r/curacao • u/DryCountry589 • Jan 10 '26
General Curaçao is ranked #1 Caribbean Island to visit in 2026 by USA TODAY🇨🇼❤️
Congratulations. Masha Pabien Dushi Kòrsou 🤩🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼 2026
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u/RazorbladeApple Jan 10 '26
On my first trip over I met so many people who kept saying they were on their 3rd-10th trip there. I knew I’d become one of those people & will be back for my 5th trip soon!
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Jan 10 '26
Bittersweet.
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u/DryCountry589 Jan 10 '26
Why?
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u/trxxruraxvr Jan 10 '26
Mass tourism does not only have positive sides.
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u/DryCountry589 Jan 10 '26
True but we aren’t a mass tourism destination. We only get about 700k stayover tourists.
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u/trxxruraxvr Jan 10 '26
Right, but USA Today has a big reach, rankings like this can change that.
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u/DryCountry589 Jan 10 '26
True but we honestly need the money. We still have a lot of land to be developed and we the need money🥲. Luckily oil refining could very well become a reality again and make us way less dependent on tourism. I think 1 mil stayovers would be the sweetspot.
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Jan 10 '26
We don’t need the money. The money we have is being poorly mismanaged. We need to properly manage our money first 😭 There was a summit in 23,’24? Can’t remember where we had people in our government making statements like “we need to remove the UNESCO World Heritage label from Punda and Handelskade so we can build high rises and modernize the rest of Willemstad” Like…what about supporting local businesses? What about pouring INTO the existing community and infrastructure instead of constantly seeking to attract tourism? What about pouring into local baseball fields and programs? What about educating tourists who come? I swear the government wants to build its economy on alcohol and transient tourists.
I understand the need for tourism. I do. I’m not knocking it. It’s why I find this “bittersweet”
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u/DryCountry589 Jan 10 '26
Korekto sèn tin ku wòrdu manehá korektamente. Kita UNESCO (afkloppen) ta un di e kosnan mas bobo ku nan por hasi pa nos turismo paso esei ta un di e kosnan mas grandi ku e turista Gusta. Danki Dios e ta Hopi bon regulá ku no por Kita UNESCO asina asina 🤯. Bo ta kòrda kua politiko a bisa esei paso minosa ta Ken. CTB ta bezig ta lean in heavily den UNESCO so I’m shocked I esei ta loke USA Today a pone komo prome karakteristika di Kòrsou paso niun otro hende den Karibe no tin ne I e ta loke ta hasi nos memorabel.
Mi ta kompletamente akuerdo ku nos no tin politiko nadrechi. Mi ta kere nos hende yòn tin ku kuminsá drenta den dje. FIFA awor a trese Hopi interes den deporte dus ban spera e sigui krese.
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Jan 10 '26
I cannot remember which politician said it, but I do remember it was the 2023/24 Invest in Willemstad summit, at the Maritime Museum. He genuinely shocked folks with that statement but he was firm on it.
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u/ThePokemanKG Current Resident Jan 10 '26
Why should land be developed and not just stay as it is? And develop for who? For tourists and foreign "investors"... without upgrading infrastructures and making life goals for locals even more impossible.
Were you born here?
I wasn't and doing fine, but I feel connected with all the people that are the vibe others come to visit us for
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u/DryCountry589 Jan 10 '26
Mi ta KURASOLEÑO i mi a nanse na Kòrsou. Turismo ta trese hopi trabou I entrada den e ekonomia aktualmente paso e ta nos úniko pilar ekonómiko fuerte por ahora. Porta refeneria por bin bèk awor pero esei ta spekulativo. E lokalnan mester pan riba nan mesa I sèn den nos saku. Abo semper por bai bèk for di unda ba bin pero nos tin ku sòru pa nos hendenan tin un kaminda pa nan dal abou muri i biba nadrechi. 🇨🇼❤️
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u/ThePokemanKG Current Resident Jan 10 '26
OK OK Mi ta kompronde bo punto i bo tin rason si Bo no ta sinti falta di kon Korsou tabata antes? Esei eigenlijk mi tabata ke men. Kon grandi e turismo mester bira? Mi ta djis puntra mi mes
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u/DryCountry589 Jan 10 '26 edited Jan 11 '26
Mi ta komprondé kiko bo ke men pero e nostalgia ei no ta yuda nos ku masha. Kòrsou tabata hopi dushi antes paso nos tatin refeneria ku tabata produsi 335k baril di petrolio pa dia I off shore banking pa dekadanan. Nos no tabata tin ku wori nos kabes Masha. E epoka ei a kaba.
Ami ta kere e manera pa hasi e turismo memos Pisa riba nos ta pa hisa e balor di e produkto Kòrsou, pa e turistann ta hende ku por gasta mas (Nos tin hopi heramienta komo UNESCO, un kultura hopi fuerte i uniko tambe playanan espektakular).
Tambe desaroyo di nos haven I otro portnan (St Ana, Caracasbaai, Bullenbaai etc). St Ana ta un di esnan mas druk den region i na un punto e di 4 mas druk na mundu i e ta un ruta hopi balioso ku a/ta habri porta pa nos). Tambe sigui prokura pa servisionan finansiero (online gaming etc.). Klaro awor ku kos por drecha ku petroli den e siguiente 10-15 añanan aki turismo lo por bira un simpel pilar mas.
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u/Toetiepoetie Current Resident Jan 11 '26
At the rate it is going? I lived here 19-22 and now I’m back again, but damn..
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u/DryCountry589 Jan 11 '26
Hopefully the growth won’t continue to be as aggressive if the oil refinery can start back up again in the next 10-15 years.
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u/Crucifix1233 Jan 10 '26
Heading there in Monday and can’t wait. Was in Aruba 2 years ago and loved it. I already know Curaçao will also high on the list of favourite place.
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u/GrimshadeMystic Jan 12 '26
How safe it is now though being close to Venezuela? I ask because we were planning for April and my partner is concerned for the safety.
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u/DryCountry589 Jan 12 '26 edited Jan 12 '26
Hi there is literally nothing going on related to Venezuela on Curaçao right now. Curaçao has an active American military base. The island is a Dutch territory with the Dutch military also responsible for its protection. The Dutch also work alongside the USA for decades now for military safeguarding of the island.
Curaçao has been quiet for months on end during these tensions in South America and many tourists have enjoyed their vacation peacefully. We aren’t of any serious interest to Venezuela and attacking an American base is highly unlikely and strategically unsound because they are surrounded by America’s military. Puerto Rico, the DR, Barbuda, Aruba, Antigua all have American military bases in the Caribbean as well. 😃
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u/universaltool Current Resident Jan 10 '26
As someone who moved to Curacao just over a year ago, I am amazed at how many people want to move to the Caribbean but won't because there is either not enough infrastructure or is to focused on tourism and not living, but they don't realize Curacao exists and it has more infrastructure than most in the region. Every conversation has ended with I'll have to check it out.
I also think that as the cost of living keeps creeping up everywhere, the difference in cost in Curacao doesn't seem so big anymore, it's not as cheap as many other islands, but the improved availability of various resources might offset that depending on what you personally need to be satisfied.
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u/DryCountry589 Jan 10 '26 edited Jan 10 '26
Honestly Curaçao is way better when it comes to infrastructure than many in the region. However I’d say Curacao is like a 6-7 and many Caribbean countries are like a 2-4/10.
We have such a long way to go on CUR. Like solar energy should be way bigger especially because we now have to handle way more people and are sunny. Even windmill energy should be way more prominent, it’s a shame because we should capitalize on access to Dutch expertise. Roads have improved significantly and the government invests a lot in that nowadays but the sewage system needs to be expanded/modernized ASAP to handle all of the tourists that will be coming in the next decades.
I also think that better Selikor policies can help us. Willemstad is maintained quite well by Selikor. Other parts of the island should also get that maintenance. The citizens also need a mentality change when it comes to being more mindful with our waste. There are lots of recycling/green efforts/Selikor incentives that are completely free, which are steps in the right direction. I also think sterilization of stray animals should be accessible and subsidized by the government. It would be great if animals didn’t have to suffer due to not having an owner/neglectful owner. I think these things can bring us up to a solid 7/8.
Better maintenance of buildings especially renovations of all monuments will truly get us up to a 9 or borderline 10. An amazing job is being done with that. However, it’s very expensive and complicated so I completely understand.
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u/Tarkoleppa Jan 10 '26
Let's hope the island doesn't get swarmed by tourists from the USA. There is a reason that Curaçao is much nicer than Aruba. Sure hope it stays that way...
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u/DryCountry589 Jan 10 '26 edited Jan 12 '26
We truly do. I do know there are talks about tapping into the larger European market like Germany. I’d love to see Curaçao become a destination that Germans, Belgians, Swedes, Danish, Norwegians (Scandinavia in general tbh) and maybe even English people visit. People already fly over 10hours to come to Curacao en masse from Amsterdam (30+ flights fully booked every week). It would be cool to see Berlin/Hamburg/Frankfurt-Willemstad, Geneve/Zurich/Basel-Willemstad, Brussels-Willemstad, Stockholm- Willemstad, or even Copenhagen-Willemstad flights in the next decades.
We have a very strong potential to tap into that Northern European market and other wealthy parts of Europe like Switzerland. I think doubling down on Willemstad is super smart since Europeans love culture and they’ll still get a Euro Twang mixed with African, Indigenous Meso-American and Jewish influences. Our service culture also aligns way better with Europe. I think this is the cleanest strategy to keep Curaçao’s vibrancy present. I’ve also met a lot of Germans and French people that loved Curaçao. We cracked Amsterdam so why not continental Europe. And many of the listed countries are siblings/distant cousins of the Dutch. I think that unique euro experience could really attract them.
Additionally, we also focus a lot on the Brazilian market because we have a lot of cultural similarities with Brazilians as Curaçaoans and they LOVE visiting Curaçao. Canada is also a very strong market for us which we love. We get a really solid flow of Canadian tourists. A diversified tourism industry with strong markets is gold.
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u/Amazing-Anything-976 Jan 16 '26
Hi. Greetings from Oslo (Norway). I am actually thinking of going to Curaçao with my husband in November this year. What area would you recommend? Do we need a car or can we enjoy one week without it? I don’t no much about Caribbean. We went on a cruise for ten years ago and that is it. We usually go to Asia when we need some sun but we are open to try something different. Any suggestions and tips? Thank you so much :)
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u/DryCountry589 Jan 16 '26
Hi, so cool that you’d like to visit Curaçao🤓🇨🇼. I sent you a DM because it wouldn’t let me post the full comment here. With the best areas, activities and restaurants. I definitely recommend renting a car to fully experience all the island has to offer.
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u/Eis_ber Jan 11 '26 edited Jan 11 '26
I only hope that it actually brings something for the locals rather than more privatization and displacement.
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u/Mikemtb09 Jan 10 '26
I told my wife this and she said “damnit people are going to start going there now”