A First Timer's Guide to Curaçao, The Hidden Caribbean Gem Everyone is Talking About

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There are few things I love more than sprawling out on the sand beneath a palm tree, listening to the waves, and remaining beached until further notice. And while the Caribbean island of Curaçao may have all the ingredients for this type of “rotting” vacation, it’s simply not that kind of place.

Because inside this treasure box of an island, you’ll find culture-filled adventures around every corner. Cobblestone streets and gabled Dutch architecture creates the feeling of being in Europe, but with sunny skies and tropical breezes. Outside its bustling cities, the green landscape of Curaçao invites travelers through an array of diverse, accessible activity options, from sailing to horseback riding. 

The opportunities here are endless, and the world is starting to notice. Curaçao was recently named the top Caribbean island by USA Today, and there’s more nonstop flights to Curaçao than ever before. In other words: It might be time to go. As they say in Papiamentu, the local creole language, Bon Bini (welcome) to Curaçao.

Soak in Views in Style at Art Hotel Curaçao

In Willemstad, the capital of Curaçao, a unique mix of Caribbean and Dutch culture has earned the city a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. In the older of the city’s two regions, Punda, the Pietermaai district awaits with colorful historical buildings, delicious seaside eateries, and vibrant nightlife. Here you’ll find Art Hotel Curaçao — a collaboration between Dutch designer Studio Piet Boon and Curaçaoan architect Cas Albers — which boasts a modern, art-focused design with the feeling of a high-end gallery. The suite I stayed in had three bedrooms and access to an impressively large common space complete with a living room, a full kitchen, an oceanfront balcony, and a hot tub — making it the perfect serene escape in walking distance to everything.

Downstairs at Art Hotel Curaçao, cozy lounge seating surrounds an infinity pool at the edge of the ocean. I walked out onto a small jetty to watch the bright orange sun set on the calm horizon before indulging in a five-course, chef-curated dinner at The Lemon Tree, a casual fine-dining restaurant with roots in The Netherlands. 

Once you’ve tried The Lemon Tree, venture out into town to experience Willemstad’s culinary scene at Mosa Caña Bar & Kitchen or Sal The Kitchen.

Learn About the Island’s Rich History

The word “dushi” in Papiamentu has many meanings. A sweetie who's close to your heart can be dushi — but so can a delicious meal shared with friends. Dushi, in its simplest form, describes all things good in life. The best way to dive fully into dushi is to book a private tour with local resident and official Curaçao tourism guide Tirzah Statia, who runs the travel company Lokalish.

With Tirzah, we didn’t just get to see hidden gems and local hideouts — we got to learn the important history behind them. For instance, in Punda, we turned down a narrow street often overlooked by tourists and caught the artist Jean Girigori painting in action. Thanks to Tirzah’s translations between Papiamentu and English, we were able to communicate with Grigori, who shared that her bright colors and forms tell stories about Caribbean cultures and lives.

We also stopped by Tirzah’s friend’s house in a tucked-away courtyard to try a style of handmade local ice cream (the peanut butter flavor was perfection). More education about the island came when we stopped into the Lionfish Caribbean store, which teaches visitors about their invasive impacts on Caribbean reefs while selling jewelry and fresh meals made from the lionfish they remove from local waters.

Experience Color and Culture in Otrobanda 

People have been making art on the island of Curaçao for centuries, and today, its artists draw influence from the island’s Indigenous, African, and European residents. Tirzah took us to the studio of Venezuelan-born artist Merly Trappenberg, whose work often depicts African-Caribbean women, local architecture, and Curaçoan traditions. 

Colorful murals and street art can be found throughout the neighborhood of Otrobanda, meaning “other side,” which is located just across the Queen Emma pedestrian bridge from Pietermaai. At the heart of Otrobanda is Kurá Hulanda Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with restored Dutch Colonial buildings and walkable cobblestone streets that honor the area’s history with lively shops, award-winning eateries, and welcoming courtyards.

There’s so much to see on foot in Curaçao; you’d be sorry not to bring a good pair of sneakers (I recommend the Hoka Gaviota 6, which kept me comfortable and blister-free on strolls through Willemstad). Trust me — not any sneaker will do.

Stay at the Top-Rated Luxury Resort in the Caribbean

With many luxury resorts across the Caribbean, being rated the best is an impressive feat. In 2025, both Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler gave the top honor to Baoase, an ultra-exclusive luxury resort in Willemstad.

Baoase is exactly what you picture when you imagine a luxe, five-star resort in the Caribbean. It’s also so much more. Perhaps it’s because this property first began as a private vacation residence for a Dutch couple and their children, but the incredible service here truly makes you feel like part of the family. The waterfront bay at the resort is protected from strong waves by a small landmass, so it’s always shallow, clear, and calm. The open-air spa huts let in the soothing sounds of the ocean and rustling palm fronds — exactly the soundtrack you’d expect for a spa massage, except, it’s the real thing.

My beachfront villa at Baoase was equipped with a king bed, a sofa, a dressing room, an outdoor tub and shower, and a spacious deck with an eating table, lounge seating, and a pool with a view of the ocean in which I could float in full privacy. Little touches throughout Baoase add up to make it an unforgettable experience of pure luxury, including the daily fresh fruit delivered to my room, the curtains around my bed drawn closed nightly during turndown service, and the foliage-filled tropical scenery that seemed to cradle my soul everywhere I went.

What I loved most was the opportunity to make the experience my own. Baoase has private yachts that guests can charter for a day out on the water, and the resort’s Culinary Beach Restaurant serves up customizable fruits de mer platters. Yet there was always the option to order french fries, the Dutch way (the only way), with mayo on the side.

Take a Private Sailing Trip

The blue-green waters of Curaçao beckon wherever on the island you are, and eventually, it only makes sense to sail them. So I slid on my Peepers Howdy sunglasses and headed to Seru Boca Marina to join my private sailing tour with Maxie Sailing Curaçao. 

We met Norbert and Hilde, a delightful Dutch couple who traded the gray skies of their homeland for the shimmering scenery of Curaçao. They brought us to a quiet cove and jumped into the water to snorkel, and when we climbed back aboard the 48-foot sailing yacht, Hilde had prepared a homemade platter of shrimp, veggies, and more — a meal so delicious and filling that we canceled our lunch plans. 

Visit the Hofi Cas Cora Community

Hofi Cas Cora is a farm-to-table concept that offers weekend brunch made with local ingredients and sustainably, organically grown vegetables. There’s also an animal farm with chickens, donkeys, goats, horses, and more — plus an event space for classes and programs. 

On my visit, Marerly “Elly” Sambo, a microbiologist, community herbalist, and owner of Universal Alchemist, used this airy, welcoming space to teach a custom tea-making class where we could choose different herbs based on their properties. We also enjoyed some delicious treats and fresh juices made by the Hofi Cas Cora kitchen. 

This farm is just a 10-minute drive from Willemstad, but walking through the quiet gardens, where banana trees swayed in the wind and birds chattered overhead, it felt like I was deep in the country. If I closed my eyes, the soundtrack of inland Curaçao reminded me of where I grew up near the Catskills in summer. The people seemed familiar, too, the way they welcomed us outsiders with open arms, ready to share the art of living slowly, savoring time more sweetly. Looking back now, the one bad thing about Curaçao was that I couldn’t stay forever.