Welcome to Curaçao—or, as residents say, bon bini. Curaçao, along with the other “ABC Islands,” Aruba and Bonaire, offers balmy temperatures year-round (from the mid-70s to the mid-80s Fahrenheit) as well as relatively stable weather, thanks to its location outside the Caribbean hurricane belt.
The largest of the three islands, Curaçao entices with loads of beach-related activities, but there’s plenty to do off the sand, too. On top of the swimming and snorkeling, visitors can visit a national park, learn about the island’s maritime history, and sample local food. Here’s what to do in Curaçao beyond the beach.
Take a stroll on Queen Emma Bridge, overlooking Handelskade
Opened in 1888 and named for the Dutch queen at the time, the floating Queen Emma Bridge is affectionately called the “Swinging Old Lady.” The 548-foot bridge swings open to let ships into St. Anna Bay and connects Willemstad’s two districts, Punda and Otrobanda (“other side”). On the Punda side stands Handelskade, a row of vibrantly colored historic waterfront buildings that has graced a million postcards.
See how Afro Curaçaoan people once lived at Kas di Pal’i Maishi
Some 85 percent of people living on Curaçao are descendants of enslaved Africans, and that oft-overlooked legacy is preserved at Kas di Pal’i Maishi, a traditional thatched-roof adobe cottage that typifies how rural Afro Curaçaoan people lived between 1850 and 1950.
Guides lead tours around the interior and the exterior of the house, showing visitors what life was like for its residents. The arid, cacti-lined area around the museum is especially hot, so wear sunscreen and protective clothing.
Get a history lesson at the Kurá Hulanda Museum
Exhibitions at the Kurá Hulanda Museum cover West African empires and the transatlantic slave trade.
Photo courtesy Curaçao Tourist Board
Straddling six restored historic buildings that were once part of a merchant’s home, the Kurá Hulanda Museum offers a comprehensive overview of the history of Mesopotamia, the proud legacy of West African kingdoms from the 9th to the 19th centuries, and the brutality of the transatlantic slave trade.
After taking in the museum’s collection of 5,000 artifacts, enjoy a reflective walk through the outdoor sculpture garden, home to a breathtaking bronze sculpture of a woman’s face on one side and the shape of the African continent on the other.
Learn about Curaçao’s Nautical History at the Maritime Museum
In one of the oldest houses in Scharloo (built in 1729), a residential neighborhood of neoclassical mansions, is the Curaçao Maritime Museum. Here, maps, archival photographs and letters, and nautical equipment and decor—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.
Salute a hometown hero at the Tula Monument
In August of 1795, Tula Rigaud, an enslaved African man, launched the Curaçao Slave Revolt. His actions ultimately freed thousands of enslaved people. For a time, his group was gathered on what is now Playa Porto Marie, and a monument to his bravery stands here. Tula, as he’s referred to on the island, and his group were eventually suppressed by Dutch colonizers. Tula was later executed, but August 17 is still considered a day of resistance in Curaçao.
Explore Christoffel National Park
Christoffel National Park takes its name from 1,220-foot Christoffelberg, the highest point on Curaçao.
Photo courtesy Curaçao Tourist Board
Curaçao’s largest national park is home to 263 bird species, nine species of reptiles, and a host of mammals, including deer, rabbits, and bats. In a 19th-century plantation house within the park is the Savonet Museum, which tells the stories of slavery and abolition in Curaçao and of the country’s achievement of independence in 2010.
Find natural remedies at Den Paradera Garden
Den Paradera’s late founder, Dinah Veeris, studied the traditional use of herbs on Curaçao and planted this garden. Veeris died in 2004, but locals and tourists still come to her shop to tour the garden and get holistic health advice. The peaceful grounds are home to more than 300 species of plants.
Eat like a local at Plasa Bieu in Willemstad
Known as the Old Market, the enclosed, open-air food court Plaza Bieu in Willemstad is home to vendors who serve classics of Curaçaoan cuisine. Common dishes include barbecued fish and goat, peas and rice, and plantains. Snag a seat at one of the wooden picnic tables and chat with your neighbors, or take the flavorful food to the nearest beach, about a five-minute walk away.
Learn to make your own Chichi doll during a workshop at Chichi Garden.
Courtesy Curaçao Tourist Board
Pick up a parting gift at Chichi Garden
In the Creole language Papiamento, “chichi” is a nickname for an older sister, and the curvy, colorful figurine of the same name represents Caribbean queens well. German artist Serena Israel, owner of Chichi Garden, began making these sculptures in 2007, and today a roster of nearly 100 artists creates them for the brand. For a memorable souvenir, pick up a handmade Chichi in the size and pattern of your choice, hand-painted by one of Serena’s artists, or take a workshop and design your own.
Visit the oldest synagogue in the Americas
Founded by Jewish people who were expelled from Spain and Portugal and then emigrated from the Netherlands to the Caribbean, the Mikvé Israel-Emanuel synagogue in Willemstad has been operating since 1732, making it the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the Americas. Perhaps the most notable feature of the pale-yellow, Curaçao baroque-style building is its floor, which is made not of hardwood, but of sand, a material Portuguese Jewish people used to muffle the sound of their prayers during the Inquisition.
Related: A First Timer’s Guide to Visiting The Caribbean’s Underrated “ABC” Islands
This article was originally published in July 2021 and most recently updated on April 27, 2026, with current information. Brian Major and Sophie Friedman contributed to the reporting of this story.
