Curaçao Travel Guide

Although Curaçao is an island recognized as an independent and small country, it is made up of different sectors or regions:

Willemstad

Willemstad is the capital of Curaçao. There you will find the vast majority of restaurants, hotels, stores, bars, nightlife. In Willemstad you will be at the central point to go from there to all other places. Willemstad is divided in two: Punda and Otrobanda. On both sides there is a bus station that runs through the areas of each side.

In Punda you will find good quality hotels and hostels. For example: San Marco Hotel, City Suites & Beach Hotel, Boutique Hotel ‘t Klooster, and more.

The most known and unmissable area in Punda for a tourist is Handelskade. That’s the street where you see all the colorful buildings that also appear on postcards or advertisements. It is an icon. Some tours can take you on a leisurely tour of the city.

“Otrobanda” means just that: “the other side” or “the other side”. This area is on the other side of the Punda Bridge. As a resident, I must say that there seem to be more local residents in Otrobanda than in Punda. But likewise, there are stores, restaurants, local bars. Just beyond this area is the newest and largest hospital on the island, as well as renowned hotels such as the 5-star Corendon Mangrove Beach Resort, Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino, the best hotels in the Piscadera area such as Curacao Marriott Beach Resort, Dreams Curacao Resort (former Hilton) and Zoëtry Curacao, the latter as part of the AMR Resorts chain.

From Otrobanda, you can also appreciate Handelskade, dine at one of the restaurants on this side of town, such as De Gouverneur, El Captain, Bario Bar or tour the neighborhoods and architecture.

Pietermaai

Pietermaai is a historic neighborhood located south of Willemstad, but within walking distance of the city center. It is practically next to Punda. This area was built in the eighteenth century and in the twentieth century gained a reputation as a typical place for drug trafficking. It is now an exclusive sector of Curaçao, with luxury accommodations and clubs that attract tourists and practitioners who come from Europe to develop their skills in the tourism sector while enjoying a permanent vacation on the island.

Some of the featured hotels in this area are: Pietermaai boutique hotel, Scuba Lodge, Saint Tropez Boutique Hotel, and other more budget accommodations that you can see in this list: Hotels in Pietermaai Curaçao.

The great advantage of staying in Pietermaai is that you are close to everything: Punda, Otrobanda, Seaquarium, bus stations, restaurants, beaches, and much more.

Seaquarium / Mambo Beach:

Thanks to this catchy name, it is perhaps the most famous beach in Curaçao. The name Mambo Beach is now the name of a boulevard that has been built in recent years with a boulevard concept around the beach. In combination with the neighboring restaurant-bar Wet ‘n Wild, Sundays have become the center of nightlife in Curaçao for locals and tourists.

The official name of this area is Seaquarium. On one side of this beach is Cabana Beach, part of Kontiki Resort, popular with many young tourists. On the east side of the beach, you will find a more familiar and sophisticated atmosphere: Lions Dive & Beach Resort. Beach chairs and umbrellas are free for guests, but can be used by visitors for a fee of approximately $5 per day.

In the area there are other hotels worth considering: Royal Seaquarium Resort, Bon Bini Seaside Resort, the famous all-inclusive Sunscape Curacao Resort, and Kontiki Resort, among many other accommodations.

The most interesting attraction in this area is the Seaquarium, of course. At the Seaquarium you can visit the Dolphin Academy and book marine animal interaction activities.

Sint Willibrordus

Sint Willibrordus is a small village northwest of Willemstad, on the way to Westpunt. Also known as Williwood, this area is home to public beaches and even some interesting wildlife. An example of this is that on all tours on the way to Westpunt there is one stop not to be missed, and that is the flamingos in the salt ponds of Sint Willibrordus.

The Williwood snack bar is an excellent place where you can make a “pit stop” and buy a refreshing drink, a snack (their specialty is hamburgers) and enjoy the beautiful view.

Near Sint Willibrordus is the Coral Estate Resort (or Rif Sr. Marie), only 15 minutes from the airport. This is one of the most exclusive accommodations in this area and features the famous Karakter restaurant, beach and terrace bar with pool, spa and beauty salon.

One of the attractions of this location is that it has the Coral Divers diving school, for snorkeling and scuba diving lovers. In short, Coral Estate has everything you could need for a dream vacation.

Westpunt

Westpunt is the northwestern part of the island, and is characterized by unspoiled nature. This area is known as Banda Abou, which in Spanish would be “the lower part”. One of the hidden treasures in this part of the island is Christoffel Park, the best beaches of Curaçao such as Kenepa (or Grote Knip), Lagun Beach, or Piskadó Beach, where many people go to see sea turtles that often swim along the shore.

In Westpunt there are also Creole food restaurants, plantations or restored slavery houses that are now heritage sites.

For those who want to enjoy the nature and the sea of Curaçao, in Westpunt you can find some beautiful places to stay, such as: Marazul Dive Resort, Rancho El Sobrino, Nos Krusero Apartments, or Blue View Apartments. The only apparent disadvantage is that this part of the island is very far from the rest of the island. Therefore, if you plan to stay in Wespunt, it is essential to rent a car in Curaçao.

Jan Thiel

Jan Thiel is one of the most luxurious areas of Curaçao. It is almost the first choice of Dutch tourists during their vacations or even to relocate. In this area you will find Jan Thiel beach, the Spanish Waters bay, where many people practice water sports such as SUP, paddleboarding, kayaking or jet ski tours. It is also an area with numerous restaurants, bars, casinos and hotels such as Papagayo Hotel, Papagayo Resort, Chogogo, Livingston, Morena, Boca Gentil and many other accommodations. There is a bus route that goes back and forth, but in general it is also advisable to rent a car if you want to stay in this area.

Tip: Most boat tours depart from Jan Thiel, so if your plan is a couple of boat tours, boarding at the Jan Thiel pier is the most practical. Some boat tours departing from Jan Thiel are: Klein Curacao Black and White tour with lunch, SUP board or water ski tour, or 3 bays in half a day.

St. Joris

The St. Louis area. Joris, on the northeast coast of Curaçao, is an off-the-beaten-path area full of things to do. In this area you will find the Aloe Vera Plantation, an ostrich farm and Sint Joris Baai, which is not the best beach on the island, but it is isolated and good for kitesurfing.