General Information
Curacao - Facts
| Location: |
Curaçao is located in the south-western Caribbean, at latitude 12,1' north and
longitude 68' west. The island is just 70 km (44 miles) north of South America.It is 2.5 hours by air from Miami. |
| Size : |
444 square kilometres (182 square miles); 61 km long; 5 km to 14 km wide. |
| Population: |
144,000. Some 40 to 50 different nationalities live on the island.
Willemstad is the island's capital and only city. |
| Government: |
Curaçao, along with neighboring Bonaire and three islands in the Eastern
Caribbean (St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba), forms the Netherlands Antilles, an autonomous part of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands. Locals are Dutch nationals and carry European Union passports. |
| Language: |
Dutch is the official language, but in Curaçao we also speak
English, Spanish and our own unique blend, Papiamento.
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| Religions: |
Curaçao has a well earned reputation for religious as well as ethnic
harmony. Catholics, Protestants, Jews and Muslims all have their own houses of worship and practice their religions freely.
Over 80% of the population is Catholic, largely people of African descent. The small Jewish and Dutch Protestant communities
have considerable influence. |
| The Flag: |
Curaçao's flag portrays the blue sea and sky, cut by the yellow sun.
The two stars are Curaçao and its uninhabited sister island Klein Curaçao; their five points symbolize the five continents
from which the varied local population originates.
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Flying
American Airlines, Avianca Airlines, KLM, Royal Dutch Airlines, Servivensa Airlines, Dutch Caribbean Excel ,
Curacao Excel and Bonaire Excel.
Miami: 2-1/2 hours, Atlanta: 3-1/2 hours, New York: 4-1/2 hours, Amsterdam: 9 hours, Caracas: 45 minutes.
An airport tax of U.S.$ 20.00 per person for international flights and flights to Aruba, or U.S. $10.00 per person for
inter-island flights is payable when leaving the island. |
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Entry requirements
US and Canadian citizens need either a valid passport, or proof of citizenship in the form of an original birth certificate
accompanied by photo ID, and an onward or return ticket. Most other nationals need only a passport. Visitors form the Dominican
Republic, Colombia and Haiti require a visa. |
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Duty
Personal dive equipment, cameras for instance may be imported freely. |
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Time
Curaçao is on Atlantic Standard Time: one hour later than US Eastern Standard Time
(the same time as Eastern Daylight Savings Time) and four hours earlier than Greenwich Mean Time. |
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Money
U.S. currency is accepted everywhere, as are Travellers Checks and most major
Credit Cards. Debit Cards are accepted at a few large shops and supermarkets.
Prices are quoted in the national currency, the Netherlands Antillean guilder
(also called the florin), abbreviated NAFl. or ANG. It is pegged to the US
dollar at a stable rate of US$ 1 = NAFl. 1.77 for cash, 1.78 for traveller’s
checks. Exchange rates may vary slightly at stores and hotels. Bills of US$50
and US$100 can be hard to cash. The larger denominations of guilder bills
(100 and 250) are hard to cash for small purchases. There is no black market
and there are no restrictions on how much money you can bring into the country.
Banks are open Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The airport bank is open Monday
through Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Selected
banks branches have ATMs that disburse US dollars. |
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Telephone
The Apartments have a telephone where you can call with a Prepaid-Card world-wide. |
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Electricity
Electricity is 110 - 130 volts/50 cycles, similar but not identical to the US standard. Most 60 cycle electrical appliances
from the United States will function properly, although appliances that have internal time mechanisms will not keep the correct
time. Hairdryers and curling irons may overheat if used for too long. Dual voltage appliances from Europe and South America will
need an adapter plug, readily available on the island. Although electrical current is generally reliable, consider using a surge
regulator for sensitive electronic devices and computers.
The dive center has some protective contact sockets with 220Volt. |
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climate
Located in the tropics, just 12° north of the Equator -- and outside of the hurricane belt -- Curaçao has a warm, sunny climate
year round. The average temperature is about 27° C ( mid 80s F). Refreshing trade winds blow constantly from the east, picking up
in the spring months. The rainy season, October to February, is marked by short, occasional showers, usually at night, and continued
sunny weather by day. Total annual rainfall averages only 570 mm (22 inches). Occasionally a tropical storm brewing elsewhere in
the Caribbean can cause uncharacteristically cloudy weather for a day or two. |
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Shopping
Westpunt has no own supermarket. The nearest is approx. 15 car minutes from Westpunt.
The large supermarkets in the capital Willemstad are on European standard and you get there almost everything what you need. |
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Beaches
You can find the most beautiful, cozy bays and beaches of our island within 15 minutes from All West Apartments. Attractive
locations for swimmers, sun lovers and ideal for shore diving!
Grote Knip/ Kleine Knip:
Only 5 minutes by car you will find these nice white sandy beaches. On Grote Knip you can
buy some refreshments during weekends and holidays. Both beaches are popular by the locals!
Portomarie:
nice beach with beach chairs. You have to pay for entrance. Restaurant facilities available. For divers
there is the possibility to rent a safe and rinse dive equipment.
Mambo beach:
popular beach in town, next to the Seaquarium. Restaurant facilities available, you have to pay entrance.
Shops on the beach. |
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Tipping
It is customary to tip porters NAFl. 1 per bag, and taxi drivers 10% of the fare. Restaurants usually add a 10% service charge
to the bill; you can leave a couple more guilders change if you like. Most hotels add a 12% service charge to the bill. |
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Water
Tap water is distilled directly from the sea, tastes good, and is safe to drink on the whole island. |
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Tourist Assistance
The Tourism Security Assistance (Tel: 4617991) has a twenty-four hour tourism assistance hot line.
The Visitor Information Desk of the Tourism Development Bureau (CTDB) can also provide you with information and assistance during
regular work hours (Tel: 4616000). |
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Health
Take sensible precautions against the tropical sun, especially between 10 AM and 3 PM. Sun screen, sunglasses and a hat are
recommended, as well as a light beach cover-up. Neither the trade winds nor clouds will protect you from sunburn. In case of
serious sunburn, drink plenty of fluids, take cool baths, use a body lotion containing Aloe Vera, and take it easy for a day or
two. Sunstroke can be dangerous, especially for children, people who are overweight and the elderly; watch for dizziness, fever,
headaches and nausea. Although Curaçao is less humid than many Caribbean islands, mosquitoes can occasionally be a problem in the
rainy season and at night. Repellent can be purchased at pharmacies and supermarkets. Curaçao has no malaria or similar tropical
diseases, and no vaccinations are needed to visit. Due to the high level of overall hygiene and cleanliness, gastro-intestinal
complaints ("travellers tummy") are very uncommon. Eat and drink freely. For minor ailments, standard US and European
over-the-counter medicines are available at the local pharmacies, called "Botica's". There are a number of medical
centres on the island. The St. Elisabeth Hospital is the most modern and well equipped in the region. In can be reached within
20 minutes from almost anywhere on the island. |
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