Take old-world European charm, dip it in the Caribbean, soak it in the sun and you've got Curaçao. Doused in Dutch heritage, its capital is brightly painted in pastel tones. From hidden inlets or coves, azure waves reflect cobalt skies and crash on white sands. Desert hues tinge rugged lands punctuated by green peaks. With its eponymous liqueur tinted electric blue, Curaçao simply lives in colour.
Visit Curaçao: get started
Pack some shades, because it's going to get bright! Visit Willemstad for Curaçao nightlife and a culture influenced by Indigenous, Spanish, Dutch and Jewish settlers. Find Curaçao excursions that include diving around coral reef or hiking in Christoffel National Park. Book an all-inclusive resort or luxury hotel on the best beaches in Curaçao.
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Curaçao travel guide
Destination facts
Language
Papiamentu (a mix of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and English with French, African and Arawak influences), Dutch and English.
What to bring back
Their eponymous, orange-flavoured liqueur (you can get packs of differently flavoured small bottles), handmade Chichi dolls (Chichi means older sister in Papiamento), aloe vera products (it’s grown on the island) and ceramic versions of the country’s iconic colonial houses.
What to eat
Keshi Yena (gouda or edam cheese stuffed with meat), kadushi soup (cactus soup), red snapper, kabritu (goat meat), pumpkin arepas and Dutch treats like oliebollen (Dutch doughnuts).
Fun fact
Curaçao is one of the most multi-cultural places in the Caribbean with many locals speaking two or more of its official languages. Aside from the indigenous Arawak, Spanish and Dutch people, the island also welcomed Jewish refugees from Europe during the 17th century. Learn all about this Jewish heritage at the oldest continually used synagogue of the Americas, the Mikvé Israel-Emanuel.
Important info
For more information on all necessary travel documents, visa, taxes and more, check Air Canada’s Travel Requirements page and the Government of Canada’s Travel and Tourism website.
