12 Best Sights in Curaçao

This protected nature preserve right downtown mere steps from the cruise terminal is run by CARMABI, the island's official nature alliance. You're welcome to wander the vast expanse of long wooden walkways over the waters on your own (there's a tall wooden lookout tower for excellent views), but you'll get more from the park's guided tour; there's a choice of walking or sea kayak tours with informative guides that will help you appreciate the vital importance of keeping mangrove areas thriving for a healthy ecosystem. You'll also learn about the types of wildlife that live here and why their lives depend on the preservation of these essential natural areas.

Local artist Francis Sling is a man of many talents---painter, outdoor muralist, sculptor, musician, and poet. He documents his creative journeys in videos and online multimedia presentations to help you follow his process; his most famous installation in Scharloo was the building-wide mural he created on his own home. His passion to bring more creativity to his neighborhood also spawned local group Street Art Skalo who is now turning the bario into a little Wynwood (Miami) with their own outdoor art---the group was invited to the Miami art festival to create their own mural tribute to their island home. You'll recognize Sling's inimitable style popping up all over Curaçao, but now he has a permanent gallery where you can purchase his art, and if you're lucky, watch the artist at work. 

This surreal, building-sized art installation was painstakingly (and literally) created out of some 30 million thorns over a five-year period by award-winning artist Herman van Bergen. Each section is dedicated to a world religion; the nooks and crannies contain a rotating series of art objects by guest artists. It’s on the grounds of Landhuis Bloemhof (a museum, art gallery, and historic plantation), and is an incredible sight when illuminated at night. It's free to visit at night the first Friday of each month at 7:30 pm.  Wear sturdy shoes---errant thorns can pierce your flip-flops!

The 1,239-foot Mt. Christoffel, Curaçao's highest peak, is at the center of this 4,450-acre garden and wildlife preserve under the protection of Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity (CARMABI). They offer many forms of touring the natural preserve, including guided hikes, jeep safaris, mountain biking, deer-watching (the island's elusive white-tailed deer are very shy), animal presentations, cave explorations, and special activities like full-moon nature walks. Visitors can also hike the mountain on their own. The exhilarating climb takes about two hours for a reasonably fit person. On a clear day, the panoramic view from the peak stretches to the mountain ranges of Venezuela. Throughout the park are six hiking trails and a 20-mile (32-km) network of driving trails (use heavy-treaded tires if you wish to explore the unpaved stretches). The old Savonet plantation house there (one of the island's first plantations) now serves as a modern museum with exhibits retracing the region's history as far back as the indigenous inhabitants.

Located in Sea Aquarium Park—along with the independently operated Animal Encounters, Dolphin Academy, and Ocean Lens underwater observatory (extra fees)—the island's original and largest marine attraction is entertaining and educational for all ages. General admission allows access to more than 40 saltwater tanks full of sea life, as well as interactive experiences like shark, lobster, and flamingo feeding, dolphin training demonstrations, and entrance to the semi-submarine underwater observatory. The massive Queen Conch Hatchery is an important marine life conservation project as it operates as a working nursery focusing on restoring the dwindling conch population in the Caribbean. Refreshments and a souvenir shop are also available on-site.

The Dolphin Academy—in the same location as but run independently from the Curaçao Sea Aquarium and Animal Encounters—specializes in up-close interactions with its friendly, ever-smiling, namesake mammals. The trainers are extremely professional and knowledgeable, and the well-cared-for dolphins thrive in a spacious, natural, saltwater lagoon. Options include shallow-water encounters or swims, free-dive or snorkeling sessions, and lagoon or open-water scuba dives (with Ocean Encounter dive operators). There are also special packages for stays at the nearby Dolphin Suites hotel complex, which is well-equipped for people with disabilities.

Kurá Hulanda (Dutch for \"Holland courtyard\") is the heartbeat of the historic quarter of Otrobanda, and it was completely rejuvenated in 2023 to create a vibrant new village of boutique shops, alfresco cafés, bars, dining spots, public squares, a boutique hotel, a spa, and eye-popping outdoor art. It’s an enchanting maze of pedestrian-friendly cobblestone alleys bedecked by a rainbow of brightly colored and beautifully resorted 18th-century colonial buildings. The Kurá Hulanda Museum is still a cornerstone of the square, offering visitors a unique glimpse into the region’s slave history as well as comprehensive exhibits on African art and culture. Live music on weekends nights are popular here now, too.

The famed blue Curaçao liqueur, which is made from the peels of bitter laraha oranges, originated at this distillery. The family-run operation, located on a heritage estate that dates from the 1800s, offers a choice of guided tours that include tastings, cocktails, and even mixology lessons. 

Designed to resemble the interior of a ship, this museum contains more than 500 years of maritime and island history with model ships, historic maps, nautical charts, navigational equipment, and more. Exhibit topics include the development of Willemstad as a trading city, Curaçao's role as a contraband hub, De Alphen (a Dutch freighter that exploded and sank in St. Anna Bay in 1778 and was excavated in 1984), the slave trade, the development of steam navigation, and the role of the Dutch navy on the island. The museum also offers a popular ferry excursion through Curaçao's harbor every Wednesday 2–3 pm (advance reservations required).

Set beneath a historic plantation site, you'll find calm, clear water and a long stretch of white sand and full facilities on this beach. A decent bar and restaurant, well-kept showers, changing facilities, and restrooms are all on-site; a nature trail is nearby. The double coral reef (explore one, swim past it, explore another) is a special feature that makes this spot popular with snorkelers, and equipment rental is available on-site. It's also known as home for visiting wild pigs. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

Affectionately called “the Swinging Old Lady,” this bridge, which is beautifully lit at night, crosses Santa Anna Bay, connecting the two sides of Willemstad (Punda and Otrobanda). The bridge swings open to allow passage of ships to and from the sea, and when it does, there are free ferries for crossing available to the public. The original bridge, built in 1888, was the brainchild of the American consul Leonard Burlington Smith, who made a mint off the tolls he charged for using it: $0.02 per person for those wearing shoes, free to those crossing barefoot. (Although he meant to help the poor, the rich often saved money by crossing barefoot, and the poor would often borrow shoes to cross because they were too proud to admit they could not afford the toll!) Today it's free to everyone.