Why Curaçao for a Honeymoon
Curaçao gives you two honeymoons for the price of one flight. Willemstad provides the city half: colonial architecture, waterfront restaurants, live music, museums and a nightly glow on the Handelskade. The west end provides the nature half, with more than 30 beaches, many of them small coves backed by cliffs.
The underwater world is excellent and very accessible. Reefs start close to shore along much of the sheltered southwest coast, so you can snorkel from the beach almost anywhere. Sea turtles are a regular sight at Playa Piskado and Grote Knip.
It is also easy for Americans. The US dollar is accepted almost everywhere, English is widely spoken and flights are short. Weather is dependable, with low rainfall and a position south of the main hurricane belt. Prices are generally a notch below Aruba. The island also has a growing range of boutique hotels and private villas.
Best Time to Visit
December through April is high season and the most popular time for American couples, with dry weather, steady breezes and the highest prices. Book flights and hotels well ahead for the holidays.
May through September is a quieter and often cheaper window. It stays sunny and warm, with highs around the upper 80s Fahrenheit. The trade winds are at their strongest from about March to July, which keeps evenings comfortable. August and September are the hottest and least breezy months.
The rainy season runs from roughly October through January. Showers are usually short and the island turns green for a few weeks. Curaçao sits below the main hurricane belt, though passing storms can occasionally bring rough seas. Carnival fills the streets of Willemstad in the weeks before Lent, with the Grand Parade the biggest event. Visibility underwater is good all year, so snorkeling is never really off-season.
Where to Go
Willemstad is where most couples spend at least part of their stay. Its four historic quarters, Punda, Otrobanda, Scharloo and Pietermaai, hold restored merchant houses, small hotels and the island's best restaurants. Our Willemstad honeymoon guide covers where to stay and what to do there.
The Banda Abou region, at the island's western end around Westpunt, is the beach country. Grote Knip, also called Kenepa Grandi, is the postcard beach. Playa Lagun is a narrow cove with snorkeling along the cliff walls. Playa Kalki and Playa Piskado are known for reef life and turtles. Christoffel National Park climbs to the island's highest point. Shete Boka National Park has wave-battered inlets on the north coast.
Closer to Willemstad, the Jan Thiel and Mambo Beach areas have beach clubs, resorts and nightlife. Klein Curaçao, a flat uninhabited island with a lighthouse, makes a long boat day trip.
Sample 10-Day Itinerary
Split your time between the city and the west end to get the best of both.
- Days 1–3: Willemstad. Walk Punda and Otrobanda, cross the pontoon bridge at sunset, have dinner in Pietermaai and tour the Kura Hulanda museum.
- Day 4: Hato Caves and the Blue Curaçao distillery at Landhuis Chobolobo, then a swim at Mambo Beach.
- Day 5: Boat trip to Klein Curaçao.
- Days 6–9: Move to a villa or hotel near Westpunt. Hike Christoffel early, snorkel Playa Lagun and Grote Knip, watch the waves at Shete Boka and spot flamingos in the salt pans.
- Day 10: Drive back to the airport, about an hour from Westpunt.
If you only have a week, cut one city day and one west-end day. Do not skip the move west; the cove beaches are what most couples remember.
Budget and Costs
Curaçao is moderately priced for the Caribbean. These are approximate ranges.
Boutique hotels in Willemstad and comfortable beach resorts generally run about $180–400 a night in high season. Upscale resorts and private villas with pools can cost $450 and up. Rates fall in summer and fall. Dinner for two at a good restaurant typically costs $80–180 with drinks. Local spots and market halls are much cheaper.
A rental car runs about $45–80 a day and is close to essential if you want to explore the west end. Some beaches charge a small fee, which usually covers parking, showers and a beach chair. Boat trips to Klein Curaçao generally cost around $100–150 per person including lunch. Dive packages are good value. Credit cards work widely, though gas stations may require cash or prepayment. ATM fees are high.
Getting There and Around
Curaçao International Airport (CUR), also known as Hato, sits on the north side of the island about 20 minutes from Willemstad. American flies nonstop from Miami and Charlotte, with seasonal service from Chicago O'Hare. Delta flies from Atlanta, JetBlue from New York JFK and United from Newark. Check current schedules, since routes shift.
On the island, a rental car is the best option. The island is roughly 40 miles long and the drive from Willemstad to Westpunt takes about an hour. Driving is on the right. Watch for goats, donkeys and iguanas crossing the road. Taxis are available in town but add up quickly for beach days. Public buses exist but run infrequently.
Culture and Etiquette
Curaçao's culture blends African, Dutch, Sephardic Jewish, Latin American and wider Caribbean influences. Papiamentu is the everyday language. Bon bini means welcome, danki means thank you and dushi means sweet or nice, applied to almost everything from food to people.
Willemstad's Mikvé Israel-Emanuel synagogue, dating to the 1700s and with a sand floor, is among the oldest synagogues in the Americas. Visit respectfully. Kura Hulanda museum tells the story of the Atlantic slave trade, which shaped the island deeply.
Dress is casual, but cover swimwear in town and dress up a little for dinner. Topless sunbathing is not customary. Many restaurants include a service charge, so check before tipping. At beaches, take only photos, do not feed turtles or fish and keep your hands off the coral. Car break-ins are the most common problem for visitors, so leave nothing in sight and lock valuables at your hotel.
Quick tips
- Split your stay between Willemstad and the west end
- Rent a car; the best beaches are an hour west
- Leave nothing in parked cars at beaches
