Curaçao is one of the Caribbean’s most sophisticated capitals. From a Maritime Museum, the Sea Aquarium, and the Curaçao Postal Museum to the Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, which is the Caribbean’s oldest continuously operating synagogue.

The winter-time Curaçao Carnival boasts parades with floats, Jump Ups (outdoors), Jump Ins (indoors) and outrageous costumes. Serious divers come for the spring Curaçao Dive Festival to participate in a weeks’ worth of workshops such as Underwater Digital Photography.

Beautiful Beaches

The western shores have a series of beautiful beaches, each one occupying a separate cove: popular Daaibooi, tiny Playa Lagun, and Knip, which opens onto a large bay of luminous water.

Also in the west is Christoffel Park. Drive, hike, or ride a horse through kadushi cactus, tamarind, divi-divi trees and lignum vitae trees, the road curving upward to amazing vistas of Mount Christoffel.

Festivals

Curaçao also hosts a jazz festival, a gospel festival, a food festival and a kite competition. The locally famous Jazz Night at Blues Restaurant on a pier overlooking the sea is not to be missed. Classy, joyful and mellow, it’s the perfect summary of what’s so appealing about Curaçao.

AIRPORT/GATEWAYS/FLYING TIMES:

International Airport HATO(CUR), located 7.5 miles from the capital, Willemstad. Gateways/Flying Times: Amsterdam - 9 hours. Caracas - 45 minutes. Miami – 2.5 hours. Newark – 4.5 hours.

AIRPORT/GATEWAYS:

Canadian Gateways: TBA
US Gateways: TBA
Other Gateways: KLM fly from 14 regional airports in the UK via Amsterdam to Hato International Airport (CUR). Additional connections are available with American Airlines via Miami and Delta Airlines via Atlanta. Inter island flights are available with Dutch Caribbean Airlines (DCA) and BonairExcel.

CLIMATE:
Annual average temperature - 80 degrees F. Average humidity - 77%. Average rainfall - 21 inches. Windspeed 16 mph.

DINING:
Cuisines from more than a dozen countries range from classic to exotic, local dishes also reflect an international influence. American, French, Indian, Indonesian, Italian, Typical Dutch style house, Willemstad Latin American, Gourmet, Fast food. Dress code varies. Service charge 10%.

LANGUAGE:
Dutch is the official language. Multi-racial Curacaoans also speak English, Spanish and their own unique blend, Papiamento.

NIGHTLIFE:
Entertainment available includes - Discos. Dinner/Dance. Theatre. Casinos. Nightclubs. Live Music.

SIGHTSEEING:
Museums. Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue. Landhouses. Forts. 16th and 17th Century Architecture. Curaçao Sea Aquarium. Curaçao Liqueur Distillery. Floating Market. Hato Caves. Amstel Beer Brewery. City Tour. Willemstad Walking Tour. Three Queens Bridges. Christoffel National Park. Boca Tabla Grotto. Shete Boka Park. Curaçao Ostrich and Game Farm. Willemstad Trolley Tour. Herb Garden.

**** WEDDING REQUIREMENTS IN CURACAO ****

1. It takes about two months to receive a marriage license after requesting one by writing (signed by both partners) and having it approved by the civil registration of Curacao.
2. The letter must include two wedding dates with times.
3. Other documents required by the couple aside from the license include an international declaration of unmarried status from the civil registration of their hometown as well as an apostle/legalization from the Netherlands embassy in their country of residence.
4. Documents cannot be older than 6 months by the time of the wedding. Applicants must be non-Antillean residents.
5. There’s also a three-day residency requirement.
6. To apply for a special non-resident marriage license, couples must present a passport and birth certificate, plus proof of a legal divorce decree if divorced or a death certificate if a spouse has died.
7. No blood tests are required. The cost of the license is US $167.

Please Note: Wedding requirements above are for information purposes only and may be out of date as of this print. Only use this information on this page as a guideline, and for more current and up to date information, please contact the countries Consular Affairs, Embassy, or the countries Tourism Bureau.