participants about being a dolphin trainer.


The facility is one of the largest Ostrich farms outside of Africa. Visitors can see more than 600 animals, learn about their habits, hold an egg, pet chicks and paint Ostrich eggs. The farm's restaurant specializes in African food.


Among the snorkeling opportunities around the island is the Curacao Underwater Marine Park, which extends 12 miles along the southern coastline.

Views include shipwrecks, expanses of hard and soft coral, and massive numbers of fish.


Curacao boasts 40 different dive areas with 65 dive sites including plane wrecks and a sunken tug boat.

Barracuda Point is a chance to meet curious barracuda. Playa Piskado, Playa Kalki, Jan Thiel and Kokomo Beach Curacao beaches are popular with divers. Caracasbaai beach also is often used as an access point.


The island has 17 beaches, most of which are located on the southwestern coast. Note that some charge admission for access.

Curaçao's longest and whitest beach is on Klein Curaçao, an uninhabited island eight miles off the southeast coast. Kenepa is one of the most popular beaches because of its two coves.


The Hato cave covers 4,900 square meters and has limestone formations, pools, waterfalls and a Madonna statue.

It also has a colony of long nose fruit bats. The caves are open seven days a week and have tours on the hour starting at 10 a.m. and going until 4 p.m.


Christoffel Park is the largest national park of Curacao and is home to wild orchids, the Palabrua, the rare native barn owl, Curacao White Tailed deer, and eight hiking trails including one to the top of Mt. Christoffel.


Vacationers will find two 18-hole and one nine-hole golf courses. Curacao Golf & Squash Club is the nine hole course; phone: +(5999) 737-3590. Blue Bay has an 18-hole golf course and resort; phone: +(5999) 868-1755. Hyatt Regency has an 18-hole Pete Dye-designed championship golf course; phone: +(5999) 840-688.