Curaçao will grow on you. After day one, you’ll wonder if you made a mistake. After the third day, a return turns into a possibility. And after the fifth day, you are shopping for snorkeling gear for the return trip. Not sure how universal this is, but to those of us used to TCI, Anguilla, and other places where spectacular beaches reign supreme, a place like Curaçao needs some time. Its the sum of its parts, and those parts need to be discovered.
One of the major parts, missing from most islands, is the capital, Willemstad. An absolute gem. The architecture and colors were expected, while the random street art, like “Three o’clock romance” for example, not so much. Talking about art, one of the highlights was meeting Giovani at 7.1 Experience Art Gallery. Incredible art work all over the island and Aruba. He just finished a dolphin for a new gas station by the landfill.
There are spectacular beaches alright but all quite busy no matter how far they are. By the time you reach the remote Grote Knip, the island crown jewel, almost an hour from Willemstad, you’ll discover the masses that beat you to it. Cas Abao was another worthwhile schlep, until hungry iguanas chased Mrs Ziggy away. I had no idea she can run this fast. Porto Marie is your destination if mud wrestling with wild black pigs is on your bucket list.
Avila Beach Resort also grew on us. Walking distance to many restaurants and a 20 min walk to town. After 10 minutes the street turns more scenic but the sidewalks in a bad shape. It used to be a rough neighborhood I’m told but now it’s a vibrant food hub. Even with any day trippers the hotel felt fairly quiet for the most part. The beach is not world class but the water is that of a world class beach. Like a bathtub. The water is so clear you can see your pedicure 5 feet in. Problem is everyone else can too.
Curaçao doesn’t have the big long beach like TCI, Aruba, and other islands, but it has many things going for it besides the above. Snorkeling and diving is world class. The weather is much more guaranteed at this time of the year. And hotels and food are cheaper when compared to NYC, TCI, Anguilla, and many more. We paid around $120-$150 for two for a complete more.
This is not a food destination by any means, but we managed to find some gems. Curaçao excels at “New American”, playful, Asian inspired fair, but lack in European. Another issue I noticed before I even got there, is the lack of fresh fish that’s not deep fried. But the tremendous value more than made up for it. And we did have some fantastic tuna and shrimp. More on that later.
Eating With Ziggy 