CURACAO
Quick Facts
U.S. Travelers:
Valid passport needed for entry.
Official Language:
Dutch, Papamiento and English
Currency:
Antillean guilder (American dollars are widely accepted)
Capital of Curacao:
Willemstad
Climate:
Year-round temperatures average 88° F
Health:
Access to quality medical care is limited on Curaçao, and facilities do not offer the health and service standards typically expected in the United States. There is one hospital in Curaçao. Curaçao’s medical system is fashioned after the Dutch medical system which emphasizes the use “house doctors” (or huisarts) as a gateway to more specialized medical care. House doctors are outpatient primary care physicians. They are not required to have completed postgraduate training such as a residency program.
Curacao is an island country in the southern Caribbean Sea, just northeast of Venezuela. It’s a constituent country of the Netherlands, and the Dutch lifestyle is very evident in the island’s architecture. It only consists of about 170 square miles and has a population of 150,000, but its big personality and bright image make it feel larger than life.
The capital of Willemstad became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997 because of its unique architecture and harbor entry. It’s the largest dry dock in the region and also has a large, busy port. Large ships sail right through the downtown and the Queen Emma Bridge, a long pontoon bridge, is built to turn sideways to allow them to pass. It’s a charming city with high-end retailers, restaurants and bars and the Dutch colonial architecture can be seen in the bright, sherbet-colored buildings that can’t be found anywhere else outside of the Netherlands.
A must visit is to the Museum Kurá Hulanda. An anthropological museum that focuses on the predominant cultures of Curacao. It offers a world-class chronicle of the Origin of Man, the African slave trade, West African Empires, Pre-Colombian gold, Mesopotamian relics and Antillean art.
Of course a trip to Curacao would not be complete without enjoying a cocktail made from the island’s famous orange liqueur. A visit to the Curacao Liqueur Distillery allows travelers to take a self-guided tour of the factory and visit the on-site café to enjoy a cup of coffee or a cocktail made with the liqueur the island is known for.
