Sun, sea, beach, that's how Curaçao is known to most people. But what is the island really like? If you go on holiday to Curaçao, in addition to knowing where all the beautiful hotspots are, it is also nice to know more about the island itself. Discover Curaçao and read new information to really get to know Curaçao!
The island of Curacao
Curaçao is located in the Caribbean Sea, above Venezuela. Curaçao had approximately 152,500 inhabitants in 2021 and has an area of 444 km2. The beautiful beaches and nature attract many tourists every year. There are even more tourists than residents on the island every year! In 2019, for example, there were almost half a million tourists.
Like many distant holiday countries, a different time zone must be taken into account. Curaçao falls under the 'Atlantic Standard Time -0400'. There is no summer time, so the time in this period is comparable to the North American East Coast. In winter it is 1 hour earlier here. The time difference of Curaçao and Western Europe in summer time is 6 hours (formerly in Curaçao) and in winter time 5 hours (formerly in Curaçao).
Because Curaçao is an island, you are surrounded by the sea. This means that Curaçao has countless beaches and hidden bays where you can't get your luck. Each beach has its own unique characteristics and is special. At one beach you can snorkel and dive insanely beautiful and at the other beach you can enjoy a white beach with nice restaurants.
Curious about the most popular beaches? Discover it here beaches of Curaçao and choose where to go. Do you want to go out? Then book a nice one tour or activity!
The best travel time and climate on Curaçao
In Curaçao, the weather is warm 365 days a year, so you can go outside in shorts and slippers every day! Curaçao owes its beautiful weather to the tropical savannah climate. This means that in addition to dry periods, there is also a rainy season.
The rainy season falls in the period September to December, but is often delayed or takes a little longer than planned. The rainy season sounds more intense than it is, besides short local showers, it often means nothing. However, it can happen that it rains for a whole week. For this reason, airline tickets are cheaper on average during this period. Another advantage of traveling in the rainy season is that the island becomes a lot greener. The rainy season is therefore no reason to postpone your vacation to Curaçao. Discover Curaçao all year round!
Language
The local population of Curaçao speaks Papiamento. This Creole language is also spoken on the islands of Aruba and Bonaire. Papiamento originated from about 48 other languages, but most resembles a mix of Dutch, English and Spanish.
A big advantage for Dutch tourists is that Dutch is also widely spoken on the island. This is because the local population is partly educated in Dutch. Most residents can also speak English. Do you want to be able to make yourself understood in Papiamento? Then take a look at our page for basic knowledge in Papiamento.
Learn words and phrases in Papiamentu here.
Currency of Curacao
On Curaçao, payment is made with the guilder (NAF, ANG, fl).
Fun Curaçao
