Like much of the Caribbean, Curaçao's diverse cuisine reflects its history and heritage, from Creole to Dutch to Indonesian. The official dish is keshi yena - cheese stuffed with a spiced meat (often chicken), olives, capers, onions and prunes, all baked to perfection. A popular drink to beat the heat is awa di lamunchi, a freshly squeezed lime juice.
Curaçao has a hot and semi-arid climate. The average temperature is 26.6 °C.
The official languages are Dutch and Papiamento. Most of the population of Curaçao is able to speak at least four languages, Papiamento, Dutch, English and Spanish.
The official currency is the Antillean Florin (ANG). The Antillean Guilder exchange rate is linked to the US dollar at a price of 1 USD = 1.80 ANG. However, US dollars can be used everywhere in Curaçao.
Curaçao is described as a miniature Amsterdam. Punda's cobbled alleyways are excellent for strolling, lined with designer shops, art galleries, museums and al fresco restaurants. Restaurants and bars join Punda Vibes with food and happy hour specials, and the evening ends with fireworks over St. Anna Bay. Queen Emma Floating Bridge, pastel buildings in the Otrobanda area home to discount stores, Creole restaurants and dimly lit bars with Latin music on Bredestraat street. The Pietermaai district comes to life at night, while Scharloo's 19th-century mansions and street art attract creative spirits.
Part of the UNESCO designation, Mikvé Israel-Emanuel is the oldest synagogue in the Americas, active since 1732. The pastel-yellow building is impressive for its neoclassical design, but also for its distinctive sand floor. This feature is in part a reminder of the worshipers' ancestors who were secret Jews living in Spain and Portugal during the Inquisition. Admission to the synagogue includes a visit to the two-story Jewish museum housing artifacts, photographs, and stories from the Jewish community of Curaçao.
Facing a vast blue sea at Westpunt a few kilometers north of Playa Kenepa, this ridge offers one of the most beautiful views of the coast and attracts crowds of locals and visitors who dare to jump
The island of Curacao may be best known for the alcohol that bears its name. Blue Curacao is a distinctive and colorful spirit that is steeped in the island's history, and you can visit the home of the original Blue Curacao at the Curacao Liqueur Distillery. Triple Sec-style liqueur is made from the rinds of the Laraha fruit. Although Laraha evolved from Valencia oranges brought to the island in 1499 by Spanish settlers, this bitter orange is now unique to Curaçao because it adapted to the island's desert climate, making it inedible when fresh.
As if you don't have enough amazing beaches, cruising up the southeast coast is another paradise: Klein Curaçao or "Little Curaçao".
An hour and a half away by boat, the small coral island is home to bluish lizards and hermit crabs that crawl and feed in the shade.
Two miles of perfectly white sand seem to melt into iridescent waters teeming with tropical fish.
