What have you done exciting in Curacao?

[nansi]

Running out of time ....we leave this Sunday on Rotterdam and we still can't figure out what to do in Curacao....can we get some last minute ideas from people who've done shore excursions on this island? In the water or out....we'd like to hear about both.
Help help help!!!
Nancy

[jerfl]

Next to La Guaira/Caracas, this has to be one of the most ugly and boring ports of call in the Caribbean. Aruba is fun with good sand, sun, shopping, dining and gambling while Bonaire is Nature and stark geography. Curacao is just a big offshore Venezuelan oil refinery and a place to pick-up fuel. Stay on board, sleep in late, cabin breakfast, massage, good book or i-pod by the pool or in a quiet nook/cranny, solid nap, high tea......lazy do nothing but veg day. Great for aerating the mind and healing the body and soul.

[MUKTUKMARY]

We LOVED Curacao! We walked across the floating bridge and happened upon a courtyard with little cafes in it. A group of musicians from Peru were playing their pan flutes. We spent the entire afternoon ejoying the music and the incredible food offered there. Hope you will have the same great day we did there!

[gizmo]

Different strokes for different folkes. We loved Curacao too. I enjoyed the shopping. There is a nice cafe on the waterfront near the swinging bridge to enjoy a nice cold drink and watch the swinging bridge open for boats coming in.
The Trolley Train tour was enjoyable and the synagogue, oldest in the Caribbean was interesting to see.

[doone]

I am with the ones who love Curacao as well. We like the quaint shops, side walk cafe's, and vendors. Do get off here, if not to just walk around the town, its great.

They have great fireworks as well when you leave. This is a great port.

[bdmarine]

Curacao had gambling casinos the last time I was there. However, I recommend renting a Jeep and wandering around the coast. There are some beautiful deserted lagoons that are definitely worth a stop.

[peaches from georgia]

We loved Curacao; friendly people and interesting Dutch culture. First trip we took the See and Sea tour. Learning about another country is part of the reason to cruise, so we always get a general overlook of an island on our first visit.

This coming cruise to Curacao DH is playing golf, already arranged, and I am going to see more of Willemstad, walk, visit the shops and cafes a little, and maybe take the Trolley Train.

We are beach people at home and at HMC, but at the other ports there is too much unique to see and meet to just lay on the sand. At least for us. :)

[xpcdoojk]

I like Curacao too. I like walking in the shops downtown, and drinking on the sidewalk near the bridge. It is a picture perfect waterfront. We have done the day at the Plaza hotels beach club south of downtown, about a $15 cab ride. It is called the Kon Tiki beach club it is close to the seaquarium, they have a private beach that has a protected swim area and then outside the rock jetty you can snorkel. They have a full service dive shop and restaurant on site and you have wait service from the bar. It is a very enjoyable place to spend several hours. The jeep and find your own private spot is a nice way to spend the day too.

Here is a link to toucan diving and the kontiki beach club. It is a class A dive shop BTW.

http://www.curacao-toucandiving.com/beach.shtml

jc

[mountainmare]

We took the Spanish Waters snorkel shore excursion (one the the few times we actually took ship tours) and it was great. The site is a sunken tugboat and the fish are plentiful and huge. The town is also pretty, I would love to go back. About the fireworks--we went up to the top deck and had the best view on the ship!!

[Pincus]

Nansi, within walking distance of the ship is a first-rate African museum. It's well worth the time.

[arzz]

It has been many years since we have been to Curacao (but I expect to be there next October) -- the ships used to pull up across the water from the downtown area and to be on deck and watch the ship pull in past the colorful downtown, turn around and tie up was a real treat! Walking across the pontoon bridge was also a great treat.

I understand that now the ships are too large for downtown docking (last time we were there we were out at the industrial docks) but you can still go downtown without having to pay for a shore excursion -- wonderful shops, cafes, I always enjoy the old synagogue complete with a museum of judaica, there is the Venezualan produce market where the produce boats from Venzuela tie up in a long row and sell their produce (I assume these things are still found there) -- things to see and do that are worth a brief walk through town (a short cab ride as I recall from the pier)

Tried a beach in Curacao once and was disappointed -- first be aware that their beaches are VERY clothing optional and EVERYONE it seems (no matter how old or whatever they are and no matter what their surgical history) seem to enjoy bathing in the buff -- that in itself was interesting to deal with (especially since our son who was about 11 at the time was with us) -- as I recall the sand was not soft and wonderful but more like fine white gravel -- and there were the virtually nude women who went around collecting a tariff for use of beach chairs and possibly even for use of the beach (a nominal fee as I recall) -- that experience was not my cup of tea -- lots of better places to beach

But I still list Curacao as one of my favorite ports -- Aruba has beautiful beaches (and I know they also have casinos but that is not my preference) but it does not have any of the charm of downtown Curacao

[Kelfly]

Curacao is my favorite port! If you like wandering on your own, and aren't afraid of being the only tourists around: get off the ship really early, wander to the boat market area -- other side of moving bridge (can't remember what it is really called, but I'm sure someone else can). Numerous boats are in early AM, lined up with fresh fish, produce, etc. that the locals go to for daily meal shopping. Very interesting. If you keep wandering past the water market area you'll come to a big warehouse type building that is kind of like a locals daily flea-market -- again very interesting! I just love finding the "real" parts of the island, not just the tourist traps!

My favorite thing on Curacao though is the snorkelling. I've snorkelled many, many different islands, and this is by far the ultimate! We've taken a ships tour for this -- you take a catamaran about 30 minutes or so to a site of a sunken tug boat. Again, if you don't mind wandering off on your own ... Facing the shore from where get jump off the catamaran, swim to your right quite a way from the rest of the group. You will find the most unbelievable, colorful, living coral reef, and so many different fish... The visability is great. At the edge of the reef you can see down at least 100 feet.

It is also fun to wander and look at the interesting architecture in downtown. If you like Heiniken, it is really inexspensive here. Find a little outdoor table with umbrella, grab a beer or cocktail, and people watch. There is not a lot of shopping area, but to me a cruise is not about shopping. They do have a small Little Switzerland (bought a Llardo there, and even received a thank you note several months later from the sales clerk!). They also have a couple of nice stores that sell Deflt porcelain from Holland.

Again as others' have said, everyone has there own opinion, but give Curacao a chance. I'd love to take a 7 day land vacation at this great little island.

[OCruisers]

Curacao is a beautiful port! Something for everyone -- beach, snorkeling, and shopping!

On our January port stop we were delayed getting off .... so did PlanB :p .... and just went into town.

If you're interested in buying Knock-Off Purses :o , here's a thread with a nice shop in Curacao that sells them:

CLICK HERE .... Here's where to buy "Knock-Offs" in Curacao (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=134498)

Happy Sailing! OCruisers :)

[scopewest]

Just to throw in my comments: We got confused as to where to walk for the shops, etc. over the bridge and went in the opposite direction. We started to notice that we were the only people who looked like tourists and figured we had strayed into the "real people" living areas. Although we stood out like neon lights, not one person hassled us or tried to hustle us or annoy us in any way. We're hoping we can stop there again sometime and this time see the tourist shops!

[xpcdoojk]

I think you were in the Otrabanda district, the shopping is in the Punda district. South side of the swinging bridge.

jc

[pinoke101]

We also loved Curacao. The floating bridge, quaint shops and lovely outdoor cafes. We chose this island to just wander around and shop. Usually we will pick one port to do this. It was perfect! The best thing was in the evening as we left port, they had a fireworks display for us, as we were on a Dutch ship (Rotterdam). I'm not sure what time your ship leaves, or if they in fact still do this, but it was wonderful. I know you will love Curacao as we did.

[scopewest]

Thanks for letting me know the area. I did try to do some shopping there but the only stores I could find were lottery places! We finally got a couple items at the shops on the path back to the ship.