ajaxkampioen

hello everyone,

I am 16 and currently live in The Netherlands and I've always wanted to visit Curacao. Just because the weahter, the sea where you can windsurf and I have some friends there whom I can visit.

So I talked with my parents several times about Curacao (they lived there quite some time) and they say that its not as nice as I expect it to be. They say that it is very expensive (as they got to pay for by brother as well, they say its going to be up to 15.000 € for four p. for two weeks). And they say its not very safe (I think that's bullshit), and they say you cant do so very much there and everything you can do is done by car and not by bike which we are used to.

Now I have been searching on the web and I found not so much conferming their story, so I come here and aks the the people that actually know what they are talking about, not parents who know the island from the '70 when everything was better.

thanks

ajaxkampioen

come on, no reply?

KVR

First, I would do a search on this forum under Curacao and read the many posts and trip reports regarding that Island.

Second, I have agree that the Island is expensive compared to some of the other destinations out there. I found the beaches to be be sub-par also. The sand is made up of crushed coral, so you have to have water shoes at all times. Also, the beaches are cove like inlets mostly on the West side of the Island, so a car or tour is essential.

Restaurants are spread out all over the Island. Yes, you really need a car to get around. We did enjoy the downtown shopping area. We didn't think it was an unsafe Island compared to others. We didn't find much to keep us busy, but was impressed with the dive we did at the Aquarium.

We've been to many Caribbean Islands and Mexico and rate Curacao far down our on list. Definately, not a place we would ever considering returning to.

Listen to your parents. When you are older and able to travel by yourself and pay your own way, then you might want to consider it. Personally, there are better places to spend a vacation especially with a family.

ajaxkampioen

The problem was, that I couldn't find any negative story's about Curacao on this forum and elswhere so I didn't really knows how it would be like in our prespective. So thanks for your answer

StanKase

Though the island may not have neen "right" for your parents we enjoyed it on our 3 visits but we are 4 times older than you. Without a car, which I believe you will not be able to rent under age 21, you can be isolated because as said many things are spread out. Restaurants are in the middle and East End, social activities are in the middle and toward the East End and snorkeling is way dwn the West End. I douby you will find many young people your age to socialize with and that would also make it a bummmer.