This year is the 25th anniversary of Curaçao achieving autonomy from the Netherlands. Like a bedazzled island in the aquamarine Caribbean, it’s the largest of the ABC islands, which also includes Aruba and Bonaire. Curaçao is a proud nation, and rightly so. It’s got culture and class, a deep history and a bright future.
UNWIND: The Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort was my home base for the weekend, conveniently located on the northwest part of the island, close to multiple beaches, the airport, the famous Queen Emma bridge and just five kilometres from the 17th-century Fort Amsterdam. Following a direct five-hour flight from Toronto or Montreal, you’re officially on island time in no time. Chill on your beachfront balcony or at the serenity pool, slowly sipping from an icy blue daiquiri. In the midst of a particularly harsh Canadian winter, the ahhhs come easily with soft sand, warm breezes and calming sunsets.
Photo: Courtesy of Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort
TAKE A TUK-TUK TOUR: We hop into a Tuk-tuk one morning, for a tour of Punda and Otrobanda (also known as Willemstad), the guide-driven three-wheeler proving to be an especially fun way to explore this colourful UNESCO World Heritage site. From the pastel-hued waterfront buildings of the Handelskade to mural-flanked alleyways weaving through the historic neighbourhoods, we stop to admire public art and do some great shopping. After the tour we lunch at Plasa Bieu, (a Papiamento name which translates to Old Plaza in English), a food hall with stalls dishing out homespun plates like local lionfish with rice and beans.
Spotting colourful murals in Otrobanda during a tuk-tuk tour. Photo: Amy Rosen
HAVE SOME UTILITY TASK VEHICLE (UTV) FUN: I loved this four-hour UTV buggy expedition because it was a truly high-octane, mud-splattered adventure. They supply the safety goggles, face-protecting bandana, water and a snack; you supply the pedal to the metal as you zoom across the San Pedro plains, through towering cacti and past volcanic blowholes. You also visit a hidden cave full of bats. And at the end of the journey, take a well-earned dip in the aquamarine waters of beautiful Daai Booi beach.
From a tuk-tuk tour to motoring an UTV through the San Pedro plains. Photos: Amy Rosen
SNORKEL (OR DIVE): We went snorkelling around the coral in front of our resort’s beach with Goby Divers, who are helping restore this vital ecosystem by supporting the planting of new coral grown in their on-site nursery. After learning about Goby’s efforts, we slap on our flippers and masks for a swim, see vibrant fish and even a dive volunteer adding nursery-bred coral to the reef. Inspired by the sea, we hit the resort’s Izakaya Sushi Bar, ordering colourful cocktails and a rainbow of maki rolls, sushi and sashimi.
Daaibooi Beach, Curacao. Photo: Anderson Santana/Getty Images
LEARN: Curaçao has a powerful and not always easy history, including its outsized role in the Atlantic slave trade. Kura Hulanda Museum is one of the most extensive, thoughtful and humbling museums I’ve seen, full of artifacts and stories (do hire one of their private guides), documenting the forced diaspora of millions of native Africans from their homeland. Another must-visit is Mikve Israel-Emanuel synagogue, which was consecrated in 1732, making it the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the western hemisphere. Its ancient mahogany furniture, chandeliers and brass ornaments are gorgeously maintained, and it’s got a sand floor! Not only is it one of the island’s prime monuments, but it’s also a living one, open to worshippers on Shabbat and all Jewish holidays.
