Going Dutch
bars laced with smoked sea salt to treats shaped like geckos. (Rates start at $209/night, a current promotion allows guests to pay for three nights and get the fourth free; SantaBarbara ResortCuracao.com.)
But there’s plenty to visit on the island itself. Consider renting a car — you can find rental deals from about $25/ day — and rest easy: Most of the islanders, who speak the local language, Papiamento, are also fluent in English.
While the nicest beaches tend to be those connected to resorts, there are countless dive sites around the island, including in the Curacao Underwater Park on the southeast side. Essentially a long stretch of water that encompasses roughly 19 marked dive sites, it provides access to some of the island’s most pristine coral reefs, sea turtles, manta rays, more than 350 species of fish, the greatest variety of marine plants anywhere in the Caribbean and numerous shipwrecks, some dating back almost 100 years (dive rates begin at $97/day for a two-tank boat; CuracaoMarinePark.org).
The kids will love the Curacao Ostrich Farm, one of the biggest ostrich farms outside Africa (a safari tour and lunch starts at $18; CuracaoOstrichFarm.com), and the more expensive Dolphin Academy, where you can swim, snorkel or dive with the highly intelligent animals (from $99 for adults, $50 for children ages 1 to 4; Dolphin-Academy.com).
Also make it a point to see Willemstad. First established in 1634, the UNESCO World Heritage site is both historically fascinating and the center of the island’s action. Bisected by a narrow deep-water channel, this beautiful city has a European vibe, boasts plenty of restaurants, bars and shops, and hosts an outdoor market where fishermen sell their daily catch.
There are also two forts there that are free to walk around. Fort Amsterdam, built in 1635, is Curacao’s oldest and most prominent monument. It houses government offices and the governor’s palace. Rif Fort, built in 1828, has a museum and vibrant center with restaurants and shops ( Curacao.com).
If you want to learn some history, museums are plentiful. Go to Kurá Hulanda, built on what was once a mercantile square for slaves, to learn about the history of the African slave trade on Curacao ($10 for adults, $7 for seniors and kids up to age 12; KuraHulanda. com), and the Mikve Israel Emanuel Synagogue and Jewish Museum, the oldest synagogue building in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere ($10, free for children under 3; Snoa.com).
Curacao, by the way, lies safely on the fringe of the hurricane belt and is easy to get to thanks to a daily, 4.5-hour direct JetBlue flight from New York’s JFK airport. The only caveat: If you’re pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, you might want to check travel advisories before you go; there is a risk of Zika here.
Considering the overly Americanized, McDonald’sand-Taco Bell vibe found on many Caribbean islands, Curacao — and its eponymous blue liqueur — puts a beautiful spin on a spot in the sun.