The “ABC Islands” is an easy, breezy nickname for Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, the three westernmost islands of the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Like diamonds cast in the blue waters north of Venezuela’s coast, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao have rich Afro Caribbean heritage, sugary sand beaches, and Aruba itself is diverse, its population of roughly 110,000 composed of people from 90 nationalities. Bonaire has become a destination for divers and cavers. Curaçao has several interesting museums where you can learn about the island’s history. All three islands share ties to the Netherlands; Aruba and Curaçao are autonomous, self-governing constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Bonaire is a special municipality of the Netherlands. Flights to Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao from East Coast cities take three to five hours, making all three potential escape-the-cold long-weekend destinations.
Pink is everywhere in Aruba—in the sky at sunset, on the flamingos on Renaissance Island, and (on a pastel gingerbread building in the capital, Oranjestad (not pictured).
Photos by Edrick Krozendijk/Unsplash and Alin Meceanu/Unsplash
Aruba
Aruba may feel familiar on arrival, be it the friendly beach community, high-end retail, global cuisine, or a charged nightlife scene. It’s also a disarmingly unusual landscape of natural parks bordered by blue coastal waters, with moonlike stretches filled with cacti and wind-blown divi-divi trees, the national tree of Curaçao that also grows on Aruba and Bonaire.
Where to eat
Colorful beach bars and dozens of dining options are available in and around Oranjestad, Aruba’s capital and largest city. Visit the Pastechi House to try the namesake deep-fried, half-moon pastries known as pastechis, or taste Cuba’s influence on the island with a plate of ropa vieja (shredded beef sautéed in a sofrito sauce; a vegan, tofu version is available) at Cuba’s Cookin’.
Waterfront Zeerovers (a Dutch word for “pirates”) is an open-air wharf restaurant in Savaneta, Aruba’s oldest village. Like the rest of the island, it was once home to Arawak people, then Spanish conquistadors, and then Dutch colonizers who set up their capital here in the late 1700s. Zeerovers is a local hangout, attracting visitors and residents alike to “lime” (relax), drink, and enjoy the day’s catch. Fish and shrimp are served in baskets with fries, plantains, or corn bread, plus plenty of lime, and patrons dine from picnic tables overlooking the sea.
Where to swim
Aruba’s island’s beaches range from long white-sand stretches lined with luxury resorts and water sports operators to secluded coves set amid limestone cliffs. Eagle Beach is ideal for stand-up paddleboarding and kitesurfing. Visitors can also snorkel Mangel Halto’s reefs and shallow waters or enjoy Baby Beach’s quiet solitude. The Moro, Boca Prins, and Dos Playa coastal bays, near the Fontein, Quadirikiri, and Huliba caves are secluded, peaceful places to cool off.
Other things to do in Aruba
Nearly 20 percent of Aruba is designated as national park territory, highlighted by Arikok National Park, 8,400 acres with rocky cliffs, deep caverns, natural stone bridges, and other unusual land formations made from lava, quartz diorite, and limestone. Travelers can arrange guided hiking, horseback riding, and ATV excursions across the expanse to view geometric and zoomorphic cave drawings that the Arawak people created some 2,000 to 3,500 years ago.
Where to stay: Ritz Carlton, Aruba
Just south of the Fishermen’s Huts beach, a super popular spot for wind- and kitesurfing, stands the Ritz-Carlton, Aruba. It’s a mega resort, with 320 guest rooms and 55 suites, two pools (including one for adults only), and even a casino. Snorkeling gear, paddleboards, kayaks, and water hammocks are available to borrow.
Bonaire is known for the rows of colorful houses in its capital, Kralendijk, and for sublime snorkeling and diving.
Photo by Danita Delimont/Shutterstock (L); photo by Ctephan van de Schootbrugge/Unsplash
Bonaire
Where to do water sports
Scuba diving in Bonaire is a world-class experience. With the island’s coral reef only a few feet from the shore, travelers can easily access pristine scuba sites without a boat. Less adventure-inclined travelers can still experience underwater thrills by snorkeling in the island’s warm blue waters, filled with marine life. On the island’s east coast, try Bonaire East Coast Diving for a dive excursion. There are many dive outfitters on the west coast, including Flamingo Diving and Let’s Go Drive Bonaire. Jibe City is a windsurfing center where you can take lessons and/or rent stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, and snorkeling gear.
Other things to do in Bonaire
The outdoor fun extends beyond the coastline: Given an estimated 400 island caves, Bonaire is well suited to spelunkers. Guided tours lead visitors through wet and dry caves filled with stalactites and stalagmites formed over thousands of years.
If you’re ready for some offshore exploration, hop aboard a water taxi to Klein Bonaire (Dutch for “Little Bonaire”), an uninhabited protected island within the Bonaire National Marine Park. Ultra-flat (as in, no more than seven feet above sea level), Klein Bonaire’s only structures are the haunting ruins of colonial-era one-room dwellings once inhabited by enslaved people. A small shelter on the beach faces Bonaire, but the islet is otherwise deserted—so no running water or sanitation facilities. Embark to the island for some uncrowded fun and sun, but pack an umbrella, plenty of water, and food. Keep in mind the last boat back to the mainland departs at 4:45 p.m.
Where to stay: Sorobon Luxury Beach Resort
The coast running both north and south of Bonaire’s Kralendijk capital is heaving with hotels. Instead, head across the island and south to Sorobon Luxury Beach Resort, on its own tiny peninsula with only one other hotel nearby. Among the 40 rooms are studios, beach houses, and multi-bedroom villas. Guests can book kayaking, windsurfing, sailing, and diving through the resort, as well as candle-lit dinners on the beach, yoga classes, and massage sessions.
There are about 40 beaches to explore in Curaçao.
Photo by Jorgen Hendriksen/Unsplash
Curaçao
Curaçao is known for its exemplary beaches—many set in achingly beautiful, isolated coves. The island’s culture reflects a deeper beauty, filled with a mix of African, Caribbean, Creole, Dutch, Spanish, and Portuguese influence, plus colonial-era architecture in capital city Willemstad, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Where to eat
In the capital, Willemstad, make a pit stop at Plasa Bieu, an open-air dining hall off Plasa Godett. Several restaurants operate in the casual venue: Under a metal roof, wooden picnic tables are covered with distinctive tablecloths to distinguish each eatery. Cooks prepare meals using huge barbecue grills with charcoal-fed fires. Popular with locals and visitors, the venues offer reasonably priced Curaçao fare, including fish, peas and rice, goat, and plantains. If you’re after flavors from further afield, Indonesian-and Thai-leaning restaurant Soi95 serves dishes like Caribbean snapper in a coconut sauce and chicken satay with peanut sauce.
Where to swim, snorkel, and dive
Playa Porto Marie, a lovely white coral sand beach near the northwestern village of Sint Willibrordus at Porto Marie Bay, is a great place for exploring Curaçao’s nature and culture. The beach has scuba diving and snorkeling operators, plus a small eatery. To go diving on the island’s northwest coast, contact B Diving Curaçao or Divers Republic; in Willemstad, try Dive Center Pietermaai.
Other things to do in Curaçao
The beachfront of Playa Porto Marie belies the area’s important link to Caribbean history: Tula Riguard, an enslaved African man, launched Curaçao Slave Revolt on August 17, 1795, and for a time the group was gathered here. By that evening, they had freed thousands of enslaved people. The group were ultimately suppressed by Dutch colonizers, and thousands of enslaved people are believed to have been killed. Today, a monument to Tula is located amid quiet beaches and a flamingo reserve on Curaçao’s south coast, and August 17 is considered a day of resistance in Curacao.
Back in the capital, the colorful Handelskade waterfront strip features an eclectic collection of museums, monuments, restaurants, and shops. Visitors can find fascinating history and food throughout the city, almost all within walking distance of Handelskade. These include Willemstad’s Mikvé Israel-Emanuel synagogue (operating since 1723, it’s the oldest in continuous use in the Americas) and the waterfront 19th-century Rif Fort in Punda, separated from Willemstad’s Otrobanda district by Sint Anna Bay.
In terms of museums, the Curaçao Maritime Museum’s maps, archival photographs and letters, and maritime equipment—including a wooden “Neptune’s angel” taken from the prow of a 19th-century ship—create a multimedia panoply of Curaçao’s maritime history and settlement. The museum is in one of the oldest houses in Scharloo (built in 1729), a neighborhood of residential neoclassical mansions. The Kura Hulanda Museum offers African artifacts chronicling slavery’s devastating impact on Curaçao’s African population, as well as how Afro Curaçaoans have influenced the island over hundreds of years.
Where to stay: Lagun Blou
Just as in Bonaire, north and south of Curaçao’s capital along the coast is packed with hotels. To stay somewhere a bit less crowded, head northwest to the village of Lagun and Lagun Blou, with 20 apartment-style rooms overlooking either the Caribbean or a small bay.
The best time of year to visit Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao
If you live in a cold place, winter is the best time to visit Aruba, Bonaire, And Curaçao, but you’ll be sharing the beach with loads of other tourists. To enjoy a less-crowded tropical escape while the ground at home may still be frozen, consider visiting in March or early April (avoid school break if possible). Autumn is also a nice time to visit the ABC Islands; Caribbean hurricane season runs roughly June through November, but the islands closest to South America see fewer storms. Some travelers swear by visiting the Caribbean in summer, citing cooling sea breezes, festivals, and zero risk of snowstorms canceling flights.
Related: How to Venture off the Tourist Trail in the Caribbean
This article was originally published in 2022 and most recently updated on December 5, 2025, with current information.
