Are you visiting Curacao? We share our recommendations for fun Curacao tours and activities after recently vacationing in Willemstad, Curacao!
Read on for some fun sights, tips, and tours we enjoyed, as well as what we want to do when we return to Curacao!
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The Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao is a colourful, vibrant destination, also known for it’s beautiful, relaxing beaches!
As always, we had to leave our resort for some adventure and explore this fascinating island!
Curacao Tours and Activities: Walking Tour of Willemstad
Of course, we highly recommend making time to walk around and explore the Historic Area of Willemstad – a designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
We booked a walking tour which was an ideal, affordable, and convenient guided tour for us!
Read our article “Curacao Walking Tour – A Fun Way To Explore Willemstad” here and be sure to book your own guided tour!
Curacao Walking Tour Overview:
- Otrobanda & Punda
- most tours explore these two main historic districts full of colourful buildings, shops and restaurants!
- incredible street art and murals!
- Queen Emma Bridge – the floating bridge across St. Anna Bay, that connects Otrobanda and Punda areas in Willemstad
- hidden spots and gems – visited spots that we definitely would not have come across without our local guide!
We highly recommend taking a walking tour of Willemstad, the capital city of Curacao! It was time well spent!
Explore Curacao guided tours from Viator here! And explore two highly rated walking tours, shown below, with positive reviews:
- Curacao Quick Facts – Did You Know??
- Curacao, is one of four countries that comprise “The Kingdom of the Netherlands”: the Netherlands, Curacao, Aruba and Saint Maarten.
- Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao are often called the ABC Islands – these Dutch Caribbean islands are also located outside the Caribbean hurricane belt.
- The official languages of Curacao are Dutch, Papiamentu, and English.
- in 1997, the Historic Area of Willemstad was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Willemstad is the capital of Curacao.
- Curacao has over 35 beaches!
Curacao Tours and Activities – Water Excursion
Whenever we vacation the Caribbean, we have to spend some time on the water! And Curacao is known for the beautiful clear waters!
There are many water tours on boats and catamarans, near or far from Willemstad!
Snorkel at the Sunken Tugboat
We booked a half-day trip on a boat to snorkel at the popular sunken tugboat wreck!
The tour included lunch, snorkel equipment, and drinks, including alcoholic beverages!
Also, for our tour, it was on a boat, not a catamaran.
The tour we booked had two snorkel spots:
- First snorkel spot: we snorkeled near an old oil rig platform
- Many people from reviews I read prior to booking said they did not mind the oil rig platform in the background. So, it may not be a big deal for you either…
- Second snorkel spot: Sunken Tugboat
- I enjoyed the snorkeling at the sunken tugboat! I wish we stayed longer there to snorkel and explore!
The crew on the boat were friendly and helpful. There was enough food and drink for everyone and it was nice to spend the half day on the water!
Lastly, we recommend paying extra for hotel (or cruise ship port) pick-up and drop-off, like we did. It was a reasonable extra charge (USD$15.00) and ensures you get to the proper location in time.
Explore Curacao cruises and sailing excursions from Viator here! And explore two highly rated water excursions with positive reviews you can check out yourself below:
Klein Curacao
A full day boat trip to Klein Curacao is one of the most popular excursions for visitors to Curacao!
It it typically takes approximately one hour and a half to two hours to reach the island.
Many reviews are really positive about visiting this beautiful island and stunning beach!
However, some people also said they got motion sickness on the catamaran or boat. The waves and ride to the island could be lively.
Therefore, research other reviews and decide what is best for you! Some reviews say it is a must do in Curacao! In the end, we decided not to go on this full day excursion to Klein Curacao.
Check out popular Klein Curacao tours here, with hundreds of reviews!
Other Curacao Recommendations & Tips
Restaurant with a view: Iguana Cafe Curacao
Definitely take a break and have a drink or eat at Iguana Cafe Curacao!
Located in the Punda district, the Iguana Cafe Curacao is one of the best spots to just sit back and relax while you dine! Watch the Queen Emma Bridge openings and enjoy the view!
We had lunch at the cafe and had the fresh catch of the day, snapper.
Souvenirs from Curacao
Some of the souvenirs we purchased for ourselves and loved ones back home from Curacao:
- Blue Curacao liquor – purchased one bottle at the Curacao International Airport
- Curaloe products:
- Curacao’s brand, Curaloe, known and sold internationally, for skin care made from aloe vera which is cultivated organically with “eco-friendly practices”
- I purchased bottles of Curaloe Moisturizing Body Scrub, “enriched with 85% Aloe Vera” and made with natural ingredients, at the airport
- Bolo Pretu:
- black rum cake, made in Curacao
- very expensive at the airport USD$22-$25 for a very small box
- Local Handmade Crafts
- we bought local art, handmade by Geertje Kapteijns, made from calabash, purchased in Punda
- Curacao apparel – we purchased a hat, t-shirt, and tank top in Punda with Curacao printed on it
- stroopwafel – popular Dutch treat, made in the Netherlands, purchased at the airport
Other popular souvenirs from Curacao:
- chichi dolls
- Dutch goods like Delft Blue pottery and Dutch cheese.
Usually, we prefer to gift locally produced foods and treats as souvenirs. However, many typical food souvenirs (e.g. chocolate) at the Curacao International Airport are made in the Netherlands (e.g. stroopwafel).
Curacao Thursday Night Punda Vibes
Every Thursday night in Willemstad, from 6-10 pm, is “Punda Vibes”.
The evening features entertainment, art, live music, shopping with food and drink!
Also, if you like fireworks, confirm if there will be a fireworks show at 8:15 p.m. at Punda Vibes!
My husband and I did not check out Punda Vibes as there was a Thursday night event at our resort that evening – check back soon for our detailed resort review! We would 100% return to the same Curacao resort!
Conclusion – Curacao Tours and Activities
We enjoyed the two guided Curacao tours we booked!
Next time, I would like to see more of the beautiful island of Curacao!
So, make sure to explore tours and activities that interest you in Curacao – leave your resort or cruise ship, nurture your happiness and go on adventures!
Next time, I would book a private guided tour of Curacao to see more of this Dutch Caribbean island! We have booked private guided tours in Japan, Grenada, and Italy and highly recommend it!
Private guided tours ensure a local guide and a custom tour made for your interests and time, with or without transportation!
Explore private guided tours in Curacao from Viator here with positive reviews:
Enjoy Curacao! Happy Travels!
Again, check out our article on our Curacao Walking Tour here and more articles and reviews from our trip to Curacao, including our resort review, coming soon…
Other Popular Tours in Curacao
Other popular tours most often mentioned for Curacao include:
Explore more popular tours from Viator in Curacao, with hundreds of reviews below:
Curacao Tourist Information
Additional Curacao websites that you may find useful:
- Curacao website: https://www.curacao.com/en/
- from Curacao Tourist Board, includes Things To Do, Where To Stay, Plan Your Visit, and other Visitor Information.
- Curacao Tourist Board: https://www.curacaotouristboard.com/
Our experiences described in this article were self-funded.
The views and opinions expressed through this website are our own from personal experience(s). Our content and this article is informational only, not facts, and cannot be construed as professional advice. We always give our honest opinions on topics, experiences or products, made in good faith. Any product or service claims, made by the product or service, should be verified with the manufacturer or provider in question. There may be potential errors on our website, for example due to changes and unintentional mistakes. Thank you.
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