CURACAO AN

CURACAO AN OVERVIEW

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Picture an Amsterdam street, with narrow, tile roofed  buildings along a canal.  Now, decorate this image from a tasteful and harmonious palette of vivid pastel colors, and you have an idea of what Curacao looks like. Willemstad, capital of Curacao, is a fascinating town with centuries of history, first class photo opportunities, and a floating footbridge that opens to let boats through. Willemstad is the only World Heritage Site in the Caribbean, and is a place where visitors can walk the streets in safety, on their own, while enjoying shopping and sightseeing.  In Willemstad can be found the oldest synagogue in the hemisphere, the Queen Emma floating bridge, and a world-class museum, the Kura Hulanda.

 

Curacao is the largest island in the Netherland Antilles. It is located  in the Caribbean Sea, near Venezuela. The island is about 40 miles long and about 10 miles wide.  The administrative capital of the Netherlands Antilles, Willemstad lies on the southern coast overlooking the St. Anna Bay. The climate, the view, the clear, blue water, the lovely beaches all contribute to the charm and desirability of this historically significant island as a vacation destination.  The accommodations range from small hotels to some recently added resorts and casinos.

 

The crest of Mt. Christoffel rises up from the northwest corner of the island to form the highest peak in Curaçao. The landscape is dramatic, stark, and volcanic.  The caves built into these cliffs once served as refuges for the Caiquetio Indians, the island's first inhabitants, and their culture can still be found preserved in the paintings and petroglyphs they left behind. The 4,500 acres of wilderness area surrounding this point have been designated by the government as a natural preserve. The park has become home to a wide variety of plants and animals, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. Tall cacti, rare orchids, and many other floral species dot the landscape.   A herd of over 100 white-tailed Curaçao deer, originally brought over by the Caiquetios from South America in the 14th and 15th centuries, roam the  grounds, along with wild goats and neon-blue iguanas. Hummingbirds, parrots, bats, and Trupial birds contribute to the park's vibrant ecosystem by helping to pollinate the many varieties of plants and trees.

 

The former Savonet plantation house at the entrance to the park serves as a nature conservancy and visitors' center and houses the new Museum of Natural and Cultural History. 

 

Not to be missed is the Underwater Park, a favorite dive site for divers from around the world.  This 12.5 mile coral reef has been granted protected status by the government as a national park.  A semi-submersible submarine provides an alternative viewing of marine life for those who prefer “dry diving.� 

 

Deep sea diving, windsurfing, golf, tennis, horseback riding, and hiking are all available.  Nightlife is varied with dancing to tumba, reggae, salsa, and popular music at the island's many discotheques. Some of the nightclubs feature floorshows.  Curacao is a treasure.  It is one of the few remaining havens of natural beauty where the seascapes and beaches have not been obscured by high-rise construction projects.  It is truly an island paradise.

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