The colorful island of Curaçao

Travel

The colorful island of Curaçao

Shopping in Wilemstad, Curacao.

Candy-colored Dutch-style buildings populate Willemstad, the capital of Curacao, Dutch Antilles, which is one of six UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Caribbean. The island is less than 50 miles off the coast of Venezuela has 38 beaches, many of them intimate and secluded. Curacao also is home to a vast coral reefs that offer a world-class diving experience.

The Queen Emma Bridge connects the Punda and Otrobandsa neighborhoods of Willemstad. Free ferries connect the two neighborhoods when the bridge swings to the side to allow ships to enter the harbor. (Bob Downing/Akron Beacon Journal/MCT)

The colorful pastel-colored buildings dominate the Punda neighborhood in the heart of Willemstad on the island of Curacao. The buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries. The neighborhood is a World Heritage site. (Bob Downing/Akron Beacon Journal/MCT)

Colorful artwork of Nina Sanchez at her gallery at Landhuis Jan Kok, Curacao. (Jerry Luciani/The Record/TNS)

In Willemstad, giant letters spell out DUSHI (which means nice, great, wonderful), a common phrase in Curacao. (Jerry Luciani/The Record/TNS)

Curacao has gorgeous beaches with lots of coral, sugary sand and pristine deep-blue water. The Caribbean island is popular for scuba diving and other outdoor activities, as well as its diverse culture.

The Penha House, dating to 1708, anchors Curacao's Handelskade, or waterfront. Built in a style favored by Dutch merchants, it became the Penha family's store in 1837 selling cosmetics, perfume and apparel. Family descendants still run it.

Curacao has a variety of hotels at all price levels, with budget properties ranging from $50 to $75 a night and luxury from $300 up. Prices are lower in summer, considered the off season, and peak from mid-fall to mid-spring. American chains with properties on the island include Hilton, Marriott, Best Western, Howard Johnson and Clarion Suites.

Curacao Carnival ladies. (Andrea Guthmann/Chicago Tribune/TNS)

Take a Jeep safari on Curacao.
Credit: Curacao.com

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Shopping in Wilemstad, Curacao.

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