THE
CURACAO EXPERIENCE
Located
near Venezuela, Curacao is a fairly large island although the area you will want
to visit is relatively small.
I
think of Curacao as a rustic and less polished Aruba. For me personally, this is
not an important or beautiful island to visit, but I had a great time. However
if you are going, I will fill you in on what's good to do and see for the best
possible experience.
The
most inhabited part of the island is on the south side. The island has its
length going east to west similar to Long Island in NY. Going North and South is
not a far distance. The north side is empty as it is very rocky and gets a huge
amount of wind.
The
capitol of Curacao is Willemstad. It has 2 sides connected by a floating pontoon
bridge. It floats on small boats, so when a huge tanker comes into the port, the
bridge moves to one side. It is a pedestrian only bridge. One side of the town
is called Punder and the other side is Utterstand, which means other side.
Punder has more shopping and many restaurants, etc. Don't get excited; neither
side offers great shopping.
The
island itself is very rocky so while the beaches are white and sandy, there are
large rocks and pebbles as you enter the water for a swim. The rocky area can
extend about 10 feet into the water and then you are in about thigh high. It
would be very difficult for the elderly or young children. As ugly as they seem,
bring water shoes if you don't want to kill your feet.
The
water itself is pleasant, and very clear, and generally warm. There are some
fish in the water, but I have seen far better fish in an upscale Chinese
restaurant aquarium.
The
personality of the island is not overly friendly. It has a strong Dutch
influence so the people for the most part are stern and stick to the exact
rules. The island's main industry is not tourism, although it is becoming more
important. The main industry is refining of crude oil shipped from Venezuela.
Large tankers are a common sight. Parts of the island look like the ride along
the Jersey Turnpike with all the big and numerous oil
tanks.
You
may want to visit the oldest Synagogue in the Caribbean and stroll the old
streets in the 2 sided downtown. Definitely do not count on it being a shopping
Mecca, but the locals do have small gatherings of music festivals in the town
square on some nights near the pontoon bridge.
There
are many hotels on the island and each one suits a different need. For
example:
The
Renaissance has a downtown and very commercial feel, with an infinity pool
leading to a so so small beach front. It is attached to a mall which gets a lot
of cruise ship people, and it has a night life with the feel of a younger single
crowd. This would not be my choice, as it did not feel like I was away in a
tropical paradise.
The
Hilton is next door to the Marriott; not a pleasant looking property and it just
felt strange to me when I checked it out. It has a lot going on, but it just
does not look or feel appealing. The casino was geared to a lot of locals and
was not a pleasant place for a fun night out after dinner.
The
Baoas Resort is a top notch gorgeous resort and a total tropical paradise feel.
It as a very spiritual and peaceful feeling, felt like a Polynesian
island.
The
Hyatt Hotel was beautiful but far from everything, a true resort very upscale
and I would say more of a golfer's vacation. The pool area was lovely, and the
sea felt a bit more like a beach on a salt water inlet. This is definitely a
beautiful spot if you prefer not to do much else on the island, and remember its
quite far from the center of things and the action.
In
my opinion the Marriott is the best option. It’s located on a beautiful beach
but still with rocks in the water for the first 5 to 8 feet in, and then you can
stand comfortably in the clear water. The hotel has a nice restaurant, a small
but fun casino, the staff is fantastic and the property is very pretty. You can
walk to a few other spots like The Hilton and some small restaurants, but
otherwise not a lot is in the area. It’s a short ride to the downtown and not
far from the airport.
Restaurants:
It’s
hard to find a really awful restaurant here, so it is more about what you prefer
to eat rather than the price range, since most restaurants are similar prices.
Some I liked best were:
*Fort
Nassau
*Zest
*Jaanchie's
*Fish
Delicious
*Bistro
le 'Clochard - very romantic
*El
Gaucho - They will come and pick you up but be prepared for a lot of stops at
other hotels.
*Gouverneur
– Downtown, very nice, we like dining in the bar area overlooking the
town.
*Baoas
Resort Restaurant - a fantastic evening at a romantic and perfect spot, perhaps
the best place for that special night on this island.
*Pirate
Bay - is fun casual and within walking distance from the Marriott, looks seedy
at first but people love this spot
All
in all, I like Curacao and I would go again and stay at the Marriott and just
relax and enjoy the weather and deal with the large pebbles in the water. I also like that it is less costly than other
Caribbean islands. A plus is that the weather is almost always perfect and the water always warm...
Contact me at # Elsushi921@aol.com
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