Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
everyday life. This is an island without hasslers or pushy ven-
dors, a place where the two of you can walk hand in hand along
the streets, dine at sidewalk cafés, and be greeted by friendly
Curaçaoans.
Start with a visit to
Willemstad,
a historic city that bustles
with activity but also takes a slower pace in its shopping dis-
trict. Here you can take a guided tour aboard an open-air trolley
or a self-guided walk for a look at
Fort Amsterdam.
And you
can't miss the historic harborside shops, as bright as Easter
eggs.
While you're in the city, make time for a visit to
Seaquarium,
599-9-4653160, one of the Caribbean's finest marine exhibits.
Along with tanks of local fish, coral, and sponges, the aquarium
also has several outdoor tanks with larger species - including
sharks, sea turtles, and stingrays. Divers and would-be divers
can take a dip here and feed the sharks through holes in an un-
derwater wall. Complete instructions and equipment are pro-
vided. For those who want a drier look at these toothy denizens,
just walk down into the
Seaquarium Explorer,
599-9-
4616666, a semi-submarine parked by the shark tank.
T
The Seaquarium has been the site of an underwater
wedding as well as four deep-sea proposals. Divers
popped the question by writing on underwater clip-
boards.
Beaches
After seeing the exhibits, have a dip at the
Seaquarium
Beach,
a full-service beach with watersports, restaurant, bar,
and plenty of action. There's a small admission charge. This is
the beach where Curaçaoans and visitors come to see and be
seen, and topless bathing is popular. Waters as calm as a lake
make swimming inside the breakwaters easy and safe.
Curaçao has over three dozen additional beaches from which to
choose, all located on the Caribbean side of the island. Two of
the most popular are
Knip Bay,
located near Christoffel park
on the north coast and
Barbara Beach,
located on the south-
east end of the island.
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