Curacao is situated in the Caribbean Sea just off the northern edge of South America, 35 miles from the Venezuelan coast. Curacao is one of three Dutch islands nicknamed the "ABC Islands:" Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. The island is tropical and covers an area of roughly 171 square miles.
The history of Curacao dates to the 17th century, when the Dutch West Indies Company claimed the island and turned it into a way point for the African slave trade. Following the abolition of slavery in the 1800s, Curacao lost much of its appeal to the Dutch, only to regain favor when oil was discovered in 1914. This led to a lot of the development still seen on the island.
Culturally, Curacao is attuned to its geographic roots. Travel writer Diane Vadino describes it as "closer to Venezuela than the rest of the Caribbean islands, in sentiment as well as geography." In many regards, this offers travelers a rich helping of Caribbean and Latin American travel experiences: Dutch, Papiamentu, English and Spanish are all spoken on the island, baseball is Curacao's most popular sport and the local food is a hearty blend of Latin American and Creole cuisine.
The island is served by Hato International Airport, located in the capital, Willemstad. The airport receives 1.6 million passengers per year, with the majority of the flights into Curacao originating from South America. Additional flights from the Netherlands and the U.S. are also available. Travelers from outside these countries must book connecting flights to reach Curacao.
In addition to its overseas flights, Hato International Airport also operates transit services to the other ABC Islands. Boat rentals are available for travelers who wish to visit the surrounding islands.
Many of Curacao's tourist destinations are situated within Willemstad. The colorful buildings overlooking Willemstad's port are a must-see, as is the historic district, which is an UNESCO World Heritage site. Within the historic district you can visit Fort Amsterdam, once the defensive center of the country and now home to Curacao's government offices.
For beach-loving travelers, Curacao has 17 public beaches where you can sunbathe, snorkel or dive, and wind surf. Out of the city, travelers can get closer to Curacao's wildlife at the Hato Caves and Christoffel National Park.
