When traveling to any country in the world for the first time, it is useful to get informed before you reach your destination. Read more about the Travel Tips for Curacao.
Where is Curacao?
The island of Curacao lies in the Caribbean Sea north of the coast of Venezuela, South America. Ideally located below the huricane belt! There are many direct flights possible from many countries in the world, think of The Netherlands, Colombia & the United States (Miami & New York) or with just one transfer you will reach our lovely Curacao as well.
What is the weather like?
It’s summer all year round, how crazy is that! When traveling to Curacao, it is good to know that we have some Caribbean temperatures here. During the day the regular outside temperature is around 30 – 32 ˚C / 86 – 89 ˚F. It cools down to around 27 ˚C / 80 ˚F at night. The water temperature is highest in the month August up to 30 ˚C / 86 ˚F and cools down in ‘winter’ to 25 ˚C / 77 ˚F.
The most rain falls from December through March. However, this can vary. Do not get discouraged about the rainy season though, as the rainy season in Curacao is mild.
A rainy day in Curacao means that it can rain for about an hour and after the short shower, the sun will shine bright again, as if it did not even rain! It is uncommon to rain every day, the whole day non-stop.
Inside buildings, most of the time there will be air conditioning. If there is no air conditioning most probably there will be ceiling fans or standing fans for air circulation. Some restaurants can be chilly, because of the air conditioning. If you are having dinner at the beach, to enjoy the sunset of course, the wind will get chilly as well. Having a thin sweater with you will come in handy.
Transportation, public transportation or rental car?
If you want to be able to enjoy your stay freely it is best to rent a car for the period that you are staying on Curacao. It is because unfortunately the public transportation is very time consuming and is not available at all times and routes.
There are many car rental companies, just choose one that fits your needs and budget best. If you are a diver, it is wise to rent a SUV vehicle or a pick-up truck. These are more spacious and handier when you need to drive with your dive gear and tanks to a dive site. Make your car rental reservation on time because it can happen that all cars on Curacao are rented out.
Currency
The local currency of Curacao is called the guilder. Locals refer to the guilder as ‘florin’. The local guilder has different abbreviations. You may encounter for example: ‘Naf’, ‘Nafl’, ‘Fl’ or ‘F’ if the price is in the local currency. The ‘Naf’ stands for ‘Nederlandse Antillen Florin’ meaning the guilder of the Dutch Antilles.
But know that the American dollar is also accepted everywhere on Curacao. You will notice this when the price tags have a US$ / $ sign in front of the numbers. But even if the price is in guilders, you may pay with US Dollars. 1 US Dollar is equivalent to 1,80 Local currency guilders. (Rate may vary).
The Euro or any other foreign currencies are not accepted on Curacao.
The best way to pay is with a Maestro debit card, Visa – or Mastercard. Other credit card like American Express are not always accepted.
Diving in Curacao
Luckily, you can dive all year round in Curacao! The water temperature varies around 25 ˚C – 30 ˚C / 77 ˚F – 86 ˚F. Most of the dive sites do not have strong currents. The southern coast of Curacao is the part with the gorgeous white sandy beaches and dozens of dive sites that you can reach by car or with a boat. The northern part of Curacao has high rocks and rough high waves. Therefore, there is almost no diving on the north shore. The visibility ranges between 15m – 35m / 50 ft -100 ft., with an average of 20m /70 ft, not too bad right!
Boat diving is best on the south shore and on the corner of the island. By boat you can reach the more secluded dive site that are not accessible by shore like Mushroom Forrest, Hole 6, The Lighthouse and Seldom Reef. Want to know our favorite, read it at Curacao’s Best Boat Dive Sites on the South. When it is referred to diving at the north shore, this is usually at the most north-east point of the island. This is a boat dive and is only possible when the sea is at its calmest.
Shore diving is mostly done in Curacao, while boat diving is done when a reef is not reachable by car. Find out more about our favorite shore dive sites on Curacao here!
The most relaxed way to dive is with a dive guide.
Dive guides know the reefs and will show you around under water, so you do not miss out on any of the gorgeous fish and sea creatures.
Language
Papiamentu, Dutch and English are the most common languages spoken on Curacao. Do not worry if you do not speak neither of these languages, because a lot of people speak other languages as well, like German and/or Spanish.
Need more info? Let us know!
We hope to have informed you with the basic essential information. If you have any other questions, or you want to book your stay / or diving in Curacao, do not hesitate to contact us.
We will be happy to help you choose the options that suit your needs best for a great stay on our beloved island of Curacao! We hope to see you soon!
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