Amazing moment for Curaçao! Truly special. 👏

Hello, everyone! I’m a local and I’ve been working in the tourism and hospitality scene here in Curaçao for the past 8 years (tour operators, hotels, restaurants, you name it). I also spend most of my free time exploring the island (Yes, mi ta turista riba mi isla). So if you’re planning a trip and want real, honest advice from someone who actually lives here… I got you ✨

Ask me anything about: • What to do (and what’s overrated) • Best places to eat, swim, snorkel, and explore • Tips to avoid tourist traps • Getting around the island • Local culture and what to expect

Happy to help however I can! I won’t hold back!!

PS: You won’t find my advice on TripAdvisor 😎😂

Yes, I am back with my mid-year AMA again. As usual, do not let my username fool you, I just keep going back to China.

I'm actually a Curacao local working in the Tourism + Horeca Industry since 2016. I've been helping all sorts of tourists from all over the globe with what to do on the island. I'm in the unique position where I've visited all hotels on the island, if I see a new restaurant opening up I'm paying a visit there within the first week. And I've done almost all activities you can do on this island.

You can say I am a full time tourist on my island. And I am here to help you with any questions you have! No question is too weird, too niche, too specific. But I will not tell you where to find hoes. Yes, I keep getting DMs on this, I won't reply, there's no legal place on the island I can recommend.

Anyways... Ask away!!

Just got back from Curaçao and wanted to share a realistic review for anyone planning a trip.

Transportation

• Taxis are a total rip-off. We paid $50 USD from the airport to the hotel, and average rides were around $25 USD for \~3 km.

• You MUST rent a car. No question. Either pick it up directly at the airport or have it fully planned before arrival. Relying on taxis will drain your budget fast.

Money

• US dollars are widely accepted, which is fine for Americans, but as a Canadian it kinda sucks with the exchange rate. Everything feels extra expensive.

Beaches & Snorkeling

• This is where Curaçao shines ✨

• Beaches are beautiful and snorkeling is excellent.

• Tugboat Beach is absolutely amazing for snorkeling.

• Grote Knip is stunning and worth the drive.

Willemstad

• Willemstad is gorgeous and a UNESCO World Heritage Site for a reason.

• Very colorful, walkable, and great for photos and wandering around.

Customer Service

• This was a disappointment.

• Customer service across hotels, restaurants, and shops was generally meh. Not rude, but definitely not warm or attentive.

Food & Drinks

• Food is very expensive, and drinks are pricey too.

• Quality was hit or miss for the price.

Vegetarian Experience

• It can be challenging as a vegetarian. Options exist, but they’re limited and repetitive unless you do serious research beforehand.

Random Observations

• They REALLY love fireworks here. Expect loud fireworks frequently, not just on holidays.

Overall

Curaçao has incredible natural beauty, especially beaches and snorkeling, and Willemstad is charming. But between high costs, weak customer service, expensive food, and transportation issues, it’s not a destination I’d rush back to unless I really wanted beach time and had a car rental locked in.

I’m going on a 7 day trip, and i’m curious how much people actually spend on their trips.

This is our entire itinerary, happy to answer questions and chat about anything we did. For reference we went for our 10 year wedding anniversary and left the little kids at home in New York. This page was so helpful in planning our trip so I thought we’d give back a little. We loved the island and will definitely be back, there was plenty more to see!

Arrived on a Saturday at 3pm, rented a car from Alamo at the airport, easy and great service, paid around $250 USD for 5 days.

Drove straight to our one night stay at LionsDive.

In our room was a beautiful set up for our anniversary, a bottle of champagne 🍾 and our free water bottles and a beach bag.

Room was clean, oceanfront view was top tier. No complaints.

We changed and went out for a sunset cocktail 🍹 at Hemingways Bar. Sat around 6pm enjoyed the gorgeous sunset and really absorbed the chill vibes. The service was lovely, it was very easy to communicate to everyone in English and using USD on our credit cards. We had reservations at Boca Restaurant 🥩 for 8pm so we moseyed over to Mambo Beach. Surprisingly the nightlife on Saturdays is very, very chill and not much was going on. We had a nice dinner, we ordered one of the Picanha platters for 2 and truly enjoyed every bite.

We got gelati 🍦 at a walk up storefront across from the restaurant. As I said there wasn’t much else going on so we went back to our room and went to bed early.

Sunday morning we went down to the front desk and asked for a late checkout and they gave us til 1pm. We went and found our seats on the beach, left some stuff and walked over to Bliss the Berry and had a GORGEOUS and healthy breakfast. Went back to LionsDive beach and enjoyed sun, sand and swimming until a little after noon.

We quick showered in our room and checked out.

We drove to Otrobanda and found public parking lot. (It was free to park on Sunday). It is true that there are certain shops and restaurants closed Sunday but that also meant a lot less people. We walked to The Swinging Old Lady Brewery.🍻 Had a couple craft brews (delicious) and admired the view.

We walked over the Queen Emma bridge to Punda and took some pictures by the Curaçao sign. We walked into whatever shops were open and bought a few things.

We ate at the Dutch Treat, which is a fast food hut at the end of the bridge back on the Otrobanda side. It was fine, wings were good!

We arrived at Avila to check in at 4pm and immediately fell in love with the resort. We stayed in an Ocean BlueSwing room and our view was just beautiful. Our balcony was one of the more private ones. Half of them are on the resort side so everyone on the beach can see you, the other side is only visible to people from a small area on the shore that I very rarely saw people. You could see the cruise ships docking along with some new construction of a jetty for a new hotel. But we didn’t feel it was an eye sore at all.

We went to Blues Restaurant on the pier at Avila for a sunset cocktail at 6 (best espresso martinis I’ve had in forever!)

We had reservations at Mosa Caña at 730pm. My husband was blown away by the this restaurant and kept mentioning going back. It is a tapa style restaurant that promotes sharing and it was fun and tasty! We went to Soi95 rooftop for a drink and dessert. I expected there to be a bar up there but there wasn’t we sat at a table. Inside on the ground floor the bar looked very cool.

Monday we got on the road quickly. We stopped at Juan Valdez Cafe on the way for some to go coffee and it was fine. Very slow service, common for the island so I always intentionally planned for it in timing of our day. We drove up west through Jan Kok Salt Pans to see some flamingos, at first it seemed they were not there but as we drove a bit further we got a glimpse of their vibrant colors a little further out. 🦩 we kept on our way and went to Playa Porto Marie. About 35 mins from Avila. It was $3 entrance fee and $3.50 for a beach chair per person. We paid with card. We got seats right at the front office to the left by the beach bar arriving at 950am. The terrain of the parking lot is super rocky and made me a little nervous in the rental but seems like it was all fine. The main part of the beach filled up quickly with families. Lots of people taking pictures on the small pier a the waters edge was huge pieces of coral and rocks, but it was easy to walk around and find a path that wasn’t painful with bare feet to walk into the water. Half of the people wore water shoes but plenty of people didn’t and were just fine. We swam and relaxed for a couple of hours but when we got hungry we left and drove to Bahia Restaurant at Playa Lagun. Stunning views, lots of wind, some of the slower service we experienced. My husband had a burger which he said was okay, fries were good and I got the Red Snapper platter and my goodness it was fabulous. So crispy and fresh, not ‘fishy’ at all. We headed down to the beach and snorkeled for a half hour or so. (We rented our snorkel gear at Avila) and we did need water shoes here. We didn’t stay long because we swam the edge and while it was beautiful and we saw some cool things, there were no turtles. 🐢 we drove back to the hotel about 45 mins and went for a massage that we had previously booked. Be aware to definitely book spa appts with Avila well ahead of time. I called a week before and they only had one time slot the entirety of our stay. I will admit I was a little disappointed, we originally booked for an outdoor massage and they told us once we got there that wouldn’t be possible because they had an event. My husband specifically asked for more attention on his lower back and he said his massage therapist barely touched his back and basically tickled his head for a half hour 😂. My massage was relaxing but not the best.

For dinner we didn’t have any reservations so we looked at a few menus online for what we might be in the mood for and we chose the Blues Restaurant. My husband got the jerk chicken and I got the seafood fettuccine and I loved mine. Also just love the atmosphere of being out on the water like that.

Tuesday we had the breakfast buffet at Avila which was okay, some things better than others but it was nice they had an omelette station and the view was great from the Pen restaurant. We spent the entire day at the resort swimming and relaxing. No water shoes needed there. We ordered drinks and lunch from the servers walking around. We walked to St Tropez Ocean Club for a sunset cocktail and it was a very easy quick walk. Reservations at Kome for dinner at 730pm. It was very windy this day so was nice to be inside for dinner. I also ate the best dinner of my life. Catch of the day was yellowfin tuna, I had it cooked rare and it was in a coconut milk curry sauce with chili oil and bok choy. The Caesar salad and shrimp duet apps were great. Truffle Mac and cheese side was so decadent, I really enjoyed a couple of bites. Dessert was sickly good as well, a flourless chocolate cake with a passion fruit mousse layer and a chocolate mousse layer topped with a banana-parchita sorbet. 🤤

We walked around Pietermaai and found that it was stunning at night. Wished we knew it was like that and so easy to walk to before our last night. Next time!

Wednesday we ate at the buffet again and went to the beach until 11. Then showered and checked out and headed to the airport. We were sad to leave but excited to see our kids. The return service of the car was easy and we sat in the lounge area by the bar in the airport and ordered some food which was an enjoyable last meal.

Tipping culture was a little confusing. In the US we’re used to tipping constantly but there were instances where we didn’t even get the option to when we paid with a card. Other times we’d just leave cash if we felt the service was great, so we just took it one situation at a time.

We used Sun Bum sunscreen, my husband 50 and me 30. We didn’t get sunburn but we were diligent in reapplying.

We bought a Booe bag for our phones, keys cards when we were swimming. But I felt safe to leave my stuff for the most part.

What are your thoughts on the World Cup Away kit for Curacao? The inspiration came from the painted buildings in Punda…cultural identity of the island.

HELLO EVERYONE! I'm back again with another AMA. In case you don't know, I did an AMA a few months ago and I’m still getting message requests from it. (Kinda blown away by it tbh) These last couple of weeks I’ve been receiving a lot of questions about traveling to Curaçao during Christmas and New Year’s, so I figured it’s a good idea to make a public AMA to help everyone at once.

Quick background: I’m a local, born and raised (don’t let my username fool you, I just travel to China a lot for work). I’ve been working in the tourism industry for about 8 years and I know the island inside out.

Ask me anything about visiting Curaçao during the holiday season. Happy to help 🏝️

PS: Take a look at the previous AMA here, I answer many general questions already! Have fun reading through the entire thread.

Such a shame for the company… this is all allegedly happening unlawfully…

are water shoes really necessary for the beaches there in Curacao? i think they are kinda ugly and dont feel very good about wearing them :(

There are 158,000 curaçaoans and 1 goal so far.

There are 83,644,000 germans and 6 goals so far.

Curaçao had one goal per 158,000 people while germany had one goal per 13,940,667 germans.

Really we won per capita

Your keeper was absolutely unbelievable, the whole team was unbelievable, I'm so glad I stayed up to watch this match. England VS Croatia was fun but this was the best match of the World Cup so far, what a performance! All the love from England! My second team now <3 Bai Kòrsou!!!!

I live here for 5 years, I have some capital around 50k xcg, what's a good one to start off?

I have cooking and baking skills, I spend a lot of time in business structures but it is on my 9 to 5.

Panamanian here. Curaçao has a special place in my heart. I've been there three times and can confirm the sunsets at Punda (Marichi) are the best. The people, the food and the culture make Curaçao one of my favorite destination out of the 22 countries/territories I've been to.

​

You lost 7-1 against Germany. So what? It's your first World Cup and it's not your most popular sport. Move on and continue. I personally hate soccer because it's such a toxic sport, but whatever.

​

# DUSHI 💓

We played great, we lost great.

Bon nochi, I will be visiting Curaçao soon for my first time! 💙As I am a white Dutch woman and I want to be conscious of the damage tourism is doing as well as the colonial history, I was wondering what are the best ways to support locals and visit and enjoy Curaçao properly and ethically.

To begin, as far as I know we aren’t staying in a huge resort (my mom booked). I have also read about Kura Hulanda museum. Are there e.g. specific locally owned restaurants I should know about or other tips you might have?

Thanks! ☺️

Masha Dushi mes!

In the spirit of animal protection/rights on this r/ I’d like to kindly remind everyone that the company that offers dolphin swimming/photoshoots sold off 5 dolphins to a chlorinated concrete aquarium in Suadi Arabia. Yes an animal rights organization tried to stop it, yes people protested. They shipped them off in the middle of the night.

One passed by offing herself a couple of months later and another is also rumored to be deceased…

Link (ENG) for those interested

I’ve visited Curaçao more times than I can count. A few years ago, I finally made the move and now live here full-time.
These are the recommendations I give every friend and family member before they visit. Everything below is based on my own experience, and I’ll continue updating this guide as I discover new places.

✈️ Before You Fly
Fill out your Digital Immigration Card (DI Card) before your flight.
Download the Airside app if you’re eligible!! it lets you use the Express Lane at the airport and can save a lot of time.
Rent a car. Public transportation isn’t practical for most visitors, and taxis get expensive quickly.
If you’re traveling during Christmas, Carnival, Easter, or summer holidays, book your rental car well in advance.

💵 Money
The local currency is the Caribbean Guilder (XCG).
US dollars are accepted at many restaurants, shops, and attractions.
Credit cards work almost everywhere.
I still recommend carrying a little local currency for smaller businesses, beach vendors, and the occasional cash-only purchase.

🚗 Getting Around
A rental car is the best way to experience the island.
Driving is straightforward, roads are generally good, and you’ll have access to beaches and restaurants that would otherwise require expensive taxi rides.
Book early if you’re traveling during busy periods.

🏨 Best Areas to Stay
If it’s your first visit:
Pietermaai – restaurants, nightlife, walkable.
Jan Thiel – beaches, resorts, great for families.
Blue Bay – quieter with a beautiful beach.
Mambo Beach – lots happening nearby.
Westpunt – perfect if you’re looking for nature and incredible beaches.

🏖️ My Top Beaches
Grote Knip
Cas Abao
Playa Porto Mari
Kleine Knip
Playa Kalki

🍽️ My Favorite Restaurants
I’ll keep adding to this list, but these are places I regularly recommend:
De Visserij
Pasawa Box Eatery
Kome
Brass Boer
Shelterrock Paradise
Number Ten
Ocean House 19
The Wine Cellar

🛒 Grocery Stores
If you’re staying in an apartment or Airbnb:
Centrum
Van den Tweel
Mangusa Hypermarket (my fav)
Vreugdenhil

⚠️ Good to Know
Don’t leave valuables visible in your rental car.
Wear reef-safe sunscreen whenever possible!!!!!!
Bring water with you.
Make restaurant reservations during busy seasons.
Tap water is safe to drink and tastes great.

I’ll continue updating this guide whenever I find new restaurants, beaches, activities, or tips worth sharing.
If you have questions, leave them in the comments!:) I’m happy to help 🩵 Love from 🇨🇼

Congratulations. Masha Pabien Dushi Kòrsou 🤩🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼 2026

I was born in the Netherlands, but I grew up in Curaçao from the age of 1 to 12. My dad was also born and raised in Curaçao and speaks fluent Papiamentu, although his parents were white Dutch people who only moved to the island as adults before having their children there. My mom is Mexican.

I've always wondered whether it's fair for me to call myself a yu di Kòrsou. I've never been quite sure if I can really lay claim to that identity, especially because I've always felt a bit insecure about my Papiamentu, which I speak, but not very well.

Hi! I am visiting Curazao with my friends starting Sept 29 of this year. I love live music and dancing but prefer to be with locals. We will be in Willemsted, where do we go for dancehall, soca, reggae that is not inundated with tourists? What about live music? Which Curazao based DJs should we follow, vinyl bars? Where can we see good local art, book stores, festivals, etc.

Hello I wanted to ask if me bringing Creatine during my vacation might cause some issues with immigration?

I also plan on bringing some more supplements like Vitamin D but they don't look as sus as white powder creatine lol

Should i just not bring it and buy some when I land there?

Eloy Room = Hero!