Resorts and Restaurants

Curaçao vacation resorts and restaurants

By far the most popular Curaçao resort for people to spend their Curaçao vacation in is the capital city of Willemstad. One reason for this being that on such a small island the best selection of Curaçao restaurants is to be found there and, at less than 40 miles long and 10 miles wide, getting to just about any of the other Curaçao resorts for a day trip is quite quick and simple. Other Curaçao resorts are mainly located on the coast near the silvery sanded beaches. However, if you prefer being inland and enjoying the savannah like terrain, there are also some inland Curaçao resorts you could consider.

Curaçao vacation resorts

In the hills behind Jan Thiel Bay is the Curaçao resort of Chogogo offering studio, apartment and bungalow Curaçao rentals for your vacation. Chogogo resort is south of Willemstad just beyond Caracabaai on the Spaanse Water. A short walk takes you down to the bay itself which is at the start

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Curacao resort

of the Curaçao National Underwater Park. There’s a supermarket here as well as a couple of Curaçao restaurants worth visiting, one of which is on the beach. Another Curaçao vacation destination on a beach, is also a Curaçao 5 Star resort – The Papagayo. This is heading back up the coast towards Willemstad, before you get to Bapor Kibra; the accommodation here is all in villas, but the service is all 5 Star. Whilst down on the beach, if the idea of beach volleyball doesn’t appeal to you, the resort will arrange for you to have a manicure, pedicure or even a massage! Moving to the northern end of the island is the Sunset Waters Beach Resort. Aptly named as it faces west, meaning you’ll see the most wonderful sunsets from this Curaçao vacation resort. On the stretch of coast line known as the Curaçao ‘Gold Coast’, Sunset Waters is near Soto at the St Martabaai. With the Christoffel National Park less than 5 miles away this is an ideal resort to combine relaxing on the beach with exploring inland. A few miles back down the coast, and within 10 miles of Willemstad, is the one of the many Curaçao vacation resorts that specializes in catering for divers and snorkelers. The Habitat Curaçao Resort is best described as being on the coast at St Marie, below St Willibrordus on the road to Willemstad. As this resort name implies, and as a leading dive center on the island of Curaçao, it has a commitment to the ecology of the coastline and seas extending from it. The dive school here was the 2004 winner of the National Geographic PADI center award. The resort also offers spa and fitness facilities, it has a combination of suites and villas to stay in and a free shuttle service to Willemstad. An example of a typical inland Curaçao resort would be the one at Juliadrop, called Kas Di Ala. Juliadrop is 4 or 5 miles north of Willemstad and is well served by the islands bus service; it has several shops including a pharmacy and a supermarket, making the resort ideal for an inland Curaçao vacation. The resort itself uses two and three bedroom bungalows for accommodation, all of which include maid-service.

Curaçao restaurants

There’s little doubt that the best Curaçao restaurants are in or around the capital city of Willemstad. However, playing on a Caribbean pirate/Peter Pan theme, is Hook’s Hut on the Piscaderabaai, serving sandwiches, the ideal beach food to me, at lunchtime and some great sea food platters in the early evening. Back in Willemstad, for something a little more formal in your choice of Curaçao restaurants there are a couple of places to try. First there’s the ‘Gouverneur De Rouville’, on the De Rouvilleweg, which serves excellent Caribbean food. Fish stew and leeks with stuffed cheese – Yeshi Yena – being particular favorites here. If the weather’s hot and humid, see if you can get a table on the verandah and the cooling sea breeze. Finally a Curaçao restaurant in Willemstad worth getting dressed up for is the Astrolab Observatory, in the Kurla Hulanda museum. Described as serving a fusion of French, Caribbean and Nouvelle cuisine; in effect you eat in a garden with fountains in an ‘air’ of refined elegance.

Curaçao