The Caribbean island of Curaçao is known for its beaches and baseball players — including a few Atlanta Braves — but there’s a lot more you should check out in this Caribbean island.
And now that Delta Air Lines has resumed flights to the Dutch nation — albeit only on Saturdays — your adventure is just four hours away.
Ostriches and aloe vera
They’re the largest birds in the world and move faster than Atlanta rush hour traffic (43.5 mph), and you can get up close and personal with them at Ostrich Farm. Food isn’t the only thing grown in Curaçao, evidenced by the 600 feathered ambassadors waiting to meet you. You can explore the farm on your own or take a guided tour, during which you can hold an egg, gently pet a baby or befriend one of the adults.
If spending the day in the sun leaves your skin red and irritated, head to a different kind of farm for some relief.
At Curaloe — the Curaçao Aloe Vera Plantation — you’re free to explore the premises, test the soothing products and enjoy a cup of coffee. Attendants will explain the growing and harvesting processes and help you pick out a souvenir.
Credit: Curacao.com
Credit: Curacao.com
Safaris and skydiving
If an 8-foot ostrich seems a bit intimidating, Luna the dancing cockatoo might be more your speed. Luna lives at Amazonia: The Jungle Experience along with other critters you can meet. Visitors enter the jungle tour through an ancient temple filled with spiders and snakes and other reptiles. Beyond that is an area with a variety of birds, including Luna, and a jungle pathway ruled by little monkeys. You’ll have 45-60 minutes to interact with them and maybe even give them a bite to eat.
When you decide to explore the island, your vehicle of choice can range from a Jeep to a Harley.
Expert guides will help you experience Curaçao like never before — including the sandy plains, enormous cacti, caves and other natural surroundings — all from the comfort of a Jeep. Each tour includes a stop at the beach, where you can play with dolphins, go snorkeling or both.
Jeeps are cool, but they’re not Harley Davidson cool. Whether you identify more with “Sons of Anarchy” or “Easy Rider,” you can live out your biker dreams while exploring hidden gems.
At Harley Adventures Curaçao, licensed motocycle riders can rent a bike for the day or book a tour, where guides “will lead you through the most scenic routes, taking you to awe-inspiring locations that showcase the true essence of the island,” its website states.
Want the absolute best views of the island? Those can be found 10,000 feet above Curaçao as you exit a Cessna C-182. Not far from the Aloe Vera Plantation is Skydive Curaçao, where you can book a jump with an experienced tandem master. The entire experience will be photographed and video recorded for you, for the ultimate keepsake of your trip.
Arts and appetites
Once you’ve explored Mother Nature’s creations, you’ll want to see what the island’s residents cook up — both literally and figuratively.
From Amazonia to Zanzibar, visitors can choose from traditional Caribbean cuisine to African delights to Italian dishes. Be sure to save room for dessert, because ice cream and gelato shops dot the landscape throughout the cities. You’ll even be able to get your Starbucks fix in Willemstad, the country’s capital.
Artistry on the plate is surpassed only by the artistry on walls of galleries and shops. Nena Sanchez’s paintings are found in homes throughout Curacao and Europe, and her premium giclee prints are as colorful as the island itself. At Datie Souvenirs, you can pick up handcrafted earrings, hats, shoes, necklaces or bags to keep for yourself or take back for family and friends.
The “C” in the ABC islands — Aruba and Bonaire are the other two — Curaçao is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of The Netherlands. Its Caribbean climate, colorful architecture and culinary choices make it an ideal vacation spot for families, couples or singles.
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