Like many divers, we like to add a dry day to the end of our dive holidays to both have a little extra time before flying and to let our gear dry out before packing up. For those looking to do the same or looking for non-diving activities, here are five things to try on Curaçao.
Curaçio Island Tour
Unlike other islands we had visited, there was no real coastal road encircling the island for a scenic drive. We had to take turnoffs from the main road to reach the various coves and bays to explore these and to get nice ocean views.
This made the usual ‘island tour’ we like to do impractical, but it was also fun to take the turn offs and discover the various bays and coves.
Ask the dive guides and the locals for their favorite spots, or just get lost and have lunch while discovering a new place.
Christoffel National Park
This site is near the west end of the island and was about a 40-minute drive from Willemstad. Check out the small Savonet Museum at the entrance to the park to get a glimpse of the early times when it was a slave plantation.
There are some nice scenic viewpoints and those looking to hike the mountain or camp on the beach can make this a longer activity. We saw signs that hiking had to start early in the day as the park does close early. We opted just to drive through and to see the main viewpoints on the coastal trail (Northern Car Route). There is also a Mountain Car Route across the road.
Near the end of the route there are some caves, some of which have ancestral drawings. One of the two was closed and gated up but we did enter and explore the first one. The scenic views of the coast are nice to see and worth the short hike to the various viewing points.
Shete Boka National Park
Another nature park with coastal views a bit further west of Christoffel, Shete was actually our favorite of the two parks we visited.
Be sure to see the Boka Pistol where you’ll see the rough north shore surf funnel into a narrow inlet and ferociously spray 50 feet or more back into the sea. We’d occasionally see a small fish or crab in that spray as a small black dot. Poor little guy.
Hato Caves
Close to the airport you’ll find the Hato Caves, an archeological site made accessible by the Government of Curaçao since 1991. The caves are estimated to be 300,000 years old and are the largest on the island. Our guide told us that as kids, they used to come and play in these caves before they were open to the public. A wonder no one got lost (at least not that she knew of)!
Visiting the caves can only be done with a guided tour and these leave hourly on the hour from 9 am to 3 pm. The guide will also show you some of the resident bats hanging from the cave’s ceiling (sorry no photos allowed).
You can get some refreshments at the bar and there is also an Indian Trail Walk and an informative guide to local plants and species. Good way to pass the time as you await your tour. It’s only a 20-minute walk on a flat surface.
The caves are nice inside and easy to navigate with walkways and stairs that are very passable and well maintained. Except for a few low hanging areas to watch your head there was no difficulty getting around inside.
We had a great guide who made the tour fun and interesting. She pointed out silhouettes that came to life with a little use of our imagination.
Willemstad
We also made it into the town of Willemstad to see the famous colorful buildings and had a bite at one of the local cafes.
We got to see the Queen Emma Bridge, a pedestrian bridge, in action as it opened to boat traffic. An interesting design, the bridge pivots sideways with what looked like a diesel engine to let boat traffic through. This is done even while pedestrians are on the walkway.
Fort Beekenburg
We spotted this old fort when diving the Tugboat site and returned to Caracas Bay later to explore it further and get some nice views from the turret.
Do be careful as there are no rails or protective gates here. A sheer drop off the sides if you stumble.
There is also a small chapel on the site along with a few cannons. A nice distraction that could even be done as a surface interval after diving the Tugboat.
Overall impressions of Curaçao
While all part of the Netherlands along with Bonaire and Aruba, we did not find Curaçao as environmentally conscientious as its neighbor Bonaire. There was still widespread use of plastic bags, straws, and disposable bottles. We saw a lot of rubbish on the roadside. We did see steps in the right direction though and loved this sign at one of the parks.
There were also clear signs of the hardships brought about by the pandemic. Many closed shops, hotels, restaurants, and stores. Abandoned buildings, cars, and boats. I suspect like many places they are still struggling to recover and some businesses sadly never will.
Conclusion
We primarily came to scuba dive in Curaçao and squeezed in a few land activities on our dry day. It was a bit rushed but we were able to do the above in one pretty full day. You could probably break it up into a few afternoons but for us an hour or two per site was plenty.
We are glad we got to see a bit more of Curaçao to complement its beautiful underwater gardens. We were glad to have a car to enjoy some of the top side activities too. It was a nice adventure.
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